You and What Army?

OT: 2 Chronicles 14-16
NT: Matthew 5:1-13

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2 Chronicles 14:9-12 — Zerah the Cushite marched out against [Judah] with a vast army and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. [King] Asa went out to meet him, and they took up battle positions in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah. Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, “LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O LORD, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you.” The LORD struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah.

Anyone who has seen a map of the Middle East knows that Israel is not a very big country. It is slender and hilly, with a sea to the west and a desert to the east. The ancient nation of Judah had even fewer people than modern Israel. Judah was just two tribes out of 10 and its army consisted of every able bodied man, or about 300,000. That number sounds big but in every engagement, it seems that the Judahite army was outnumbered. The Cushites were a neighboring people group with chariots -- a superior battle weapon. King Asa of Judah, Solomon's great-grandson, confronted the Cushite army on the field of battle and quickly realized he was outnumbered. Yikes! What do we do? So he did what all who are lowly and outnumbered should do — he called on the God of the lowly, YHWH, the god of Israel. The Lord's name was at stake, for His people were at war. So the Lord defended Asa and Judah.

Asa knew that the God of Israel was righteous and just, strong to save, particularly when the orphan and widow are involved. God seeks those who humble themselves before Him and call upon His mercy and deliverance. Saint Peter said we should humble ourselves before the Lord and He would lift us up (1 Pet 5:6). Jesus said blessed are the poor in spirit — those who know they are spiritually bankrupt and in need of God's mercy and grace. Asa knew that God would save the lowly, especially if those who are lowly are called by His name. Through faith in Christ Jesus, that's us! If we humble ourselves before the Lord, He will lift us up and save us from our trials. It may not be immediate and it may not always be the way we choose but He will do it. Just as he did on an ancient battlefield, long ago.

Be God's.

The Hard Lesson

OT: 2 Chronicles 10-12
NT: Hebrews 12:3-11

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2 Chronicles 12:5-8 — Then the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and to the leaders of Judah who had assembled in Jerusalem for fear of Shishak, and he said to them, “This is what the LORD says, ‘You have abandoned me; therefore, I now abandon you to Shishak.’” The leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The LORD is just.” When the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, this word of the LORD came to Shemaiah: “Since they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them but will soon give them deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak. They will, however, become subject to him, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands.”

I really don't like hard lessons. You know, those lessons you learn through trial and failure. Or those lessons that come as a result of a bad decision you've made. The "you reap what you sow" lessons. Rehoboam was the son of Solomon, a good king who went bad in his later years. Rehoboam was foolish from the start and the Lord ripped the northern 10 tribes out of his kingdom. He had tried to make the yoke of work heavier on his workers. They didn't like it, decided to unionize, and bolted in a landslide vote.or something like that. Now, in today's reading, the Lord decided to show Rehoboam what a heavier workload was really like, courtesy of Shishak, Pharaoh of Egypt. It is better to serve the Lord and act in wisdom than serve a foreign king, was what the Lord wanted to communicate.

Our God is very loving towards us, His adopted children. There is no condemnation for those who believe in Jesus (Rom. 8:1) and our hope of redemption in Him is secure. However, every now and then the Lord allows us to reap the result of our actions. Sometimes He blesses us for making wise choices. Other times He allows us to suffer the consequences of bad choices. It is through that suffering that we learn how to grow and develop. Every wise person has made bad choices. Rehoboam made some rotten ones. And he suffered as a result. But God remembered His promise to David (see 2 Samuel 7) and the kingdom of Judah passed on to Rehoboam's son, Abijah. For the Lord loves those who are His and will always be with us through every trial, even if that trial is a result of our own choices.

Be God's.

Drawn to the Light

OT: 2 Chronicles 8-9
NT: Matthew 5:14-16

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2 Chronicles 9:1, 5-8 — When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan — with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones — she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind. She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the LORD your God."

There's just something appealing about the light. Something that draws people to its glow and causes them to bask in wonder and amazement. The Queen of Sheba, most likely a south Arabian country, packed up a large caravan when she heard about this Jewish king named Solomon. He was wise and wealthy — the builder of a massive Temple to the one god of his people. She just had to see it first-hand. And when she did, she marveled at the blessing and majesty of Solomon's God.

Isaiah wrote that another light would draw men from afar, the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ (Isa 60:1-3). The prophet wrote, "Nations will come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising." There is something very magnetic about the light. It stands in sharp contrast to the darkened world. John wrote that Jesus was the true light which enlightens every man (John 1:9). It is in His light that we must walk and it is His light we must reflect (1 John 1:5-7). Doing so will draw attention to the Light and, thus, to Jesus Christ. So let us walk in the Light and pray that the world may believe.

Be God's.

Our God Who Hears

OT: 2 Chronicles 3-7
NT: Romans 8:26-27; Hebrews 4:14-16

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2 Chronicles 6:32-33 — "As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm — when he comes and prays toward this temple, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name."

Is there a prayer that God does not hear? A cry that goes unnoticed? Many times you and I may feel like our prayers bounce off the ceiling but that is certainly not the truth. No, every prayer makes it to the throne of God — saint and sinner. Whether or not God chooses to act is up to Him but, rest assured, He hears your prayers. Because of the blood of Jesus, believers have the assurance that their prayers are treated with the utmost love and response by God. We are His children, co-heirs of heaven with Christ Himself.

Solomon stood before the nation of Israel and prayed openly before the Lord. The Temple was complete and the son of David was now dedicating the great structure in grand fashion. He prayed for many things. Foremost among them was that God would hear from heaven when His people prayed at the Temple or towards the Temple. Not only that God would hear but that He would act with mercy. This hope of Solomon's was not restricted to Jews alone. No, Solomon prayed that those who were outside of the Law — the seeker, the foreigner, the God fearer — would receive an audience before the Lord and an answer when they prayed. An answer would accomplish many things, including the spreading of the name and reputation of the Lord God of Israel. Evangelism! The God of Israel hears. Not only does He hear, but He responds. Truly He is the one true God.

Be God's.

Of God & Dwellings

St. Giles Cathedral in Scotland.

OT: 2 Chr 1-2
NT: Acts 17:16-34
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2 Chronicles 2: 3-4, 5-6 — Solomon sent this message to Hiram king of Tyre: “Send me cedar logs as you did for my father David when you sent him cedar to build a palace to live in. Now I am about to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God and to dedicate it to him... The temple I am going to build will be great, because our God is greater than all other gods. But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him? Who then am I to build a temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him?"

I must confess that I love cathedrals. Massive monuments to God, government and the Church, cathedrals are meant to make a statement about the might and mystery of God. They are also meant to teach people about reverence, beauty, and holy Scripture. I remember my first up-close encounter with a cathedral in 1997, when my family took a trip to Scotland and I stared upward at the might of St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. Across the street was a cathedral much taller but St. Giles was far more impressive. The stained glass windows gave light to a cavernous interior that made me feel so small and insignificant. It was as if God was standing over me, looking down at my lowliness.

The temple in Jerusalem, by eyewitness accounts, was much more grand than even the grandest cathedral. It was massive in scale and ornate beyond value. There was only one built like Solomon's Temple, and even when it was rebuilt after the exile, the old men wept because the old temple was so much greater than the new one. But even Solomon, the builder, knew a very important truth about the nature of God that Scripture repeats over and over again: God is bigger than a building. He's so much bigger that not even this magnificent structure could contain His glory. All it was good for was as a place to burn sacrifices before the Lord of heaven and earth. Paul echoed this truth on Mars Hill in Acts 17, when he spun around and pointed out that the one true God doesn't need a temple like Zeus. No, He dwells outside of space and time.

Are you living in the knowledge of the true nature of God? Are you placing Him in "boxes" meant to confine His power, glory, or authority over your life? Or are you worshiping God for His almighty presence and might?

Be God's.

God of the Details

OT: 1 Chronicles 26-28
NT: Matthew 6:33-35

1 Chronicles 28:11, 19-20 — Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms and the place of atonement. “All this,” David said, “I have in writing from the hand of the LORD upon me, and he gave me understanding in all the details of the plan.” David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished."

There's an old saying, "Don't sweat the small stuff." In other words, worry about the big picture and let the details take care of themselves. Jesus taught that we shouldn't worry about the details of our lives -- where we slept, what we ate, what we wore, etc. because God the Father would take care of us. David had plans for the temple -- grand plans that were drawn out to the smallest detail. He lined up workers and established leaders. But did David sweat the small stuff? Nope. No sweat here. The Lord was in charge of making sure the details were ironed out. He gave David the understanding that allowed him to draw up the details.

Next time you're overwhelmed by the details of life, I have a simple bit of advice for you: ask the Lord to help you. Ask for Him to give you understanding so you can plan properly. And give Him the credit when the details fall into place.

Be God's.

The Unheralded Servants

OT: 1 Chronicles 23-24
NT: Matthew 7

1 Chronicles 23:28-31 — The duty of the Levites was to help Aaron’s descendants in the service of the temple of the LORD: to be in charge of the courtyards, the side rooms, the purification of all sacred things and the performance of other duties at the house of God. They were in charge of the bread set out on the table, the flour for the grain offerings, the unleavened wafers, the baking and the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size. They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD. They were to do the same in the evening and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the LORD on Sabbaths and at New Moon festivals and at appointed feasts. They were to serve before the LORD regularly in the proper number and in the way prescribed for them.
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There was no glory in being a Levite. Much like garbage collectors in today's world, Levites were servants who performed an important duty yet received little recognition from their fellow Israelites. Born into the tribe of Levi, one of Jacob's sons, the Levites owned no territory and were called upon by the Law of Moses to carry out a variety of tasks related to the worship of the Lord and instruction in His Law. In this chapter, we see the various duties of Levites and catch a glimpse of their daily routine. They were the monastics of the Old Testament period in some ways, though Levites could marry and have children. They rose every morning to worship the Lord, carried out various daily tasks, and ended their day in worship. Modern monks do the same, with a few extra duties thrown in.

We still have such unheralded servants in our churches today. There are those who unlock the church building every morning, those who fix the coffee, those who set up chairs, those who lead the church in worship in music and voice, and many others who fly under the radar. However, these men and women serve the Lord because they choose to, not because they were born into a tribe or family. They have followed the path of our Lord, who cast aside His pride to take on flesh and blood (Phil 2:1-11), and who knelt humbly to wash the feet of His disciples in the Upper Room (John 13). Being an unheralded servant is not glamorous but it also does not go without the Lord's notice. Your Father in heaven sees what is done in the secret and rewards based on His good pleasure. He knew what the Levites did and He knows what you and I do. So, are you serving for the Lord or for your own glory? Are you willing to put YOUR pride aside to follow the path of Christ?

Be God's.