FIRE FROM HEAVEN … Chapter 1
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Introduction:
1 Kings
22:51 It
was told Solomon, saying, "Behold, Adonijah fears king Solomon; for, behold,
he has laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying,'Let king Solomon swear to
me first that he will not kill his servant with the sword.'"
52 Solomon
said, "If he shows himself a worthy man, there shall not a hair of him
fall to the earth; but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die."
53 So
king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and did
obeisance to king Solomon; and Solomon said to him, "Go to your
house."
Ahab is dead (1 Kings 22:52-51-53), and his Ahaziah
takes up residence in the ‘ivory palace’ (1 Kings 22:39).
[Ivory was a costly luxury
in the ancient world. It had been used
by the Egyptians from early times. It
was first brought to Palestine by Solomon’s trading fleet. Solomon’s throne had been inlaid with ivory
panels and gold leaf. Ahab used ivory
in building his palace at Samaria. It
was used for panelling walls, for decorating chairs and beds, thrones and
stools, and for articles of toilet such as combs.]
The Book of 2 Kings commences with the account of
his accident … out of the window to the courtyard below (v. 2). “Probably been drinking”, suggests Vernon
McGee.
And in his unhappy condition he sends messengers to
Ekron to consult the god, Baal-zebub … Lord of the Flies!
On the way these messengers meet Elijah who bids
them return with a message of doom…(vs. 3-4).
Ahaziah’s reaction is one of rage instead of
repentance. He sends a battalion of 50
soldiers to arrest God’s prophet … only to have them destroyed by ‘fire from
heaven’ (vs. 9-10).
Another 50 are despatched, only to meet the same
fate… (vs. 11-12).
The captain of the third battalion, however, has
learned from his predecessors’ mistakes.
He begs for mercy (vs. 13-15).
And gets it! (vs. 13-15.)
13And 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.
14Behold, there
came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties
with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.
15And the angel
of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he
arose, and went down with him unto the king.
16And he said
unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire
of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to
enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which
thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
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BYE! BYE!
ELIJAH … 2:1-14
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Introduction:
Since 1 Kings 17:1, when Elijah dramatically
appeared on the scene, we have followed the ministry of this amazing man of
God. Now he is about to disappear …
just as dramatically!
7 And
fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and
they two stood by Jordan.
8 And
Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they
were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.
9 And
it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask
what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I
pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
10 And
he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am
taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
1. AN
EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW
(a) During his time of
discouragement at Horeb God had recommissioned him and told him appoint a
successor … ELISHA! (1 Kings 19:16).
And thus he did … 1 Kings 19:19.
After saying farewell to his parents, Elisha ‘burned
his plows and sacrificed the oxen!’ (v. 21)
That’s an example to follow … he ‘burned his bridges
behind him’. There would be no turning
back!
(b) Again, when Elijah tells him to tarry
behind whilst he goes on, thrice Elisha replies, “I will not leave thee!” (2
Kings 2:2, 4, 6.) It is not
disobedience … it is devotion. Elijah
is testing Elisha’s faith.
1 And
it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind,
that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2 And
Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to
Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I
will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
3 And
the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said
unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to
day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
4 And
Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent
me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will
not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
5 And
the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto
him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day?
And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
6 And
Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to
Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not
leave thee. And they two went on.
(c) More
than that, when Elijah is miraculously taken into heaven and his mantle
falls to the earth, Elisha destroys his own clothes! (v. 12).
Again Elisha symbolically declares that there is ‘no
turning back’.
11 And
it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there
appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder;
and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
12 And
Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and
the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own
clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
13 He
took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood
by the bank of Jordan;
14 And
he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and
said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters,
they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
2. A
QUESTION TO PONDER
“Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” he asks (2:14).
(a) And
it is a question that bears repeating today.
Not “Where is Elijah … how we need him…” But “Where is the GOD of Elijah?”
For Elijah was just a human being like us (James
5:17). But so great his prayer-life and
his dedication … God was able to use him.
It is not another Spurgeon or Moody … or Wesley or
Whitefield … for which to need to cry out.
But that their God will take and use us in the way He chooses.
(b) Or
we can ponder the question… “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” and remind ourselves
that He sits upon the Throne of the universe … and that He is still in the
business of providing for His people as He provided for Elijah (1 Kings 17:6;
17:14), and comforting His people (cf. 19:4-5), and recommissioning and using
and answering prayer. He’s just the
same today…
The God that stopped the sun
on high,
And sent the manna from the
sky,
Laid flat the walls of
Jericho,
And put to flight old
Israel’s foe,
Why can’t He answer prayer
today,
And drive each stormy cloud
away?
He turned the water into
wine,
And healed the helpless
cripple’s spine,
Commanded tempests, “Peace
be still,”
And hungry multitudes did
fill.
His power is just the same
today,
So why not trust Him, watch
and pray?
He conquered in the lions’
den;
Brought Lazarus back to life
again;
He heard Elijah’s cry for
rain,
And freed the sufferers from
pain.
If He could do those wonders
then,
Let’s prove our mighty God
again.
3. AN
INCIDENT TO INSPIRE
The translation of Elijah was the second time
something like this had taken place.
Enoch, too, was translated “that he might not see
death” (Genesis 15:24; Hebrews 11:5).
And herein is a preview of an incident yet to
transpire. At our Lord’s Second Coming
those Christians still alive will be “caught up to meet the Lord in the air” (1
Thessalonians 4:13-19).
Saints already in their graves will be
resurrected. That’s what it says … and
that’s what it means.
With all its dark despair,
And, like Elijah, rise to
meet
Our Saviour in the air.
Then faith at last will turn
to sight,
As heaven looms before,
And in that land of love and
light
We’lll live forevermore.
O glorious day! When in clear view
Will stand the Lord we love,
And we can worship at His
feet
Beyond the stars above.
We’ll be caught up in a
chariot of clouds,
We’ll be caught up in a
chariot of clouds!
Like Elijah of old, to the
mansions of gold,
We’ll be caught up in a chariot of clouds! (John W. Peterson)
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THE
SECOND COMING OF
ELIJAH
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“Behold, I will send you
Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the
Lord. And he shall turn the heart of
the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers
,lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” Malachi 4:5-6 ...
These
are the closing words in the Old Testament.
Is the prophet Elijah really coming again?
1. CONFUSING
VIEWS
(a) Some
have claimed to be this prophet.
Dowie;
Branham; and a Taiwanese fellow
named Elijah Hong, to name but a few.
(b) Some
cults have claimed that their organisation is the fulfilment of Malachi’s
words.
Jehovah’s Witnesses; Seventh Day Adventists;
Christian Scientists; British
Israelites, etc., have all claimed to be “Elijah”.
(c) Some
think Elijah will come again personally.
The orthodox Jew does. Many evangelical Bible students take the prophecy of Malachi
literally.
2. THE
CORRECT VIEW … (I think!)
(a) Luke
quotes this prophecy and applies it to John the Baptist in 1:11-17.
(b) But
more emphatic is the word of Christ Himself … Matthew 11:11-14.
Verse 11 is a puzzle to many. Was not John the Baptist in the Kingdom of
Heaven?
It could mean that Christ Who was ‘least’ (i.e.
younger) was greater than John. And
humanly speaking, there was none greater than he! Mmmm?
(c) More
emphatic again is Matthew 17:11-14.
The key to understanding this conversation lies in
seeing verse 11 as a quote from the Old Testament.
The Lord Jesus says, “Yes, the O.T. says Elijah will
come again. BUT I SAY UNTO YOU … he’s
been already!!”
And the disciples realised what a lot of today’s
commentators do not. Jesus was saying
that John the Baptist was the fulfilment of Malachi’s prediction.
Says Matthew Henry … “Christians know very well that
John the Baptist was the Elijah that was to come” (Note on Malachi 4:5-6).
3. CLUES
TO INTERPRETATION
(a) Don’t
take everything in the Bible literally!
Of course, the historical narratives are true.
But there is also poetry … and poets do not always
use historical language to describe historical events (Isaiah 55:12).
And there is prophetical language … symbols and word
pictures (e.g. Revelation 13).
And here in Malachi 4, the New Testament says it is
fulfilled by John. He was not literally
Elijah … but he fulfilled the prophecy!
John 1:19-21.
(b) Don’t
apply every O.T. prophecy to our day and the End of the world.
The ‘Day of the Lord’ in Malachi 4:5-6 refers to the
destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in AD 70.
(c) Don’t
neglect to study related Scriptures … if we only had the Old Testament we might be
justified in thinking Elijah would return.
But that’s not how the New Testament interprets it for us…
(d) Don’t
swallow everything a forceful preacher has to say. Check the Book! … like
the Bereans in Acts 17:11!
(e) Don’t
part company with fellow believers over secondary issues. But cling to the fundamentals of the Faith! Amen!
2 Timothy 2:15:
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not
to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
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THE CURIOUS
CASE OF THE
NAUGHTY WATER … 2:19-22
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2 Kings 2:19 : “And the men of the city said unto
Elisha, ‘Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my
lord seeth: but the water is naught
(old English for ‘naughty’, i.e. ‘bad,’ ‘polluted’), and the ground barren.
Introduction:
The scene is the City of Jericho … about 850
BC. A deputation from the city approach
God’s prophet, Elisha, to see if he can solve the problem of their polluted
water supply.
1. LET’S
MEET THE PROPHET
Elisha is the successor to Elijah. Whereas Elijah had exercised a dramatic and
sometimes destructive ministry, Elisha is more gentle and constructive. But God needs both kinds of servants. Some folk who may not respond to the message
of God’s love may think twice concerning their eternal destiny when confronted
with the message of Judgement to come (Jude vs. 21-13).
2. LET’S
VISIT THE CITY
Four hundred years previous Joshua and the
Israelites had conquered Jericho and forbidden its rebuilding! Anyone who did so would bring death upon his
son!
Joshua 6:26:
“And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, ‘Cursed be the man
before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his
firstborn…’”
Previous to this, Jericho had been a fertile
land; “the city of palm trees”
(Deuteronomy 34:3), but now the land is barren. The spring is poisonous to life of every kind.
3. LET’S
WATCH THE MIRACLE
2 Kings 2:20-22: “And Elisha said, ‘Bring me a new
cruse, and put salt therein.’ And they
brought it to him. And he went forth
unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, ‘Thus
saith the Lord, I have healed these waters;
there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.’ So the waters were healed unto this day,
according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.”
Salt is applied to the spring … and the miracle
takes place. Notice that the Lord is
given credit for the purifying of the water, and that the spring was still pure
when this account of 2 Kings was being written. And it is still pure to this day!!
“There is fertile farmland around Jericho due to the
presence of the powerful Elisha springs” (The Land and the Book, by Page
& Volz, page 25, 1993).
4. LET’S
LEARN THE LESSONS!!!
(a) Like
Jericho, our world is under the curse. We
live in a sin-polluted plant … all creation awaits the Day when Paradise is
restored (Acts 3:20-21).
(b) But
the curse received its fulfilment.
1 Kings 16:33-34: “Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God
of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him. In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build
Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof
in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son
Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which He spake by Joshua the son of
Nun.”
The death of the son made it possible for the
lifting of the curse. And the death of
God’s Son, the Lord Jesus, made it possible for mankind to find deliverance
from the curse under which they once lived.
Galatians 3:10:
“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, ‘Cursed is every one that
continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to
do them.’”
No person can be saved by trying to keep the Law,
no-one has kept ALL it requires to be sinless! … “All have sinned ….!” (Romans
3:23.)
Verse 11: “But
that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith” (a
quote from Habakkuk 2:4).
Even in the Old Testament it was foretold that
salvation was by faith and not by our own works.
Verse 12: “And
the law is not of faith: but, “The man
that doeth them shall live in them.” (a quote from Leviticus 18:5). The Law says ‘do’ … but all our ‘doing’
cannot save us. That’s why the Lord
Jesus came to die for us.
Verse 13: “Christ
hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us…”
He made it possible for those who put their faith in
Him to be declared righteous (justified) in the sight of God.
(c) We
need to come, like the men of Jericho, to God’s appointed Prophet, and confess our
need.
Jesus is the only One to Whom we can came today for
cleansing of our sin.
(d) (i) Salt
is a symbol of purity (Colossians 4:6, etc.) – and when the Lord Jesus applies His healing
touch to the sin-diseased heart that calls out to Him in faith, He ‘purifies
the heart’ (Acts 15:9).
(d)(ii) Salt
is also a symbol of fellowship, agreement between two parties.
2 Chronicles 13:4-5 speaks of “a covenant
(agreement) of salt!” Two parties meet
together and share a meal, with salt … this is why every animal sacrifice
offered in Old Testament times “was made with salt” (Mark 9:49). It was as if the offerer was saying, “God,
we are in agreement.”
(e) The
Result
is that those who accept the Lord Jesus as Saviour will have “rivers of living
water flowing from their innermost being” (John 7:38) … refreshing, productive,
satisfying! Even better than Elisha’s
spring!
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TEDDY BEAR’S
PICNIC … 2:23-25
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Introduction:
23 And
he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there
came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him,
Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
24 And
he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD.
And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two
children of them.
25 And
he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.
An old bald-headed prophet is passing through Bethel
when 42 little children playfully call him ‘Baldy’ … so he gets mad at them,
curses them, and two bears come and devour them all!!
No wonder the critics of the Bible love to pick out
this story as being ‘dangerously ridiculous’ (H. Fosdick).
But hold it!!
As a matter of fact there are something like six or
seven mistakes in our opening sentence!! Let’s see what the Scripture REALLY says!!
1. THE
PLACE
Bethel! Once
it was a holy site where Jacob had met the Lord. He even named it ‘Bethel’ … the House of God! (Genesis 28:19).
But now, about 1000 years later, it is the centre of
idolatrous worship. Sin abounds. The God of Israel is mocked. Hosea even calls Bethel by another name,
Beth-Aven (House of Wickedness; Hosea
10:4-6).
[So many Christian organisations likewise began with
spiritual ideals and have degenerated in our day to simply humanitarian
organisations (eg, YMCA, WCC, World Vision…?]
2. THE
PEOPLE
(a) Elijah.
(i) His age … is only about 25 or so. He lives another 60 years.
(ii) His character … is one of gentleness and compassion. If this were merely a legend the story
teller would have put it in his Elijah file rather than Elisha’s! Mmmm?
(b) The
Children.
(i) Their age. The Hebrew word is also used of Isaac when he was 28 (Genesis
21:5-12), of Ahab’s soldiers (1 Kings 20:14), of Joseph when he was 17 (Genesis
37:12). The KJV gives a wrong
impression. This was a gang of young
toughs … probably Baal worshippers!
(ii) Their number. If two bears caught 42 of them … how many were in the gang to
start with?? 142 would be closer to the
mark!
(iii) Their taunt.
The
reference to baldness was like a vile swearword in those days. Possibly Elisha was not even bald! Nor did they mock him ‘playfully’! Probably with rocks and clubs!
3. THE
PUNISHMENT
(a) The
Curse. Elisha is simply warning them that unless
they repent, judgement will come upon them.
We get similar curses, even in the New Testament.
Jesus pronounces a curse on various cities (Matthew 11:23-24). Paul does the same on certain people (Galatians 1:8).
But repentance could have averted the judgement … as
it did for Nineveh when they repented after hearing Jonah’s message of doom.
(b) The
Bears. They did not necessarily ‘devour’ the
hoodlums … but they ‘tare’ them, and 42 ended up in hospital! This in itself may be seen as God’s
warning. After all … Assyria, like a
raging bear, was turning its eyes toward world domination. Unless Israel repented and turned to Jehovah
this incident in the days of Elisha would be like a Teddy Bear’s picnic in
comparison.
* * * * * * * * *
Conclusion:
No! Elisha
was not old and probably not bald.
There were more than 42 … and they were not innocent little
children! He did not ‘get mad’, but
simply warned them of the consequences if they persisted in their rebellion
against Jehovah. And the bears did not
necessarily ‘devour’ those they were able to catch.
And YES! I
believe it’s true!!
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THE MEANINGFUL
MINISTRY OF THE
MINSTREL MAN
… Chapter 3
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Introduction:
We come to the fourth miracle in the life of Elisha
(see 2:14, 21; 24) … and now the provision of water for a host dying of thirst,
and a victory over the enemy.
1. THE
ENMITY OF MESHA … King of Moab
The facts concerning this rebellion (vs. 4-5) are
recorded on the Moabite Stone (see Study No. 14, in 1 Kings) as well as here in
Scripture. Once more archaeology
confirms the Book of books!!
1 Now
Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth
year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.
2 And
he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his
mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made.
3 Nevertheless
he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to
sin; he departed not therefrom.
4 And
Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an
hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.
5 But
it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the
king of Israel.
2. THE
INIQUITY OF JORAM … King of Israel
(We say Joram instead of Jehoram to distinguish him
from the King of Judah with the same name!)
Whilst he ‘put away the image of Baal’, yet he still
persisted in worshipping Jehovah as a ‘golden calf’. Such was the sin of Jeroboam (v. 3; 1 Kings 12:28).
King Joram was not breaking the 1st
Commandment (no other gods), but the 2nd (no graven images!).
And sin is sin … whichever commandment you break
(James 2:10).
3. THE
FOLLY OF JEHOSHAPHAT … King of Judah
Twice previously this good king has yoked himself
together with unbelieving Israel (in the north) and suffered for it (see study
No. 27, in 1 Kings). Now Joram asks his
assistance against Moab … and Jehoshaphat makes a foolish reply (vs. 6-8).
It is the old lesson of “Be not unequally yoked
together with unbelievers…”
(2 Corinthians 6:14-17).
4. THE
CONFEDERACY WITH EDOM
9 So
the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they
fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host,
and for the cattle that followed them.
10 And
the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings
together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!
11 But
Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire
of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said,
Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.
What’s this?
Now the idolatrous Edomites have joined Israel and Judah. How does Jehoshaphat feel? Verse 9.
This means that, at Joram’s suggestion, these three
armies have decided to attack Moab from the south. And that is probably the opposite to what Mesha, King of Moab,
expects.
But the seven day journey brings disaster … there is
no water for man nor beast (v. 9).
Joram blames Jehovah (v. 10), but Jehoshaphat enquires if a prophet
might be found that they might ask of God…
A servant tells of Elisha being nearby (v. 11).
And the three kings go to him…
5. THE
MINISTRY OF THE MINSTREL
Elisha ‘tells off’ Joram … maybe satirically
suggesting he go and consult his false prophets! (v. 13.) But for Jehoshaphat’s sake says he will seek
the Lord for them.
A ministrel is brought in to calm the prophet and
put him in a receptive frame of mind.
Music does play an important place in influencing
one’s behaviour!! Some music will put
you in a romantic mood … some will encourage you in the forthcoming battle …
some will put you in a buying mood … some will send you into a trance or frenzy
… some will draw you closer to the Lord.
Start the day with some good Christian music in your
home!
6. THE
PROPHECY OF ELISHA
He tells them to ‘dig ditches’ in the valley … verses 16-18.
13 And
Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to
the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of
Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together,
to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
14 And
Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it
not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not
look toward thee, nor see thee.
15 But
now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that
the hand of the LORD came upon him.
16 And
he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.
17 For
thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that
valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle,
and your beasts.
18 And
this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the
Moabites also into your hand.
7. THE
VICTORY OF ISRAEL
17 For
thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that
valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle,
and your beasts.
18 And
this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the
Moabites also into your hand.
19 And
ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every
good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with
stones.
20 And
it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that,
behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with
water.
21 And
when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them,
they gathered all that were able to put on armor, and upward, and stood in the
border.
22 And
they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the
Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood:
23 And
they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one
another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.
24 And
when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the
Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the
Moabites, even in their country.
Sure enough, the next morning the ditches are full
of water, despite the fact that neither army had seen any rain the previous
night (v. 17).
We are told that the water came “by the way of Edom”
(v. 20), which may indicate that it rained on the other side of the mountains
and even ran down the mountains into the valley. Oh, for more detail!
In any case, the Moabites see the water … and
mistake it for blood (v. 22).
The sunshine, coupled with Edom’s red soil, and the
fact that they had seen no rain, led the Moabites to believe the host of
Israel, Judah and Edom had fell to fighting each other (v. 23). They swoop on the camp to take of the spoil
(no armour? No weapons?) and find
themselves being slaughtered.
Survivors flee to a Moabite city where Mesha offers
his son as a sacrifice to Chemosh, the Moabite god. Israel departs … (v. 27).
* * * * * * * * *
Conclusion:
There are many folk in a parched, barren land …
spiritually! Like the host of Israel,
they are in danger of perishing … spiritually!
The solution?
Come to God’s Prophet … the Lord Jesus.
“Dig ditches” … that is, repent! Turn from your wicked way (Isaiah 55:7).
Hosea 10:12:
“Plant the good seeds of righteousness and you will reap a crop of my
love; plow the hard ground of your
hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that He may come and shower
salvation upon you.”
He can deliver, and bring life and fruitfulness, as
the ‘water of life’ floods your soul.
===========================================================
ELISHA …
AND THE SECRET OF PENTECOST …
4:1-7
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Introduction:
This fourth chapter of 2 Kings introduces us to another
five miracles in the ministry of this remarkable man of God.
In some Israelite village Elisha finds himself
confronted by a distraught widow …
1 Now
there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto
Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy
servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two
sons to be bondmen.
2 And
Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the
house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot
of oil.
3 Then
he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors, even empty
vessels; borrow not a few.
4 And
when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons,
and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which
is full.
5 So
she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought
the vessels to her; and she poured out.
6 And
it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring
me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil
stayed.
7 Then
she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy
debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.
1. THE SCHOOLS OF THE PROPHETS
Samuel, 200 years previous, had established schools
for prophets … something like “Bible Colleges” today.
There was one at Bethel (2 Kings 2:3), and at
Jericho (2 Kings 2:5-7). Obadiah had
hidden a hundred such students during Ahab’s reign (1 Kings 18:4).
These prophets studied the history and laws of their
people … and went forth to boldly call Israel, and Judah, and sometimes
surrounding nations … to repentance.
They FORTHTOLD the Word of God, and sometimes that included FORE-TELLING
future events. But not always.
Not all worked miracles. Later we will meet Huldah a prophetess, and others are also
mentioned by name (see 1 Kings 22:8; 2
Chronicles 18:2, etc.)
2. THE PLIGHT OF THE WIDOW
Her husband had died (he was apparently known to Elisha,
v. 1), and left her in serious debt.
There was no ‘widow’s pension’, nor dole money. And she had two young sons to care for.
* Learn
that troubles come to believers as well as unbelievers … the storms of life
break upon the just as well as the unjust.
But at least God’s children know where to turn and cast their burdens (1
Peter 5:7).
3. THE DEMANDS OF THE CREDITOR
(a) The
Law of Moses taught that debts were to be paid. For that matter, so does the New Testament (Romans 12:17).
(b) But
the Law of Moses also demanded mercy. The
creditor should be understanding and compassionate (Leviticus 25:35-38).
But the creditor of this widow is after his ‘pound
of flesh’!
4. THE SOLUTION OF THE PROPHET
She turns to God’s representative for help.
(a) His
Question (v.
2a). The old saying is
that “God helps those who help themselves” … and if she has some item in her
house that she might sell to wipe off the debt then let her do so. It is no use asking for God to supply if we
can answer our own prayer. But He also
helps those who cannot help themselves … and such was her situation. Nothing but a jar of oil left in the house
(v. 2b).
(b) His
Command
(v. 3). He bids her borrow empty
vessels from her friends! Miracle No. 5
coming up!!
Thus it is her faith in Elisha’s word (or should I
say, God’s Word) reveals itself by her actions. She collects some vessels from her neighbours.
And the oil from her small pot miraculously fills
them all. The oil is then sold and the
debt is paid (v. 7).
5. THE FILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
(a) The
symbolism of the oil. In Old Testament and New
Testament alike, oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. As kings and priests were anointed with oil in O.T. days, so
believers are anointed for service by the Spirit of God. He is ‘poured out’ upon those who yield
themselves to His control.
(b) The
emptiness of the vessels (v. 3). Our
lives must be emptied of pride and unbelief … like a vessel half-filled with
rocks cannot be filled with oil. So
some things in a believer’s life will hinder the Spirit’s control.
(c) The
faith that appropriates. If this
widow had only borrowed three vessels that’s how much oil she would have
got. If ten, then that’s how much … if
50, that’s how much. The oil stopped
when there were no more vessels to fill (v. 6).
And “according to your faith be it unto you” (Matthew 9:29). A half-hearted faith results in a half-hearted filling! A whole-hearted commitment to Christ results in being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Breathe on me, Breath of
God,
Fill me with life anew –
That I might love what Thou
dost love
And do what Thou wouldst do. (E. Hatch)
===========================================================
A CUPPA
FOR THE PROPHET …
4:8-10
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Introduction:
Whenever Elisha passed through Shunem (in northern
Israel) he knew that he was always welcome for a ‘cuppa’ at the home of the
“great woman” (v. 8). Great in wealth (?)
or position in the community (?) or size (?)
In any case, a special room is built for him … and
the only thing missing is a book-case!! (v. 10).
8 And
it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and
she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by,
he turned in thither to eat bread.
9 And
she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of
God, which passeth by us continually.
10 Let
us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him
there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when
he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
1. THE
BED … speaks to us of REST
And those who feign would serve the Lord must learn
the secret of resting in Him. Amid the
raging storms of life…
There is a place of quiet
rest
Near to the heart of God…
A place where sin cannot
molest
Near to the heart of God.
Isaiah speaks of the believer’s peace (57:20-21), a peace that the world does not give, nor can the world take it away. And a peace of which the unsaved person knows nothing.
Only ‘in Christ’ is such a peace to be found,
regardless of adverse circumstances.
2. THE
TABLE … speaks of FELLOWSHIP
The table is the place where we commune with each
other, and enjoy each other’s company.
“That I may know Him” says Paul (Philippians 3:10)
… not that he does not already know Him as Saviour and Lord. But oh!
he is saying, for an even closer walk with the Lord.
Only those who spend time alone with the Lord, in
fellowship with Him at the ‘table’, will be effective in His service.
3. THE
STOOL … speaks of LEARNING
Mary of Bethany chose the better part when she sat
at the Lord’s feet (Luke 10). Notice
how Matthew 11:28-29 puts the lesson of the bed, the table and the stool all
together …
“Rest,” … the bed.
“My yoke,” … fellowship … the table.
“… learn” … the stool.
We need to get to know our Bibles better … read it!
4. THE
CANDLE … speaks of SHINING
Having learned the lesson of the first three
articles, now we are ready to shine for the Lord Jesus. Philippians 2:15.
We are to confess Him publicly … by baptism … by our
life … and by what we say…
* * * * * * * * *
Conclusion:
The lesson of the furniture in Elisha’s room is a
reminder to us that we need to rest upon, fellowship with and learn of Him, if
we would shine brightly for our Lord.
===========================================================
THE MIRACLE
THAT FAILED … 4:8-34
………………………………………………………………………
Introduction:
8 And
it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and
she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by,
he turned in thither to eat bread.
9 And
she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of
God, which passeth by us continually.
10 Let
us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him
there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when
he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
11 And
it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay
there.
12 And
he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called
her, she stood before him.
13 And
he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with
all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the
king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own
people.
14 And
he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath
no child, and her husband is old.
15 And
he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.
16 And
he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a
son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine
handmaid.
Hey!! Read the Bible portion first!!
As a reward for her hospitality, Elisha prays that
the ‘great woman of Shunem’ might bare a child … and sure enough … v. 17!!
1. THE
UNEXPECTED TRAGEDY
Death, that most unwelcome visitor, enters the
Shanamite’s home. The little fellow
dies … possibly sunstroke (vs. 18-19).
(a) It is a reminder that being
a child of God does not necessarily shelter one from the troubles that befall
mankind. The rain falls on the just as
well as the unjust.
(b) Not only is there no
immunity to life’s trials … sometimes there is no explanation for them, this
side of Glory.
But “if we could see beyond Today as God can see”,
our attitude to today’s misfortunes would take upon them a different aspect…
e.g. Isaiah 57:1-2, The Living Bible:
“The godly die before their time, and no one seems to care or wonder
why. No one seems to realise that God
is taking them away from evil days ahead.
For the godly who die shall rest in peace.”
2. THE
UNQUENCHABLE FAITH
She recalls the story Elisha had told of his
predecessor, Elijah, who had raised a little fellow from the dead (1 Kings 17:17-24).
And her faith rises.
17 And
the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto
her, according to the time of life.
18 And
when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to
the reapers.
19 And
he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to
his mother.
20 And
when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till
noon, and then died.
21 And
she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon
him, and went out.
22 And
she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young
men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.
23 And
he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor
sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.
24 Then
she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not
thy riding for me, except I bid thee.
Despite the seeming impossibility of the situation
and her husband’s unspiritual rebuke, “What do you want to go to church for
today … it’s not Sunday… (see v. 23!), she sets off on a 15 mile trip, by ass,
to find Elisha.
As she nears Mt Carmel the prophet sends Gehazi, his
servant, to meet her (vs. 25-28).
And to Elisha, not Gehazi, she pours out her
heart. Her child has died (v. 28).
3. THE
UNEXPLAINED FAILURE
25 So
she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass,
when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant,
Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:
26 Run
now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it
well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well:
27 And
when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but
Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone;
for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath
not told me.
28 Then
she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?
29 Then
he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go
thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer
him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.
30 And
the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I
will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.
31 And
Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child;
but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him,
and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.
Elisha
sends Gehazi to lay the prophet’s staff on the body of the little fellow.
To no avail!
Gehazi does as his master bids.
But no miracle takes place (v. 31).
Why did the miracle fail … despite Elisha’s
expectation to the contrary?
Because of the kind of person Gehazi was …
(a) We
caught a glimpse of it in verse 27 were he sought to ‘thrust her away’.
(b) Nor is there any
perseverance … he lays the staff on the child and leaves… (v.31).
(c) There is no mention of
prayer on his part. But when Elisha
comes he agonises over the child and “prayed unto the Lord” (v. 33)
(d) In the next chapter we will
see Gehazi lying to Naaman, the Syrian general; and to Elisha. We will
see him ‘greedy for gold’.
Gehazi is an unspiritual man … and that is why the
miracle fails.
The staff in the hand of the man of God would
display ‘wonder-working power’ … but in the hands of Gehazi it was but dead
wood.
And sometimes today the impact of the Scripture
message is of no effect because the one who ministers is a Gehazi rather than
an Elisha.
4. THE
UNUSUAL RESPONSE … on the part of Elisha
In this incident the faith of the woman shines even
brighter than that of God’s prophet …
(a) Why
the woman’s persistence? Even after
Gehazi is sent off, she still pleads with Elisha to come (v. 30).
Is it not true that she discerns Gehazi’s hypocrisy
whereas Elisha does not? Notice how she
did not confide her troubles to this wicked servant (read verse 26
again!). Had she seen Gehazi’s
behaviour in her home … the flash of arrogance … the kicking of the cat … the
lack of sensitivity … She knew the miracle would not work … even if
Elisha didn’t!!
(b) Why
the prophet’s ignorance … of the woman’s need, and his servant’s lack of spirituality?
Had he chosen Gehazi from the School of the Prophets
because of his academic qualifications … without asking the Lord about it? Whatever, it seems that this false step
Elisha had taken deadened his discernment.
The Lord was not able to ‘get through’ to him (v. 27)!!
* * * * * * * * *
Conclusion:
But the story has a happy ending. The woman constrains Elisha to come to her
home … he prays … and the child lives (vs. 32-34).
===========================================================
SEVEN SNEEZES … 4:32-37
…………………………………………………….
32 And
when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon
his bed.
33 He
went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.
34 And
he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his
eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and stretched himself upon
the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
35 Then
he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched
himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his
eyes.
36 And
he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when
she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son.
37 Then
she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up
her son, and went out.
Introduction:
The story of the raising from the dead of the son of
the Shunemite woman is filled with spiritual truth.
At conversion the sinner is said to pass from “death
unto life” (John 5:24) … spiritual death to spiritual life.
And like this little fellow we should show the
evidence that we are ‘alive’ … by sneezing seven times!
If you have come to know the Author, you will want
to read His Book (1 Peter 2:2-3).
Fancy having a friend that you never talk to…! Jesus said, “WHEN ye pray…” (Luke
11:1). Not “IF ye pray…” It’s the natural thing to do if you are a
Christian.
Acts 2:42 tells how those early believers continued
steadfastly … in fellowship. Not
because they had to, but because they wanted to! It’s a sign that one has passed from ‘death
to life’.
We do not trust our feelings to be saved. But it’s a by-product … that peace of God
that keeps one serene in the midst of life’s trials.
We base our assurance on the Written Word of God … I
John 5:11-13.
How do I know I’m spiritually alive? “These things are written … that ye may
KNOW…!!” We trust the Saviour for
our Salvation and the promises of God’s Word for our Assurance.
True, He commands us to tell others of His great
salvation … but it’s a mark of ‘new life’ that we want to share the good
news. Like the Chinaman healed of his
blinded eyes by a simple operation … disappeared into the hills to return a
week later to that same missionary doctor, bringing 23 other blind Chinamen
with him.
Not just on the Lord’s Day, but it is a sign of
spiritual life that we enjoy the company of God’s family members.
Tell me who your closest friends are – that’s an
indication of your spiritual life.
Tell me whether you prefer a boozy, wild, worldly
party or a Bible Study - and it speaks of where you are at. Doesn’t it?
Just a couple of the many verses in the New
Testament (Ephesians 5:30-31), that remind us that we are ‘called unto
holiness’.
You say you have passed from ‘death unto life’ … but
have you sneezed seven times? Where is
the evidence of your new life in Christ?
===========================================================
POISON IN THE POT !! ( 2
Kings 4:38-41)
38 And
Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons
of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on
the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets.
39 And
one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and
gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot
of pottage: for they knew them not.
40 So
they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of
the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O thou man of God, there is death
in the pot. And they could not eat thereof.
41 But
he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out
for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot.
42 And
there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the
firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk
thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat.
43 And
his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said
again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the LORD, They shall
eat, and shall leave thereof.
44 So
he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the
word of the LORD.
Introduction
Lunch-time
at the theological hall where Elisha is Leader of a group of young prophets in
training. But someone slices up a
mushroom … or was it a toadstool !! … and pops it in the soup .
Before
long they realise there is death in the pot !
Elisha
to the rescue ! Miracle No. 8 coming up !
Some
flour is cast into the concoction and the poison is counteracted. And therein
lies an important lesson for our day.
(1)
THE ENTERTAINMENT POT.
Alas,
this poison has slain its thousands. From Hollywood pours a continual stream of
blasphemy, immorality and anti-Christian philosophy.
Adultery
and drunkenness are presented as something to laugh at instead of weep over.
On
the music scene Rock ‘musicians’ peddle their rebellion against decency. Parental
authority and governmental policies. Do
as you please becomes the message of these false ‘idols’ . God is mocked. Drug taking and Occult involvement often play a major part of
their life style. There is plenty of poison in today’s Entertainment Pot !
(2)
THE ETHICAL POT.
There
was a time when black was black, white was white and sin was sin.
But
we live in a society that has spurned Christian values and reaps a sorry
harvest. Embezzlement … crime ( oft
with little punishment ) … vandalism … shop-lifting … ‘gay’ marches … abortions
… de-facto relationships …
And
the consequences ? AIDS , economic woes, strikes, dysfunctional families,
single parents, …
There is death in the Ethical Pot.
(3)
THE EDUCATIONAL POT !
Godless
teachers promote their own Anti- Christian philosophy on impressionable
minds. Literature is proscribed that
contains obscenities. Evolution is taught as a science. Discipline is a relic
of the past.
There
is death in the Educational Pot !
(4)
THE ECCLESIASTICAL POT
There
are ministers denying the fundamental doctrines of the Faith. False gospels are preached. Theological
colleges are often in the hands of Liberal theologians. Praying with Moslems and Jews has become
common.
Documentation
abounds that there is death in the Ecclesiastical Pot.
Conclusion
The
Antidote ? … Surely the flour Elisha cast into the deadly pottage is a picture
of the Word of God ! This is the Gospel that changes lives and causes the
sinner to pass from death unto life.
This is the Book that has transformed thousands of lives and brought
them to a place of spiritual health.
“Righteousness exalteth a nation …” Proverbs 14:34
But
that righteousness only comes as a nation gets back to the Bible and as individual respond to the message of
the Cross.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
VEGETABLE SOUP
and BARLEY BUNS … 4:38-44
……………………………………………………………
38 And
Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons
of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on
the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets.
39 And
one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and
gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot
of pottage: for they knew them not.
40 So
they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of
the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O thou man of God, there is death
in the pot. And they could not eat thereof.
41 But
he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out
for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot.
42 And
there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the
firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk
thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat.
43 And
his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said
again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the LORD, They shall
eat, and shall leave thereof.
44 So
he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the
word of the LORD.
……………………………..
Introduction:
It is lunch-time at the Theological College at
Gilgal where Elisha has been lecturing.
One hundred eager students are ready to dine. Alas! The food situation
is critical. “Elisha now returned to
Gilgal, but there was a famine in the land” (v. 38).
1. VEGETABLE
SOUP
(a) The
Provision of the Food. God’s prophet supplied
it. Maybe it had been given by the
mother of the lad he ad just been the Lord’s instrument in raising from the
dead (v. 34).
(b) The
Poisoning of the Food. A poisonous gourd, found in the field, is sliced up and added to the
soup. “There is death in the pot”, cry
the students (v. 40 KJV).
“One day as the group of
prophets was seated before him, he said to his servant, ‘Put on a large kettle
and make some stew for these men.’ One
of the young men went out into the field to gather vegetables and came back
with a pocketful of wild gourds. He
shredded them and put them into the kettle without realising they were
poisonous. But after the men had eaten
a bite or two they cried out, ‘Man of God, there’s poison in this stew!” So they would not eat it.” (Verses 38-40.
(c) The
Panacea for the Food. Elisha calls for some flour, casts it into the pot … and the soup is
edible.
Verse 41: “Elisha said, ‘Bring me some flour.’ Then he threw it into the kettle and said,
‘Now it’s all right; go ahead an
eat.’ And then it did not harm them!”
(d) The
Preview of the Gospel. All of which illustrates a basic Gospel truth. In Eden God provided all that man could
enjoy. But sin entered … and there was
“poison in the pot”. Man became subject
to death, both physical and spiritual.
However, God provided a panacea … He Who described
Himself as the Bread of Life came down to the place of death, dealt with the
poison of sin, and made it possible for ‘whosoever’ to partake of His saving
grace.
2. BARLEY
BUNS
(a) The
Farmer’s Gift. A man from Baal-shalisha arrives with a sack of corn and 20 loaves of
barley bread made from the first grain of his harvest (v. 42).
Note that his village was once called “Shalisha” (1
Samuel 3:4), but now idolatrous Baal worship has led to its name change. Evil King Joram sits upon the throne of
Israel.
And notice too, the time factor. It was the time of the ‘first-fruits’ … the
time the barley harvest had just commenced.
And the Law demanded an offering of the first-fruits of the harvest be
brought to the priests, God’s representatives (Exodus 23:19). So this farmer decides to take the offering
to God’s prophet.
The journey to Jerusalem’s Temple would be too
dangerous … and distant.
(b) The
Servant’s Grievance. Told by Elisha to distribute
the buns among the one hundred students, his servant grumbles.
Verses 42-43: “… Elisha said, ‘Give it to the group of
prophets so they can eat.’ ‘What?’ his
servant exclaimed. ‘Feed one hundred people with only this?’”
The servant’s name is Gehazi. He is mentioned in various stories connected
with the prophet (4:27; 5:20-27; 6:15-17).
He has witnessed numerous previous miracles at the hand of his master,
but here he stumbles in obedience because of his lack of faith. Gehazi is a sad picture of the man who has “a
form of godliness but denies the power thereof” (2 Timothy 3:5).
(c) The
Lord’s Goodness. Like our Saviour’s miracle
with five loaves and two fishes feeding over 5,000 (Matthew 14:21), so now,
through the hands of Elisha, one hundred students are miraculously fed. And like the miracle beside the Sea of
Galilee there is plenty to spare! (Matthew 14:20; 2 Kings 4:44).
Verses 43-44: “Elisha repeated, ‘Give it to the group of
prophets so they can eat, for the Lord says there will be plenty for all. There will even be some left over!’ And sure enough, there was plenty for all
and some left over, just as the Lord had promised.
“My cup runneth over!!”
* * * * * * * * *
Conclusion:
* The
miracle of the Vegetable Soup is a reminder that Jesus died to SAVE! He saves those who trust in Him from the
second death!
* The
miracle of the Barley Buns reminds us that Jesus lives to SUSTAIN
and SATISFY … He meets our needs day by day. He gives us strength to serve Him and to be the kind of
Christians we really ought to be…
Romans 5:10, Amplified New Testament: “For if while we were enemies we were
reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more [certain], now
that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved (daily delivered from sin’s
dominion) through His [resurrection] life.
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SEVEN DUCKS
IN A MUDDY STREAM … Chapter 5
1 Now
Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his
master, and honorable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto
Syria: he was also a mighty man in valor, but he was a leper.
2 And
the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the
land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.
3 And
she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in
Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.
4 And
one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of
the land of Israel.
5 And
the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of
Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six
thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
6 And
he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is
come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that
thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
Introduction:
The story of the healing of Naaman is one of the
perennial favourites in Sunday-School classes.
And it has a lesson or two for ‘grown-ups’ as well…
1. LEPROUS
SKIN … v. 1
This Syrian general was afflicted with the disease
of leprosy, although it may not have been ‘leprosy’ as we know it today.
But this helpless, hopeless situation is a constant
picture of sin throughout the Bible.
Like the leper, the sinner cannot cleanse himself…
2. BEAUTIFUL
FEET … vs. 2-3
An Israelite servant girl tells Mrs Naaman of a
prophet in her country who could heal the general.
And it behoves us who know God’s supreme Prophet,
the Lord Jesus, to tell others of what He can do for them!
Isaiah 52:7 and Romans 10:15 speak of the ‘beautiful
feet’ of those who tell the good tidings…
3. ANGRY
TONGUES … vs. 7-14
7 And
it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his
clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send
unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and
see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
8 And
it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had
rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent
thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet
in Israel.
9 So
Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the
house of Elisha.
10 And
Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times,
and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
11 But
Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely
come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike
his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
12 Are
not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of
Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a
rage.
13 And
his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet
had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much
rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
14 Then
went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying
of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little
child, and he was clean.
(a) Joram, King of Israel, receives a
letter from the Syrian king, asking him to heal Naaman (v. 6)!
(b) But
Elisha
hears of Naaman’s quest and bids him come … vs. 8-9.
But when the Syrian arrives, instead of getting red-carpet treatment, Elisha doesn’t bother to greet him. Instead he sends Gehazi, his servant, with a message that Naaman is to dip (duck) seven times in the Jordan River! And Naaman is angry (v. 11)! Notice the “I thought…” in this verse. This Syrian must learn that God’s thoughts are not always the same as man’s (Isaiah 55:8).
And his pride needs to be humbled.
If he is going to be cleansed … then it must be God’s way.
So many folk today seek to find salvation by their own efforts instead of coming the way Scripture teaches. And like Naaman, many get ‘mad’ when they are told they are sinners and unable to ‘save’ themselves.
The general’s servants convince him to at least try what the prophet commands … and a somewhat hesitant, foolish-feeling, Naaman proceeds to dip seven times in the Jordan’s muddy waters.
4. DIVINE
TOUCH … v. 14b
I was leprous, foul and
mean:
I fell at His feet and He
lifted me up –
Saying, “I will; be clean!” (R. Burdette)
It is interesting to note that the Lord Jesus refers
to the healing of Naaman in Luke 4:27, as an historical event.
5. THANKFUL
HEART … vs. 15-19
15 And
he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood
before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the
earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.
16 But
he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he
urged him to take it; but he refused.
17 And
Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two
mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt
offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.
18 In
this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the
house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself
in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD
pardon thy servant in this thing.
19 And
he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
Before returning home to Syria, Naaman returns to
the home of Elisha and says “Thank you”.
Remember the Samaritan who came and said “Thank You” to Jesus after his
cleansing?
Look at the dreadful list in 2 Timothy 3:1-4 … and
note that ‘ingratitude’ takes its place among them…
Likewise Naaman assures Elisha that from henceforth
he will be a worshipper of Jehovah (v. 17).
He offers the prophet a gift … which Elisha refuses (v. 16), and then
comes a very real problem text. Read
verses 17-19.
Is Elisha granting him permission to bow to a pagan
idol and ‘hide his light under a bushel’? (Matthew 5:15.) Surely not!
Elisha surely knew that one cannot serve Jehovah and
Baal (or Rimmon…; 1 Kings 18:21).
Some commentators think Elisha is making allowances
for the difficult position in which this new convert would find himself …
others tell us that the Hebrew can be translated in the PAST tense and that
Naaman is saying: “The Lord forgive me
for what I used to do…” (A. Pink; G.
Williams).
So Naaman returns to his family with a thankful
heart.
6. LYING
LIPS … vs. 20-25
The story is not finished. Gehazi pursues after the Syrian general and claims falsely that
Elisha has changed his mind. Could we
have a reward…?
And this Gehazi takes home and hides in his house. The woman of Shunem knew this fellow was a hypocrite even though Elisha didn’t (4:27ff). But now God reveals it to His prophet.
7. LEPROUS
SKIN … vs. 26-27
20 But
Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath
spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought:
but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
21 So
Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he
lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
22 And
he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be
come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give
them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
23 And
Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two
talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon
two of his servants; and they bare them before him.
24 And
when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in
the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.
25 But
he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence
comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.
26 And
he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from
his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive
garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants,
and maidservants?
27 The
leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever.
And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
Elisha speaks … and it was so …
“Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).
===========================================================
THE LOST
AXE-HEAD … Chapter 6:1-7
Introduction:
Elisha’s next miracle introduces us to the axe that
lost its head…
Whilst building a new theological hall, one student’s
axe-head flies off and lands in the Jordan River. Elisha cuts a branch off a tree, tosses it in, and “the iron did
swim” (v. 6)!
1 And
the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell
with thee is too strait for us.
2 Let
us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us
make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.
3 And
one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I
will go.
4 So
he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.
5 But
as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and
said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
6 And
the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut
down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.
7 Therefore
said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.
1. A
LESSON (or two or three) FOR EVERYONE
(a) Learn from this story to
look after borrowed goods and return them in the condition they were loaned (v.
5).
(b) Learn
that our God is interested in the little things of life as well as those that
are great. He even sees the sparrow
fall (Matthew 10:29).
(c) Learn that “… nothing is
too hard for the Lord” (Genesis 18:14).
He Who flung a universe into existence … and divided
the waters of the Red Sea … and raised the Lord Jesus from the dead … has no
trouble making an iron axe-head swim!
Despite the fact that critics of the Word of God may think so…
2. A
LESSON FOR CHRISTIANS
We may possess salvation … and a head knowledge of
Scripture … and enthusiasm. But without
the power of the Holy Spirit, seeking to be effective in our service for the
Lord might be compared to trying to cut down a tree with an axe that has lost
its head.
“It is not by might, nor by power, but by God’s
spirit” results
are achieved (Zechariah 4:6).
And to press the illustration further, the axe-head
was found in the Jordan River … chilly Jordan, the place of Death! It is when self is crucified, when pride is
upon the altar, then God’s Spirit is able to fill and use us.
Spirit of the Living God,
Fall afresh on me…
Break me; melt me;
Mould me; fill me…
3. A
LESSON FOR THE UNBELIEVER
The Bible makes such a distinction … some ‘believe’
in Christ. And some do not. Some are saved and some are unsaved. Some are bound for Heaven and some are bound
for Hell. That’s what the Bible says,
Matthew 25:46.
(a) DEAD! The soul without the Saviour is, in the sight of God, as dead as
an axe-head. Ephesians 2:1 speaks of
those who were “dead in trespasses and sins…”
(b) LOST!
And the Bible describes the sinner as lost –
far off from the fold, like a sheep that has gone astray.
(c) BORROWED! It was God Who gave us this life, and it is He Who will one day
take it again. Every one must one day ‘give
an account’ (Romans 14:12)!
(d) SAVED!! The cutting off of the branch and its being cast into Jordan
brings life to the axe-head! And the
‘cutting off’ of ‘The Branch’ (Jeremiah 23:5-6) … a Messianic title of Jesus,
brings life to those who trust in Him.
I John 5:11.
===========================================================
THE ANGELIC
ARMY … Chapter 6:8-23
8 Then
the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants,
saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
9 And
the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not
such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.
10 And
the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned
him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
11 Therefore
the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called
his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not show me which of us is for the
king of Israel?
12 And
one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that
is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy
bedchamber.
13 And
he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told
him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
14 Therefore
sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night,
and compassed the city about.
15 And
when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an
host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said
unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
16 And
he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with
them.
17 And
Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And
the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the
mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
18 And
when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this
people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according
to the word of Elisha.
19 And
Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow
me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.
20 And
it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, LORD, open
the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and
they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
21 And
the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite
them? shall I smite them?
22 And
he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou
hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before
them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
23 And
he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he
sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no
more into the land of Israel.
Introduction:
Syria’s king is launching a series of surprise
attacks on Israel … only to find that King Joram seems to know of Syria’s
military secrets beforehand. And it
happens many times (v. 10)!
“Is there a traitor among my servants?” he
asks. And receives the reply that
Israel has access to a prophet, Elisha, who has access to God (vs. 11-12)!
So Benhadad II of Syria sends a troop to Dothan (12
miles north of Samaria, the capital of Israel), to capture the man of God.
When Elisha’s servant sees the city of Dothan
besieged by Syrian warriors he is panic stricken (v. 15). To which Elisha resplies: “Fear not; for they that be with us are more than they
that be with them” (v. 16).
Elisha prays that the Syrians may be smitten with
‘blindness’ (v. 18) … maybe meaning simply that they will not recognise
him. For he offers to lead them to the
one they seek to take prisoner … only to find that he leads them to
Samaria. When their eyes are opened
they find themselves surrounded by Israelite soldiers! And King Joram wants to kill them (v. 21)!
But Elisha forbids it … gives these Syrians food and
drink, and sends them home (v. 23).
Learn four lessons from this curious incident…
1. A
TEXT THAT DEMANDS AN EXPLANATION … Romans 12:20-21
Such was Elisha’s response to those who had come to
do him harm.
The ‘heaping of coals of fire upon one’s head’ may
sound odd to our Western ears, but in that culture it was an act of
kindness. A fire-pot of coals would be
carried in such a manner: it was an act
of friendship and generosity to share your fire with someone who was in need of
such. They would carry your gift of hot
coals home upon their head. Elisha’s
act of kindness led to an end of Syrian hostility (v. 23).
2. A
TOPIC THAT DEMANDS AN EMPHASIS … Angels! … verse 17
Despite the absence of teaching upon this subject in
many pulpits, there are many affirmations concerning the existence of Angels in
the Word of God. In both Old and New
Testaments there are literally hundreds of references to these spirit beings.
They announced our Saviour’s birth; they strengthened Him after the wilderness
temptation, and again in Gethsemane.
They were seen at the empty tomb, and on the Mount of Olives at the time
of His ascension. And when He returns
at the end of the age, He will be accompanied by the angelic host.
Did you notice … in our Lord’s ministry, they did not
get a mention?
At Calvary:
He could have called ten
thousand angels,
To destroy the world … and
set Him free.
But he died alone … for you
and me.
Whilst the Holy Spirit may attend to our spiritual
needs, it is the angels, it seems, that protect us in times of physical danger.
3. A TRUTH THAT DEMANDS AN EXCLAMATION …
Hallelujah
… verse
16
“They that are for us are more than those that be
against us”!!
Although we live in a godless society, and there is
little of true Christianity to be seen or heard in the media … and politicians
care nought for God’s Laws … Romans 8:31 is still in the Bible! … “What
shall we then say to these things? If
God be for us, who can be against us?” HALLELUJAH!!
4. A
QUESTION THAT DEMANDS AN ANSWER … verse 1
Looking at the Syrian king’s question through New
Testament spectacles, we might well ask, “Which of you are for King
Jesus?”
Those in New Testament days who were willing to
declare Him as Lord did so … first of all … by being baptised. Then they went on to serve Him the rest of
their days.
Baptised?
Talk to Pastor Don about it …
===========================================================
$50.00 FOR
AN ASS’S HEAD … Chapter 6:24-31
Chapter
7:3-15
Introduction:
It is about 850 BC.
The Syrian army, under King Banhadad, have laid siege to the city of
Samaria.
Within that city famine stalks the streets, children
cry for bread. Mothers weep. King Jehoram of Israel is at his wit’s
end. The pangs of hunger among his
people has become so great we are told that an ass’s head, the worthless part
of an unclean animal forbidden to be eaten in the Mosaic Law, is sold for food
for 80 pieces of silver! And even
cannibalism is being practised…
24 And
it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host,
and went up, and besieged Samaria.
25 And
there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an
ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a
cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.
26 And
as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto
him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
27 And
he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the
barnfloor, or out of the winepress?
28 And
the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said
unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to
morrow.
29 So
we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give
thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.
30 And
it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his
clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he
had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
31 Then
he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of
Shaphat shall stand on him this day.
Sitting outside the city gate we meet four
lepers. No use waiting for scraps of
good to be thrown to us, they reason.
No use going into the city to try and find food. Why not, as a last resort, cast ourselves
upon the mercy of the Syrians? So in
the twilight, “when God was casting a funeral shroud over the doomed city”,
these four men make their way down to the enemy camp. 2 Kings 7:3-8 …
3 And
there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one
to another, Why sit we here until we die?
4 If
we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we
shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and
let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live;
and if they kill us, we shall but die.
5 And
they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they
were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man
there.
6 For
the LORD had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a
noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another,
Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the
kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
7 Wherefore
they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses,
and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.
8 And
when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one
tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment,
and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried
thence also, and went and hid it.
9 Then
they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings,
and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will
come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household.
… Wonder of wonders!! The enemy has gone.
Post-haste! God made them to
hear the sound of an advancing army … and their camp is now deserted! “… and
when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there
was no man there.”
See these four outcasts from
society as they feast … and find riches galore, and even hide some! … they
clothe themselves in royal robes left behind by the fleeing king … they rejoice
and they bathe … And then they remember the people of Samaria who are dying for
want of good. And …
“then they said one to
another, ‘We do not well: this day is a
day of good tidings, and we hold our peace:
if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell
the king’s household.’”( vs. 10)
1. THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BELIEVER
And is it not true that
we who were once doomed, as were those four lepers, and unclean
and helpless … and who discovered the salvation God had provided (at the
Cross!) … we who have feasted on the riches of His grace and been
clothed in the garments of salvation … we who, filled with new-found joy,
have been washed clean by the blood of Christ … does it not behove us to
tell others of the salvation in which they might also share?
In a
hospital in China a medical missionary operated on the cataract of a man and
restored his sight. A few weeks later
48 blind men from the interior of China, each holding on to a rope, held in the
hands of the man who was cured, came to the doctor. This chain of men had walked 250 miles to the hospital, where
nearly all were cured.
Jesus
healed you. Therefore …
“Today is a Day of good tidings … and we hold our peace.” God forbid!
When I enter
that beautiful City
And the saved
all around me appear,
I want to hear
somebody tell me
“It was you who
invited me here.”
2. THE
FOLLY OF THE UNBELIEVER
The testimony of the four lepers to King Jehoram is
as first doubted. Fair enough! They could have been in the pay of the
enemy, as he suggested (vs. 10-12)!
But when his own trusted servants check, and
corroborate the good news the lepers had delivered, King Jehoram would have
been a fool to not open the city gates and allow his people to partake of the
abundant food in the enemy camp.
10 So
they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, saying,
We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there,
neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they
were.
11 And
he called the porters; and they told it to the king's house within.
12 And
the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will now show you
what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we be hungry; therefore are
they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they
come out of the city, we shall catch them alive, and get into the city.
13 And
one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray thee, five of the
horses that remain, which are left in the city, (behold, they are as all the
multitude of Israel that are left in it: behold, I say, they are even as all
the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed:) and let us send and see.
14 They
took therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent after the host of the
Syrians, saying, Go and see.
15 And
they went after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full of garments and
vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. And the messengers
returned, and told the king.
16 And
the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine
flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according
to the word of the LORD.
17 And
the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the
gate: and the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God
had said, who spake when the king came down to him.
18 And
it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures
of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be to
morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria:
19 And
that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the LORD should
make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt
see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
20 And
so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he
died.
And “Fool!” is the word used by the Lord Jesus to
describe the person who fails to investigate the testimony of the Scriptures
(Luke 24:25).
Then, again, they fail to hearken to the testimony
of trusted friends who have found the Saviour true to His promise. And the testimony of thousands, nay,
millions, down through the centuries who have discovered the wonder of God’s
salvation.
Oh! the
folly of unbelief in the light of abundant testimony.
* * * * * * * * *
Conclusion:
Although God provided salvation for the inhabitants
of Samaria, He didn’t open the gate of the city. Nor did He force them to go down to the enemy camp.
You must decide whether or not to open the door, bid the Saviour enter, and sup with Him (Revelation 3:20).
===========================================================
JEHU … THE
MAD DRIVER … Chapters 9-10
Introduction:
“The watchman exclaimed, ‘It must be Jehu son
of Nimshi, for he is driving so recklessly” (2
Kings 21:20).
The story of Jehu is not one that is usually told in a children’s
meeting.
As Herbert Lockyer says, for 28 years Jehu “wallows in a river of
blood!” (All the Kings of the Bible, page 159.)
His name is found in Webster’s dictionary as a synonym for ‘a reckless
driver’. And his portrait (!) may be
seen in the British Museum engraved upon the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser !!
In two Old Testament chapters we are introduced to his savage slaughter
of deserving and undeserving alike. But
those same two chapters teach us some important New Testament lessons.
It is about one hundred years after the nation of Israel split. Ten
tribes had elected their own king, chosen Samaria (eventually) as their capital
and called themselves the House of Israel. The other two tribes, with Solomon’s
son as their king, continued with Jerusalem as their capital and were known as
the House of Judah.
Now it is about 860 BC, and Ahab sits on the throne of the House of
Israel. Idolatry is rife. Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, have 850 priests
of Baal and Asherah to do their bidding (1 Kings 18:19).
Eventually God’s prophet, Elijah, rebukes Ahab for his wickedness … and
Ahab displays signs of repentance! (1 Kings 21: 27-28). As a result, the judgement will fall upon
Ahab’s descendants … and Jezebel!
“The LORD has also told me that the dogs of
Jezreel will eat the body of your wife, Jezebel, at the city wall. The members
of your family who die in the city will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in
the field will be eaten by vultures" (1 Kings 21:23-24).
MEET GOD’S EXECUTIONER …
Elisha, successor to Elijah, sends a young man to Ramoth-Gilead to
anoint Jehu, captain of Israel’s army, as their next king. The young man goes and delivers the Lord’s
message …
“Then the young prophet poured the oil over
Jehu's head and said, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I anoint
you king over the LORD's people, Israel. 7You are to destroy the
family of Ahab, your master. In this way, I will avenge the murder of my
prophets and all the LORD's servants who were killed by Jezebel. 8The
entire family of Ahab must be wiped out--every male, slave and free alike, in
Israel 9I will destroy the
family of Ahab as I destroyed the families of Jeroboam son of Nebat and of
Baasha son of Ahijah. 10Dogs will eat Ahab's wife, Jezebel, at the
plot of land in Jezreel, and no one will bury her’." Then the young
prophet opened the door and ran (2
Kings 9:6-10).
As a result, Jehu mounts his chariot and with a company of followers
heads for the town of Jezreel.
Here he will find King Joram, son of Ahab, recently wounded in a battle
with the Syrians (2 Kings 9:15). And
here, too, is Ahaziah, King of Judah, who has “gone to visit him” (2 Kings
9:16).
A watchman at Jezreel sees a cloud of dust in the distance and reports,
“It must be Jehu, son of Nimshi, for he is driving so recklessly” (2 Kings 9:20).
EXECUTION … No. 1
“Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram
between the shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart, and he sank down dead in
his chariot… When King Ahaziah of Judah saw what was happening, he fled along the
road to Beth-haggan. Jehu rode after him, shouting, ‘Shoot him, too!’ So they shot Ahaziah in his chariot at the
Ascent of Gur… He was able to go on as far as Megiddo, but he died there (2 Kings 9:24-27).
EXECUTION … No. 2
Now Jehu enters the city of Jezreel … where Jezebel abuses him from her
upstairs window (2 Kings 9:31).
But some of her attendants, probably fearing the wrath of Jehu if they
do not side with him, toss her out of the window to the pavement below.
“And Jehu trampled her body under his horses'
hooves.34Then Jehu went into the palace and ate and drank. Afterward
he said, ‘Someone go and bury this cursed woman, for she is the daughter of a
king.’ 35But when they went out to bury her, they found only her
skull, her feet, and her hands.36When they returned and told Jehu,
he stated, ‘This fulfils the message from the LORD, which he spoke through his
servant Elijah from Tishbe: At the plot of land in Jezreel, dogs will eat
Jezebel's flesh…’” (2 Kings 9:33-36).
EXECUTION … No. 3
In Samaria, capital of the House of Israel, Ahab had seventy sons still
living. But not for long!
Jehu sends a letter to the city officials, who were “paralysed
with fear” (2 Kings 10:4) … and they kill Ahab’s sons!
“When the letter arrived, the leaders killed
all seventy of the king's sons. They placed their heads in baskets and
presented them to Jehu at Jezreel”. (2 Kings 10:7).
EXECUTION … No. 4
“Then Jehu
killed all of Ahab's relatives living in Jezreel and all his important
officials, personal friends, and priests. So Ahab was left without a single
survivor” (2 Kings 10:11).
EXECUTION … No. 5
Now Jehu and his men drive south toward Samaria. On the way he meets some
relatives of Ahaziah (the late King of Judah!)
"’Take them alive!’" Jehu shouted
to his men. And they captured all forty-two of them and killed them at the well
of Beth-eked. None of them escaped (2 Kings 10:14).
Bear in mind that God appointed him to bring judgement upon the
descendants of Ahab … not those of the House of Judah. Jehu is doing more than God told him to
do. He probably has delusions of
grandeur… he sees himself as king over all the twelve tribes, not just the
ten-tribed House of Israel.
At this stage he meets Jehonadab, leader of the Rechabites. These folk
were probably a band of nomads who sought to worship the God of Israel alone!
(Jeremiah 35:6-10.) They opposed Baal
worship.
Notice Jehu’s boast …
“So Jehonadab put out his hand, and Jehu
helped him into the chariot. 16Then Jehu said, "Now come with
me, and see how devoted I am to the LORD” (2 Kings 10: 15-16).
EXECUTION … No. 6
“When Jehu arrived in Samaria, he killed
everyone who was left there from Ahab's family, just as the LORD had promised
through Elijah” (2 Kings 10:17).
EXECUTION No. 7
In Samaria Jehu summons all the idolatrous priests of Baal to a solemn
assembly.
25As soon as Jehu had finished
sacrificing the burnt offering, he commanded his guards and officers, "Go
in and kill all of them. Don't let a single one escape!" So they killed them all with their swords, and
the guards and officers dragged their bodies outside (2 Kings 10:25).
Moreover, Jehu’s men destroyed the Temple of Baal.
26They dragged out the sacred
pillar used in the worship of Baal and destroyed it. 27They broke
down the sacred pillar of Baal and wrecked the temple of Baal, converting it
into a public toilet. (!!!) That is what it is used for to this day. 28Thus, Jehu destroyed every
trace of Baal worship from Israel. 29He did not, however, destroy
the gold calves at Bethel and Dan, the great sin that Jeroboam … had led (the
House of) Israel to commit.
So in spite of some reforms, idolatry persisted. God commends Jehu for destroying the House
of Ahab and the worship of Baal, for this He had commanded him to do.
“The LORD said to Jehu, ‘You have done well
in following my instructions to destroy the family of Ahab. Because of this I
will cause your descendants to be the kings of Israel down to the fourth
generation” (2 Kings 10:30).
LESSONS TO LEARN
Jehu said, "Now come with me, and see
how devoted I am to the LORD” (2 Kings
10:15-16).
But was he really devoted to the Lord?
The inspired writer tells us otherwise.
“But Jehu did not obey the law of the LORD,
the God of Israel, with all his heart. He refused to turn from the sins of
idolatry …” (2 Kings 10:31).
It is possible to serve the Lord from false motives.
Jehu wanted self-glory. He saw himself reigning over the twelve tribes…
not just the ten-tribed House of Israel the Lord had promised him. He would kill the King of Judah and his
relatives too… and thereby pave the way for his own self-aggrandizement.
Like the New Testament Pharisees, Jehu was “a whited sepulchre”
(Matthew 23:27), a whitewashed tomb, attractive on the outside but full of dead
men’s bones within. Here he was
professing zeal for the Lord with his lips, but denying that Lordship by his
actions.
“On judgment day many will tell me, ‘Lord,
Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed
many miracles in your name.’ But I will
reply, ‘I never knew you’” (Matthew 7:22-23).
Don’t be a ‘Jehu’ …. and there is more to that than the matter of
reckless driving!!
=====================================================================
THE BOY
ON THE THRONE … Chapter 8
Chronicles
23-24
Introduction:
As Jehu continues his reign of terror in Israel, in
the north, young Joash comes to the throne of Judah, in the south (12:1).
1. THE
PRESERVATION OF THE DAVIDIC SEED
We need to back-track and notice some of the events
leading up to the coronation of Joash.
His grandfather, Jehoram, had married the daughter
of Ahab and Jezebel … 2 Kings 8:16-18.
Thus it was a Baal worshipping queen, Athaliah, who sat on the throne of
Judah beside her husband!
Then Ahaziah comes to the throne … but Athaliah is
Queen Mother! And when Ahaziah is slain
by Jehu, King of Israel (2 Kings 9:27), Athaliah occupies the throne … and
murders all of David’s seed (11:1)!!
“ALL the seed royal…?” No, due to the faithfulness of an older sister, baby Joash is
rescued from the murderous queen’s intent (11:2-3).
Seven years later the high priest, Jehoiada, brings
the little fellow forth and pronounces him as the rightful ruler of Judah (vs.
12)! Athaliah is slain (11:16) and
Joash is enthroned.
The importance of all this
lies in the fact that God had promised David that the Messiah would be born of
his seed. And if Athaliah had succeeded
in wiping out ‘all the seed royal’ that promised could not have come true. But as Jeu had said to the Samaritan
council, “… Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the
word of the Lord, which the Lord spake” (2 Kings 10:10).
And Joash lived to become an ancestor of David’s
Greater Son!
2. THE
PROBLEM OF STEWARDSHIP
Because Solomon’s Temple had been vandalised, (2
Chronicles 24:7) Joash decides to collect some money from his people to restore
it to its former glory.
Levites, the priestly assistants, are sent
throughout Judah to take the offerings.
But the system breaks down. The
money is not coming in. Or was it
coming in … and the Levites were taking a 50% commission? 2 Chronicles 24:5.
So Joash orders that a money chest be especially
built and placed in the Temple precincts.
Now the people give … and there is strict supervision that the
money goes to the purpose for which it is given (vs. 8-11)!
8 And
at the king's commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of
the house of the LORD.
9 And
they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD
the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the
wilderness.
10 And
all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the
chest, until they had made an end.
11 Now
it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king's office
by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the
king's scribe and the high priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and
took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and
gathered money in abundance.
12 And
the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the
house of the LORD, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the
LORD, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD.
There are many people in churches today who give
faithfully, thinking that their offering is going to build up God’s spiritual
Temple (the Church. Ephesians
2:21). Instead it may be supporting a
mere social gospel that is not interested in getting folk ‘saved’ … to use a
good old-fashioned Bible word. And this
is the church’s priority. Not social
reformation but spiritual regeneration!
Cleaning up society will be a by-product of cleaning
up the sinner.
We need to be careful that our money does not merely
go to humanitarian causes, but to that which advances the preaching of the Old
Time Gospel.
Beware, too, of religious charlatans … like, maybe,
these Levites were, who feathered their own nest with the gifts of God’s
people.
3. THE
PERIL OF A SECOND-HAND FAITH
Whilst he had Jehoida to guide him, Joash ruled well
(2 Chronicles 24:1-2).
1 Joash
was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in
Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2 And
Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of
Jehoiada the priest.
But Jehoida died (24:15-16) the faith of Joash withered and died with
him.
17 Now
after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to
the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.
18 And
they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and
idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.
19 Yet
he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified
against them: but they would not give ear.
20 And
the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which
stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye
the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken
the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.
21 And
they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of
the king in the court of the house of the LORD.
22 Thus
Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done
to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and
require it.
23 And
it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against
him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the
people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of
Damascus.
24 For
the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD
delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD
God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.
* The
princes of Judah return to Baal worship, with the king’s approval (vs. 17-18).
* Worse is
still to come! The prophet, Zechariah
(not to be confused with the prophet who penned the Book of that name), son of
Jehoiada, rebukes the idolaters. And
Joash has him stoned to death (24:22)!
* Finally a
war with Syria leads to Judah’s defeat, and Joash’s own servants assassinate
him (24:24-25).
And he is not given a royal burial (v. 25)!
Is your faith merely based on fellowship with some
other believer … or fixed firmly on the Rock of Ages?
===========================================================
ARROWS OF
VICTORY … Chapter 13:14-20
Introduction:
A curious little story closes the life of Elisha
… (although he will work one more
miracle after he is dead!)
14 Now
Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of
Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my
father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.
15 And
Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.
16 And
he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand
upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands.
17 And
he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot.
And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD's deliverance, and the arrow of
deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou
have consumed them.
18 And
he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of
Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.
19 And
the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five
or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it:
whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.
20 And
Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the
land at the coming in of the year.
But for all its simplicity and oddity, this incident
teaches us a lesson that is emphasised again and again the New Testament!
Background:
The King of Syria, Hazael, has led his army against
Israel, verse 3. (This ‘Hazael’ is now
well-known, due to archaeological discoveries.
Once more the spade confirms the accuracy of the Scriptures!)
King Joash of Israel (v. 14), who is not to be
confused with King Joash of Judah (13:10), visits the dying prophet. After all, Elisha has come to Israel’s
rescue on previous occasions. Both Moab
(chapter 3) and Syria (chapter 6) have been thwarted in their attacks by his
divine revelations.
Joash laments that the ‘chariot’ of death is coming
for the man of God as it had for Elijah (v. 14; 2:11).
1. THE
COMMANDS OF THE LORD
As the spokesman of the Lord, Elisha tells Joash
what to do … ‘take bows and arrows’ … ‘open the window’ … ‘Shoot!’ … and Joash
obeys (vs. 16-17).
Some Christians seem to think the Lord’s commands
are merely suggestions. They turn His
‘full stops’ into ‘question marks’.
And Joash becomes an example to us … he does what
God commands.
True, what the Lord asks us to do may be more
difficult … or more costly … but He is God.
And He says, “If ye love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).
2. THE
FAILURE OF THE KING
Elisha told him to get the bow … and he did it.
Elisha told him to open the window … and he did it.
Elisha told him to shoot the arrow … and he did it.
Elisha told him to smite the arrow on the ground …
and he did it (v. 18)
But Elisha did not tell him to stop
smiting … and he did (v. 19)!
The smiting of the arrows was a symbolic act
depicting victory over Syria. And
Joash’s lack of perseverance meant that he would only smite them three
times (which he did, v. 25) … but he would not get complete victory over them.
And that leads us to the New Testament lesson!
3. A
LESSON FOR THE BELIEVER
Luke 11:5-10, The Living Bible.
The Lord does not always answer our prayers
immediately.
Two parables in Luke teach this : Luke 11:5-8 and
Luke 18:1-8.
The 28 chapters of the Book of Acts contain over 30
references to prayer. And how those
early disciples ‘continued in prayer’ until the answer came! (see Acts 12:5.)
Elijah, who was just an ordinary human being like us
(James 5:17) prayed and prayed and prayed again … until his servant saw the
rain cloud on the horizon (1 Kings 18:42-43).
Jesus said, “Men ought always to pray, and not
faint” (Luke 18:1) … i.e. not give
up!!
Joash lost the victory for want of persistence!
Just keep on praying, ’till
light breaks through,
The Lord will answer, will
answer you;
God keeps His promise, His
Word is true,
Just keep on praying, ’till
light breaks through.
===========================================================
OUT OF
THE TOMB … Chapter 13:20-21
Introduction:
An unusal incident indeed … the prophet, Elisha, is
responsible for a miracle, after he is dead!
As an un-named Israelite is about to be buried, the
mourners are surprised to see a band of Moabite raiders heading their way. So the body is hastily placed in the nearby
cave … where Elisha had been buried.
And contact with Elisha’s ‘bones’ (which may simply mean ‘corpse’)
brings the un-named dead man back to life!
It is about 850 BC when this miracle took
place. And at first glimpse it may seem
of little importance to us.
20 And
Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the
land at the coming in of the year.
21 And
it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of
men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was
let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his
feet.
Now what can we learn from all that?
1. A
RESURRECTION IN THE PAST
(a) God’s servants may die … but
God is still ‘alive and well’. And it
is He Who works the miraculous … not His servants.
(b) Elisha’s prayer was
answered. He had prayed for a ‘double
portion’ of Elijah’s spirit to rest upon him (2 Kings 2:9).
It has been suggested that whereas Elijah saw 6 miracles
during his ministry, Elisha needed this one to make his total … 12!
(c) And there is a lesson here
in influence.
After we are dead and buried, will the influence I
leave be for good or ill?
1. A
RESURRECTION IN THE FUTURE
See John 5:28-29.
“I believe …” says the Apostles’ Creed, “in the
resurrection of the dead.”
Christians have always held to this truth, for it is
clearly taught in Scripture. Not just
in Revelation, where picturesque language is used and is open to various
interpretations … but in plain, literal speech the Lord Jesus and the apostles declare
that a Resurrection Day is a-coming!
On trial before Felix, the Apostle Paul speaks
emphatically of the time when the ‘just and the unjust’ shall rise from the
tomb (Acts 24:14-15).
And in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 he assures the
Thessalonian believers that their loved ones who have died will not miss out on
Glory!
The Second Coming will result in their rising to be
‘forever with the Lord’ (v. 17).
Some Christians think that there are two future
resurrections, 1000 years apart. Such
is one interpretation of Revelation 20:5.
But the rest of Scripture seems clear that here is
to be but one resurrection of all the dead at the end of the Age. And Revelation 20 needs to be understood in
the light of those unambiguous verses … not vice-versa.
3. A
RESURRECTION IN THE CENTRE
1 Corinthians 15:14-20.
At the centre of History, and at the heart of our
Christian faith, is the fact that the Lord Jesus not only died for us, but that
He rose from the dead.
If He did not rise, then His claims were fraudulent,
His death a failure, preaching is foolishness (v. 14), faith in
Him is futile (v. 14), there is no forgiveness (v. 17), and any
hope of a future resurrection is a fallacy (v. 18)!
And whilst it is true that others came back to life
in the Bible story … like this un-named Israelite (2 Kings 13), and like the
son of the Shunemite woman (4:35), and the daughter of Jairus (Mark 5) and
Lazarus (John 11) … these all died again!
But, Jesus ‘liveth to die no more’ (Romans 6:9).
And His resurrection is a pledge that those who
trust in Him will also rise to Glory
by and by.
He is the ‘firstfruits’ (the first to burst forth from the grave to die
no more), and we shall one day follow (1 Corinthians 15:20)
4. A
RESURRECTION IN THE PRESENT
Read John 5:25-27.
The three previous points dealt with a literal,
bodily resurrection.
But not here.
This is a reference to conversion.
Being saved. The new birth. Passing from spiritual death to spiritual
life!
And the time when such a change can take place in a
person’s life is “Now”! (v. 26.)
Unless one partakes in this spiritual resurrection
in this life, one will partake of the ‘second death’ in the world to come
(Revelation 20:12-15).
===========================================================
THE CURIOUS
CASE OF THE
CRUSHED THISTLE … Chapter 14
2 Chronicles 25
Introduction:
To understand this curious fable, and learn a lesson or two therefrom, let’s backtrack to the beginning of the chapter. The story is found more fully in 2 Chronicles 25, so we will use that account.
Amaziah comes to the throne of Judah … at the age of
25.
1. A
SHAKY BEGINNING
“Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began
to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of
Jerusalem. And he did that which was
right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart” (2 Chronicles 25:1).
OR, as the Good New Bible has … “… He did
what was pleasing to the Lord, but did it reluctantly.”
He does the right thing … but why? ’Cos his mother is watching and he doesn’t
want to upset her? Or because he wants
the applause of his kingdom…?
But the God Who sees the heart (1 Samuel 16:7) sees
that the heart of Amaziah is not fully committed to Him (v. 2).
To his credit, he puts to death the assassins of his
father (Joash of Judah, not to be confused with Joash of Israel, 2 Kings
12:20; 14:1) … but he does not put
their children to death also. As was
often the practice (Daniel 6:24).
The Mosaic Law forbade such …(2 Chronicles 25:4 is a
quotation from Deuteronomy 24:16.
Amaziah obeys the Law … reluctantly?
Learn a lesson … no one dies spiritually just
because of their father’s sins … or vice versa. Everyone is accountable to God … personally.
2. THE
STORMY REIGN
(a) The
War with Edom … vs. 5-16
[5] Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah
together, and made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds,
according to the houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin:
and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three
hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear
and shield.
[6] He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an
hundred talents of silver.
[7] But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of
Israel go with thee; for the LORD is not with Israel, to wit, with all the
children of Ephraim.
[8] But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee
fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.
[9] And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred
talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered,
The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.
[10] Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of
Ephraim, to go home again: wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against
Judah, and they returned home in great anger.
[11] And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to
the valley of salt, and smote of the chidren of Seir ten thousand.
[12] And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away
captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the
top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces.
[13] But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not
go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto
Beth-horon, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil.
[14] Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the
Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to
be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them.
[15] Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent
unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of
the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand?
[16] And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him,
Art thou made of the king's counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten?
Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy
thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.
Not only does he marshal his men of Judah ready for
battle, but he pays a small fortune to hire 100,000 mercenaries from Israel!
But a prophet rebukes him. Not only is it wrong for God’s people to ‘yoke together with
unbelievers’ (as Jehoshaphat did, 2 Chronicles 19:2), but it is equally wrong
to enlist their help in fighting the Lord’s battles (v. 7).
God does not want mercenaries in His army. Soldiers of the Cross serve out of love and
devotion … not for sake of reward.
“Send them back to Israel,” says the prophet. “But what about the money I’ve paid for
their services?” asks the king. “Forget
it!” says the prophet. Better to have
few in your army plus God … than a mighty host without God!
Why does he want to wage war on Edom? Possibly because they have cut off the trade
route between Judah and the Gulf of Elath.
And why is he so cruel in his victory over
them? (vs. 11-12.)
The answer may lie in the fact that this is 850 BC …
he is not to be judged by present day standards.
Or, it may be he is starting to depart from the
teachings of his mother and the other godly influences that surrounded him back
in Jerusalem. The next verses seem to
indicate this … “Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the
slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir,
and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them…” (v. 14)!!
How strange that a man should worship the gods of
his enemies … when those same gods were unable to deliver those enemies!
But when a man turns his back on the True God … he
finds that he still must worship something.
And the gods of the heathen make no ethical demands upon one as does the
Lord!
(b) The
War with Israel … vs. 17-24
[17] Then Amaziah king of Judah took
advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of
Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face.
[18] And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The
thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give
thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in
Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.
[19] Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites; and thine heart lifteth
thee up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt,
that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?
[20] But Amaziah would not hear; for it came of God, that he might deliver them
into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom.
[21] So Joash the king of Israel went up; and they saw one another in the face,
both he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah.
[22] And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to
his tent.
[23] And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash,
the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake
down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four
hundred cubits.
[24] And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were
found in the house of God with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king's
house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
Amaziah challenges Israel’s king to war (v.
17). Why? Because the mercenaries he had sent home attacked some of Judah’s
towns as they went (v. 13)!
Or did he just use that as an excuse? He is ‘too big for his boots’ since the
victory over Edom!
The King of Israel tells the fable … possibly a well
known story of that era, but Amaziah fails to get the point. HE is the ‘thistle’ and Joash of Israel is
the Cedar. “Pick a fight with me,”
Joash is saying, “and you’ll be sorry” (v. 19)!
But Amaziah leads his army against Israel … is
defeated (v. 22), is taken prisoner (v. 23), and led back to Jerusalem, which
is then plundered. And part of its wall
is broken down (v. 23)!
3. A
SORRY ENDING
Read verses 25-28.
[25] And Amaziah the son of Joash
king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel
fifteen years.
[26] Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not
written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?
[27] Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the LORD they
made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they
sent to Lachish after him, and slew him there.
[28] And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the
city of Judah.
It is not how one begins life’s race that is the
important thing … but how one finishes!
Ecclesiastes 7:8 … “Better is the end of a thing
than the beginning thereof: and the
patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.”
Amaziah began shaky … but ended sadly.
This proud ‘thistle’ king is finally slain by some
fellow Jews.
“Pride cometh before destruction and a haughty
spirit before a fall…” (Proverbs 16:18).
===========================================================
DOWN !! PEACOCK
FEATHERS … 2 Chronicles 26-27
Introduction:
We come to the sorry story of Judah’s eleventh
king. In 2 Kings 15 he is called
Azariah, and in 2 Chronicles 26 he is called Uzziah.
It may be a scribal error … or he may have changed
his name … or what?
In any case, like his father, Amaziah, he begins
well an ends badly.
We will follow the account in 2 Chronicles 26-27.
1. HIS
POPULARITY … vs. 1
[1] Then all the people of Judah
took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his
father Amaziah.
[2] He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with
his fathers.
[3] Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty
and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
[4] And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all
that his father Amaziah did.
“… acclaimed by “ALL” Judah makes one wonder if he
is an Old Testament version of Bunyan’s ‘Mr Facing-both-ways’!
Jesus warns of unanimous acclaim in Luke 6:26.
If the Salvation Army officer … and the Gay
liberationalist; the godly saint and
the local abortionist … the Bible preaching pastor and the Brewery owner all
speak well of you … there is something wrong with your Christian
testimony. Mmmm?
2. HIS
PROSPERITY
During Uzziah’s early part of his reign Judah
flourished. Cities were built … enemies
were conquered; agriculture was given a
boost (for Uzziah loved farming! (v. 10);
war machines were invented (v.
15).
[9] Moreover Uzziah built towers in
Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the
wall, and fortified them.
[10] Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much
cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine
dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry.
[11] Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by
bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe
and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains.
[12] The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour
were two thousand and six hundred.
[13] And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven
thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king
against the enemy.
[14] And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears,
and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones.
[15] And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the
towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his
name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.
3. HIS
PRIDE and 4. HIS
PRESUMPTION … v. 16
16] But when he was strong, his
heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD
his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of
incense.
[17] And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests
of the LORD, that were valiant men:
[18] And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not
unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons
of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for
thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God.
But Numbers 18:7 makes it clear that it is the
prerogative of the priest to offer incense in God’s Temple … not the king!
Despite the fact that the high priest, and 80 others
remonstrate with him, Uzziah prepares to go ahead with this priestly act (v.
17-18).
Strutting as proud as a peacock with feathers in
full display, Uzziah refuses to acknowledge the Word of God.
5. HIS
PUNISHMENT
[19] Then Uzziah was wroth, and had
a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests,
the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the
LORD, from beside the incense altar.
[20] And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and,
behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence;
yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him.
[21] And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a
several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD:
and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.
He is smitten with leprosy (vs. 19, 21).
Josephus, the Jewish historian, tells of an
earthquake that caused devastating damage to Judah at that very moment. And both Amos 1:1 and Zechariah 14:5 refer
to the earthquake in the days of Uzziah.
6. HIS
PROGENY
2 Chronicles 27 [1] Jotham was
twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years
in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.
[2] And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all
that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD.
And the people did yet corruptly.
Jotham comes to the throne and is careful not to
repeat the mistake his father committed (27:2).
But there are ‘sons of Uzziah’ today who do
consider themselves good enough to approach God … yet reject the One He has
appointed to bring them nigh.
“I am the Way…” said the Lord Jesus, “no man cometh unto
the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6).
===========================================================
LET’S MEET JOTHAM … 2 Chronicles 27
Introduction:
This little known King of Judah is about to teach us
some worthwhile lessons by the example he set…
1. JOTHAM
… the WORSHIPPER
Verses 1-6.
[3] He built the high gate of the
house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.
[4] Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he
built castles and towers.
[5] He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed against them.
And the children of Ammon gave him the same year an hundred talents of silver,
and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the
children of Ammon pay unto him, both the second year,
and the third.
[6] So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his
God.
[7] Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, lo,
they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
[8] He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned
sixteen years in Jerusalem.
[9] And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of
David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.
……………………………..
(a) His
commendation. The sacred writer tells us
that King Jotham did “right in the sight of the Lord” (v. 2). He only says that concerning eight of the
nineteen kings who ruled the House of Judah…
(b) His
Environment. “the people did corruptly” (v.
2). But despite the wickedness
throughout his kingdom, he remained true to the Lord.
(c) His
Parents. A godly mother name Jerusha had trained him
up the way he ought to go. And his father,
King Uzziah, began well … and then grew proud and arrogant. He intruded into the priests’ office… daring
to burn incense in the Temple (2 Chronicles 26:16-19).
No doubt this Divine judgement upon his father caused Jotham to think twice before disobeying the Lord’s commands.
Notice verse 2, where we are told that Jotham
‘entered not into the Temple of the Lord.’
That means that he did not intrude into the priestly
office, as Uzziah had done. Instead,
King Jotham joined himself with the other worshippers in the Temple courtyard.
2. JOTHAM
… the WORKER
Verses 3-4.
As Jotham built up the Kingdom of Judah, so should we be active in
building up the Kingdom of God!
(a) An
Encouragement.
King Jotham employed all kinds of folk in his
building program… carpenters, administrators, architects, stone masons,
couriers, cooks. And King Jesus has a
place for all kinds of ‘builders’ too.
Not all are missionaries or preachers … some are prayer warriors, or
tract distributors, or kitchen hands, or … whatever! We all have a part to play in building God’s Kingdom.
(b) A
Warning
The Scripture makes it clear that there is not only
a ministry of construction … but of destruction! Satan’s kingdom must be torn down. Notice God’s Word to Jeremiah (1:10).
And this is what King Jotham failed to do (2 Kings
15:35-36).
Why did King Jotham fail to destroy these heathen
altars?
Was it because he feared a civil war that may well
have erupted?
Remember that he IS a good king. He does ‘that which is right…”
Is he going to tackle the destruction of these ‘high
places’ by setting a godly example and proclaiming God’s laws from his throne?
Is he out to change the hearts of his subjects,
rather than take away the outward signs of their rebellion and leave their
hearts untouched?
IT IS BETTER TO KILL THE SPIDER THAN SIMPLY BRUSH
AWAY THE COBWEBS.
And when folk turn to the True God, their heathen
practices will fall away.
3. JOTHAM
… the WARRIOR
Verse 5.
(a) The
N.T. Analogy.
Over and over again Paul uses the language of war to
describe the conflict which faces the followers of King Jesus. We are ‘fellow soldiers’ with him (Philemon
2; Philippians 2:25). We must needs put on the “armour of God”
(Ephesians 6). We are to ‘wage a good
warfare’ and ‘fight a good fight’ (2 Timothy 1:18; 4:7). And so it goes.
We are not to go A.W.O.L. as Demas did (2 Timothy 4:10).
We are to stand fast in the heat of the battle “and
having done all, to stand!” (Ephesians 6:13.)
(b) The
Roman Custom
The oath of allegiance taken by a Roman soldier …
that he would serve Caesar to the death … was called a ‘sacramentum’ (Barclay
on 2 Timothy 2:4). An when we are
baptised we are declaring our allegiance to be Soldiers of the Cross! And at the Lord’s Supper those vows are
renewed. The Christian sacraments are a
reminder that we are in the Lord’s army!
(c) The
Problem Text
… at least, it was to me years ago. Romans 8:37 says that we are “more than
conquerors”!! But how can one be more
that a conqueror? The story of Jotham
tells us the answer.
Not only did he defeat the enemy … but they had to
pay him tribute.
Jotham came out of the battle more blessed that when
he went into it! (v. 5).
In the strength of Christ “we are not only no
losers, but we are abundant gainers” (John Wesley, on Romans 8:37).
* * * * * * * * *
Conclusion:
Jotham, a Worshipper
Worker
Warrior
Bless his heart.
And what about me?
===========================================================
LET’S MEET
JABEZ … 1 Chronicles 4
7] And the sons of Helah were,
Zereth, and Jezoar, and Ethnan.
[8] And Coz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of
Harum.
[9] And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his
name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
[10] And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless
me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that
thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him
that which he requested.
…………………………………………..
Introduction:
Our series in the Historical Books takes us into the
opening chapters of 1 Chronicles.
In the first nine chapters we have at least 1000
names: some famous, some totally
unknown. Someone has said it is like a
‘specimen page from God’s Book of Life”.
Is your name recorded THERE??
Nor does the uninteresting reading herein mean that
it is any the less inspired. There was
a time, when the Jews returned from their Babylonian captivity, that these
genealogies were of the utmost importance.
The returning exiles needed to know to which tribe they belonged…
And in the midst of all these names we come across
one little gem … two verses …
(1 Chronicles 4:9-10) devoted to a man named
Jabez!
1. THE
HANDICAP HE ENCOUNTERED
Poor Jabez got off to a bad start.
(a) His
Name …
means ‘Sorrow’, ‘Pain’, ‘Misery’ … No-one else in all the Scripture is given
such a name. It was a stigma that hung
over him throughout his early life.
Why such a name?
Did his father die just at the time of his birth? Or was he an unwanted child in a
poverty-stricken family? Did he,
perhaps, come into the world with some deformity? We do not know.
But his mother named him ‘Jabez’ because of some
sadness at the time of his birth (v. 9).
(b) His
Nationality … it is likely that he was not an Israelite. Probably a member of some idolatrous neighbouring nation. But he called upon the God “of Israel”
(v. 10)!
He realised the folly of turning to gods of wood and stone to help him.
2. THE
PRAYER HE UTTERED
(a) Prosper
me …
Bless me indeed!
It is an Old Testament cry for material blessings. Enlarge my territory … prosper my business (v. 10). In this Jabez was simply claiming the O.T. promises (Exodus 34:24) … obedience to God would result in material blessings. (The New Testament promises spiritual blessings to God’s ‘spiritual Israel … the Church.)
(b) Empower
me. “Hold me with Thy hand lest I fall. Strengthen me against my detractors …” (v.10).
(c) Purify
me. “Give me a holy hatred of sin…” “Oh!
make me clean … without, within…”
3. THE
BLESSINGS HE EXPERIENCED
(a) His
Success. God heard and answered his plea (v. 10).
(b) His
Status. Now his mother is proud to say, “That’s my
boy!” (v. 9.)
And his brothers now say, “We are related to
Jabez!” (v. 9.)
(c) His
City. 1 Chronicles 2:55 records the existence of
an important city … home of the Scribes … named Jabez. Matthew Henry in his commentary tells us
that the Jews say Jabez became a famous ‘doctor of the Law’ and that this city
was named after him…
“Scribes” were a class of Jews who devoted
themselves to making copies of the Scriptures, and teaching it to others. In the New Testament they are sometimes
called ‘lawyers’ … those who study the Law of Moses.
Solomon reminds us that how we finish is the main
thing … not how we commence (Ecclesiastes 7:8).
And Jabez overcame the obstacles of his early days
to finish well in life’s pilgrimage.
4. THE
GOSPEL TRUTH HE ILLUSTRATED
(a) Looking
Back. Man enters this world with a spiritual
handicap … a sinful nature that gives us an inner bias away from God. And an Enemy who is stronger than us and
desires our spiritual death. Like
Bunyan’s Pilgrim, we dwell in the City of Destruction.
(b) Looking
Forward. But like Jabez, man can find
deliverance from his sorry plight (Romans 10:9-13).
As Jabez cried out … earnestly, sincerely … to the Lord for His blessing, so the sinner today must needs cry to that same Lord. There is salvation in no other.
The passage in Romans reminds us that it is through the saving work of the Lord Jesus that we are able to enter into a relationship with our God.
Amen! And Amen!!
===========================================================
GOOD KING
HEZEKIAH … Chapters 18-20
2 Chronicles 29-32
Introduction:
We come to the story of Good King Hezekiah … one of
the best rulers to sit upon the throne of Judah. Seven chapters are devoted to him in the Bible.
It is about 730 BC.
Assyria is a growing threat upon the northern horizon. In three years time Assyria will lay siege
to Samaria, capital of the House of Israel.
1. THE
EDUCATION HE RECEIVED
But from whence came this godly lifestyle?
(a) Not
from his Father! Ahaz had been one of Judah’s worst kings. Child sacrifice (2 Kings 16:3), idolatry
(16:4), and an alliance with Assyria (16:7-8) were all contrary to God’s Law.
2 Kings 16 …
[1] In the seventeenth year of Pekah the
son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.
[2] Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned
sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of
the LORD his God, like David his father.
[3] But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his
son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen,
whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.
[4] And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the
hills, and under every green tree.
[5] Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel
came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome
him.
[6] At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave
the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this
day.
[7] So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying,
I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king
of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.
[8] And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the
LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a present to
the king of Assyria.
………………………
[19] Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not written
in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
[20] And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in
the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.
Scripture does not have one good thing to say
concerning this father of Hezekiah…
(b) Not
his Environment! Isaiah describes the state of
Judah in the days when Hezekiah was growing up, 1:4-6.
[4] Ah sinful nation, a people laden
with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have
forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they
are gone away backward.
[5] Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole
head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
[6] From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it;
but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed,
neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.
[ ………………………….
[10] Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom( i.e. Jerusalem !!) ; give ear
unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
[11] To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the
LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and
I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.
[12] When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to
tread my courts?
[13] Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new
moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is
iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
[14] Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a
trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
[15] And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea,
when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
But Hezekiah did not bow to the wickedness that
surrounded him.
(c) One
day … in
the market place (?) he hears a prophet of God … Isaiah perhaps, …
calling the nation (and the individual!) to repentance.
[16] Wash you, make you clean; put away
the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
[17] Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the
fatherless, plead for the widow.
[18] Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be
as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool.
In any case, he gets converted! And after the death of his father Judah finds it has a godly king.
2. THE
REFORMATION HE EFFECTED
2 Chronicles 29 [1] Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and
twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his
mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.
[2] And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all
that David his father had done.
[3] He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of
the house of the LORD, and repaired them.
(a) Temple
Re-opened … 2 Chronicles 29:3.
So we need to ask our High Priest to cleanse our
‘temple’ without … and within!
(b) Sacrifices
Restored … 2 Chronicles 29:23-24.
[20] Then Hezekiah the king rose
early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the
LORD.
[21] And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven
he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for
Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the
altar of the LORD.
[22] So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and
sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they
sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they
sprinkled the blood upon the altar.
[23] And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering before the king
and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them:
[24] And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood
upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded
that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.
And when the sacrifice of Christ (our offering) becomes real on the altar of our heart, then the song begins (29:27)!!
(c) Passover
Re-instituted
This memorial of the deliverance from Egypt was to
be annually observed (Exodus 12:14).
But the last mention of it having been kept was back in Joshua 5:10 …
well over 500 years previous!
Hezekiah’s reforms commence in the ‘first month’
(29:3), and it is too late to observe the Passover at its appointed time (14th
day of the first month). But Numbers 9
gave Hezekiah the opportunity to hold it the following month. There he read of a special law for those
unable to observe the Passover in the first month … it could be kept in the
second month (Numbers 9:9-11). So, “the
king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem,
to keep the Passover in the second month” (2 Chronicles 30:2).
3. THE
INVIATION HE OFFERED
Letters are sent to the northern House of Israel
inviting them to keep the Passover also (2 Chronicles 30:1).
[1] And Hezekiah sent to all Israel
and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should
come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD
God of Israel.
[2] For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation
in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.
The reaction is mixed … some scoff … and some come
(vs. 10-13).
10] So the posts passed from city to
city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they
laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.
[11] Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled
themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
[12] Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the
commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the LORD.
[13] And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of
unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
Today the invitation still goes forth to men and
women inviting them to come to God’s appointed Passover Lamb … the Lord Jesus
(1 Corinthians 5:7), and still the varied reactions come. Some are hostile … some apathetic … some
respond.
4. THE
DEDICATION HE WITNESSED
[1] Now when all this was finished,
all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the
images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and
the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until
they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned,
every man to his possession, into their own cities.
[2] And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after
their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for
burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and
to praise in the gates of the tents of the LORD.
[3] He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt
offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt
offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as
it is written in the law of the LORD.
[4] Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the
portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the
law of the LORD.
[5] And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought
in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the
increase of the fields; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.
[6] And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities
of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of
holy things which were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid them by
heaps.
[7] In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and
finished them in the seventh month.
[8] And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the
LORD, and his people Israel.
(a) Cleansing. Not only the Temple, but the land itself is now ridden of its
idols (31:1).
(b) Giving. Tithing, the giving of a tenth of one’s income was a
Mosaic Law long neglected. Now the
people give gladly … and scripturally.
*** It is only fair to point out that Tithing is
not commanded in the New Testament.
Nevertheless, many Christians find it to be a good guideline in their
stewardship (2 Chronicles 31:5-7).
(c) Praising. Storehouses need to be built (!!) for the people bring so
much (31:8)!!
Oh, for men of God to be raised up to rule our land!
For “Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is
a reproach to any people…” (Proverbs 14:34).
===========================================================
TERROR FROM
THE NORTH … Chapters 18-19
Introduction:
Good King Hezekiah now faces his most dangerous
moment … the attack of the Assyrian hordes led by Sennacherib…
1. THE
BLUNDER HE COMMITTED
True … he had first refused to pay the tribute to
Assyria that his father, Ahaz, had begun (2 Kings 16:8; 18:7).
But now, as the dreaded Assyrian army, 200,000
strong, marches into Judah, it seems that Hezekiah thinks he can ‘buy’ the
enemy off! (18:13-16.)
To no avail.
2 Kings [13] Now in the fourteenth
year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the
fenced cities of Judah, and took them.
[14] And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying,
I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And
the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents
of silver and thirty talents of gold.
[15] And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the
LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house.
[16] At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of
the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and
gave it to the king of Assyria.
2. THE
CONFRONTATION HE EXPERIENCED
Rabshakeh, the Assyrian Commander-in-Chief, wages
psychological warfare against the inhabitants of Jerusalem in an effort to
demoralise them and force their surrender.
In 2 Kings 18:17-35 we read the six arguments shouted by the Assyrian to
the Jews…
[17] And the king of Assyria sent
Tartan and Rabsaris and Rab-shakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great
host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they
were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in
the highway of the fuller's field.
[18] And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the
son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah
the son of Asaph the recorder.
[19] And Rab-shakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the
great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
[20] Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength
for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
[21] Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon
Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is
Pharoah king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.
[22] But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose
high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah
and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?
[23] Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria,
and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set
riders upon them.
[24] How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my
master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
[25] Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The
LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
[26] Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto
Rab-shakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we
understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' language in the ears of the
people that are on the wall.
[27] But Rab-shakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and
to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the
wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you.
[28] Then Rab-shakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language,
and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:
[29] Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be
able to deliver you out of his hand:
[30] Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will
surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the
king of Assyria.
[31] Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an
agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man
of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the
waters of his cistern:
[32] Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of
corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey,
that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he
persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.
[33] Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the
hand of the king of Assyria?
[34] Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of
Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand?
[35] Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered
their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of
mine hand?
(a) “Your
Allies are useless!” (18:19-20). There is no sense seeking help from
Egypt. They will be conquered also!
(b) “Your
Altars are removed” so, how can your ‘god’ help you?
’Twas true that Hezekiah had removed altars from all over the land … but
they were pagan altars.
(c) “Your
Army is outnumbered” … even if we gave you 2000 horses, says the enemy, you wouldn’t have
enough Jews to ride them! (18:23).
(d) “Our
Authority is from Jehovah” … your God … says the Assyrian. Maybe he’d seen a ‘leaked document’ from
Judah’s board-room, wherein Isaiah spoke of Assyria being God’s rod of
punishment. But that was in the days of
idolatry and immorality (Isaiah 10:6-8).
Things have changed!
(e) The
Aftermath
of their surrender will be ‘rosy’ – peace and prosperity for all the Jews. So Rabshakeh says (18:31)! Mind you, one cannot always trust political
promises … and Assyria’s treatment of captives from past victories did not bear
out the truthfulness of his words!
(f) The
Advance
of Assyria thus far had always been unstoppable (18:32). Even Samaria, capital of the House of Israel
in the north of Palestine, had been unable to stave off the Assyrian
war-machine (v. 34).
3. THE
COURSE HE PURSUED … 19:1-7
Hezekiah had
‘a little talk with Jesus’ … indeed what else could he do? The situation seemed hopeless. He also surrounded himself with fellow
believers in God … and sought advice from God’s prophet, Isaiah. A letter sent by Sennacherib is prayed over
in the Temple (19:14-19).
[1] And it came to pass, when king
Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with
sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.
[2] And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe,
and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet
the son of Amoz.
[3] And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble,
and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there
is not strength to bring forth.
[4] It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rab-shakeh, whom the
king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will
reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy
prayer for the remnant that are left.
[5] So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.
[6] And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the
LORD, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants
of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
[7] Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall
return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own
land.
[8] So Rab-shakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against
Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
[9] And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to
fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying,
[10] Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in
whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into
the hand of the king of Assyria.
[11] Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands,
by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered?
[12] Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have
destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were
in Thelasar?
[13] Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the
city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah?
[14] And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read
it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the
LORD.
[15] And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which
dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the
kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.
[16] LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and
hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.
[17] Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and
their lands,
[18] And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the
work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.
[19] 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.
4. THE
VICTORY HE WITNESSED … 19:35-36
As a result of his prayer, Hezekiah and his people
see God strike the Assyrian army with a deadly plague (19:35).
[20] Then Isaiah the son of Amoz
sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou
hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.
[21] This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the
daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of
Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
[22] Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou
exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One
of Israel.
[23] By the messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the
multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the
sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the
choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders,
and into the forest of his Carmel.
[24] I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have
I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.
[25] Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times that
I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay
waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps.
[26] Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and
confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the
grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.
[27] But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage
against me.
[28] Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears,
therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will
turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
[29] And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as
grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same;
and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits
thereof.
[30] And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take
root downward, and bear fruit upward.
[31] For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of
mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.
[32] Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not
come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield,
nor cast a bank against it.
[33] By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come
into this city, saith the LORD.
[34] For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my
servant David's sake.
[35] And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and
smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and
when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
[36] So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt
at Nineveh.
[37] And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his
god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they
escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esar-haddon his son reigned in his stead.
Sennacherib’s Prism speaks of the siege of
Jerusalem, of Hezekiah being ‘shut up like a bird in a cage’ … but does not
boast of any victory…
===========================================================
GOODBYE, HEZEKIAH … Chapter 20
Introduction:
Hezekiah has restored the worship of the true God in
the land; he has ruled wisely and
well. The Assyrian host that threatened
Jerusalem has been vanquished by his God.
But then comes this sorry closing episode in his
life…
1. HIS
SICKNESS … vs. 1-7
2 Kings 20 [1] In those days was
Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him,
and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou
shalt die, and not live.
[2] Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying,
[3] I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth
and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And
Hezekiah wept sore.
[4] And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that
the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
[5] Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the
LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy
tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the
house of the LORD.
[6] And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and
this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city
for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
[7] And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the
boil, and he recovered.
Isaiah tells Hezekiah that he is about to die … the
king prays … and before the prophet is halfway across the courtyard the prayer
is answered … and the prophet has a new message to deliver (v. 4)!
Not only will Hezekiah not die … but he will live
another 15 years (v. 6).
Notice that a ‘fig plaster’ is used as a means of
restoring the king to health (v. 7).
Nor is the healing immediate … it takes three days (v. 5).
A look at the mathematics of his incident is most
enlightening …
2 Kings 18:2 reads: “Hezekiah the son of Ahaz
king of Judah began to reign. Twenty
and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem.”
He began to reign at the age of 25
So he died at the age of 54
His life had been extended 15 years (2 Kings 20:6)
And
this was the 14th year of his reign.
2 Kings 18:13 tells us that it was the 14th
year of his reign when the Assyrians laid siege to Jerusalem!!
Hezekiah is being attacked by Sennacherib from without
… and Satan from within!!
2. HIS
SIGN … vs. 8-11
Despite the fact that God has promised to heal him
(v. 5) the king desires a ‘sign’ to prove that it will be so. And a miracle takes place … the shadow on
the sun-dial built by his father, Ahaz … goes backward!!
[8] And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah,
What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into
the house of the LORD the third day?
[9] And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will
do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forth ten degrees, or go
back ten degrees?
[10] And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten
degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.
[11] And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten
degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.
3. HIS
SONG … Isaiah 38:20
[9] The writing of Hezekiah king of
Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness:
[10] I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the
grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years.
[11] I said, I shall not see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the
living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.
[12] Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent: I have
cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness: from
day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.
[13] I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he break all my bones:
from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.
[14] Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine
eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me.
[15] What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I
shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.
[16] O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of
my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live.
[17] Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul
delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind
thy back.
[18] For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that
go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
[19] The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father
to the children shall make known thy truth.
[20] The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the
stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.
Some have suggested that the fifteen ‘songs of
degrees’ (Psalms 120-134) were compiled and composed at this time … psalms of
praise for his added fifteen years.
They were the psalms sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem to
observe the Feast Days.
4. HIS
SON
… and here we go with more mathematics!
Hezekiah’s life was extended by 15 years (2 Kings 20:6)
His son came to the throne at the age of 12 years (2
Kings 21:1)
Therefore his son was born 3 years after he
recovered from this sickness.
At the time of his sickness he had no son. Had Hezekiah died during this sickness that
would have been the finish of the Messianic line! God had said the Messiah would be of the lineage of the House of
David (2 Samuel 7:12-13). But if
Hezekiah dies childless the promise of the coming Messiah is thwarted…
Perhaps this explains the earnestness of the king’s
prayer for healing?
Sure enough, three years later Mannasseh is born …
and he takes his place in the family tree of the Lord Jesus (Matthew 1:10).
5. HIS
SIN … 2 Chronicles 32:24-25, 31
[24] In those days Hezekiah was sick
to the death, and prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave him
a sign.
[25] But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him;
for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.
[26] Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both
he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not
upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
[27] And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour: and he made himself
treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices,
and for shields, and for all manner of pleasant jewels;
[28] Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls
for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.
[29] Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in
abundance: for God had given him substance very much.
[30] This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and
brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah
prospered in all his works.
[31] Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who
sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him,
to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.
[32] Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold, they are
written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book
of the kings of Judah and Israel.
[33] And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest
of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his
stead.
An embassy from Babylon (not yet a world power)
comes to investigate the curious case of the shadow that went backwards. After all, Babylon as the ‘home’ of
astrology and astronomy (32:31).
And a proud Hezekiah displays the riches of his
kingdom. ’Twould have been better to
tell his visitors of the riches of God’s grace (v. 25)!
In any case, Isaiah rebukes him! And the prophecy is given that Judah will
one day go into captivity in that heathen land (Isaiah 39:5-8). And thus it came to pass about a century
later!
Hezekiah’s response to God’s prophet (v. 8)
indicates his acknowledgment that he had sinned.
Truly… “Let him that standeth take heed lest he
fall…” (1 Corinthians 10:12).
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REIGN OF
TERROR … Chapter 21
Introduction:
Judah’s longest reigning king is also the worst to occupy that throne.
Manasseh launches a reign of terror that plunges the
nation on its final downward course to judgement.
1. HIS
CORRUPTION … vs. 3-7
2 Kings 21 1] Manasseh was twelve
years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in
Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzi-bah.
[2] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the
abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of
Israel.
[3] For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had
destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king
of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
[4] And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In
Jerusalem will I put my name.
[5] And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the
house of the LORD.
[6] And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used
enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much
wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
[7] And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of
which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in
Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name
for ever:
There is, perhaps, a downward progression here
revealed.
(a) Firstly, Manasseh undoes all
the good his father Hezekiah had introduced (v. 3a).
(b) And he introduces the pagan
idolatry connected with Ahab’s reign in the northern House of Israel (vs.
3b-6). Idolatry … astrology … black
arts …
(c) And the crowning sin is the
‘grove’ in the Temple of Solomon (v. 7).
Translators of the Bible in the days of King James I did not know
exactly how to translate the Hebrew word.
We now know, thanks to archaeology, that a reference is to the worship
of Asherah, the Canaanite fertility goddess.
And all … er … that went with it!
Such things are not of ancient historical
interest. The God Who condemned them
700 BC is ‘just the same today’.
And whilst today’s idols may be ‘sport’ … or ‘rock
stars’ … or ‘money’ … or ‘pleasure’ … or ‘?’ … anything that takes first
place in a person’s life is that person’s god.
Still are
there thousands who trust the stars to guide their lives … still Mariolatry
(the adoration of the Virgin) takes place in Romanism
… and Gaia worship, the Greek ‘earth-mother’ is rapidly gaining popularity
among New Agers.
And how strange but true to notice that Hezekiah,
Judah’s best king, had a son who was Judah’s worst… On the other hand, wicked Ahaz of Judah had godly Hezekiah for
his son (2 Kings 16:3).
All of which is a reminder that whereas parental
instruction and example may point one way, the child has a free will to choose
the way he will go.
2. THE
CAPTIVITY … 2 Chronicles 33:10-11
God sends His prophets to warn prior to the
judgement.
But Manasseh pays no heed (v. 10).
So the Assyrians come … with all their barbarity …
and lead him into captivity.
[10] And the LORD spake to Manasseh,
and to his people: but they would not hearken.
[11] Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king
of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters,
and carried him to Babylon.
3. THE
CONFIRMATION … 33:11
(a) The
“Assyrian King” at this time is Esar-haddon, son of the
assassinated Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:36-37).
His portrait appears on bas-reliefs excavated by the archaeologist.
(b) Manasseh’s
Name
also appears (Pictorial Guide to Biblical Archaeology, page 150).
(c) “Thorns” (v. 11) is better
translated ‘hooks’, as nearly every modern translation puts it. It speaks of the Assyrian’s cruelty to their
prisoners…
(d) “…to
Babylon” Esar-haddon was the only Assyrian
King to live at Babylon (the others resided at Nineveh, Assyria’s
capital).
Rather than the mention of Babylon being an error, as the critics once said, this verse reveals the remarkable accuracy of God’s Word.
4. THE
CONVERSION … 2 Chronicles 33:12-13
In his Babylonian dungeon Manasseh has time to
think. And repent (v. 12).
In sincerity he turns to his father’s God and cries
for mercy.
God hears … Manasseh is freed from prison and
returns to Jerusalem, where he seeks to undo the wrong he had done (vs. 15-16).
[12] And when he was in affliction,
he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his
fathers,
[13] And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his
supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then
Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.
[14] Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side
of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and
compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains
of war in all the fenced cities of Judah.
[15] And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the
LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the
LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.
[16] And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace
offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of
Israel.
* * * * * * * * *
Conclusion:
And if God could save Manasseh and give him a
new heart … He can do it for anyone!
The vilest offender who
truly believes
that moment from Jesus a pardon receives! (Fanny Crosby)
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GOOD KING
JOSIAH … 2 King, Chapters 22-23
Introduction:
To the throne of Judah comes good King Josiah … at 8
years of age. His father, Amon, was
assassinated after two years’ reign … during which time he increased the
wickedness of God’s people (21:21-24).
1. THE
LOST BOOK
During Amon’s reign, and his father’s, Manasseh,
before him, the Scriptures had been forgotten.
And lost! Idolatry flooded the
land. The Idol of Asherah stood in
Solomon’s Temple … with all its unclean worship…
The following news item from Church Scene,
the national Anglican paper, reveals that the Bible is still forgotten in many
places…
A serious row has broken out over an exhibition mounted at St Peter’s Cathedral, Adelaide, by the artist, Noela Hjorth, entitled The Return of Sophia, February 13 – March 13.
The exhibition signifies the recovery of feminine wisdom amidst a spirit of regeneration and transformation, and is the artist’s first foray in to sculpture.
Considerable controversy has been focussed on an exhibit of terracotta seedpods laid in World War II military shell boxes, said by some irate exhibition-goers to resemble female genitalia. Sophia’s seedpods are a central focus of each of the eight altars of the exhibits, framed by large lithographs of female nudes. The seedpods have been described as symbolising regeneration amidst death and destruction.
The bulk of the criticism has been levelled towards what is said to be a Hindu altar dominated by a headless figure of the Hindu goddess of destruction.
The exhibit has been defended by the cathedral’s dean, the Very Revd David Richardson.
A letter with 15 clergy signatories was sent to the Adelaide Advertiser, February 24, expressing dismay at the presence of a Hindu altar in the cathedral. (March 18, 1994).
But at the age of 18 Josiah is converted (2 Kings
22:3), and a reformation takes place at his bidding.
[3] And it came to pass in the eighteenth
year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of
Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying,
[4] Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is
brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered
of the people:
[5] And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have
the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let them give it to the doers of
the work which is in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the
house,
[6] Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone
to repair the house.
[7] Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was
delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.
[8] And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the
book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan,
and he read it.
[9] And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again,
and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and
have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the
oversight of the house of the LORD.
The Jews contribute to the repairing of Solomon’s Temple (v. 4), the workmen do ‘faithfully’ (v. 7), so much so that they did not even need to check up on how the money was being spent!
In the midst of all this a copy of the Law of Moses is discovered! (v. 8.)
The Scroll of the Law is given to Shaphan, who reports
to the king (v. 9).
2. THE
UNIQUE BOOK
To Hilkiah it was “THE Book” (v. 14), but to Shaphan
it was “A book” (v. 18).
[10] And Shaphan the scribe shewed the
king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it
before the king.
[11] And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book
of the law, that he rent his clothes.
[12] And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of
Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a
servant of the king's, saying,
[13] Go ye, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all
Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath
of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened
unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written
concerning us.
[14] So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and
Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of
Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem
in the college;) and they communed with her.
[15] And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the
man that sent you to me,
[16] Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and
upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of
Judah hath read:
[17] Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other
gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands;
therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be
quenched.
[18] But to the king of Judah which sent you to inquire of the LORD,
thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the
words which thou hast heard;
Also notice that Shaphan went on about money (v. 17)
before he talked about the discovery of God’s Word. Unlike the psalmist, who put God’s Word first…
“Therefore I love Thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold” (119:127).
Critical ‘scholars’ claim that this book had only
recently been written, probably during the days of Manasseh, and it wasn’t by
Moses at all. It was, they say, what we
call the Book of Deuteronomy!
But Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32:31 and says it was
Mosaic (Romans 10:19). To say that
this is not penned by Moses, but some ‘prophet’ six hundred years later, is an
attack on the inspiration of the Scripture.
It is done by men who see the Bible as ‘a book’ rather than ‘the
Book’! And if, as we believe, and as it
claims for itself, it is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16), then
it is ‘the Book’ and there is none other to compare with
it.
3. THE
TRANSFORMING BOOK
Josiah hears this Book read and gives evidence of
sincere repentance.
He commands the nation to gather and hear the Book
read also (2 Kings 23:1-2; 2 Chronicles
34:29-33).
2 Kings 23:[1] And the king sent,
and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.
[2] And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah
and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the
prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears
all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the
LORD.
………………………….
2 Chronicles 34: [29] Then the king
sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
[30] And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah,
and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the
people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of
the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD.
[31] And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to
walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his
statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of
the covenant which are written in this book.
[32] And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to
it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the
God of their fathers.
[33] And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that
pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel
to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. And all his days they departed not
from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.
The Asherah is burnt … the pagan furniture is
removed … the child sacrifices cease … the altar at Bethel has priests’ bones
burned upon it to desecrate it (just as the man of God from Judah had predicted
300 years earlier (I Kings 13:2!!!)… but one cannot legislate morality. One can only warn of the consequences and
set a ‘Christian’ example, as Josiah did.
“He caused all …” and although they outwardly repented
their hearts were not changed.
Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah the priest, lived at this time (Jeremiah
1:1-2). And his testimony is … “They
always speak well of You, yet they do not really care about You. But, Lord, You know me; You see what I do, and how I love You.”
* * * * * * * * *
Conclusion:
Josiah sought to lead the nation Godward … but it
was too late. Only a few
responded. And those who did were those
who regarded the Scriptures as “THE Book” … not just “a book”!!
What is it to you??
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END OF
AN ERA … Chapters 23-25
Introduction:
The nation of Judah hastens on to its inevitable
doom. “There is no remedy…” (2
Chronicles 36:16).
Within a few short years the Temple of Solomon will
lie in ruins and the Jews find themselves in Babylonian exile.
JOSIAH
… who came to the throne of Judah at the age of 8,
and ‘began to seek the Lord’ and 8 years later (2 Chronicles 34:1-3) tried to
turn the nation Godward. To no avail.
2 Chronicles 34: [1] Josiah was
eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and
thirty years.
[2] And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the
ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the
left.
[3] For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to
seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to
purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved
images, and the molten images.
His untimely death in an unnecessary battle not only
robbed Judah of its last good king, but brought the nation into subjection once
more to a foreign power, Egypt (2 Chronicles 35:20-21).
Babylonia had risen to power and conquered the
capital of the Assyrian Empire, Nineveh!
The Assyrian’s army flees to Charchemish for the final battle … and the
Egyptian army passes through Judah on its way to help the Assyrians.
And Josiah picks a fight with the Pharaoh!
And in the ensuing battle, Josiah is slain (2
Chronicles 35:24-25).
JEHOAHAZ
… comes to the throne … and reigns only “3 months in
Jerusalem” before Pharaoh-Nec deports him! (2 Kings 23:30-33).
[28] Now the rest of the acts of
Josiah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles
of the kings of Judah?
[29] In his days Pharaoh-nechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of
Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and he slew
him at Megiddo, when he had seen him.
[30] And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought
him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre. And the people of the
land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in
his father's stead.
[31] Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the
daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
[32] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all
that his fathers had done.
[33] And Pharaoh-nechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that
he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of an hundred
talents of silver, and a talent of gold.
JEHOIAKIM
… is made King of Judah by the Pharoah! He reigns 11 years ‘and did that which was
evil in the sight of the Lord’ (2 Chronicles 36:5).
2 Chronicles 36:5] Jehoiakim was
twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years
in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God.
[6] Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in
fetters, to carry him to Babylon.
[7] Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the LORD to
Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.
[8] Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did,
and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the
kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.
During his reign Egypt is conquered by the
Babylonians … and now Judah find themselves paying tribute to
Nebuchadnezzar!
Jehoiakim rebels … and the Babylonians come and take
some of the treasures from the Lord’s House.
Whether the King of Judah is actually taken prisoner
to Babylon is not clear. In any case,
he dies and his son comes to reign.
JEHOIACHIN
… and after ‘3 months and 10 days’ Nebuchadnezzar
and his army lay siege to Jerusalem…
And the king and about 10,000 of his subjects are led away captive.
[9] Jehoiachin was eight years old
when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem:
and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.
[10] And when the year was expired, king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him
to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the LORD, and made Zedekiah
his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.
ZEDEKIAH
… Jehoiachin’s uncle) … is placed on the throne of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar, but eventually he, too, rebels against the paying of tribute (2 Chronicles 36:11-13)
.
[11] Zedekiah was one and twenty
years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.
[12] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and
humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the
LORD.
[13] And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear
by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the
LORD God of Israel.
This time, 587 BC, the Babylonians destroy the
Temple and leave Jerusalem a smouldering ruin.
Only the poor are left in it.
1. A
LESSON IN AGRICULTURE
Here is the account of Nebuchadnezzar’s final attack
on Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 36:17-21).
[17] Therefore he brought upon them
the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house
of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or
him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand.
[18] And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the
treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king, and of his
princes; all these he brought to Babylon.
[19] And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and
burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels
thereof.
[20] And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where
they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of
Persia:
[21] To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land
had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to
fulfil threescore and ten years.
But notice the curious phrase … (v. 21) … “until
the land had enjoyed her sabbaths!”
The Law of God explicitly stated that the land was
to be left uncultivated very seventh year.
It was a ‘sabbath rest’ for the soil (Leviticus 25:1-5).
Today’s agriculturalists realise the necessity for
the land needing to replenish itself … but they use fertilisers and sprays …
which may not be as healthy a solution as God gave to Moses!
But the Jews had ignored this Law … so now God will make
them give the land its ‘sabbath rest’!
There will be no one left in Judah to cultivate it.
2. A
LESSON IN ARCHAEOLOGY
On the Babylonian Chronicle, deciphered as recently
as 1956 in the British Museum, is the record of Nebuchadnezzar’s attack during
Jehoiachin’s reign (he is mentioned by name) and the fact that the Babylonian
king put Zedekiah on the throne. It was
“March 16, 597 BC” (by our calendar).
Also discovered has been the ‘seal of Gedaliah’ …
this man had been Nebuchadnezzar’s governor over the poor of the land (2 Kings
25:22).
And, of course, Babylon has been excavated, and the
name of Nebuchadnezzar found in abuncance.
Again and again the spade confirms the historical
accuracy of the Scriptures.
3. A
LESSON IN AMAZING GRACE … 2 Kings 25:27-30
[27] And it came to pass in the
seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the
twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach
king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of
Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;
[28] And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the
kings that were with him in Babylon;
[29] And changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before
him all the days of his life.
[30] And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily
rate for every day, all the days of his life.
Why this clemency suddenly shown to the King of
Judah?
We do not know.
Although we do know that it was the first year of Evil-Merodach’s
reign. And that the prophet Daniel may
well have had an influence upon him…
Jehoiachin suddenly finds himself free, (‘lift up
the head’, v. 27, means ‘exalted’, not
decapitated!). He gets new garments …
sits at the King of Babylon’s table … and is given a daily allowance!
And isn’t that a faint illustration of what the Lord
Jesus has done for us? By His grace
(not because we deserved it!) He lifted us out of the mire dungeon to “sit with
Him in heavenly places” (Ephesians 2:6).
And he ‘spoke kindly’ (“I will give you rest”) and
gave a robe of righteousness in place of the old sinful rags. And communes with us and provides all our
need. Amazing Grace!!
===========================================================
“Th..
th.. that’s all folks!”
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