OT: 2 Chronicles 24-25
NT: Hebrews 8
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2 Chronicles 25:14-16 — Now after Amaziah came from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought the gods of the sons of Seir, set them up as his gods, bowed down before them and burned incense to them. Then the anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of the people who have not delivered their own people from your hand?” As he was talking with him, the king said to him, “Have we appointed you a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?” Then the prophet stopped and said, “I know that God has planned to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”
Amaziah was the son of Joash, the good king of Judah. A young king, he seemed to have everything going in his favor, save for one thing — his heart. Amaziah "did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart" according to chapter 25, verse 1. His heart was not fully seeking the Lord, so he did foolish things. One such thing was to take the idolatrous gods of Edom, which he had defeated in battle, and set them up in Jerusalem to be worshipped. Why would Amaziah do this? Beats me. But God certainly wasn't pleased. The words of a prophet echo through time and eternity: why did you accept something that failed to save at the expense of the One who saved you? Why settle for less than the best?
The author of Hebrews would ask his readers the same thing repeatedly in his book: why settle for an Old Covenant that was incomplete and could not save at the expense of a New Covenant that gives life? Too often we settle for what cannot help us in our spiritual life — things dead or dying, things that confuse or distract. We often settle for a prayer life that is small and weak. Too often we run after pleasures that are poor and fleeting. Amaziah knew that the God of Israel was powerful and Almighty. Yet he was willing to bow before Edom's gods -- the nation he had just humiliated in battle. Don't settle for less. Follow the new and living way.
Be God's.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Bad Company, Worse Corruption
OT: 2 Chronicles 21-23
NT: 1 Corinthians 15:33
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2 Chronicles 21:4; 22:2-4 — Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. Nevertheless, because of the covenant the LORD had made with David, the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David. He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants forever... [Jehoram's son] Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri. He too walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him in doing wrong. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done, for after his father’s death they became his advisers, to his undoing.
For a hundred years or more the house of David and the northern kingdom were separate entities. A king sat on David's throne in Jerusalem while other kings, not of the royal line, sat ont he throne of the northern kingdom. But things changed when Jehoram, son of David, married the daughter of king Ahab, one of the north's wickedest kings. A son was born of the union named Ahaziah, a weak king who was led astray by his mother Athaliah. That same mother would later kill almost all the other royal sons in order to make herself queen of Judah. Evil and wickedness ruled Ahab's line. There was no respect for life and certainly no respect for God.
Jehoram led his family and his nation astray by associating with a family of bad character. His marriage of Ahab's daughter -- whether for love or for alliance -- was a mistake that led to a lot of bloodshed and evil. Paul quoted an old adage in 1 Corinthians 15:33 that says, "bad company corrupts good morals," and that adage was proven true in the kings of Judah. As we'll see in the next few chapters of 2 Chronicles, Joash, the young son of Ahaziah, listened to the wise counsel of Jehoida, the godly priest, and the kingdom of Judah was rescued from the wickedness of Ahab's influence. When we hang around people who not only do not follow the Lord but are antagonistic against Him, we can easily be corrupted and led astray. I'm reminded of the thousands of college students who go off to school for the first time and are immediately hit by negative influences they never experienced at home. Who are you listening to every day at work, on TV and in the marketplace? Are they individuals or programs that display godly behavior and good morals? Or are they bad influences? What can you do to reduce your risk of being led astray by them?
Be God's.
NT: 1 Corinthians 15:33
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2 Chronicles 21:4; 22:2-4 — Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. Nevertheless, because of the covenant the LORD had made with David, the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David. He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants forever... [Jehoram's son] Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri. He too walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him in doing wrong. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done, for after his father’s death they became his advisers, to his undoing.
For a hundred years or more the house of David and the northern kingdom were separate entities. A king sat on David's throne in Jerusalem while other kings, not of the royal line, sat ont he throne of the northern kingdom. But things changed when Jehoram, son of David, married the daughter of king Ahab, one of the north's wickedest kings. A son was born of the union named Ahaziah, a weak king who was led astray by his mother Athaliah. That same mother would later kill almost all the other royal sons in order to make herself queen of Judah. Evil and wickedness ruled Ahab's line. There was no respect for life and certainly no respect for God.
Jehoram led his family and his nation astray by associating with a family of bad character. His marriage of Ahab's daughter -- whether for love or for alliance -- was a mistake that led to a lot of bloodshed and evil. Paul quoted an old adage in 1 Corinthians 15:33 that says, "bad company corrupts good morals," and that adage was proven true in the kings of Judah. As we'll see in the next few chapters of 2 Chronicles, Joash, the young son of Ahaziah, listened to the wise counsel of Jehoida, the godly priest, and the kingdom of Judah was rescued from the wickedness of Ahab's influence. When we hang around people who not only do not follow the Lord but are antagonistic against Him, we can easily be corrupted and led astray. I'm reminded of the thousands of college students who go off to school for the first time and are immediately hit by negative influences they never experienced at home. Who are you listening to every day at work, on TV and in the marketplace? Are they individuals or programs that display godly behavior and good morals? Or are they bad influences? What can you do to reduce your risk of being led astray by them?
Be God's.
Monday, October 6, 2008
A Brief Interlude
Sorry for missing Sunday's devotion, but my family had to travel another state over for a bit of a family emergency. As I write this, I'm sitting in a chair late at night in Lousiana. We're on our way back to North Texas after a whirlwind trip to see my ailing grandfather in Cajun country.
When we last left our journey through the Bible, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, had won an amazing victory without ever lifting a sword. The Lord had sent the armies of Moab, Edom and other foes into mass chaos and they turned on each other. All the armies of Judah had to do was munch on popcorn and watch the Lord at work.
Tomorrow, we'll resume our journey with 2 Chronicles 21 with a couple of bad kings of Judah, Jehoram and Ahaziah, and the remarkable story of the protection of King Joash.
Be God's!
When we last left our journey through the Bible, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, had won an amazing victory without ever lifting a sword. The Lord had sent the armies of Moab, Edom and other foes into mass chaos and they turned on each other. All the armies of Judah had to do was munch on popcorn and watch the Lord at work.
Tomorrow, we'll resume our journey with 2 Chronicles 21 with a couple of bad kings of Judah, Jehoram and Ahaziah, and the remarkable story of the protection of King Joash.
Be God's!
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Popcorn and the Pass of Ziz
OT: 2 Chronicles 16-20
NT: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
2 Chronicles 20:14-17 — Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly. He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’”
Ancient popcorn vendors must've loved the prophecy of Jahaziel. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon the Levite and he proclaimed, "You will not have to fight this battle... stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD," vendors all across Judah had reason for celebration. God was going to do all the fighting! The soldiers were supposed to just show up, stand in line and watch the show. "Popcorn! Getcha popcorn heya!" God often showed His sovereignty and might in the Old Testament by winning miraculous victories on behalf of His people. Though He often accompanied human combat with a miracle, like when He made the sun stand still for Joshua, He also occasionally left us people out, like here. Remember Gideon? He had 300 men and didn't even have to swing a sword to defeat the Midian army.
This story goes to show us that God is the one who really does the fighting, no matter how it appears on earth. He stands sovereign over all creation and swings His sword in defense of His people. If you need help, all you have to do is cry out to the Lord. And He will be swift to save. And as you watch your deliverance play out before you... getcha popcorn ready and enjoy!
Be God's.
NT: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
2 Chronicles 20:14-17 — Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly. He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’”
Ancient popcorn vendors must've loved the prophecy of Jahaziel. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon the Levite and he proclaimed, "You will not have to fight this battle... stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD," vendors all across Judah had reason for celebration. God was going to do all the fighting! The soldiers were supposed to just show up, stand in line and watch the show. "Popcorn! Getcha popcorn heya!" God often showed His sovereignty and might in the Old Testament by winning miraculous victories on behalf of His people. Though He often accompanied human combat with a miracle, like when He made the sun stand still for Joshua, He also occasionally left us people out, like here. Remember Gideon? He had 300 men and didn't even have to swing a sword to defeat the Midian army.
This story goes to show us that God is the one who really does the fighting, no matter how it appears on earth. He stands sovereign over all creation and swings His sword in defense of His people. If you need help, all you have to do is cry out to the Lord. And He will be swift to save. And as you watch your deliverance play out before you... getcha popcorn ready and enjoy!
Be God's.
Friday, October 3, 2008
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.
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.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
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.
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