Saturday, July 12, 2014
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Reading for today: 2 Kings 12-13; 2 Chronicles 24
Boy, I had a hard time with today’s reading. How could Joash, who so obviously had a good relationship with the prophet, Jehoiada, turn his back on all the good he had done under Jehoiada’s counsel and sanction the stoning of Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son? What makes a person who “did what was right in the eyes of God”, leave that life behind and follow the advice of bad counselors. The trouble for many, come when they allow their faith to be altered or tainted by people who are not speaking the truth. We get caught up in the latest fad or trend and think that is how we are to live. We forget to read what the Bible says about each issue and remain faithful to Him.
I heard a preacher one time ask the question “how do you know what is right and what is wrong?” Do we think that it’s a feeling? Do we think we somehow know what is right? Is it our conscience that tells us what is right? Do we say, it’s right as long as it doesn’t hurt someone else? Or maybe we think that right and wrong is based on what the majority says? The truth is – there are flaws in each of those perspectives, because – only the Bible can tell us what is right and what is wrong. (2 Timothy 3:16). If you “feel” something is right or ok for you to do, but the Bible says its wrong – then, guess what? It’s wrong.
The lesson I think we can learn from this is to put our trust and faith and hope in the one true God, who never changes. People may change, the country may change, the world may change, but Jesus Christ never changes. Hebrew 13:7-9 says, “ Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.” (NRSV).
So my heart was saddened by Joash’s fall and the stoning of Zechariah, but God is still God and it is in Him that we put our trust.
Blessings
Pastor Kathy
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I feel like Joash learned to put his trust in the elder men in his life rather than learn to trust in God. While Jehoiada was alive he followed his counsel because he was pretty much raised by him and wanted to please him. Jehoiada gave good godly counsel, but instead of accepting and learning from that counsel as the word of God, Joash simply made decisions he felt were pleasing to him. When he passed away his other elders stepped in and were able to manipulate him to do what they wanted to, and again that division of loyalty led to his ruin. The fact that he never really set his heart to understand God's word is evident in that the Lord sent prophets to turn him back from the evil counsel of the officials of Judah, but he didn't listen. He is even offended to the point of murder when Jehoiada's own son confronts him in the name of the Lord.
ReplyDeleteIt is very important to know how to accept the word of man and filter it through the word of God. Otherwise we're simply trying to please anyone we happen to look up to, and that isn't honoring to God. It is important to have people to look up to and learn from in our lives; but the development of good, godly discernment is extremely important. Otherwise we're just serving man's conflicted agenda.
God will always find ways to reach out to us and to speak to us. He will send people to speak His truth into our lives, but if we don't pay attention to, or understand His voice, who's fault is it? Our consequences and our own conscience will testify against us if we do.
If we do ignore and rebel against God's Word that is..
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