I Don't Want To

I don’t want to!! Someone gives me a command (or even just a suggestion) and I instantly fall into thinking, “Don’t tell me what to do!” Today as my Bible study partner and I reviewed our notes and the commentator’s notes for 2 Kings 1, I saw that I am not the only one who thinks like that. Maybe you also fall into that line of thinking when someone “tells” you what to do.

As part of the introduction to the book of 2 Kings, the commentator reviewed the history of Israel, starting with Moses on Mount Sinai getting the Ten Commandments. He actually cited two other commentators:

In a new book produced by Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. called Recovering the Unity of the Bible, he calls upon [David Noel] Freedman’s astute observation that essentially all the Biblical books occurring after Mt. Sinai and leading up to 2
 Kings record Israel’s breaking all of the 10 Commandments that are essentially the founding principles that forms the basis for Israel’s existence as a Kingdom of God.

He goes on to assert that as a nation, Israel, sequentially, and in the order on the tablets Moses received, broke every one of the commandments by the time they got to the point in history of 2 Kings. The first two commandments were actually broken at the very moment the commands were given. Exodus 20 gives a list of the Ten Commandments starting in verse 3. Verses 3-4 say,

You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.

The whole story of how they broke the first two commands is in Exodus 32:1-10. The people became impatient waiting for Moses to end his private conference with God, so they took things into their own hands. They formed the molten calf (Exodus 32:4), thus placing another god before Jehovah God and having an image/likeness of something on the earth as their god.

My thoughts: this is human nature then and now. Remember my opening paragraph? For the most part, we don’t like to be told what to do. Even though I profess to be a follower of Christ and diligently try to apply the commands I get from the Holy Spirit, I often fail. In order to truly be a follower of Christ I need to make specific applications that, little by little, lead me to be changed into the character of Jesus. Yet, I often rebel and disobey God of the exact commands He’s giving me.

For instance, for over a year now, I’ve frequently come across in my Bible reading, studying, and highlighting the command to pray – specific and consistent prayer. Yet, each day as I set about my activities for the day, I do not put on my schedule specific and devoted time to pray. I am praying short and pointed prayers throughout each day, but there are some long-term, ongoing requests I tend to forget about. (They are written down in a notebook, which I should also be regularly adding to.)

It’s just too easy to rebel and say to myself either, “Don’t tell me what to do!” or “I don’t want to do that!” Fortunately, even though God’s desire is for us to obey every command in the Bible (Old and New Testaments), He forgives those who fail when they confess to Him and try again. Unfortunately, the nation of Israel was led by men who did not make following the Ten Commandments (or any of God’s commandments except when convenient) a priority for them or their nations. So, one by one (and repeatedly) they broke all Ten Commandments, which we will see in 2 Kings led to God’s judgment. We will begin to look at some of that judgment next week.

1 Kings 14: Two Short Ideas

This chapter covers more about the decline of the northern tribes of Ephraim-Israel under Jeroboam’s leadership as the people just followed along. One side note the commentator brought up was about how mankind was made in such a way that they looked to leaders to guide them. The whole book of Judges records the consistent problems Israel had without a designated (God-anointed) leader.

According to the commentator, Judges shows we need a “king.” As a follow up to that idea we have the two books of Kings to show us that not any king will do. We need the Lord’s idea of a king. Kings need to serve the people instead of forcing the people to serve the king’s needs, desires, or coffers. We saw, starting in 1^st and 2^nd Samuel, that the God-appointed kings struggled to be servants of the people. Other characteristics of the right type of king are justice, love, power, mercy, kindness, and appropriate severity when called for. Are there truly any such good and godly leaders or nations left on earth? I’d say no, but that doesn’t mean we have to go along with what our leaders say. Appropriate opposition, based on Biblical principles, is needed, but let’s not fool ourselves. No matter what changes are made, no single person or nation will live up to God’s standards.

Starting in 1 Kings 14:21, the focus switches from the northern kingdom to the country called Judah, which is still ruled by Solomon’s son, Rehoboam. In verse 22, it says,

Judah did what was evil from ADONAI’s perspective; they made him angry because of their sins, which were worse than any their ancestors had committed.

In other words, they did not fare any better than Ephraim-Israel. Again, poor and ungodly leadership would lead to destruction there as it did in the north. In 2 Chronicles 12:1, 14 there’s further description of Rehoboam:

But in time, after Rechav‘am [Rehoboam] had consolidated his rulership and had become strong, he, and with him all Isra’el, abandoned the Torah of Adonai. . . He did what was evil, because he had not set his heart on seeking Adonai.

A key problem, maybe the most important problem, is that Rehoboam had decided not to follow the Scriptures. His grandfather, David, had this problem also, but David did not abandon (renounce allegiance to God). David did not use his freewill to walk away from God and become eternally separated from God. The wording in 1 Kings 14 is different and indicates that Rehoboam, without much struggle, gave God the heave-ho.

Again, even the people who still followed the true God in Judah, and I’m not sure there were many of them, did not hold Rehoboam accountable. Likely, the people did not know the Torah since the leaders usually were responsible for proclaiming it, and Rehoboam’s “priests” and leaders weren’t doing that. The ritualistic practices of the people were not even seen as wrong. They probably thought they were actually honoring God.

How can we avoid the decline into evil? We are without excuse because we have God’s commands all written out for us. God doesn’t necessarily hold those who have not had the chance to know the “law” accountable for their sins. Romans 4:15 (in the Amplified Bible) says, “ For the Law results in [God’s] wrath [against sin], but where there is no law, there is no violation [of it either].” There are people groups in the world that have not heard the gospel, and there are people who do not understand the Word because they are not yet saved in Christ. I can’t say for sure, but I think God will take that into account when He judges people at the end of time. It’s like a child; until they’ve been told what is bad, to blame them (and punish them) is cruel. But, once explanation has been given, there should be appropriate consequences, and when we come before Jesus on the judgment seat, we will also have consequences for our sins.

The best way to prevent harsh judgment is to know, truly study, God’s Word and obey it. This is the only way any kind of change can happen in our world or leadership.

God's Word is Not Amendable

There once was a man of God (not named), a prophet, who proclaimed a message to the king of the northern tribes in Ephraim-Israel. Jeroboam had received a calling from the Almighty God to rule the 10 northern tribes (while Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, ruled over Judah in the south) (1 Kings 12). Jeroboam rather quickly violated all the conditions the Lord had given him to ensure his descendants would rule for a long time. God noticed. However, while there’s a point to made there, that’s not where I’m going today.

Today we look at what God sends this certain man of God to do (1 Kings 13). Basically, God gives this man a message for Jeroboam and the false priests he’s appointed. Jeroboam’s violation of God’s conditions and laws would lead to the burning of all the people who honored the false gods (golden calves) that Jeroboam had set upon false altars. The man of God’s message delivered, the destruction of the altars occurs. The rest of the punishment would be realized several years later and is recorded in 2 Kings 23:16.

So the man of God follows God’s command to him to not eat, drink or return along the same path while in the north. He begins to leave, but an old prophet hears about all that happened, and goes after the man of God to fellowship with him. Here’s a caution: there were many people in Scripture called prophets who were not men/women of God. This old prophet was probably a prophet of the false god, Baal. By lying to the man of God, telling him God had given him instructions to bring him back to his house and feed him. The man of God, for whatever reason (there are several interpretations), goes with him and eats and drinks from the food of the people who honored the false gods.

We are told shortly that that was a violation of God’s command to the man of God and the man of God would suffer grave consequences for going against the words of the Lord. The commentator we are using for our study of 1 Kings, tells us about one of his pet peeves – which so happens to be one of mine. There are people, professed believers, who say to others something along the lines of, “I have a word from the Lord for you.” That’s what the old prophet did. And, it was a lie. When God gives a commandment to follow through the reading of Scriptures or during intense times of prayer, we are to keep that command. Often the word others say they have for you contradicts what, up to this point, you’ve felt God was saying to us or doesn’t agree with the specific commands of the Bible.

We are responsible to carry out what God has instructed us, and if He changes it, He will tell us personally – not from someone else. I’m not saying that someone shouldn’t share a passage of Scripture with us, correcting anti-Biblical behavior or thoughts, but great caution must prevail. God, through the Holy Spirit, is fully capable of giving us His Biblically verifiable commands without the help of another person. It may take some searching of the Scriptures and an incredible amount of focused prayer, but He will communicate to us through the Word, not from someone else’s thoughts or feelings.

Again With the Idols

I know I’ve discussed this topic before, but in 1 Kings 12 it comes up again in a big way. It is the beginning of the demise of Israel as a unified nation. Hence forth in history as recorded in the Scriptures, Israel will be divided as it was before David came on the scene.

It’s tempting to think of that as a long time ago and that Israel as one kingdom lasted for a long time; however, Israel was unified for a mere 80 years. People who were born at the beginning of David’s rule may still have been alive to see the end under David’s grandson, Jeroboam. It had not even been two whole generations.

God divided Israel because of Solomon’s idolatry. We saw that in 1 Kings 11:29-33 as the prophet, Achiyah, explained to Jeroboam the reason for promoting him to king over 10 tribes. God also told Jeroboam that he and his descendants would rule for a long time IF they worshipped and obeyed God’s commands as David had. So after a time, God allowed for the separation between the northern 10 tribes and Judah. This area, to avoid confusion about what “Israel” we are talking about, became known as Ephraim-Israel. Ephraim was the dominant tribe in the north.

Unfortunately, Jeroboam did not do that. He made decisions based on the best way to promote himself, prevent a reunification of Israel by Solomon’s heir (Rehoboam), and to bolster his own power position. He went to an extreme. He established a new religion in the Ephraim-Israel. He built new temples, one in the northern part of his kingdom and one in the southern part. He established new festivals and holidays. He ordained priests that were not descendants of Levi. He made two golden calves just like Aaron had done during the exodus from Egypt. He even went as far as to tell the people that these golden calves had “brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Not God, but a couple of statues!

Before we get too critical of Jeroboam, we have to consider what idols we’ve systematically promoted over our worship of God. They may not be as blatant as gold calves, but they are there. It may be doing whatever it takes for a healthy lifestyle like eating and exercising. We may believe that education is supreme and lifts those who have advance degrees to a higher plane. For some others, it could be trusting other people or submitting to their wishes more than, or instead of, God. Also, politics, sports, and always having to be right misdirect our devotion to the only One who we should be worshipping.

Basically, putting any ideology, idea, behavior, or person before knowing and obeying God’s Word is idolatry. As we enter a new year, let’s evaluate what our focus for life is. Instead of making resolutions, be resolved in your pursuit of God.

Division of Israel

1 Kings 11 could be entitled, “The Four Reasons for Division of Israel” (Tom Bradford). I will briefly discuss those reasons and then relate it the church (and myself) in this era.

First, Solomon displayed outrageous behavior toward the people. He was taxing them heavily and forcing them into labor for his projects. Second, the Lord God raised up adversaries against Israel after a somewhat long period of time of protection from the surrounding nations. Also, some of the opposition would come from within Israel itself. One such Israelite God used (and the third reason for the division of Israel) was Jeroboam. Jeroboam’s ambition for power was used by God to split the nation. Fourth, Solomon’s idolatry against God was in direct conflict with the principles God had given Solomon to retain the kingdom.

There are a list of commands for the leaders of Israel laid out in Deuteronomy 17:16-17:

However, he is not to acquire many horses for himself or have the people return to Egypt to obtain more horses, inasmuch as Adonai told you never to go back that way again. Likewise, he is not to acquire many wives for himself, so that his heart will not turn away; and he is not to acquire excessive quantities of silver and gold (CJB).

In reading through 1 Kings 11, it is easy to see just how directly Solomon violated these commands. Solomon had many horses, which he got from Egypt (1 Kings 10:26-29). He had a political alliance with Egypt (having married a daughter of Pharaoh) (verse 1). 1 Kings tells us that Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines (verse 3). Also in violation, Solomon had acquired storehouses of every kind of valuable metal and gems. Finally, Solomon worshiped the gods of his wives and pulled away from the God of Israel (verses 4-8).

It’s all right there. The commands God had given. Written out for all eternity. Yet, Solomon failed to follow them. He deserved God’s punishment.

Whoa! Before we get too judgmental, consider our own actions. How many things are clearly stated in the Bible as commands that we are not following? For instance, Ephesians 4:29 says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (NIV). Can we say we keep this command all the time? Are we even consciously aware of it in the moment of disagreements? Do our words only build others up and meet their needs?

Another example: “Don’t owe anything to anyone, except your outstanding debt to continually love one another, for the one who learns to love has fulfilled every requirement of the law” (Romans 13:8, TPT). I know that try as we do, we have debt to others – and not just the debt of love. We even borrow from our own various bank accounts and have to repay to bring the balances back to where they should be. Rarely, if ever, do these debts show love.

My summary, for me, is that I also fail to keep God’s commands. I’m no better than Solomon. What can make us different are Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection that have paid the penalty for our disobedience. Solomon did not have that and the penalty for his actions ended up in the division of the nation of Israel and many years of struggle since then.

Jesus is Our Leader

We have hope that Israel did not have. They were restricted and disciplined based on how they and their leaders maintained a relationship with God. We also are to maintain a relationship with God, but the responsibilities of our leaders are more restricted. Let me explain.

In David and Solomon’s era, the leader (i.e. King) reflected the spiritual condition of a nation. They could demonstrate their allegiance to God by maintaining obedience to God. God gave them four conditions, which must be met by any and all leaders of Israel in order for Israel to be safely under God’s wings. These conditions were given to David, but in 1 Kings 9, they are told to Solomon for a second time. The first time was at the consecration of the Temple, and in chapter 9 it’s 13 years later and Solomon desperately needs a reminder of the conditions required for God’s blessing on Israel.

The first condition Solomon is reminded of is that Solomon was to live in God’s presence – that Solomon was submissive to God.  Second, Solomon was to display pureness of heart – integrity and pertaining to morality. Third, Solomon was to do what God commands – not passive assent but in actual behavior. And, fourth, Solomon was to keep the laws and regulations of the Torah (the Old Testament Law). Solomon’s commitment to these conditions currently (13 years after the Temple dedication) were in doubt, so God mercifully reminds him and gives him a warning.

The spiritual condition of the leadership reflected the spiritual condition of the nation. And the people’s standing with God was determined by their spiritual fitness. This is true for us today. Our spiritual fitness and the promises of blessings from God are dependent on what our leaders are doing in the spiritual realm. It doesn’t matter what side of situations you find yourself on, there is corruption, greed, sin, lies, and dishonesty. Is our fate going to be determined by these leaders? Remember, these leaders reflect the spiritual conditions in with which each individual person is living.

I, for one, do not want my spiritual condition determined by the spiritual condition of our leaders. We are not going to have blessings because our leaders are corrupt. Don’t lose heart. For those who believe in Christ, our leader is not those in governmental authority! Our leader is Christ, and as we line up our spiritual lives with Him, we are guaranteed blessings. So, let us all place Jesus in authority over our lives, and truly have blessings coming our way in which we can be thankful this holiday season.

Believing?

So what do you think believing looks like? The Israelites generally had no clue. Many people in western culture say they believe in Jesus, but is that enough to be true believers?

In 1 Kings 8:1-30 we are reminded of what made David and Solomon true believers in the God of heaven. Solomon is praying as part of the newly completed Temple dedication in Jerusalem. Solomon prayed many important and applicable, even to modern men, truths about God. He was humble and asked God for help. He asked that God would confirm the words He spoke to David’s father. Near the end of this passage, God answers that prayer in a mighty way. Maybe I will talk about that next week.

Today I will look at verse 23:

and [Solomon] said, “Adonai, God of Isra’el, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below. You keep covenant with your servants and show them grace, provided they live in your presence with all their heart (CJB).

Did Israel carry out their end of the bargain? The chosen people of Israel became Jews in name or culture only. Throughout the rest of the Old Testament, we see Israel turning away from God’s presence and we see them changing their minds and souls about serving God. (In ancient times people believed the center of thought and consciousness came from the heart. It was not the center of love and emotions.) God’s mercy and grace are conditional. I’m not convinced, but one of the commentaries I looked at compared this message to the Jews with Paul’s message to the Roman believers in Romans 11:17-22:

¹⁷ But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, ¹⁸ do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. ¹⁹ You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰ Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; ²¹ for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. ²² Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off  (NASB).  

The symbolism, in case you didn’t get it (I didn’t at first), is that some of the original, natural branches (Jews) were broken off due to their unbelief, even though they were cultural and ethnically Jews. Paul identifies New Testament believers as grafted wild olive branches who, as long as they stay connected to the root, will be able to stand in their faith. Verse 20 and 21 is a warning to those who say they are believers in Christ: If the original people of God can be cut off, so the grafted people identifying with Christ may be severely cut off, too. Don’t miss the condition, just like in the Old Testament: if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.

 

Just to be clear, the requirement is to believe in Christ, but this is not a casual belief. The word for believing is a word that means to act. My Bible study partner’s pastor is fond of saying, “Believing is acting like it’s true.” What does our Christianity look like? God will discipline those who are not obeying His commands as declared in the Holy Bible.

Some examples of not truly believing are listed below:

·    Obvious example from my Bible study partner’s time in Indonesia as a missionary: Saying God is all-powerful, but then going to the local witch doctor for help.

·    Saying only God knows the future, but then going to a fortune-teller or other medium.

·    More subtle: Saying God can and will help us, but then taking things into our own hands forcing situations.

·    For students: Praying God will help on a test, but then cheating on the test.

Some may say things like, “I’m not going to the medical doctor because God will heal me.” Or, “I’m not studying because God will help me.” Doing that is contrary to God’s command to do everything as for the Lord, like praying, seeking appropriate help, and doing the footwork (Colossians 3:23). Just being lazy saying God will take care of everything, is just that: lazy. And that’s the kind of cultural Christian we can become if we are not deeply grafted into the root of God.

Prestige or Obedience

Oh the grandeur of the Temple Solomon was having built! Cedar timbers from Lebanon. Stones hewn in a quarry away from the actual site so iron tools would not defile the Temple site. Gold plated everything. Cherubim seventeen feet high and wide (all plated in gold).

Who was Solomon trying to impress? God was not interested in the show. He was not impressed. In the middle of the account of the features of the Temple, God interrupts Solomon’s seeking after the best and grandest possible construction materials and the most expert craftsmen. He tries to remind Solomon of his responsibilities as the king of Israel.

¹¹ Then this word of Adonai came to Shlomo (Solomon): ¹² “Concerning this house which you are building: if you will live according to my regulations, follow my rulings and observe all my mitzvot [commands] and live by them, then I will establish with you my promise that I made to David your father — ¹³ I will live in it among the people of Isra’el, and I will not abandon my people Isra’el” (1 Kings 6:11-13, CJB).

Unfortunately Solomon did not get the message God intended and continued to focus all his attention, energy, and power on building something grand. For what purpose? God was content to have the tent tabernacle as He had from the time of Moses on Mt. Sinai. As a matter of fact, God told David exactly this in 2 Samuel 7:1-7. See what God told David in verses 6 and 7 say,

⁶ Since the day I brought the people of Isra’el out of Egypt until today, I never lived in a house; rather, I traveled in a tent and a tabernacle. ⁷ Everywhere I traveled with all the people of Isra’el, did I ever speak a word to any of the tribes of Isra’el, whom I ordered to shepherd my people Isra’el, asking, “Why haven’t you built me a cedar-wood house?”’

God had not asked for a majestic place to reside. In reality, just as now, God didn’t actually dwell in the Temple anyway. His place is in heaven and He is anywhere He wants to be (and that’s everywhere, all the time).

God’s interruption in Solomon’s building project was God’s attempt to get Solomon back on track with what God does require: to live according to His commands and regulations.

God is asking the same from us. He’s not looking to see who has the biggest or best decked out church (or synagogue). He’s not looking to see who gets the most followers on their social media pages. He’s not impressed by our fame or wealth. He’s not interested in how many people go to a specific church. He’s not joyful over big giving checks. He doesn’t care how many mission trips we volunteered for. He’s not even counting the number of times we appear in church each week or each month. He’s not concerned with any of the things we think are proofs of how holy we are. All those things are folly.

God desires us to be obeying His Word. He desires (and has modeled and commanded) humility. He’s not going to reward us for our deeds as a bargaining chip for heaven. He only cares about the conditions of our hearts based on salvation in Christ and how we love our brothers and sisters (1 John 3:14).

It’s time for me to examine my motives and my humility. Am I relying on God or on my own works to be acceptable to God? What about you?

Just Doing My Job

Have you ever been asked to do something that you knew was wrong? How did you respond? Sometimes it’s a close friend who asks you to lie, or a boss who says to fudge the numbers. Sometimes you may ask someone to cover up for you. I have, in the past, been put into a position to violate my integrity in one way or another. Have you?

We may feel like we are in a tight place, between a rock and a hard place. Either choice you make may bring trouble for you. You might be afraid your boss will fire you if you don’t do it. You might be afraid the boss will put any fallout from the situation on your shoulders. You might think, “I’ll do it just this one time.” The decision should not be as difficult as we try to make it.

It’s about integrity before God and acting as He would want. We need to be careful that we don’t think that the dishonest action is somehow what God wants. He’s given us a guidebook and a guide, but we have to know both in order to get clear direction from God. Whether you initiate the situation by putting someone else in the position of the fall guy, or giving into the pressure from a higher authority to do wrong, you are guilty.

In the 11^th chapter of 2 Samuel we come across a familiar story: David and Bathsheba. However, I never looked closely at the entire story. David chose to go against God’s laws, and then chose to try to hide it. David failed at hiding it by himself, so he brought his army commander into the situation. He directed Joab to set it up so Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, would be mortally injured in battle. Joab went ahead blindly and followed David’s orders. Joab was doing a very unusual thing by putting Uriah in front, closest to the wall of the city they had laid in siege. Uriah was a commander under Joab, and a close contact of David’s. The toughest defenders of the city “went out and fought Joab; a number of people fell, including some of David’s servants, with Uriah the Hittite among the dead” (verse 17). David’s goal of getting rid of Uriah succeeded and that left Bathsheba free to marry.

Not many of us are commanded or paid to kill someone, but we do other things that are unscrupulous so we don’t make waves, or will keep our jobs. We may say, “I’m just doing my job.” Unfortunately, in God’s eyes every party involved in the action is guilty and will receive punishment from God. Our guilt is not erased by not actually doing the questionable action, even as we get someone else to do it. There are two situations in this Scripture passage. 1. David is guilty for trying to cover up his unlawful action, and for arranging for Uriah’s murder. 2. Joab is guilty for carrying out the plan (which he probably knew was fishy since it was not sound military action).

We need to be careful to not use the excuse, “I’m just doing my job,” and have integrity and do what the Bible and the Holy Spirit direct. In order to hear God’s truth, we need to know His truth. That only comes by immersing ourselves daily in the Word of God.

Not Straying From True Obedience

Abner’s folly was starting a fight (2 Samuel 2; see last week’s article). But that wasn’t the end of the story. During the chase across the countryside, Abner killed one of Joab’s brothers, in self-defense on the field of battle. This set into motion a scenario in which Joab perverted the Torah law to accomplish his own agenda.

Joab’s brother, Asahel, pursued Abner, and even when Abner stopped running and yelled to Asahel to stop because he (Abner) did not want to have to kill him, Asahel kept coming after Abner. Asahel is described as “fleet-footed as a gazelle in an open field” (2 Samuel 2:18) so Asahel was sure to catch up to Abner. Abner, after warning Asahel to stop, used Asahel’s own speed and carelessness to stab him and Asahel fell dead. When Joab found out, he became filled with blood lust and determined to avenge Asahel’s death. That’s the background needed to get to my point from 2 Samuel 3.

In chapter 3, through a series of events, Abner approaches David with the proposition of becoming allies. David agrees to talk it over with Abner in Hebron (David’s headquarters at this time). During this meeting, either by design or by happenstance, Joab is out on a raid. When Joab returns to Hebron, with all kinds of plunder to give to David, he was feeling pretty good about his position in David’s court. Then he hears of the agreement, treaty, David made with Abner in his absence. Joab becomes enraged and rails at David. Joab then sends messengers to chase Abner down (Abner was not far from Hebron at this time) to ask Abner to come and meet with him. It’s important to note at this point that Hebron was one of the Levite sanctuary cities set up in the Torah (Old Testament Law) for those who had committed manslaughter or an accidental killing. Death in a battle would come under this category.

Joab lured Abner to just outside the city. Between the outer and inner gates of Hebron to be exact. So close to sanctuary, but not actually in it. Joab took action and killed Abner for the death of his brother. Or that’s the excuse he used. There were two problems with this excuse. First, Joab claimed it was according to the Law that he avenged his brother’s death; however, the Law made exceptions for those killing in battle or in self-defense so Abner should not have been eligible for avenge killing. Second, Joab was also experiencing some jealousy and self-centered fear that Abner, with his treaty with David, would replace him as second in command in David’s kingdom. Generally speaking, it was the top military man in a Middle Eastern nation that was considered next in line should something happen to the king.

Basically, Joab twisted the Scriptures to his desires. Now we can ridicule Joab for doing this, but we need to be careful. I, for one, have misapplied Scripture to fit my desires. I didn’t necessarily do it knowingly, but the way I interpreted Scripture at various points in my life, led me to deviate from God’s plans. For instance, I do not always remember to turn away from temptations or acknowledge God’s way as being better. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.” How many times do I allow myself to watch unwholesome television or movies? How many times do I excuse it as harmless fun? And, how many times even when I am convicted by going ahead and participating in viewing things that are in bad taste or contrary to God’s guidelines and fail to be truly repentant of it and do something different instead, do I do it anyway? I often say, perverting the intent of God’s Word, “Well God will forgive me, and cleanse me from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9)?

I could give other examples in my life that I’ve not handled accurately the Word of truth. I think, if you’re honest, you could think of some in your own life as well. Joab paid a price (which comes out in the following chapters of 2 Samuel), and there will be a price for us to pay, also, if we do not repent and work hard at applying the Word of God accurately to our lives.

Judgment (I know this isn't a very nice word)

We don’t like to think about judgment. At least I know I don’t. Whether it was from a parent, a teacher, a coach, a colleague, or a student, I don’t like it. Sometimes I feel I’m being judged unfairly or too harshly. I rarely see it as a good thing, an instructive thing. \

When God judges it may be instructive and our repentance leads to forgiveness. This wasn’t so in the case of Saul. In 1 Samuel 28, Saul is reminded of God’s judgment upon him. In 1 Samuel 15:26 and 28, Samuel pronounces the judgment on Saul from God.

But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.”

So Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.

In 1 Samuel 28 the proclamation of Saul’s demise is explained further and specifically. He believed he was talking to the dead Samuel and the dead Samuel gave him the same message again but this time the time is set. 1 Samuel 28:17-19 (in the Complete Jewish Bible) says,

Adonai has doe for himself what he foretold through me – Adonai has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to your fellow countryman David, because you didn’t obey what Adonai said and execute his furious anger toward Amalek. That’s why Adonai is doing this to you today. Adonai is giving Isra’el as well as yourself over into the power of the P’lishtim, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Adonai will hand over Isra’el’s army to the power of the P’lishtim.” [Adonai is one of the names of God, Isra’el is the Jewish spelling, and P’lishtim translated is Philistines.]

God’s judgment is eminent for Saul and his sons. It’s now the reckoning time for Saul’s continued sin and his lack of repentance before God. I suspect, and one of the commentators (Tom Bradford) mentioned, that God’s plans are now being carried out. The judgment was hanging over Saul’s head for quite sometime. So long he might have forgotten that judgment is a real thing.

We will all stand before God for judgment at some point in our lives. (Hebrews 9:27: And inasmuch as it is appointed that men should die once and after this comes judgment.) How often we forget this and live like judgment will pass us by. We don’t allow ourselves to contemplate the time of judgment and we think the judgment won’t happen. Let me tell you, my friend, judgment is coming. Also, let’s remember the difference between Saul and David (read blog article from January 24, 2019). It’s up to us. Will we live according to our own wisdom? Or will we recognize when we are not hitting God’s marks of obedience and repent? This is a question every person – even those who profess Christ – has to wrestle with. I pray as I write this blog for each of you; that you will make the right decisions.

Another Chance to Trust God

In 1 Samuel 26, we find Saul again pursuing David. And, again, David has the opportunity to kill Saul. And, again, David does not kill Saul. In verses 9-11, David gives two reasons for not striking Saul dead. David gives his companion, Avishai his cousin,  these reasons (based on notes from Matthew Henry’s commentary).

First, in verse 9, “. . . David said to Avishai, ‘Don’t destroy him! Nobody can raise his hand against ADONAI’s anointed without becoming guilty!’” (Complete Jewish Bible, CJB). Reason number one for not killing Saul is it would be a sinful affront to God’s ordinance. This issue of breaking God’s ordinances is taken up again in the New Testament. Romans 13:2 says, “Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves” (NASB). Since the ordinance is to not harm God’s anointed king, David recognizes that it’s not his place to harm Saul in any way. He wanted to be obedient to the commands of God.

In verse 10, “David then added, ‘As ADONAI lives, ADONAI will strike him down, or the day will come for him to die, or he will go down to battle and be swept away.’” (CJB).  The second reason David gives Avishai for not killing Saul is it would be sinful anticipation of God’s providence. David wanted to leave it up to God to determine the time and situation of Saul’s death. Assuming he had the right to decide that, and doing things his own way, would be sinful.

Pondering this, I realized that sometimes I make decisions that are better left up to God. I try to push my agenda and expect my desired outcomes regardless of what Jesus might want or have planned. I’ve seen it in my life and in the lives of others. We push our agenda and it doesn’t work out “right.” Things don’t go as planned. Usually, that results in anger and resentments. Sometimes that leads to further consequences and greater problems to be solved. This especially happens when I fail to take the chaos in my thoughts and situations to God in prayer – before I take some misguided action.

God has called us to be people of prayer. I’m making a new commitment in that area this year hoping for greater peace, direction, and a deepening relationship with God. As our Pastor, Mark Wilson, said Sunday, it’s the basis for a spiritual awakening for individuals and for the church. I want to be further awakened. Prayer and consulting God, before I act, is part of the solution.

Dealing With Disappointment in Ministry

Is it hard to move on after someone has disappointed us? We grieve and we hurt, but how long should we stay there? I’ve experienced this bitterly when someone I was working with to help them grow deeper with Christ and excel at their work just stopped coming around. I contacted them. I wrote them. I prayed earnestly for them, but they had turned away from the Lord and me. I was heartbroken. It paralyzed me from seeking out others who might be interested in learning more about God. I felt I had done something wrong. Maybe my sense of pride at “my” accomplishments in that person was attacked.

Possibly, Samuel felt this way about Saul. In 1 Samuel 14 Saul didn’t follow through on God’s command to him. In 1 Samuel 15 Samuel confronts Saul and asks for him to repent and put God first in his life. Saul thought he knew better and refused to repent. In 1n 1 Samuel 16 we see how Saul’s disobedience and turning away from God affected Samuel. Samuel was grieving over Saul (vs. 1). In the New Century Version (NCV) of the Bible it says that Samuel continued to feel sorry for Saul even though God had said He was done with him. The New International Version (NIV) says Samuel was mourning over Saul. “Now the Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you grieve over Saul . . .?’” We don’t know how long Samuel was feeling bad for Saul. This verse seems to indicate that it had been awhile. Commentator Tom Bradford in his Torah Notes, thought that it happened pretty quickly and that there should be no chapter break between 15 and 16.

There are three possible lessons for me in this. First, I did not “make” someone follow God with his or her whole heart. Even if the person I’d been working with had continued to follow God, it wasn’t my doing – it is always God’s doing. As I didn’t make them faithful followers of Christ, I didn’t do something to make them make other choices. It’s always about individual choices. As a result, whatever happens with the people I’m working with, I need to let go and turn it all over to God. I need to let the Holy Spirit work in their lives and trust Him for the outcomes.

Second, whether it’s been a short time since a follower has wandered away from Christ or a long time, feeling some grief or regret is reasonable, even if it’s not desirable. I must use that grief to pray for those people. It’s okay to continue to love them, but a certain sense of detachment is needed, just like a parent with an adult child who wanders away from the Lord. (Side note: When opportunities arise where a parent can gently direct their child back to the ways of God, those opportunities should be taken. Key word: gently; not with heaping amounts of judgment.)

Third, God wants us to quickly take up His message again and push ahead with His agenda. I learned that there were others waiting and looking for some help in their relationships with God. If I stayed mourning too long, I might miss those needs. Staying focused on the past and on seeming failures, leads to depression or fear or discouragement, which lead us to inaction. Inaction is not God’s desire for His people. He expects us to be about doing His business. Doing so will lift our spirits and give us a new sense of purpose. We will be operating within God’s will. There’s still much to be done, and like Samuel, we need to be following God’s directives and keep moving ahead.

True Success

What is a writer’s (or anybody else’s) measure of true success? Borrowing from Karen Ball and Erin Taylor Young (https://www.writefromthedeep.com/), speakers at the Maranatha Christian Writers’ Conference, I’m going to talk about what being a successful writer means to me. These are principles for everyone to keep in mind.

Success doesn’t mean getting published. Of course, as a writer, that is a goal; it’s just not the goal. Other people have other goals – acquiring wealth, providing for their families, moving up the corporate ladder, a new car, a new house, getting married, having children, etc. Don’t get me wrong; those things are good and worthwhile to an extent. They may bring a measure of happiness to people’s lives, however, the thrill of achieving this kind of “success” will fade and people will want more. It’s that way with writing and getting published, also.

True success that lasts over long periods of time – may I even say, “over eternity” – comes from bringing God glory in all that is done. As a writer, my material or manuscript may be rejected by big publishing houses or by smaller publishing houses. That’s really out of my control, but I’m not going to measure my success by what publishers have to say. It would be nice to be appreciated and published, but that is not why or for whom I write. I write because God gave me this gift, this talent, and the mindset to pursue writing. It’s part of who I am – since childhood. It’s how I figure out what’s going on in my head and in my life. It helps me make sense of the world and my role in it.

Writing for God’s glory means I use the gifts and talents He’s given me to the best of my ability. Striving for excellence is part of it. I define “excellence” as doing the best possible with the resources, tools, and time available. Success is measured by how well, how often, and how lovingly I carry out the tasks God has given me. This is true for everyone no matter what gifts and talents God has given to an individual. If a person has the gift of being the perfect hostess (hospitality), let them exercise that skill by serving others. If a person has the gift of preaching, they better be about preaching. True success, again, is using the gifts God has given to minister to others. I do that through my writing.

Whether I ever get published or not, as long as I’m writing with God’s purposes in mind, I am being successful. If only one person reads my blog each week, if I have faithfully written as God has directed me, I am a success. That one person may be God’s intended audience. That gives new energy to my writing practices. It also gives me new motivation for doing what God has directed me to do: WRITE.

Partial Obedience

Is there such a thing as partial obedience to God? Saul felt so, but it greatly displeased God and Samuel, and cost Saul the kingdom. In 1 Samuel 15, God, through Samuel, gives Saul a direct order. This order was to be followed in every aspect.

God called for a war with Amalek because of the way Amalek had treated the Israelites when they first left Egypt and were crossing the desert on their way to the promise land. Amalek had attacked an unarmed Israel without cause. Now, several hundred years later, God passes judgment on Amalek. His order is to completely erase Amalek from the face of the earth: “Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated” (1 Samuel 15:18b). There was supposed to be nothing left of the Amalekites – no buildings, no people, no animals.

However, Saul only partially obeyed God’s orders. He kept the healthiest of the livestock and he captured Agag the king of Amalek, bringing Agag back to the camp. When Samuel confronts Saul, Saul says,

I did obey the voice of the Lord, and went on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and have brought back Agag the kind of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgl (vs. 20-21).

Samuel laid out the offense Saul committed in verse 22: “Samuel said, ‘Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.’” God obviously was not impressed with Saul’s behavior. God saw right through Saul’s act of loving and serving Him. God’s penalty for Saul is found in verse 23 as Samuel relays God’s message to Saul. “Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.”

The chapter goes on to record more of Saul’s excuses and his false worship of Samuel’s God (Saul keeps saying to Samuel, “your God,” instead of submitting to Him for himself).

Saul’s example challenged me to look at my own life. Am I practicing “partial obedience?” I’d say that partial obedience is not obedience at all. God is not satisfied with His people picking and choosing which parts or phrases of Scripture we are going to do. He wants us to apply everything we know from the Word to our lives. One commentator said that “partial obedience” is actually an oxymoron (“a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction”). I believe making specific, measurable applications from what we read and hear from Scripture is the way to lay aside our partially following Christ and lead changed lives that show just how great God is.

Some Thoughts From 1 Samuel 5-6

As I reviewed my notes in preparation for my study of 1 Samuel 7, a couple of things jumped out at me. These thoughts, mostly contrasts between then and now, lead me to be thankful and full of praise.

First, the ancient peoples had gods. Many of them. They would incorporate any conquered nation’s gods into their own system of belief. They were afraid of offending any god and believed the more gods there were on their side, the better. They offered gifts, sacrifices and offerings to all the gods hoping it would bring favor upon them. Yet, they were never sure that any of that made any difference so they would increase the stakes and offer even more and more outrageous things (even to the point of sacrificing children). No matter what they offered, success and good fortune were still up for grabs and a matter of luck.

Fortunately, we have one God, who is able to act on our behalf. Our one God showed Himself to be infinitely more powerful than the god of the Philistines (without the help of humans, He knocked over their god and broke off its head and hands). God is truly at work in our world, then, throughout history, and today. He can act apart from our actions, but He wants to act in response to our steadfast and believing prayers. He can intervene on behalf of His own glory and honor, but He’s given us responsibility to call Him into action. That doesn’t mean He changes His mind because of our prayers, but it does mean when we pray we will see the “supernatural invade the natural” (Pastor Mark Wilson, June 2018).

Second, the ancient people had to worry about retaliation by the gods. They feared punishment. However, because of Christ’s sacrifice fulfilling all the rituals once and for all, we do not have to fear punishment from God. He doesn’t approve of disobedience to His commands (both those in the Old Testament and the New Testament), but He doesn’t mercilessly punish us. He does discipline us in hopes that the discipline (like that of a good Father) will lead us back into obedience and right living. We must also keep in mind that His commands are designed with our wellbeing in mind. Obedience leads to healthier lives, better relationships, and greater purposes as we go through life on this earth. Temptations will still come; we live in a sinful world. However, obedience lessens the impact of those temptations and gives us the tools we need to do the right things in spite of the temptations Satan throws at us.

I’m thankful there is a God who is powerful and at work in our world (and my life) today. I’m also thankful that my God is a merciful God who disciplines me so I can live a better, safer, happier, and healthier life.

Examine the Word

The next part of 1 Samuel I studied is chapter 6 where the Philistines decided to send the Ark of God back to the Israelites because of the illness and death the Ark had brought upon them. The leaders decided to consult their priests and diviners (verse 2) and asked them how to go about doing so. The plan included two untrained cows hitched to a previously unused cart (verse 7), and a guilt offering of gold (verse 8).

The Philistines were still not sure it was Israel’s God of the Ark that had caused all the trouble in their cities, so they were testing God to see if He could/would bring the cart into Israel even with no rider. Also the cows were untrained to pull a cart and they had calves at home they would be tempted to turn back for. They were trying to determine if the illnesses were just a coincidence and not related to the Ark.

The cart went true without going to the right or the left and arrived in Beth-shemesh safely. Beth-shemesh was one of the 48 cities allotted to the Levites (Joshua 21:16). That’s important to note and a key element of my thoughts for today. The city had a large proportion of the Levites, those appointed priests to minister to God in Israel. Yet, Israel or its priests were not following God’s system very closely. While the Ark was in Beth-shemesh God “struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the Lord” (verse 19). This was strictly forbidden; only the Levites from the family of Kohath were supposed to touch the Ark or carry it. However, it appears that the Levites in this city did not know the laws and statutes, nor did they bother to consult the Scriptures. They asked, “Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? And to whom shall He go up from us?” They sent messengers to another town asking them to come down and get the Ark.

My application: Consult God’s Word when I want to know what God’s will is for my life. I do not know everything God has commanded us, so I am comparable to the Levites in Beth-shemesh in that regard. However, I do know God has rules to follow and I can verify what those rules are by studying and consulting His Word. A good practice for all of us to follow.

God is Righteous and Just

Today in my time in God’s Word, I was presented with the righteousness and justice of God. Let’s not succumb to the idea that because God is love He is only forgiving. He does those things: loving and forgiving. However, He is also jealous and holy.

This is a hard subject to broach in today’s Christian churches. We focus on His salvation and love and caring spirit to attract others to the hope of salvation. However, if we leave out the part about separation and disobedience, what is there to be saved from? Let’s not be fooled into thinking that saying we believe in Jesus is enough. Even the demons believe in Jesus. Let’s not be fooled into thinking that God will save us and provide everything we want, just because we profess Him as Lord.

His plans are unsearchable to us. What we want may have nothing to do with His plans. As I discussed last week, our prayers need to be in line with His will. Our behavior also has to be in line with His will. His will is that we are intimate with Him. Not just saying the right things and sounding good, but truly knowing Him and serving Him. This doesn’t just happen because we prayed some prayer (although that’s a good start). Knowing Him means communicating with Him. Two-way communication. It’s not just praying to Him. And it’s not just reading His Word and listening for His Holy Spirit’s guidance. Both of those behaviors are essential for really getting to know Him.

Part of knowing Him is realizing that He’s a jealous God. He wants nothing or no one to come before Him in our lives. He does discipline those who fail to make Him the priority of their lives. I’m not just talking about those who are not Christians. He disciplines each and every one of us – possibly especially those who say they follow Him – when we don’t make Him the priority in our lives. The discipline can be harsh. In Old Testament times it meant He pruned away some of those He called His own. His character does not change. He will also prune away some of those that He now considers His own in faith. He does what is best for His plan.

I don’t pretend to understand exactly what He’s thinking. I just know He’s not easily fooled by good sounding words or self-serving service. We can volunteer at church, pray publicly in restaurants. We can proclaim Him to others, sound like we know the way. We can read His Word and study the commentators. We can be teaching Christ to our families, sharing Him with our friends. Yet we can still place other things before Him, and He will know. He is a jealous God! We need to examine our hearts and minds. We need to be doing all these things for His glory. We need to have no other “gods” before Him. He is righteous and a just judge. He will not be fooled by our thoughts, feelings, actions, or minds. He will discipline, even to the point of death, any who put other things ahead of Him.

Be Anxious for Nothing, Part 2

More thoughts from Max Lucado’s Anxious for Nothing study follow for this week’s blog article. Starting with Chapter #3 for this week, the following quotes impressed me.

“Guilt frenzies the soul. Grace calms it.” First, there’s a difference between guilt and shame. Guilt says, “I did bad, and I can do something differently next time.” Shame says, “I am bad and nothing can change that; I’m always bad to the bone.” I learned that the hard way and over a period of years. I had my doubts that they were different things. Now I see just how different they are. I would amend this quote to say, “Guilt and/or shame frenzies the soul . . .” When I feel guilt, doing what I can to make the situation better and make appropriate amends to those I have harmed does lighten the turmoil in my soul. It involves making things as right as possible, but it also involves extending grace to myself. God has forgiven me through His great mercy. I need to also do the same for myself.

“Unresolved guilt will turn you into a miserable, weary, angry, stressed-out, fretful mess.” This goes right along with the quote above. I lived for many years with a frenzied soul. I was miserable, weary, angry and fretful. I can still get that way if I don’t deal quickly and appropriately with my guilt. In AA we have a saying, “It’s better to eat crow warm.” The quicker we make amends and let God’s forgiveness wash over us, the more we can feel better about ourselves (and the quicker we can rejoice in the mercy and compassion of God).

“A happy saint is one who at the same time is aware of the severity of sin and the immensity of grace.” We wouldn’t need grace if there were no sin. And sin, I’ve found, separates me from God. My personal spiritual journey is enmeshed with severe sins and grievous missteps. I recognize I’ve been forgiven much – but all of us has regardless of the level of sin we’ve been involved in. As a result I love much. In Luke 7:47, Jesus says of the woman who anointed His feet with perfume: "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." When we realize the nature of our sins – whether “great” or “small” – we cannot but help but love God for His grace toward us.

“Rejoicing doesn’t always look like what we may think. It doesn’t have to be a smiling face and an upbeat personality.” Thank God! There have been many times in my life when others, and myself, would not consider my personality “upbeat.” Words that have been used to describe my personality include things like “intense” and “serious.” I thought for a long time that meant I wasn’t spiritual enough. I somehow got the wrong message that all Christians should be upbeat and happy – all the time. There is a difference between our personalities and the inner peace and joy we can have in Christ. Saying that does not excuse my pessimism or grumpiness. I need to keep Christ first and foremost in mind at all times. When I do that, I can praise God and be thankful in the midst of trials and suffering. We have a hope no one can take away from us. Rejoice in that. That kind of joy may show others there is hope no matter what our circumstances may be.

I suspect as my Bible study partner and I finish up the study of Philippians 4:4-9 next week, I will have more thoughts based on various quotes. Actually, this may go on for a few more weeks, as there is much that got my attention as we summarize the lessons in this study.