A Heroic Aunt

Nevertheless, because of the covenant the LORD had made with David, the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David. He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants forever. 2 Chronicles 21:7

Our Just God is also faithful. He caused the evil king of Judah to pay for his rebellious actions but still was faithful to preserve the line of David.
The LORD aroused against Jehoram the hostility of the Philistines and of the Arabs who lived near the Cushites. They attacked Judah, invaded it and carried off all the goods found in the king’s palace, together with his sons and wives. Not a son was left to him except Ahaziah, the youngest. 2 Chronicles 21:16-17

Ahaziah was also an evil king of Judah. His own mother encouraged him to do wickedly. His mother Athaliah, was the daughter of Jezebel. We might think, no wonder. But in the midst of all the wicked influences was a hero that maybe is often overlooked.

Jehosheba was the daughter of Judah’s King Jehoram and half-sister to the evil King Ahaziah. Jehosheba was married to the high priest Jehoiada. Jehosheba is one who played an important part in preserving the line of David hence the line of our Savior, Jesus Christ. When Athaliah saw that her son had been killed she set out to destroy the whole royal family. She wanted the kingdom all to herself. She no longer had her son to rule the kingdom through. Jehosheba was presented with an opportunity to save a life. Joash was an infant son of Ahaziah. Jehosheba knew that hiding Joash was the only way to save the kingdom. For six years, Joash was hidden in the temple of God with his aunt Jehosheba and uncle Jehoiada, the high priest. It is exciting to read how the story unfolds. When Joash was seven years old, Jehoiada set up a shield of men around the soon to be king. He made all the preparations for the wrath of this evil woman Athaliah. When Joash was presented as king, Athaliah came running shouting “Treason! Treason!” Jehoiada had her put to death and then he made a covenant that the people would (once again) be the Lord’s people.

In this story there is a contrast in ways a woman can impact society. A woman can be like Athaliah, seeking the ways of the wicked for selfish gain. She brought destruction and death taking after her mother. On the opposite side is Jehosheba, who did not take after her father. She honored the Lord God and rescued the infant Joash from death. She is a reminder for Christian women to be a protector of children and supportive wife. Jehosheba and her husband Jehoiada were in ministry together even if she didn’t have a special title like “High Priest.” God used her to preserve the seed of David that would eventually lead to the coming of our Savior. She is a hero!

Jehosheba’s actions may seem in vain as we read the outcome of Joash’s life but that is not the end of the story. It is disheartening to learn about Joash’s wicked behavior after his uncle’s death. He even had Jehoiada’s son, Zechariah, stoned for speaking out against his evil ways. Joash paid for his rebellion against the Lord. Because we have read through the book of Kings we know there will be more good and bad kings to come but the fact remains that our God is in control and is faithful. His sovereignty can be trusted.

The Battle is the Lord's

I am a worrier by nature. When I read the story of Mary and Martha, well... I am Martha! This is one of my battles. I cling to the verses where God tells me to "be still" and to allow God to "fight". Today as I read these passages, I am reminded of my need to let go of my worries and trust that God will work out all things for His glory.

Ahab apparently battled truth and reality. He wanted to hear good news so he chose to listen to false prophets. He was at least honest about his motives when discussing the matter with Jehoshaphat. That's more than I can say for myself at times. The Holy Spirit gives us guidance of right and wrong. He lets us know when we are trying to fool ourselves. God knows our hearts and is not fooled. Even after hearing God's Word from Micaiah, Ahab tried to change God's plan. He tried to change his impending death by manipulation. You have to wonder what Jehoshaphat was thinking when Ahab revealed the scheme. Maybe he wondered what he had gotten himself into! As we know, Ahab's scheme did not save his life. He was battling the Lord and the Lord won.

I have a lot of respect for Micaiah. I don't know whether he battled a lack of confidence, fear of delivering a tough message, or something else entirely. However, he was honorable in doing what he knew was right. He could only deliver a message that was spoken to him by God. Micaiah obviously trusted God to win the battle as he was doing his job.

Twice in these chapters, Jehoshaphat sought the Lord before battle. When he heard that the Edomites were headed his way, he led the people of Judah in fasting and prayer. "All of the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord." (20:13) Wow! Whether they were all physically "standing" together or they were unified by standing before the Lord in their hearts, that is a wonderful example of a nation turning to God. We could learn A LOT from that. The result? God told them that He would do the fighting and He did!

"For the battle is not yours, but God’s."

~ II Chronicles 20:15

How hard do we try to fight battles that are not ours? I know I do on a daily basis. Lord, draw me to You. Teach me to trust You to fight. Remind me to rest in Your presence and promises!

The Lord is With You

God was with the leaders or Kings while they sought to do His will. God blessed Abijah over Jeroboam and Asa over Zerah, the Ethiopian. Asa had ten years of no war because he cried out to the Lord. Jehoshaphat walked with the Lord and no war was made against him.

Azariah told Asa: "The Lord is with you, while ye be with Him; and if ye seek Him, He will be found of you; but if ye forsake Him, He will forsake you (15:2) Israel was without God for a long time but when they got in trouble they called upon God and He was there.

There are times in our lives when things are going smooth that we forget to pray and seek God's will. We think we are doing just fine handling things ourselves and then all of a sudden bad things happen. We may experience sickness, a job loss, financial problems or a number of other things come up to upset or change our lives. It is then we may cry out to God; "God where are you, Why did you turn away from me." Friend, let me tell you God did not turn away from you. It was you who turned away from Him. The good news is; He is still there. Call out to Him, Seek His will and He will be found. God tells us over and over He loves us, He wants to walk with us and bless us; yet, we want to continue on our own little way thinking we can handle it. NO, we can't handle it ourselves. Even to the breath we breathe we need Him.

It is easy to walk with God when we are in church or around fellow Christians. But.....do we walk with Him on our jobs, at home, or with people who are not Christians. We need God more then, we need to let our light shine brighter when we are out in the world. He is there where He has always been just seek Him.

I need thee, Oh, I need thee,
Every hour I need thee,
Oh, Bless me now my blessed Savior,
I come to thee.

May I ask God to walk with me and to be with me and to guide me in ALL that I do.

Wisdom and Truth

What is the definition of wisdom? Think about that...it is not as easy as it first appears. Remember, you cannot use the word "wise" or "wisdom" when defining this word. Are you thinking? Well, here is the definition of wisdom I researched: God or Jesus Christ providing you direction through the Holy Spirit on how to apply the knowledge you have been given about something. What do you think? Not as easy as it first seems is it? It seems we actually need wisdom just to define its meaning! Please note that all three Persons of the Trinity are needed in order to provide wisdom...how cool is that? So what does this have to do with our reading for today? Let's find out!

I wanted to focus mostly on the visit to Solomon by the Queen of Sheba that is found in chapter 9. This whole visit is quite intriguing. Apparently, the Queen of Sheba had heard of Solomon's wisdom and decided to make a venture to see him and find out if what she had heard was in fact true. Remember, there were no newspapers, magazines, phones, Internet, television, or mail. So hearing about something like this when you did not live geographically near that person meant that it had to be a fairly MAJOR thing. I have some respect for the Queen of Sheba in that she did not just take for truth what she heard was true...she wanted to hear and find out for HERSELF whether or not this was in fact the case. This is a HUGE danger that we and our children face in today's technologically based society. We have to guard against taking as truth what we hear on the television, what we see on the Internet, or read in a newspaper. Because we are bombarded on a daily basis, almost on a moment by moment basis, with information and data, it becomes VERY EASY to take these things as true and many, many times they are NOT true! What is the ONLY source of Truth? Jesus says in John 14:6, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the father except through me." And who came to testify to the truth? In John 18:37, Jesus tells Pilate, "...for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

Furthermore, when she got to king Solomon, she talked with him "about all she had on her mind" (verse 1). She "talked" with him...she did not grill him, she did not have an attitude, and she was not "high and mighty". The Hebrew word for "talked" is "dabar" and it means "to speak together, a general term for verbal communication." And Solomon apparently had enough respect for her that he answered her questions, and he answered them wisely. Apparently the whole experience was so amazing, that Scripture tells us she was "overwhelmed". I did some research on this word because it is the only place in the entire Bible that this Hebrew word is used. The Hebrew word here for overwhelmed is "ruah". This is a compound Hebrew word that when all the meanings are combined it has the definition of breath, wind; by extension: spirit, mind, heart, as the immaterial part of a person that can respond to God. So that would explain her verbal response to Solomon of all that she had seen and heard when she says in verse 8, "Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the Lord your God." I wonder, when was the last time we were that "overwhelmed" by God? He should be "overwhelming" us ALL THE TIME because of who He is and because of what He does!

Chapter 9 then goes into a detailed description of Solomon's splendor. All I can say is WOW!!! His wealth and splendor were overwhelming, were they not?!?!? Yet as Jesus said in Matthew 6:29, his glory is NOTHING compared to God's creation! Have you been "WOWED" lately by God's creation? If you have not, spend some time outside. Listen to the beautiful and varied songs of the birds, look at all the variety around you in trees, bugs, and flowers, watch the sunset or the sunrise and be amazed that God did that JUST FOR YOU! All of the splendor of His creation was made for OUR enjoyment...so ENJOY IT!!! I thoroughly enjoy my time outside with my horses where I can pray and commune with God as I take in the beauty of my horses and ALL of the incredible nature around me.

***These are my four horses - Little Bit, Nadia, Journey, and Blackie. They are SO special to me!!!***

On a final note, please notice that the author of Chronicles includes none of the negative information about Solomon's idolatry in the latter part of his rule. Also, the information about Rehoboam and the attack on Jerusalem by Shishak is included only as it applies to the Kingdom of Judah. The author does not include anything about the Kingdom of Israel, as his only focus was on the positives in the Kingdom of Judah, the tribe from which our Savior comes!

So, do you seek God's Truth and Wisdom in your life? Are you intentional about guarding yourself from the foolishness of this world? Do you know The Truth, and The Way, and The Life, I mean REALLY know Him? He wants to know you!!!

Ask Him

My nephew, Conner, was 19 mos old when he pulled a gallon of hot tea down on himself last February. The hot liquid ran off the back of his head, down his neck and back, slowing at his diaper before running down his leg onto the floor. He stood there in the puddle, shocked and crying while his mommy who was just steps away hurried to comfort him. I'll spare you the heartbreaking details on the condition of his skin that made it apparent emergency medical attention would be needed. After being treated in the ER at the first hospital, Conner was transported by ambulance to the burn unit in a reputable hospital about two hours away. Even then, the gravity of the situation was not fully revealed. On that ambulance ride, Conner's skin continued to redden in new places and it was only the next day that the first mention of a possible skin graft was made. Weeks of doctor's visits and the best of wound care by his parents appeared to be promising for a time, but eventually everyone agreed to what FIVE doctors had said.... that this alone would not repair the skin on his little leg. There were two spots that were completely white.....no life. After yet another check-up on that Thursday, the family was instructed to bring him in for surgery the following Monday, to patch the dead skin with new skin from another part of his body. Having four days to prepare for such a thing, we read up on skin grafting. Let's just say that this surgery can sometimes leave worse scarring and more problems than the original injury! I had just come out of a Bible study on prayer, and on asking the impossible. My sister and I agreed in prayer for Conner's skin to be healed without surgery. I didn't know what would happen, but it was worth asking! In times of trial, when you DON'T know things, you start counting the things you DO know...... I knew God had made that little boy's skin in the first place, and I knew He could make it new again. I knew God loved Conner, and that He loved us. We asked for the impossible.

Reading King Solomon's prayer of dedication for the temple reminded me of asking for the impossible. He prayed in 6:18, "But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You." It seemed impossible that God could somehow dwell among men, and still be God. But, Solomon knew God wanted to move in their neighborhood.....he knew God desired to hear their prayers and protect and provide for them. I heard a sermon once entitled "From the Cloud to the Temple". In essence, God's people were asking Him to move in permanently! What was God's answer to this??? Verse 7:1 says, "When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven....and the glory of the LORD filled the temple." Amen! I hope I never feel worthy enough to explain how God can do what He does. I pray I never feel that I can answer for Him.

We read about God's appearance to Solomon in the night, after that temple dedication, and how He made that wonderful promise that we still claim today, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." King Solomon went on to many wonderful things for the Lord and for His glory.

I was thinking....David didn't want the reason that his infant son died to be because he didn't ask for God to change His decision. Hezekiah didn't want the reason he died early (in his mind) to be because he didn't ask for an extension. Joshua didn't want the reason he lost the war to be because darkness fell and that he didn't ask for three more hours of daylight. And, I didn't want the reason Conner had to go through that surgery to be because we didn't ask for a miracle, either! We know God can do it, He's told us to ask. Whether we will, or whether He will is another story. But, since we can't possibly know the mind of God, shouldn't we err on the side of asking too much than not enough?

By the way, God did heal Conner's skin that day. The doctor pulled the bandages back that Monday morning and marveled at the little pink speckles of blood all through that snow white skin! You've never seen a Mama so glad to see blood in her life, I'm sure. So, go ahead and ask God for that miracle. He just might be waiting on you to ask....

AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD . . .

What wonderful descriptions of the materials of gold, wood, bronze, precious stones, and the workmanship we have here in these chapters as Solomon builds the Temple for the name and presence of the Lord. Did you catch the number of workmen? Thousands of them - each with a specific task - and each had a special talent to bring to the Lord. They used their special abilities and talents that they were gifted with - skilled to work in gold and silver, iron and bronze, crimson and blue yarn, engraving. When we use what God has gifted us with for His glory, it will be beautiful and unified and all fit together as He has planned.

OK, I can't help it - when searching for a picture of the Temple that Solomon built, I came across this great picture. It was built by a young 17-year old Christian boy from Virginia. It took him over 13 months to build, used over 14,000 pieces of Legos, and cost over $1,000 to make. Unbelievable! And he dedicated it to God and hoped it would benefit someone with their walk with God. He didn't miss many details, huh? (You should see the pictures of the inside). My son and grandsons loved to play with Legos - but they never made anything like this!

After all the work was completed, the priests brought in the Ark of the Lord into the Holy of Holies. The priests withdrew, the singers with their harps, lyres, and cymbals praised the Lord, and 120 trumpets blew. Can you imagine that wonderful praise offering? Hear the music and sound that filled the air? Then - the temple of the Lord was filled with a cloud and the glory of God. God had accepted their offering. God came in a cloud to give the Ten Commandments to Moses, in a Pillar of Cloud to guide the children of Israel in the wilderness, and a cloud came to fill the Tabernacle in the wilderness when it was first built. God was concealed in a cloud on the Mount of Transfiguration, and Jesus ascended in a cloud to heaven and will come again in like manner.

I could not help but reflect on our Easter Sunrise Service this year at our new pavilion, Solomon's Porch. It took many workmen many days and hours to build and complete this structure, guided by one gifted and dedicated individual. It took many men (and women) with different talents to move the dirt and gravel, hammer in the nails, lift the lumber, pull the wires, pour the concrete, install the roof, do the brickwork, trim the trees, shrubs and grass - all working together using their gifts for the glory of the Lord. And if you were present on that special Easter morning and saw the sun rising in the East with our church, the steeple, and the cross in the background, you also saw the glory of the Lord.

Priorities

In 1 Kings, we read about David passing the throne on to Solomon. We saw that David had to hurry and assemble Nathan, Zadok the priest, and Benaiah at Gihon to annoint Solomon before the people to discredit Adonijah's claim to the throne. Here, at the end of 1 Chronicles, we get a little more detail regarding what went on in that ceremony.

David tells the people of his plans for building the temple for the Lord, and states that it was specifically the Lord who placed both him and Solomon as kings over Israel. It's interesting to note, that with a few exceptions, the kingship did not flow in the usual royal way in Israel. David was not Saul's heir, and Solomon was not David's rightful heir (oldest son). Later, as we read in 2 Samuel, often God appointed new kings that were not even related to the previous king. The kingdom of Israel belonged to the Lord, not David or Solomon or anyone else. Therefore, the role of the king was really to be God's deputy, commissioned to carry out God's will for the nation. God could pick and choose who he wanted without regard for the "royal line." When the kings ceased to be effective deputies, God appointed a new man. David reminds Solomon of this as he commissions him.

"And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work."

It's always important to listen to people's "last words." In these verses David breaks down for Solomon some principles to guide him through life. While I don't expect any of us are going to build an awesome temple for the Lord with tons of gold and silver and precious stones, or rule a kingdom, the principles still apply to our lives. My Life Application Study Bible outlines them. They struck a chord with me, so I wanted to share them with all of you too!

1.Get to know God personally. Acknowledge the God of your father. It's not enough that he is the God of your father, or grandfather or mother's neighbor's cousin. YOU acknowledge him and get to know him!

2. Learn God's commands and discover what he wants you to do. Serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind. How do you learn God's commands? Read the Bible! By learning God's commands, you'll have the guiding principles to help you know what he would have you to do with your life.

3. Worship God. Not half-heartedly but with wholehearted devotion. God is certainly worthy of it. David points out many times in these chapters that all he had came from God. An attitude like that certainly encourages devotion to God as well as cheerful giving.

4. Serve God with a willing mind. Be willing to do what God asks of you. Eagerly seek more knowledge of him.

5. Be faithful. Seek God consistently in all areas of your life.

6. Don't become discouraged. Be strong and do the work. It's so easy to get bogged down in the details that we can feel like maybe we should just give up. Don't get or become discouraged! God has great plans!

We see that, initially, Solomon listened. When God said to him, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you," Solomon famously asked for wisdom and knowledge. If God offered you the same thing, what would you ask for? Jesus states in Matthew 6:33:

Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

It's all about priorities. Because Solomon had his in line here, God gave him wealth, riches and honor as well. While I don't think that we are necessarily guaranteed the same, I do think that when we put God first, the wisdom he gives us will help us to live rich, rewarding lives. Even if not necessarily from a worldly perspective. I'm challenged to look at my priorities today and see if I'm really seeking God's kingdom first. How about you?

Temple Ministry

As I read through these three chapters I had this question; what was the practice of casting lots about? It had been confusing to me because of the scene at the cross when the Roman soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ garments. In that situation it was not to inquire of the Lord. The practice had turned into a sort of game. I learned that the practice of casting lots is mentioned seventy times in the Old Testament and seven times in the New Testament. God allowed the Israelites to cast lots in order to determine His will for a given situation. They first prayed and sought the Lord to answer before casting lots. They trusted the Lord to control the outcome. With the Holy Spirit and the Bible to guide us we do not need to cast lots to know God’s will. In chapter twenty-five they cast lots to determine their duties in the music ministry. Lots were cast to divide the gatekeepers in chapter 26.
Another part of this text that caught my attention was the twenty-four groups of twelve musicians appointed to serving in music ministry. The notes in my study bible says “the musicians were divided into 24 groups to match the 24 groups of Levites(24:7-25). This division of labor gave order to the planning of the temple work, promoted excellence by making training easier, gave variety to worship because each group worked a term, and provided opportunities for many to be involved.” I wanted to emphasize that last part because I noticed that there was variety in their worship while still order and it provided opportunity for many to be involved. I like that! Our God who created all things loves His creation. He made us all different and unique, with special gifts and talents for worshiping Him. We need to use our gifts and talents for Him.

Chapter twenty-six tells about the gatekeepers. These were strong, able-bodied men who guarded the Temple gates from those who were unclean. It was a very important position. This causes me to think about our own “temple.”

"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Just like the gatekeepers who protected the temple, we must protect the temple (our bodies) because there is an enemy who seeks out those unguarded gates.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because[a] your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:88

Chapter 27 gives us the list of leaders of the twelve groups of troops, twelve tribal leaders, the stewards of David’s property and the people who served in his court. David was certainly prepared for war. Are we prepared for war - spiritual war? "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Eph 6:12-13

Heart and Soul

As humans, our hearts can be pulled in so many directions. Just this morning, my heart was pulled to my son's kindergarten class. I was very emotional as we are preparing to close that chapter of his life. I am so thankful for his teachers and how much he has learned this year. My heart was overflowing with joy and thankfulness for a healthy little boy and caring teachers who have helped teach him to read and write. This is a perfect lesson for me today because I am reminded to pour my thankfulness and joy back to the Lord.

The Bible gives us wonderful examples of how we can express our emotions to God. David directed his joy, sorrow, anger to God through prayer and song. He had a passion for the Lord! David sought the Lord and wanted others to also.

David had "it in his heart" to build the temple for the Lord. However, as we were just reminded in I Chronicles 21, God told David that was not his job to do. Instead, God's plan was for one of David's sons to build the temple. David had obviously been blessed with great worldly riches and God did allow David to participate in the process. David made "extensive preparations" including purchasing land and gathering skilled laborers and supplies. When David felt the preparations were completed, he called his young and inexperienced son, Solomon, and charged him with the task at hand. David gave Solomon instructions, blessings, and words from God as he turned the job to his son. David also some of the challenges and temptations Solomon would face as king AND he knew what was MOST important as he gave this advice:

Now devote your HEART and SOUL to
seeking the LORD your God.
~ I Chronicles 22:19

In David's later years, he was concerned with building the temple, or God's dwelling place. He wanted to make sure the temple was constructed well, with the finest supplies and laborers and that Levites and priests were clear about their assignments (23:2-5). God's House needed to be established and maintained. The same is still true for us today as New Testament believers.

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple
and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?
If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person;
for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.
~ I Corinthians 3:16-17

Today, we are the temple of God. He has given us the assignment of building and protecting His dwelling place, the "church". How perfectly this ties into Pastor Chris' sermon yesterday! By church, I do not mean the physical building, but people who believe in Jesus Christ. As Pastor Chris stated yesterday, building the church means: First, devoting ourselves to learning more about God and building our personal relationship with Him; Second, telling others so that they can know and believe.

God desires our heart, soul, mind, and strength... everything we have! Are we devoted to seeking Him? Are we devoted to building His church? Are we devoted to grow in our personal relationship with Him? Are we devoted to telling others about Him?

Do we have a burning passion to seek Him with all of our HEART and SOUL? I pray today that we do!

Have Thine Own Way, Lord

Chapter 18 starts off with the many wars of David. This week, I was asked, "How can God agree to the killing of people?" The Bible tells us "the wages of sin is death." We have to remember these people did evil in the eyes of the Lord. When Israel did evil, God allowed them to be overtaken in battle. Many times people ask why a baby would die, but think of this: What if that baby lived and didn't get saved, he'd be in Hell. God in His omniscience knows and it just could be that in allowing that baby to die as a baby, He has guaranteed them a spot in Heaven, instead of what they would earn or Hell. He is so good.

We have read of these wars before. David was going to show kindness to Hanun, the son of Nahash because Nahash, who had died, showed kindness to David. The princes of the children of Ammon convinced Hanun that the comforters David had sent was really there to spy on the land. Hanun then had David's servants clothes to be cut and their beards shaved resulting in more wars. How many times have we misinterpreted an act of kindness for an ulterior motive. Do we repay kindness with meanness? I like the message in I Chronicles 19:13;
Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our
people, and for the cities of our God: and let the Lord do that
which is good in his sight."
Do we try and fix things ourselves or do we stand back and let God do it?

When Satan provoked David to number Israel, it displeased God. God sent Gad with three punishments for David to chose from. David chose the punishment; but when he saw the angel of the Lord with his sword drawn over Jerusalem ready to destroy it, he cried out to God to let him take the punishment. He told God that it was him that had sinned and done evil. The people had not done anything so David wanted the punishment to fall on him and not the people.

I think back when I was a kid and did wrong. If my father gave me a choice of what my punishment should be, would I take it or would I be willing to sacrifice my siblings for a lesser punishment. (I'm not going to tell you what my choice would be but you can guess.) We all one day have to stand before our Father in judgment. I am so glad we have a forgiving Father. I am not worthy to stand before Him but I thank Him for His Son who took the punishment in my place.

The Light in the Star of David

Well Ladies...if you take a look at your Bibles, we are getting close to the half way mark! What a blessing you all have been to me and continue to be as we journey together through God's precious and holy Word! Stay the course and DO NOT let Satan sway you to the left or to the right!

As I was reading today's chapters, the Star of David kept popping into my head, so I started looking at pictures of this special Star on the computer. As you will notice, all of the pictures I selected have the Star of David depicted with some form of light involved in each picture. More on that later. Stick with me as I jump around to some different books of the Bible today (I have highlighted the references for you to the other areas of the Bible we are traveling).

THE ARK RETURNS: The material here is greatly expanded upon in comparison to where we have seen this before in II Samuel 6:12-19. The author of I Chronicles reflects here his own interests especially in the detailed inclusion of the names of the Levites involved and the inclusion of the musical instruments used. Also, in verses 13-15 of this chapter, the Chronicler provides the explanation for the failure of the first time the ark was attempted to be moved and Uzzah died. Psalm 132 is a song of ascents that can be read in conjunction with this part of chapter 15. In verse 8 and 9 of Psalm 132 it says, "arise, O Lord, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. May your priests be clothed with righteousness; may your saints sing for joy." Notice also that the Chronicler does not expand on the incident with David's wife Michal (verse 29) as was done in II Samuel 6:20-23. This could possibly be because of his more positive view of David in his account or because he assumes the reader has knowledge of the other account. In either case, the detail included here reminds me that God cares GREATLY about the details of our lives. He cares about whether or not you can find a pair of socks quickly in the dryer when you are in a hurry to get out the door, or that you just so happen to have an extra fork in your lunch box to give to a co-worker who needs it to eat his or her lunch. Doesn't that blow your mind - the God that created this incomprehensible universe cares about the TINIEST detail of your life and according to Matthew 10:30 even knows the EXACT number of hairs on your head (yes He can keep track even when they fall out in the shower)!!!! Should that want to make us shine the light of Jesus wherever we go or what?!?!?! Matthew 5:16 says, "In the same way, let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

DAVID'S PSALM OF THANKS: Notice that David plays a priestly role in that he is wearing a linen ephod and exercises the priestly perogative of blessing the people here. This psalm of thanks in not found in the Samuel account. Also, be aware that this lengthy historical account taken in portion from Psalm 105, which emphasizes the promises to Abraham, would be of particular interest to the Chroniclers audience just having returned from exile, because the faithfulness of God would have been fresh in the minds of those God had restored to the Promised Land. Portions of this psalm here are from Psalm 106 which would have really spoken to the audience the Chronicler was writing to because of the talk of those who have been gathered and delivered from nations. This books clearest teaching on salvation is here in verses 34-36 where David states that one of the main purposes of salvation is to bring glory to God. So, here again, as people who have accepted God's salvation, we should be "shining" His glory to ALL the nations!

DAVIDIC COVENANT & DAVID'S PRAYER: Here we are again with this amazing covenant that God made with David through which the Savior of the world would come. Psalm 89 verses 30-37 confirms that this covenant would stand NO MATTER WHAT. So since there is no king on the throne of Israel right now does that mean that this covenant is no longer valid? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! Let's look at what Paul says in chapter 11 of Romans: "Rather, because of their (Israel's) transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!" (verses 11-12) Also in verses 25-27: "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved..." So, we as the Gentiles of the world that are coming to our "fullness" need to be doing our jobs while God has put the Israelites on "hold". Our light needs to be doing its job so that as many Gentiles can be grafted into our family as possible. Make no mistake - their WILL be a King on the throne of Israel in the near future. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords! And he will come on a powerful and beautiful white horse to take his throne FOREVER!!! (Revelation 19:11)

Strength Defined

Long ago, people came to this land in search of something. Some were looking for religious freedom, some were looking for adventure, but there were many looking for fortune, in a word: Gold. The travelers devised many schemes for getting the gold that North America had to offer; one way was to trade for it. Explorers came from all over the world, many to take advantage of the natives who lived here. The foreigners traded glass beads for gold, convincing the natives of their "great value". In reality, the natives were trading something of great value for something shiny that really didn't have much worth at all. Hold that thought....

The men we read about in this portion of scripture were a special breed. They were the army of David. They fought hard, and courageously! They had faces like lions, and were swift as gazelles! I've enjoyed reading the many accounts of bravery and strength in these battles. These men were united, for a cause. Verse 33 of chapter 12 says that they were "not double-hearted". I love that!!! They had a heart for justice and for God! As Natalie reminded us earlier this week, unity is not something we create, it's something we preserve. This army had a common purpose that caused them to lock arms in battle together. And "they would not break rank". No matter what happened, the men would not turn and run from the brothers at their sides! It makes my skin tingle to think of such love and respect. Those men of Zebulun were fierce!

I think of this army when I think of you, my sisters, as we journey together. I think of all the girls I come in contact with, day to day. It breaks my heart to see young women around me selling off their gold for worthless beads that the enemy offers. Oh, that we would be a people of great integrity! To stand firm in our faith and lift our sister up! It's a war we wage in this world, and it's not for the faint of heart. But for God only, let's unify our hearts to the cause of Christ. Don't accept the commerce of this world, bartering your eternal soul for the temporary and fleeting things this world has to offer. Choose to live pure and godly lives, and encourage the younger women around you to do the same. Store up true treasure! Don't let that young girl in your life trade her gold for the glitter Satan offers her. "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet lose his soul?" Stand in the gap, and don't break rank!

So here we are, David is about to be made king. His men are ecstatic, on top of the world, eating and celebrating together for days. David is looking to start his kingdom off right, by setting priorities straight. He prays to God and decides to bring the Ark back home. What better way to show that God is first in his kingdom? Well, we know how the story goes......the cattle, the cart, the forgotten instruction, and the death of Uzzah. David's motive was right, his motions were wrong. He followed the ways of the Philistines, and not the way of God. Knowing what we know now, about the location of the temple........how interesting is it that the cart stumbled on the exact location of the threshing floor!?!??!! Oh, the history we are oblivious to, happening all around us every day.

Speaking of being oblivious.......here's David. He's just realized that, "Oh? God has CHOSEN me to be king....like of His people!!!" The king of Tyre is blessing David greatly with gifts of cedar and men who were experienced in masonry and carpentry, and David is just putting it all together.......he's chosen. A sherpherd, the runt of the litter, God will work through him to build the greatest kingdom the world has seen. When the Philistines saw what was going on, they sought to kill David. David inquired of the Lord, "Shall I go up against the Philistines?" God delivered them into His peoples' hands. Then the Philistines came up again. David did another thing......strange it seems to some, but while things are going so well, he inquires of the Lord AGAIN. Really? Yes. Even when things are going well, keep praying. He doesn't always do things the same way, and we need to be in tune with His plan. He was not double-hearted, but he was totally sold out to God.

What is the secret to great strength? Singleness of heart. Unified. David and his men were a formidable force, indeed, but fully relied on God. They were nothing without Him! Their strength came from knowing that one thing. Oh, Father, may we continue to seek You! ....to see You work in a mighty way around us. May we be victorious in You, over our enemies and over this world and over all it has to offer.

The Levites, the Priests and a Few Good Men

Remember how your parents reminded you of things to do (and NOT do) over and over? And I'm sure as a mom you probably do the same thing! If something is repeated, there is usually a good reason, and it only illustrates how important something is to remember.

The first two verses in Chapter 9 tell us that Judah was carried away because of unfaithfulness to God . . . and now the first (of the returned exiles) that come to dwell again in the cities of Israel were the priests, Levites, and temple servants. It goes on to repeat the story of Saul's death and how David became King.

We now look back (before the exile) at the temple, the priests and the Levites and see their specific duties outlined: gatekeepers, those in charge of the temple vessels, the furniture, the sacred utensils, preparing spices and things baked in pans (shewbread), and singers (which were on duty day and night - wow, what a job!) Each person was important and each task that they were assigned was equally important. It is not so in our church? There are many "committees" and "ministry teams" - hospital, kitchen, missions, building and grounds, ushers, finance, teachers, deacons, nursery workers - all are important and have their specific areas and duties to perform. We all work together for the building up of the church and to glorify the Lord. It reminds me of Paul's words regarding the "body of Christ" in the church in I Corinthians 12. Each job is important and should be done with care - even the smallest tasks come together to make the big picture. When we all work together, things run smoothly and grand things are accomplished.

A FEW GOOD MEN . . . When you hear the words "Mighty Men" who do you picture in your mind? Superman, Sylvester Stallone, Babe Ruth, Hulk Hogan? Jashobeam, Eleazar, and Shammah (those names are listed a little differently in II Sam. 23). David's Three Mighty Men. Yes, there were 30 others listed, but these were the cream of the crop, i.e., the U. S. Navy Seals, the Blue Angels. (It was interesting to me that Uriah the Hittite was listed in the 30, yet David had him killed. How sad.)

Jashobeam killed 300 men at one time with his sword (II Sam. says 800, but who's counting?), Eleazar staved off a Philistine army alone in a field while his hand clung to the sword and his cohorts fled; and Shammah bravely saved a field of lentils by himself so that the Israelites would not starve for food. (I once heard a sermon called "Staying in the Pea Patch" about standing up and sometimes standing alone and fighting for things you believe in.)

What would make these men so brave, so determined, so trustworthy? They fought for their King, for what they believed in, and for who they followed. God gave them deliverance, gave them victory, gave them strength for the task, and He does the same for each of us if we but ask. Fight the good fight - and remember, if God be for us who can be against us?

There is an old hymn that you hardly ever hear anymore, but I believe the words are worthy of mention:

Am I a solder of the cross, a follower of the Lamb?

And shall I fear to own his cause, or blush to speak his name?

Sure I must fight if I would reign; increase my courage, Lord!

I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, supported by Thy Word.

Preserving unity

Today, I'm remembering a song. It goes something like this:

Father Abraham...had many sons! Many sons had father Abraham! I am one of them, and so are you! So let's just praise the Lord! Right Arm...Left arm...right foot...left foot...spin around...

I hope some of you are doing hand motions right now at home! Or maybe even doing a little dance! Please, don't get upset with me for putting that song in your head for the rest of the day!

It has been mentioned over and over and over again since we started reading 1 Chronicles. The long, long list of names. Father Abraham did indeed have many sons! And it is SO HARD to process all the names. A question I'm asking myself as I start reading these chapters is, "Why?"

Why did God think it was important for this long list of names to be included in the Bible?

I am by no means offering the definitive answer for this. God himself knows. But, we do know a few things that might help shed some light on the subject.

1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles and the book of Ezra following them are all believed traditionally to be written by Ezra. Ezra was a Jewish exile, living in Babylon, and worked as a scribe. He led the second group of Israelites back to Jerusalem from Babylon about 458 B.C. He was sent by the Babylonian king Artaxerxes to Jerusalem to set up a religious education system and return with a report. As a scribe, he would have been well educated on God's law and obviously had a love for it and a desire to see it applied in the people's lives.

It would have been important to Ezra to emphasize certain things to the Jews returning to Jerusalem. He was reaffirming their spiritual foundation as a nation. The Jews had been in Babylon for about 80 years before returning to Jerusalem. And we know that the state of Jerusalem when they left was not good. It was essentially in ruins. Many of them may have wondered why they were even returning! Or, once they got there the daunting task of rebuilding would have been very disheartening. Moreover, the group of Jews that had returned ahead of them had already started marrying and adopting the customs of the nations that had moved into the area while they were away. It was probably obvious to Ezra that they were quickly heading down the same path they had been down before. What's the old saying? "History repeats itself." Unless we try and learn from the mistakes of those who went before us.

By recounting this genealogy for the Jewish people, Ezra was laying the ground work for the nation to rebuild the way God wanted them too. He was also reminding them that they, as a nation, had a shared heritage. They were one family in Adam, and Abraham...as well as one nation, one priesthood under Levi and one kingdom under David. He wanted to remind them of their unity. Our pastor made a profound statement at the leadership meeting we had at the beginning of this month:

Unity isn't something you create, it's something you preserve.

I just love precise packaging in statements! In that one small sentence so many points are made. In attempting to create unity, the picture is painted of taking people standing on opposite sides of the fence and trying to force them to find or create some common ground. We're searching for similarities among the blinding differences. In preserving unity, you start from the perspective that we all begin on the same side, but may walk different paths while we're there. We start from the similar and use the differences to work together for everyone's good and a common goal.

After Solomon's reign, the nation fractured into two different kingdoms. More than that, tribal loyalties were probably fierce. I can imagine that while in exile, much of that would have gone to extremes. Under the stress of battle and exile, "protect your own" may have become the mantra. Ezra wanted to remind them that they all started from the same place, with the same goal of serving God, and that they needed to preserve and honor that unity.

Imagine that this list of names included your great-grandfather, uncle, or second cousin twice removed. Someone who you had heard stories about growing up or perhaps even had been handed down something of theirs. Imagine meeting for the first time someone who also counted that same person in their family tree. Wouldn't you immediately have a bond with that person? A shared common ground? Maybe a laugh over some silly story? That's unity. And it's part of what Ezra was trying to remind the people of by listing their national family tree.

If you have accepted Christ as your savior, then it's your family tree too. As believers, the heritage God set in motion with the Israelites is now ours. We rejoice because the God who saved them, gave them an inheritance and revealed his power, majesty and glory to and through them as a nation also does the same for us. Their story is our story. WE as believers have some unity to celebrate, preserve, and a common goal to work for. So...sing with me now!

Father Abraham, had many sons!

Many sons had father Abraham!

I am one of them, and so are you!

So let's just praise the Lord....

The Levites

I don’t feel there is a lot to explain about this chapter six of 1 Chronicles. It begins with the lineage of Levi. There is another long list of names. Most we have read before. Some we can identify with the history we have been reading. I did find it interesting to meet the first praise band. Heman, Asaph and the Merarites were appointed by David to minister with music before the tabernacle.

Music ministry is such a vital part of our fellowship on Sunday mornings. We come together and unite in song to praise our faithful, loving, and just Heavenly Father. Many hearts are prepared to receive His word after hearing a song of praise to our God. His very presence is among us when we turn our hearts to Him in praise and worship. There are many examples of the Lord showing up during the playing of instruments. Do you remember the wall of Jericho? And the trumpets of Gideon’s army? It was David who organized music for praise and worship. Music is very powerful. It has the ability to affect our mood and emotions. It is a source of our heart’s attitude. I believe God created music and it is for His glory. He certainly had a purpose for the musical talent of David and many others.

In the later part of this chapter we review the settlements alloted to the Levites. If you will remember they were given towns and pastures within the territories of the other tribes. By the Levites being divided among the other tribes, they were able to aid the people in their worship of God.

I have enjoyed reading everyone’s posts and comments about genealogy and family heritage. I am inspired to search a little more to see where my family line goes. I have only seen a list of names, but none that are famous so far. I cannot say that I enjoy trying to pronounce all these names in the list of Chronicles but I like recognizing some of them and knowing that I have learned somewhat about who belongs to who. I have been at our church for over ten years now and I am still learning who belongs with who, but it always brings a more clear picture when I can connect people with their family. It is more exciting to be able to recognize people who belong to the family of Christ.

What's In a Name?

I enjoy genealogy and trying to capture my family tree as well as my husband's. I love it when I can fill in one of the blanks. When we go to family reunions or functions, I can often be found with a notebook and pen jotting down family facts as told by others. Sometimes my head swims with all of the names, relationships, and stories just as it swims with these chapters in First Chronicles.

I am still trying to get my head around why all of this matters and what we can learn from it. Obviously it matters because God's Word includes many accounts of family lineage. I agree with Boots post from yesterday. People want to know where they came from and that they belong. God also made promises to men to bless (or curse) their children for generations to come. Genealogy provides a record of those generations.

In the New Testament, both Matthew and Luke provide the genealogy of Jesus in their gospels (Matthew 1:1 and Luke 3:23). Interestingly, as in most genealogy research done by different people, the "family trees" of Jesus were documented differently by Matthew and Luke. They took different approaches and at times their lists differed. Luke started with Jesus and Matthew ended with Jesus. Regardless of who is in our different family tree, Jesus is at the beginning and the end, isn't He? God tells us so...

"I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."
~ Revelation 22:13

The Israelites kept records of their ancestry and obviously wanted to know that their roots were in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We can imagine that the oldest sons wanted to make sure their names were recorded correctly! What a history these patriarchs have and what incredible promises God gave to each of them! We know God gave Jacob a new name after he "struggled with God and with men". (Gen 32:28) We know Jacob's new name was Israel, which means "he struggles with God." After reading what we've read so far this year, I have a fresh perspective on this name and believe it is very fitting. The Israelites continued to struggle with each other (man) and with God.

In the middle of these chapters, we learn about a man that is mentioned nowhere else in the Bible. Jabez was given his name by his mother after she experienced painful childbirth. The word Jabez sounds like the Hebrew word for pain. Now, that's a name to live up to! Instead, Jabez prayed to God that he would be blessed and free from pain. We learn through these genealogy notes that "Jabez was more honorable than his brothers" and that "God granted his request." (4:9-10).

Regardless of our earthly family history and the roots that we have, as Christians we also know our spiritual heritage. We can claim God's promise that we are "sons [and daughters] of God... heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ." (Romans 8:14 and 17)

What an incredible promise and blessing each of us has received. May we each live up to our name as a Child of God!

Family of God

Chronicles is a book on geneology; My head starts to spin when I try to read all these names so I am not going to bore you with who belongs to who. As you read this book, do you stop and think, "why is this important?"

We all need a sense of belonging and knowing where we came from. Geneology is very big in the US. People wanting to know a little about their ancestory and where they originally came from. In my family, we have a sense of pride that my 3rd great grandfather was Benjamin Rush. He was a doctor, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and a devout Christian. Kids that are adopted want to know where they came from even when they have been adopted into a good family.

In studying geneology in the Bible, we can understand where they came from and why they are the way they are. Even Jesus' lineage was traced showing that He came from the blood line that God said that he would. Proving once again that God's word is true.

One thing we as believers have in common; we have been adopted into the Family of God.

I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God,
I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by his blood,
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I'm a part of the family the Family of God.

You will notice we say "brother and sister" 'round here.
It's because we're a family and these are so near,
When one has a heartache, we all share the tears,
and rejoice in each victory in this family so dear.

From the door of an orphanage to the house of the king.
No longer an outcast, a new song I sing,
From rags unto riches, from the weak to the strong,
I'm not worthy to be here, but praise God I belong.

Are you in captivity?

Well Ladies, here we are at the end of our 12th book together! Can you believe it?!?!? For those of you who have persevered, let me just say a BIG congratulations to you! You are getting close to half way through the Bible and that is quite an accomplishment! Do you feel blessed? Do you feel obedient? Do you feel closer to the Lord? YOU SHOULD!!!

Josiah's Reforms: In Chapter 23, we see the changes continuing that king Josiah made once the Book of the Law was found. His first step was to organize a covenant-renewal ceremony. He read to all the people the Book of the Law that had been found. I wonder, what did all those people think about this missing Book of the Law? Were they heart broken that they had not been following all of these laws and in fear of what might happen to them? Or were they indifferent with a "Whatever!" type mentality? Did they hang their heads in shame and tear their clothes like king Josiah did or did they just stand there and listen with their minds wandering to other things? I am sure it was some sort of mixture of all these things. Josiah then continues to tear down ALL the idols and the things used to worship these idols. He is very methodical and thorough in his complete destruction of all of these detestable things. We also see him reinstate the Passover celebration that had not been celebrated since the time of the judges. Then all the good reforms and changes end with the death of Josiah. How far the people of Israel had fallen!!! Do we need reform? Do we truly live our lives to show and display the glory of God? Are there "idols" that we need to COMPLETELY destroy in our lives? Just some thoughts for self-examination. :)

Jerusalem Captured: I think this is one of the saddest times in all of Israelite history (and all of history for that matter). The precious and holy city of Jerusalem is captured and destroyed. The place where our Holy God dowelled was in ruins. The full brunt of Israel's idolatrous ways had fallen down upon them. This was the consequences for YEARS of their horrible and detestable sins. It had finally come. And as a result, the whole city was destroyed, the temple was destroyed, and the people were taken into captivity. This just breaks my heart! And a big part of the reason this breaks my heart so much is because I have seen the same things happen in my own life. I know I have broken God's heart more than I care to count!

Exile to Babylonian Captivity: There were apparently three separate deportations of the Israelites to Babylon under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar. The first one occurred during the reign of Jehoiachin, which was when king Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem and carried off most of the treasures of the temple and the royal palace. The second deportation happened after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. when the walls of the city were leveled and the temple was utterly destroyed. The last deportation appears to have taken place around 582 B.C. while king Nebuchadnezzar was reasserting his power over the whole region of Palestine. BUT the good news is that the land was still the Promised Land that God promised to Abraham WAY back in Genesis. It was still their land and is still their land to this day, regardless of who is occupying it. The land held onto its promise of a future return then and it holds onto the promise of a future return NOW. When our Lord comes back again (come quickly Lord Jesus!) the Promised Land will be settled for all time and Jesus' Kingdom will be established for ALL TIME!

So what about you? Have Satan's lies taken you into captivity and you are in "exile" from the Lord? Have your sins put you in a jail cell of guilt, shame, and feelings of despair? If you find yourself in this place (either a little OR a lot), please come to the One who has set all the captives FREE! He has the Keys to freedom and can set you free FOREVER!!! Come to JESUS!!!

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

because the Lord has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor;

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty (freedom) to the captives,

and the opening of the prison to those who are bound."

Isaiah 61:1 ESV

The Faith of a Child

I have an 8-year old boy, and the thought of what the kingdom would look like if he were in charge is interesting to say the least. I imagine everyone dressed like superheroes, peanut butter sandwiches everyday for lunch, strings tied from doorknobs, mandatory fishing every afternoon, never any chores, we'd live in the treehouse, get Christmas gifts every morning, deer and turkey season would be year-round, tree frogs would live inside, the word “no” would be wiped from the dictionary, you get the picture…….but, I would hope that if he were king, he would have a good advisor. I would hope that he would follow the Lord God’s commandments. The story of King Josiah that we find in 2 Kings is inspiring to us in one way, but also disheartening in another.

To get some perspective, let’s review where we are in history. We have been reading about kings of Judah and kings of Israel. Israel’s glory days during the early reign of Solomon are behind them. Once on top of the world politically, economically, and spiritually, they are now torn and enslaved. The reason we have two kingdoms is because in Solomon’s older years, his heart was led astray by his multiple Canaanite wives and he built shrines to other gods for them to worship and sacrifice to. The prophet told Solomon that God would take the kingdom from him, but would save a remnant (sound familiar?) because of His promise to David. Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, kept Jerusalem and ruled the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Solomon’s servant, Jeroboam, took the other ten tribes north as the kingdom of Israel. Israel has had 19 kings, never a good one, but they all did evil in the sight of the Lord. God has allowed Assyria to come and take the kingdom of Israel captive. So here we have our kings and kingdoms, and my mind is reeling from information overload! Let’s dive in again, knowing God has something for us...

We find the current king, Hezekiah, gravely ill, as we pick up today in chapter twenty. Judah has had 12 kings, six were good and six were evil…..and now we have Hezekiah. Before we read on, let’s remember that this king has done some really great things during his time. His report card stated, “He trusted in the LORD God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him. For he held fast to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses. The LORD was with him; he prospered wherever he went.” Hezekiah was a very good king, but we notice that he may have had an issue of pride after being given a tremendous gift (not that we can point fingers). When the prophet told Hezekiah that he was about to die, the king prayed and wept, not receiving the word of the Lord God, but fighting it. God promised this king fifteen more years, giving proof of His word by causing time to move backward. WOW! These fifteen years, during which Hezekiah bragged to Babylon about all he accomplished, and showed off the entire royal treasury, and begot a son who turned out to be a worse king than his grandfather, Ahaz, may not have been the best thing to ask for. (Maybe he should have accepted God’s will even if it wasn’t great news, just as Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemene?) Hezekiah didn’t seem concerned at all when Isaiah told him that one day, all of those riches and even his own children would be taken captive by Babylon. He was only concerned to make sure there would peace during his reign. Hmmmmm….

Heziekiah’s son was the evil king, Manasseh. This boy was made king at the age of twelve. He reigned for 55 terrible years, undoing all that his father had done: rebuilding the altars in the high places, bowed down to false gods, built altars in the temple, consulted spiritists, even going so far as to sacrifice his own son to the gods. This king did much evil in the sight of the Lord, arousing His anger. God promised to wipe out Jerusalem and give them into the hands of enemies. His son, Amon, was next and he wasn’t much better. His reign was a short two years, but he followed the ways of his father and forsook the God of his ancestors in that time. But, God is ever merciful….

In chapter 22 we meet Josiah. Being the last of the good kings in Judah, we find that God is ever faithful to give just one more chance to His stiff-necked people….even if the only chance happens to be the eight-year-old son of an evil king. Spiritual darkness had triumphed for 57 years when Josiah was crowned king. There are many important parts to a healthy spiritual life, some of those being prayer, giving, worship, service, outreach, and more. But, in this story we find out how important and powerful the reading of scripture is! King Josiah likely benefited from the strategic plan of the God he loved. He must have been surrounded by that remnant of believers God prepared for such a time as this, from that very early age of eight. I can’t wait until we read more about his life in 2 Chronicles, he is so intriguing. For now, let’s rejoice in what we read here. Josiah had ordered that the temple be repaired. Hilkiah, the high priest, found the Book of the Law while in the temple of the Lord. They took it to King Josiah, and when the king heard the words he tore his robes in anguish! He gave orders to inquire of the Lord what else He says in this book. (Sounds to me like this book has been missing for about 60 years, and may have been lost on purpose?) Anyway, God tells Josiah through the prophetess, Hulduh, that He will indeed bring disaster to these people for forsaking Him, but that because Josiah’s heart was humbled and responsive, because he tore his robes, and wept, that he would die in peace, his eyes not seeing all that would come.

Josiah’s heart reminds me of another’s heart…...an ancestor from long before him…..a shepherd whose heart was prone to worship when others were prone to wander. As soon as he realized the cause of turmoil in the land, he did everything he could to make things right. He seemed to realize that the problems with economic, physical, political and other areas of turmoil were actually a serious spiritual problem!!! God tells Josiah that even though his was humbled and fully devoted to His ways, the people were not. Their hearts were not for God, but against Him. Most kings may have just “hung it up” not even trying to make a difference, but Josiah was of a different breed. He sprang into action doing all that he could to wake the people up before it was too late. Like David, he didn’t take no for an answer, without trying his hardest to get a “yes”. Maybe the same passionate blood that once flowed through his father, David, pumped in his own veins causing him to fight the giant that others ran from. He went against the social current. Who knows what made him different? One thing I do know, he was special.

Some kings in the Bible were given just a few lines in this perfect historical record. God chose to give us many details on this unique king. What can you learn from Josiah today?

NA---NA---NA-NA---NA!

HEZEKIAH became king of Judah when he was 25 years old and reigned 29 years……he “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” Don’t you just love that refreshing description? He removed the high places, smashed sacred stones, cut down Asherah poles, and even broke Moses’ bronze snake “Nehushtan” because the Israelites burned incense to it! There was no one like Hezekiah among all the kings of Judah….before or after him!! What a wonderful man of God! “And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook.” Wouldn’t you like for people to speak so highly of you after you were gone? Quite a contrast to Hoshea, the evil, disobedient, unsuccessful king of Israel whose people were defeated by Assyria!

THE TEST: Now we see, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, making his move on the land of Judah, attacking all its fortified cities and capturing them. Who does this BIG BULLY think he is anyway??? Even when Hezekiah tries to appease this enemy by giving him an abundance of silver and gold, it is not enough! (Just like Satan, we can’t just let him have a little of ourselves, he wants everything from us….our very souls, and will relentlessly attack. We must be ever alert and covered with God’s armor to protect us!) So, we see “ole King Senna” sends his commander to test the loyalty of Hezekiah’s men on the wall with these taunting words, “Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord when he says…..’The Lord will surely deliver us’ Has the god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the King of Assyria? How then can the Lord deliver Jerusalem from my hand?” BIG MISTAKE . . . they ridiculed the living God!! And now for . . .

REST OF THE STORY . . . So, what did King Hezekiah do? He sought godly advice from the prophet Isaiah who responded: “This is what the Lord says: ‘Do not be afraid…..’” AND when he received this message, Hezekiah went straight to the temple and prayed for God to deliver them “so all the kingdoms on earth may know you alone are God.” He wanted God to get the glory, not himself!

RESULT: The angel of the Lord put to death 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp! “Sennacherib, King of Assyria, withdrew” (….I’m sure he was literally shaking in his sandals as he stepped over the bodies of all those dead soldiers!) And later as he was worshipping his god, Nisroch, he was killed by the sword of his own sons, just as the Lord had told Isaiah.

CONCLUSION: So, are we going to allow the “King of Assyria Bullies” of this world to taunt us and put fear in our hearts, or, like Hezekiah, chose to run to our Lord and Savior, seek His advice, obey it and be blessed with deliverance from our enemies? Dear Sisters…..let us not be afraid, but trust in the only true, living, all powerful Almighty God! Amen, and Amen!!

Exile begins

Over and over again in the long list of the kings of both Judah and Israel, we see a sentence.

"The high places were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there."

We also see multiple references to the "Asherah poles." What were these, and what was the significance of them not being removed? The high places were essentially pagan shrines, called "high places" because they were typically located on hill tops to be most visible to the long list of gods they represented. Asherah poles were poles used specifically in the worship of the goddess Ashtoreth. Just with me telling you what they are you can see the trouble with them hanging around. You might be wondering, like I was, why these stood the test of time from king to king to king. Even the ones who were "good" left these standing. Remember, Solomon allowed the practice to start as a concession to his many foreign wives.

"As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, ad his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the detestable god of of the Ammonites. So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done. On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh teh detestable god of Moab, and for Molech the detestable god fo the Ammonites. He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods."

(1 Kings 11:4-8)

You can imagine how hard it would be for any king after the great Solomon, to go back and say "well, Solomon was wrong." You can also imagine that he was a hero to many of them, and so anything he did would automatically be assumed to be right. The people were also probably attached to these worship rituals, and it would have proved an upsetting decision to tear them down. I suppose this was one battle that didn't seem worth fighting. How wrong they were.

We are going to see much more detail regarding the reigns of many of these kings later in first and second Chronicles as well as the books of the prophets who were living during these times. The bottom line? God sent warning after warning and judgement after judgement to try and get the hearts of the Israelites to turn back to him. As we see in chapter 17, the hearts of the people became so far adrift that they were no different from the pagan nations around them. Their worshipped in the same way, to the same gods, and with no regard to anything but their own desires.

God's rules and laws were there for a purpose. To set Israel apart. To show the nations around them how great the one true God is, and how wonderful it is to be under his command and in his service. They were supposed to be the light that drew the rest of the world to God. Obviously, they failed. As Christians, our purpose in remaining on this earth is to show the world how wonderful it is to be in the service of God. We are supposed to be the light that draws the rest of the world to him. A vessel for the display of his power. If we cease to look different, as painful as it may feel sometimes or as difficult as it can be, the end result is much worse. We cease to serve our purpose. Moreover, when we act like the rest of the world- because our God is a fair and just God- we are no longer able to be under the protection God. When we choose to go our own way, we reap the consequences of our own decisions. God offers us grace and mercy- and warnings- just like he did the Israelites. He will pursue us until we either respond to him or, by our own hardness of heart, make ourselves unreachable. The safest course of action is to turn back to God before our stubborness puts us out of reach.

God kept his word. So many prophecies have come true here already.

"If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name- the Lord your God-...

Then the Lord will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship other gods- gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known. Among these nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot...."

Deuteronomy 28:64-65

Whatever God predicts will come to pass. This is good news for those who trust and obey him, we can be confident of his promises. Looking to our own futures, we can be sure that both what God promises and warns will come true. The last few verses of Chapter 17 resonate loudly in my soul..."Even while these people were worshipping the Lord, they were serving their idols."

So often we try to simply add God to our list of already existing values. We serve him along with our "high places and Asherah poles." We try to fit him in between all the other things we serve on a daily basis. We claim to believe in God without denouncing attitudes and actions that God commands against. The result is that we end up like the Israelites, a homogonized group of people who don't stand for anything- especially God. While it can be hard to stand up for hard and fast beliefs, if we truly care about people, we are going to want to point them toward God. We have to live lives that reflect who God is so that people will see him. So they will see His power in us and be drawn to it.

"But we have the treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."

2 Corinthians 4:7

What idols are you serving in your life? I'm asking myself this same question. If you aren't sure, one place to start might be to ask yourself, "What in my life looks exactly the same as someone who doesn't know the Lord?" or, "What do I trust in besides God?"

Lord, help us be content to simply be a jar of clay- willing to be broken so that your power can be displayed in us.