Friday, July 11th
Reading for today: 2 Kings 9-11
Today's reading is about as violent and gruesome as the Old Testament gets. In these three passages we see over 100 people killed, some aren't buried, others are eaten by dogs and then there is the passage describing the baskets filled with heads.....
This kind of reading is difficult to understand, let alone appreciate; unless you see it the context of a much larger picture. The theme here is judgment, or justice. The Israelites were told (with the 10 commandments) that God is jealous "I the Lord your God am a jealous God..." and that they should not make any idols "...do not fashion for yourselves an idol in the form of anything on earth, or in heaven above, or in the waters below..." Moses told the people repeatedly that if they chose to follow other gods, then they would be punished. God has a point to prove here. He has a lesson to teach his people, not just the people alive at that time, but all of us up to the current day.
Here's the lesson: God is just, and He will not be mocked. You can get away with theft for a short time, but your sins are going to eventually catch up with you. If you have been disobedient, then there will be consequences.
Many times we hear people say "I don't understand how a God who loves us could have created a place like hell" It's easier to understand when you consider passages like this. God is loving and kind and gentle, but He is also jealous and just. He has promised good to those who serve Him, and in the same way he as promised a violent end to those who don't. What we see here is fulfillment of the promises of God.
Some may ask "what about the children or the guests who didn't do anything wrong?" I agree that's difficult to absorb, but here's what I take away from the passage: If I am in charge, then I am responsible for the people under me. As a father, I am responsible for my house. If my children aren't exposed to Christianity, then I am the one who answers for that, just as they are. Leaders are responsible for those under them. Our community leaders will be held responsible for the way they govern. Our nation's leaders will be held responsible for their actions as well. If the leaders say "as of today it's legal to do what the Bible says we shouldn't do" then they will be held accountable, and so will those who behave irresponsibly. No one is going to defy the Creator of the Universe and get away with it.
Herein lies the greatest responsibility of the Church. Many people are unknowingly serving false gods, and are going to reap the consequences for their actions. Our role is to make known to them that they are not free from the consequences of their actions. They ARE free to choose whatever they want to do., but they are NOT free of the consequences. Some parents don't believe there are consequences. It's the role of the church to inform the children that there are. Whether it be children, or adults or anyone else....our role is to teach people to live in such a way that they will avoid the brutal end that awaits all those who defy the Lord.
One more thing: the people who were going to visit the evil king, and the king of Judah who was visiting the evil king. All of them were killed as well. Here's what I take away from the text: "be careful who you align yourself with" No one who is righteous need be concerned that they will accidentally be destroyed along with the righteous, then again, righteous people should not be making allegiances and partnerships and alliances with the unrighteous. God tends to see this as a lack of trust in him to provide. Every time in scripture someone makes an unholy alliance it ends badly. It might be divine punishment in the form of pestilence, war, civil unrest, illness or even death. It simply is a training mechanism to help us understand the overall lesson: God is the one true God, and He will not be overlooked, taken for granted, defied or mocked.
Some may comment that the only way to change a government that has become completely corrupt and pagan is by violence. I believe that while our government is corrupt, it is not beyond forgiveness and restoration. Having said that, if I am wrong, or if we continue to decline, God will not hesitate to exact punishment on the United States. We aren't any different in God's eyes than any other nation.
PR
I agree completely, our country needs a revival and yet sometimes a revival means seeing the kind of destruction that we're beginning to see happen in Israel's history right now. Sometimes we don't listen to reason and need a harsh lesson in reality to point us back to the Truth.
ReplyDeleteI think what we're seeing right now in 2Kings is a prime example of the the phrase "a house divided against itself cannot stand" (Luke 11:17). It has been a constant and growing struggle within both Israel and Judah with whether to worship the Lord, or Baal. It seems like they try to adapt a blend of both most of the time. Obviously as you said Pastor Rick, God is jealous. He will not share His glory with a false god, or allow His people to do so and not face consequences. We cannot serve two masters (Luke 16:13).
I find it interesting that God commended Jeu for his obedience in judging the house of Ahab according to what was in His heart, and promised that his sons up to the fourth generation would be on the throne. But at the same time, Jehu didn't follow after God with his whole heart, and so God "began to cut off portions from Israel" (2Kings 10:32). So he ruled with God's blessing because of his obedience, and yet his rule was defined by defeat and struggle because of his disobedience.
I think the spiritual application for us today is to question how much of God's blessing we are allowing into our lives. How about the lives of those whom we teach? People aren't just learning from our words, but our actions. Do they line up? God will bless us for our obedience to Him, yet if there are still areas of our life in which we are still rebellious and follow after another master, there will absolutely be consequences for that as well. Again, as Pastor Rick says; all part of the training mechanism to teach us that God is the only true God. He will go to whatever necessary measures to teach this to His people; not because He is violent, or egotistical, but because He loves us unreservedly, and He understands our need to rely on Him. It is absolutely the most important, and in a sense the only lesson we need to learn in life.