Respect The Barrier

“And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them. And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.” (1Ch 5:25-26 AV)

It is often debated whether the two and a half tribes were supposed to settle on the east side of Jordan, or if God gave them the desire of their hearts even though that was not His first plan.  The results of that choice may give us an indication.  According to our passage above, the two and a half tribes were influenced more by their pagan neighbors than they were their own countrymen.  The river Jordan, which was supposed to be a natural barrier of separation acted as one, but in the wrong way.  Whereas it was intended to be a barrier between God’s people and the heathen, it became a barrier between God’s people.  This natural boarder, or barrier, which the LORD provided for protection against compromise and captivity became a barrier which resulted in the same.

The barriers of separation are there for our good.  In today’s ‘Christian’ culture, barriers are often maligned.  In fact, it is seen as more noble to think and act outside the box rather than in the box.  What the LORD provided as a means of protection becomes the very thing that results in great loss.  Not to those who see the barrier for what it is.  But for those who reject the barrier.  Recently, there was a story in the news of a missionary who was trying to contact a remote and protected tribe of Brazil.  The government of Brazil protects that tribe because they have had no contact with the outside world.  The reason being contact with other cultures than might bring with them disease of which the tribe had no immunity.  This has happened several times in the days of exploration wherein the exploring tribe brings with it diseases to which they have immunity that the host does not.  The barrier of an ocean or mountain range; the barrier of a desert or arctic land, work as a protection for all.

God has given the saints standards of separation that are meant for our good.  These standards of separation, or barriers that cannot be crossed, are there for our protection and for blessings.  These standards or barriers of protection are not there to merely test our willingness to obey.  They are there because the LORD knows how to bless His children.  He knows the best way or ways in which His children can enjoy the life He has given.  The result of rejecting those barriers is to be the first to be carried away captive to the ways of the world – which are always more harmful than the barrier is difficult.

It's The Long Game

“And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped, and dwelt there unto this day.” (1Ch 4:43 AV)

It only took about eight hundred years and sixteen kings later for the curse upon the Amalekites to come to completion.  The Amalekites were cursed because of their attempted attack on the children of Israel as they journeyed from Egypt to Canaan.  They were the first of the pagan nations to set themselves against Israel for the purpose of extinguishing them.  Because of this, God stated His people would constantly have war with them, eventually conquer and extinguish them.  What the enemies of God and his people pursue, often comes back on their own head.

There were times when Israel could have had complete victory over the Amalekites and had the blessings of that victory a few centuries earlier.  However, the kings at the time (Saul being one), felt it was more appropriate to pacify and enemy than to destroy them as God commanded.  Taking the history of was and eventual victory as a whole, we can see an illustration of the battle which the believer has with the flesh.  It is a long ball game.  One has to be prepared for years and years of fighting to gain the upper hand.  There will be failures.  There will be times when the flesh gets the upper hand.  The Amalekites were a nomadic people of opportunity.  They had no political allegiance that didn’t first gain them some profitable advantage.  They took what they needed or desires.  The Amalekites were cruel roving robbers who showed no mercy upon their prey.  This is why it was so hard to defeat them.  There was no central command.  There were no permanent cities.  The war went on for eight hundred years until the last of them were destroyed.

The downside is victory came a little bit too late.  Under the leadership of Hezekiah this enemy was eradicated.  It would be Hezekiah’s son who would commit the unpardonable sin resulting in Judah’s captivity.  They won the war.  But not in enough time to enjoy it.  Take heart, though.  We may feel as though we are losing the war.  But keep fighting.  It is better to win later than not win at all.  Play the long game.  Patience in the defeats and zeal in the victories will eventually topple the enemy of the flesh and the world.

Be Prepared for The Fallout

“But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah. And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees.” (2Ki 25:25-26 AV)

If you’re going to do something stupid, then at least have the character to see it all the way through.  Ishmael was a descendant of David and could lay rightful claim to be leader in Jerusalem.  However, Nebby left Gedaliah, a secretary, as governor of Jerusalem.  God chose Gedaliah because he had respect unto Jeremiah the prophet and because he encouraged the people to submit to the chastening of God’s hand for their repeated disobedience.  Ishmael comes along and murders Gedaliah as well as all his support staff – Hebrews and Chaldeans alike.  Rather than take the consequences like a man, he and his followers flee to Egypt.  It is there the Chaldeans catch up with him and deal with him.

Ishmael had some things wrong here.  Gedaliah was not trying to replace the promise of royal succession.  Nebby did not leave Gedaliah in Jerusalem as king.  Gedaliah was merely trying to make a bad situation livable.  Submitting to the authority of their captors would make life a lot easier.  More than that, the Jewish people deserved what they had received by the hand of Babylon.  In fact, because of their idolatry, they deserved far worse.  What Ishmael was thinking, we can only surmise.  Did he really think that he and his small band of men could overrule Babylon?  What was his end game?  Did he not think it all the way through?

Like many of us, we act impulsively because we think we have the higher moral ground.  We see some principles of the word of God – like the Davidic promise – but fail to see greater principles at play.  Like obedience to the LORD.  We go off half-cocked to defend a principle that is important to us, but fail to see the greater picture.  This is what the Pharisees did so often.  They saw the details of the law, but neglected to have equal passion for the weightier matters of the law.  The principle is this:  if we are steadfast to act upon that which we think is right, we had better be prepared to go all the way with it.  Think it all the way through because there are consequences for ever choice we make.  Wisdom is the key here.  The ability to prioritize truth.  That is what Ishmael lacked.

Time To Come Back To Earth

“At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick. And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.” (2Ki 20:12-13 AV)

Hezekiah had just been healed from a near fatal boil.  The LORD told Hezekiah he would not recover and he need get his house in order.  After an intense prayer for his life, the LORD changed His mind and granted Hezekiah fifteen more years.  Then we read of the above event.  The princes of Babylon used Hezekiah’s illness as a pretext to spy out the land for a future invasion.  Hezekiah, in his pride and elation from the healing, could not discern the purpose for this visit.  He truly believed is was for the purpose of professional courtesy in sharing well wishes from another head of state.  This led to an unwise decision that eventually led to the downfall of a kingdom.

In life, we have extreme experiences.  We refer to these experiences as mountain top or valley experiences.  These times are times of great testing.  Times of chastening or times of great faith.  What comes as a result is extreme emotional reactions to these experiences.  We feel great anxiety.  Or in Hezekiah’s situation, great joy and relief.  The problem with these emotional responses to dramatic experiences is that the pendulum has to come back to normal somehow.  Why are heart is in a state of wide swings, we can also fall to the temptation of making decisions that are more emotional then they are rational.  No doubt, Hezekiah was on cloud nine after getting his life back.  It never occurred to him to be skeptical of the intentions of the Babylonians.  Perhaps he felt this was and extension of a good thing.  Another blessing as a result of God’s favor.

Emotion is given by God as a way to experience life to the fullest.  But emotion must be disciplined.  It is wonderful to experience emotion.  We are even commanded to exercise emotion under certain circumstances and with certain boundaries.  But our lesson this morning is to always be aware of our emotional state and allow the Spirit to guide us by the rational.  Not by the emotional.  BE aware that extreme exercise of emotion will seek to balance itself out and when it does, rational thought and process is often the cost.  So, go ahead and celebrate.  But don’t let that celebration rob you of wisdom.  Go ahead and mourn.  We are told to do so.  But do not let despondence steal away prudence.

Motive For Victory

“Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.” (2Ki 19:19 AV)

This is why Hezekiah was such a good king.  His motive was right.  The city of Jerusalem lay besieged by Assyria.  Assyria had conquered all the nations around Judah.  Their reckoning was the gods of the lands could not withstand the mighty army of the Assyrians.  Hezekiah knew all other gods were false gods.  He was not concerned the one true God could be defeated by Assyria like all other false gods were.  Therefore, Hezekiah’s prayer was founded in the necessity of the glory of the one true God and not any fear of defeat.  This motive will get answered prayer every time!

We have all sorts of motives for the desires we wish from the LORD.  Some of them may be a bit on the selfish side.  Others perhaps have the best interests of the individuals in mind.  For the most part, our motives are pure.  We desire a certain end that others or ourselves may not have to suffer from things.  The question for this morning is:  Do we ask for those things strictly because it would bring glory to God?  That is a hard question.  If we were to reflect upon that motive it would probably change a few of our requests.  What is in our heart’s desire may not be in the best interest of the glory of God.  It may be that things turn out well, but in the end, the glory of God did not advance nary a hair.

God did answer this prayer.  He did so to set Himself apart from the gods of the heathen nations around Judah.  He did so that He would show Himself to the one and only true God.  This is in part based on Hezekiah’s willingness to declare the glory of God when God answered.  His faithfulness prior to the need revealed his integrity and worth for the answer he sought.  Do we seek answers strictly for the glory of God?  Or, do we seek them for some other reason?

Staying Within Yourself

“Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?” (2Ki 14:10 AV)

At the inception of his reign, the Bible says of Amaziah that he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD yet not like David his father, but like Joash who slipped into a bit of a problem later in his ministry.  Amaziah was chased and murdered, ending his twenty-nine-year reign.  His son would follow and reign fifty-two years.   At first glance, I wondered why the people would want to murder a king who mostly did that which was right in the sight of the LORD.  The above account might give reason.

Amaziah was successful going up against Edom.  He had slain tens of thousands of rebels and took back some cities lost to Edom.  This success motivated him to contact the king of Israel for the purpose of scheduling a battle.  Amaziah felt pretty good after winning, so he felt he could win some more.  The warning above was the response of the king of Israel.  What followed was a disaster.  Israel had hired Syria to help and Judah was in a fix.  So, Judah had to hire Assyria by way of emptying the government and sacred coffers.  Amaziah initially lost the battle and it ended in a draw.  But he loss of the treasures was significant.  This loss of life and of wealth for nothing more than to satisfy a king’s pride was what got him killed.  He wouldn’t stay within himself.  He tried to be something that he was not.

Knowing how many talents we have been given is just as important as investing them.  Trying to invest five talents when the LORD has only given one leads to problems.  There is no shame in assessing one’s abilities given by God and staying within those abilities to serve the LORD.  I have seen men who resented those who have been dealt ten talents and react with envy at their success.  I have seen others try and be what others are and leave a work in ruins because they didn’t have the ability they thought they had.  Staying in the calling wherein you are called is sometimes a hard thing.  However, once surrendered to it, service become pure joy.  One really doesn’t care if others think you are an under-achiever or are not much in the whole scope of things.  What matters is what you do with what you’ve been given and being content to be used as the LORD intends and not what you or others intend.

Talk It Out

“And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the LORD, even the money of every one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that cometh into any man’s heart to bring into the house of the LORD, Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found. But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.” (2Ki 12:4-6 AV)

At first glance, it appears as though the priests were doing something that was not on the up and up.  The offerings which were coming in and intended for repairing the house of God was not going to that project.  In a cursory reading, one might assume the priests were acting selfishly or even fraudulently.  However, knowing what the law required gives us some insight and we can learn a valuable lesson on communication.

There are three offerings mentioned in the passage above.  The first would be the half-shekel offering required by every male worshipper upon their twentieth birthday.  This primary offering was the initial atonement for their sin.  We might see it as a fee to atone for the sin nature whereas subsequent offering would atone for specific sins occurring during the year.  The second offering was the tithe.  This tithe was estimated by the priests. This ten percent belonged to the LORD.  The third offering mentioned above was a freewill offering.  That which a congregant would vow above and apart from their obligatory tithe and offering.  According to the law, two of the three offerings were to go to the service of the tabernacle and the Levite’s welfare.  Only the free will offerings were required to be used to repair the breaches of the house.

What appears to have happened was the money that was collected was being allocated as the law had required, yet the king believed it was mishandled.  The reaction of the priests tells us they believed they were being accused yet still would not allocate the money collected contrary to the law.  The problem arose because of a lack of communication.  Both parties assumed facts not in evidence.  The priests assumed the king understood the law and would only require the free-will offering to be used, and the king assumed there was more money available than there was and the priests may not have been forthright.  Had the two parties say down initially, and discussed the law, that would have been part of the solution.  The other was the manner in which they received gifts once giving renewed.  There as a public offering and a cooperative accounting. Then, the finances were allocated according to the law.  Communication is the key.  As long a people talk, there can be a solution.

Do We Still Weep?

“And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept.” (2Ki 8:11 AV)

Elisha had looked into the eyes of Hazael and it was revealed to him what Hazael would do.  Hazael was sent from the king of Syria, Benhadad, on an errand of fact finding.  Benhadad lay in his bed very ill.  The king wanted to know from the man of God of the future of this illness.  Would it take his life or would he recover?  The LORD revealed to Elisha this sickness was not unto death, but rather, Hazael would take advantage of this illness to slay his boss.  Then, Hazael would inflict the eastern regions of Israel with violent invasions.  This is why the man of God wept.  The man of God saw the resident evil in the heart of another.  This is what the man of God weeps over.

What strikes me this morning is what Benhadad and Hazael were to Elisha and the fact his rebellion still brought the man of God to tears.  Benhadad was the king of Syria.  Syria had constantly been used of God as a means to chasten Israel back to Himself.  Almost never successful, Israel returned to their apostacy once the affliction was over.  Benhadad was a thorn to the Jewish people.  Naaman the Leper was his general.  Hazael was his secretary.  These men made it their life’s calling to make it miserable for Israel.  This was of the LORD’s doing to motivate Israel towards repentance.  If I was Elisha, I may not appreciate the ‘ministry’ of Benhadad, Naaman, or Hazael.  I may have a hard time conversing or offering them any ministry at all.  Yet, Elisha did.  He was conversant with Benhadad and healed Naaman.  Now, he weeps over Hazael.

Elisha wept because he saw the waste.  He saw what might have been but will never be.  This is a man who can still see the worth of a human soul.  He can still see there is hope.  No matter how bad things are, he can still see there might be some ministry somewhere.  He weeps because he still cares.  He will not allow the waning ministry of the ten tribes change him to the point he is calloused toward the eventual outcome.  He has not hardened himself against the inevitable.  This is a man that allows reality to keep him soft rather than protecting his heart against repeated failures.  Unlike his predecessor, Elisha embraces his times and remains as passionate as possible with the message God has given.  He will not allow the darkness of the hour to steal away his ability to feel.  In this, Elisha is alive deep down in his soul.  He weeps because he is alive.  He weeps because there are still those who will turn even though this one won’t.  He uses what he sees in Hazael to reach others who will not go his way.  Elisha weeps because he still cares.

That's Pretty Cold

“And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.” (2Ki 1:13 AV)

Ahaziah, son of Ahab, fell and injured himself.  He was laid up on his bed and asked his messengers to do to a pagan god to see if he would recover.  Elijah intercepted them and sent back word to Ahaziah that he would not recover.  Rather, he would die on the bed.  Ahaziah then sent a captain with fifty of his men to bring Elijah to the palace.  Elijah calls down fire from heaven and consumes the captain and his fifty.  Ahaziah sends a second time.  The second time Elijah does likewise.  He calls down fire from heaven which consumes the fifty with their captain.  What we read of above is the third captain with his fifty.

The thought that come to mind was the callousness of Ahaziah.  I am struck with the reality this man would have continued to send up men to die until Elijah felt bad enough to stop the killing and come to the palace.  He had no regard for the worth of an individual.  What is worse is all this loss would amount to nothing.  The judgment was going to come regardless of Elijah’s presence.  What did Ahaziah hope to accomplish by bringing Elijah to him?  All this loss was not going to change the outcome.  In his stubbornness and pride, he wasted the lives of a hundred and two souls because he demanded the presence of the man of God.

Before we are too hard on Ahaziah, let us remember we can get the same way.  Our sin effects all around us.  Whether we intend it to or not, our sin has a ripple effect.  We do not live in a vacuum.  The tragedy come when we do not consider the effect of our sin on others, or worse yet, we do not care.  If we are a husband or wife, our sin effects our spouse.  If we are a mother or father, our sin effects our children.  If we serve in the church, our sin effects our church family.  Knowing this, yet continuing in it is no better than Ahaziah.  We get to the point where we think we have nothing personally to lose.  Ahaziah was going to die anyway regardless of Elijah’s visit.  He simply wanted what he wanted.  He didn’t care how it impacted anyone.  We get this way.  We need the chastening of the LORD to root out such selfishness.  May God be faithful to those around us that we might be chastened for their good.

He Doesn't Hate You

“And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.” (1Ki 22:8 AV)

Ahab is the most immature king Israel or Judah ever had to suffer through.  He pouts.  Jehoshaphat’s words were a rebuke to Ahab concerning the man of God.  Ahab’s statement was that the man of God has something out for him.  He is the one who comes to church and thinks that all the preaching is about him.  He is the one who complains that no matter when he hears the preacher, there is never any encouragement.  There is only rebuke.  And, the reason for it all is that the preacher doesn’t care for him.  This is to what the words of Jehoshaphat are referring.  Don’t accuse the man of God of making his ministry all about you.  Don’t accuse the man of God of using his ministry for the sole purpose of beating you up.  Maybe, just maybe, the reason he speaks only evil of you is because you are nothing but evil.

We all go through and experience like this.  I remember many years ago when my pastor rebuked me for something which I didn’t really think needed rebuke.  He accused me of being a poor father in that I allowed my children to dictate the terms of my leadership.  He may have seen an incident or two, but as a rule, I parented them with a great deal of authority.  Just ask them.  What he might have seen as passivity was actually patience.  When he rebuked me, I felt as Ahab felt.  This preacher has it out for me because I have children and he does not.  He doesn’t know what he is talking about.  He has never raised children of his own, so how could he possibly know what I might not be doing correctly.  But as soon as I thought those thoughts, the Spirit spoke to my heart and told me to give him the benefit of the doubt.  He told me that I might consider the rebuke as an opportunity to re-examine my skills to see if indeed they might need improvement.

The man of God is charged with preaching the truth.  We are to rebuke, reprove, and exhort.  This means the majority of his preaching will be criticism and correction.  He does so to help.  Not to hurt.  He knows that our sin and wickedness defile the glory of God and causes unfortunate circumstances to arise.  How loving would it be it ignore wickedness and allow the individual to suffer for it?  Perhaps Ahab needed to see the rebuke for what it was.  A ministry of helps.  The man of God does not hate you.  He loves you.   That is why he must tell you things you may not want to hear. 

There is an End

“And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” (1Ki 19:13-18 AV)

We often read this passage and take it to mean that Elijah had quit on God.  Upon further examination, that may not be true.  Elijah was exhausted.  He was discouraged.  He felt all alone.  But no time in his discourse did he ever ask the LORD to relieve him of his responsibilities.  He had run to the wilderness of Judah because of a death threat from Jezebel.  He had temporarily left his place of calling because his life was in jeopardy.  He did not leave because he was done preaching.  He left because that was the only thing he could think to do at the moment of trial.  What we want to notice is the LORD never rebukes him for this.  He asks Elijah why he is in Judah when he belongs in Israel.  But that is only for the purpose that Elijah might process his emotional state.  This is not a rebuke.  We know this because what follows is the LORD’s ministry to encourage Elijah to finish well.

The LORD tells him to anoint others that will take up where he. Elijah, will leave off.  Perhaps Elijah felt as though all his ministry amounted to a big fat nothing burger.  He called down fire from heaven and devoured thousands of Baal worshippers.  For what?  That Jezebel still sits on her throne and is able to take his life?  What Elijah needed to see was his ministry laid a foundation that others would build thereon.  Jehu and Elisha would take up the mantle were Elijah would leave it and take it all that much further.  Elijah needed to see the end of his ministry and that his ministry mattered.  He needed to see all that he struggled through would lay a foundation for those who follow to do greater and mightier things that he was able to do.

When we do not think our efforts make a difference, we are discouraged.  Perhaps not enough to quit.  But enough to lose the flame we once had.  What is needed is to take stock in what has been accomplished and look not on the present.  Rather, to look on the future.  What will become of those with whom we have had ministry?  We they continue on?  Will they take up the mantle?  Will they have equal or more passion than we ever did of the things of God?  More than likely so.  If we have been faithful in discharging our duties, our hope is not in the present.  It is in the future.  So, fight on!  Don’t quit!  There is a coming generation that needs to see you go off in a chariot of fire!  They need to see you off into eternity still swinging!

From Bad Can Come Good

“And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.” (1Ki 15:11 AV)

There is always good news in the midst of bad news.  God is able to raise a godly seed in the midst of an ungodly environment.  Since David, Judah has not had a godly king.  Asa’s grandmother was Solomon’s wife, Maacah the Ammonitess.  She was not of Jewish lineage nor culture.  Because of her influence, Solomon and his son Rehoboam introduced high places, groves, and idol worship to Judah and Benjamin.  We also learned that Rehoboam allowed his mother a throne in the throne room to reign along side him.  This woman also influenced a culture of sodomy into the nation.  Asa was raised in the worst possible environment.  Yet, the LORD was able to raise him up as a godly young man.  The fact of the matter is, God raises up godly seed from ungodly circumstances as a rule; not as the exception.

Every time a soul is saved from an unsaved home, God raises a godly seed from an ungodly situation.  This is quite obvious when a church works with the less fortunate.  Bus ministry reveals just how horrible a situation a child can be exposed to.  When the LORD get ahold of a child in such a situation and that child accepts Christ, God raises a godly child out of an ungodly situation.  We are led to believe that the only hope of God raising and using a soul to be used to God’s glory is if they are raised in church and a godly separated Christian home.  That is not true.  In fact, some of the greatest preachers are those who came for bad situations.  It is often those who God changes the most that make the greatest impact on God’s church.  Not that godly circumstances are necessarily a bad thing.  On the contrary.  But we have to remember that God can use anyone.  Regardless of the circumstances from which he comes.

Heaven forbid if we qualify a man of God based on his pedigree.  Grade point average, societal decorum, or outward giftedness is not necessarily the mark of God’s hand on a man.  Rather, his passion and integrity for the things of God are his affirmation.  He may come from a broken home.  The God we serve can overcome the effects of all those things and make a man who will stand in the gap against all that is wrong.  This man came for the results of ungodly choices.  He was victimized by those who rebelled against God.  This is what drives his passion. Truth supported by life experience.  This is a man God can use.

Variety Is the Poison of Life

“But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;” (1Ki 11:1 AV)

The curse of a mind like Solomon’s is that life is about gaining knowledge and experiences.  The more the better.  He is described as collecting all sorts of oddities from those lands of whom he had dealings.  Not simply wealth.  But variety of wealth.  The curse of a brilliant mind is that if often become bored and needs to be stimulated by variety.  This is a lesson to learn.  God gave Solomon the desire of his heart and blessed him for asking the most important thing.  Solomon asked for wisdom.  That which he would need the most in order to do that which God called him to do.  The down side is, even gifts given by God can be misused if not disciplined by the principles of the word of God.  The reason Solomon possessed many wives was the variety.  Not the fleshly gratification that may have come with it.  HE became fascinated with their culture and eventually their gods.  A mind like Solomon’s would be constantly curious.  This curiosity would be his undoing.

A relationship is based on knowledge, yes.  The more we know of a person, the more intimate we become.  The knowledge we seek, however, are not mere facts.  We can read of those in a record somewhere.  What we are after is not the facts of one’s life, but how those facts or events shaped who and what they are or were.  I am having a wonderful time talking with my father of late.  He is aging before my eyes and I realized I hardly knew anything about him.  It isn’t necessarily the fact of him military service or his experiences abroad that are fascinating.  What is more interesting to me is how he views those things.  In getting to know the events of his life, I get to know the person.  In understanding his family life before he met our mother helps to understand him as a person.  What separated Solomon from David was how they approached their walk with God.  The former had the incredible gift of wisdom and processed his relationship through the use of the mind.  And the over use of the mind.  The later by the heart.  David was a man after God’s own heart.  Both are required, by the way.  One cannot love someone they do not know.  But treating a relationship as a mere curiosity may satisfy the mind, but it leaves void the heart.

Solomon’s blessing and curse was the gift God gave.  The gift of wisdom.  How we use the abilities and gifts God gives is important.  They will shape our relationship with Him.  We may have a gift of emotion expressed through verse or song.  However, if it is not bound by the truths of God’s word, it is mere emotion without truth.  It becomes shallow.  God’s gifts must be governed.  Governed by the boundaries placed upon them by the word of God.

Does The Inside Match the Outside?

“That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place.” (1Ki 8:29 AV)

This is a portion of the prayer Solomon made at the dedication of the temple.  His is seeking the eyes of the LORD to be towards the house of God day and might without ceasing.  The place that His name is.  Today, that place is in the heart of the believer.   The phrase upon which we wish to dwell this morning is, ‘…My name shall be there…’

Year ago, my job was to care for one of the original buildings of downtown Rochester, NY.  It was an old office building.  It had six floors.  Five of the six floors were occupied by law firms.  This build sat next to the county office building and an atrium connected the two buildings.  Across the street from the county office building was the courthouse.  Anybody who was anybody wanted to locate their offices in this building of which I tended.  This building was so old it had a bell tower in it with a functioning bell.  Marble floors adorned this building which were gorgeous floors upon which once gazed.  The doors were fourteen-foot-high made of solid wood.  Even the doors into each office suite were that large.  The building still has upon its cornerstone the year in which it was laid – 1875.  Yet, it has something else etched in its façade that is not technically true.  It was true at one time.  But not true since 1975.  The building in now known as Irving Place.  But for one hundred years the name appearing on the face of the building declared its purpose.  City Hall.  It was the original city hall of Rochester, NY for one hundred years.  Even though the name still stands, the purpose has changed quite a bit.

I began to wonder how we might appear to others, yet what we were truly in the depths of our hearts.  Even though the name of Christ appears on the outside, has the purpose, desires, priorities, beliefs, etc. changed to reflect something different?  As long as t Solomon’s temple stood, the people of the world assumed Israel’s faith was still sincere and genuine.  What was on the outside may not have been what was true on the inside.  The same is true of the saint today.  We may be wearing the name of Christ on the outside, but what it the insider really like? 

Timing Is Everything

“So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD; that he might fulfil the word of the LORD, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.” (1Ki 2:27 AV)

Abiathar was Eli’s great grandson.  According to prophecy, the office of High Priest was to depart from the house of Ithimar of whom Eli was a descendent.  Thus, Abiathar was not supposed to serve as high priest in the reign of David.  Perhaps David was unaware of this obscure prophecy, or, more than likely David felt guilty at the slaying of all the priests at Nob that he made Abiathar high priest.  Abiathar was the only survivor of that slaughter.  David felt personally responsible at that slaughter because he saw Doeg the Edomite there.  Doeg was Saul’s personal cattleman.  He reported back to Saul when he witnessed the events at Nob.  The assistance the priests at Nob afforded David cost them their lives.  Thus, David made Abiathar priest in his kingdom.  By the text above, it is apparent Solomon knew Abiathar was not to be high priest because of the actions of his great-grandfather.  But here is the application:  sometimes we must wait for the right circumstances to apply the word of God.

There are times when God relaxes His word to the point that He delays the execution of it.  One remembers the men of Israel delayed by a month in observing the Passover because they were not separated to that occasion.  At another time, Hezekiah pleads for the right of the heathen to observe the Passover before they were fully proselytized into the nation.  Solomon waited until the right circumstances arose before he was used as an instrument to fulfill this prophecy regarding the house of Eli.  He waited until, by his actions, Abiathar disqualified himself.  Solomon did not rush in there and replace Abiathar.  Nor did he require of his father, David, to fulfill the prophecy be removing Abiathar as well.  His actions showed the great wisdom that he divinely possessed.  In doing as he did, he respected his father’s reputation and also gave reason for the prophecy on ethical grounds.  Not merely his own wishes.

The point is this.  Sometimes we are in too much of a hurry to apply the word of God in every circumstance.  The better part of valor might be to ask the LORD for wisdom for the right timing and circumstances to apply the word of God so that it is well received by all who would observe it.  If we do not wait until the right set of circumstances, we may miss out on teaching others the principles of God’s word and only making it about rules and regulations.

God is our Stay

“They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.” (2Sa 22:19 AV)

The word ‘…prevented…’ here means to confront. A calamity is a distress or burden.  In other words, David is saying that in his toughest time, there were those who added to his distress by confrontation, but the LORD was his stay.  This reminds me of Paul then he pens, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Eph 6:13 AV) There are times when all one can do is not budge.  There is no marching forward.  There is no advancement.  Sometimes all one can do is to stay put and not retreat.  David is very correct here when he states the LORD was his stay.  It is times like these when the LORD become the only source of our staying power.  When things swirl around us and the attacks seem to come from every direction, it is the LORD who is our stay.

Several years ago, I had to have an MRI in preparation for shoulder surgery.  I know there are those who do not do very well under those enclosed conditions.  I will admit, having the wall of the imaging machine inches from my nose was not a good feeling.  The only way I was able to endure was to submit to the experience, knowing there were openings at both ends.  Relaxing and listening to my own breathing was very helpful.  I decided to take a nap because there was nothing else I could really do.  I wasn’t going anywhere.  It would be fine.  The machine cannot collapse on me.  There was no way I would be trapped.  Truth won over fear.  Knowing there were others who were in control of the whole experiment and they were capable and able to meet my concerns alleviated the fear of being in an enclosed space.  Besides, fear was not going to win out!

There are times when all we can do it to hand on.  But that in not a bad thing.  God is there.  He is in control.  Surrendering to the situation as unavoidable realizing the LORD is the midst of the storm is the key.  We may have to deal with the fear.  But we cannot flee.  Stay put!  God is there.  Even when David fled from Saul for seven years, he knew God was there.  When Absalom threatened to end his life and steal the throne, God was there.  Even when Goliath bore down on him, God was there.  If there was one thing David did well was to lean on the strength of the LORD had stand his ground!

Joab Did Right

“Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.” (2Sa 18:14 AV)

Joab was right in what he did here.  Absalom was shown grace in the fact that David did not pursue him to his father-in-law’s palace to bring him back to justice.  David showed him grace in that he restored him to Jerusalem.  David showed Absalom grace in that he kissed his neck.  David showed him grace in that he did not confront him while he sat judging Israel at the gates of the palace.  If David thought for one minute showing one more venture of grace would change the nature of Absalom, he was fooling himself.  There must be a precedent set.  If Absalom was allowed to live, then others would try the same thing.  Joab was right no matter how hard it was on David.

No one enjoys having to deal with a rebel to this degree.  Specially if there are feelings of love and sacrifice vested in them.  It breaks the heart of a parent or pastor to have to deal with an individual who is a harm to the family or body of Christ.  It is even more difficult if the individual was relationally close to the parent or pastor.  They often see themselves as a failure and blame the rebellion on themselves.  When this happens, the fail to exercise authority and judgment.  There is such a think as personal accountability.  Sure, a leader is not perfect.  But all men have the ability to choose.  We are all told to follow leadership and most of the time that leadership is flawed.  That does not excuse rebellion.  Let us return to the thought at hand.  Joab disobeyed the direct orders of his king because the orders were based on irrational emotion rather than sound judgment.  Joab’s independent discretion was not the same as Joab’s rebellion.  It was for the good of the king and of the nation.  An unrepentant rebel must be dealt with.

I have seen families and churches who entertain rebels that end in disaster.  What eventually happens is that every man does that which is right in his own eyes.  Chaos ensues.  If one can get away with it, then all can get away with it.  Discipline is a lost practice among God’s people.  Rarely do we hear of a church that votes out of membership an individual who will not walk in obedience to the God-ordained authority God has placed over him or her.  I see, time and again, fathers who will not deal with their rebellious children.  They are too afraid they will lose their love.  The fact is, the parent has lost that love a long time ago.  A rebel must be dealt with.  No matter how unsavory that might be.  For his good and the good of the body, rebellion must be cut off.