Devotional writing from 2Kings from The Message

June 22, 2006

2Kings 1: That has to be Elijah the Tishbite!

Elijah has come a long way from when he fled from Jezebel years earlier.  He now has a faithful assistant, Elisha, and a band of disciples.  Still, he generally stays out of sight.  Because of the things the Lord has enabled him to he is a household name in Israel.  You might say he is bigger than life.  Now that Ahab is dead, his son, Ahaziah rules Israel.    However, things aren't going well for him.  Moab has rebelled against the rule of Israel and, to top it off, Ahaziah has taken a nasty fall and been injured.  The ailing king sends messengers to seek a remedy for his injuries, not to Jehovah God, but to the idol Baal.  It is as they travel to Ekron to visit the Baal shrine there that they encounter the old man Elijah, shaggy hair, leather belt and all.  The Lord, he says, is angry with Ahaziah for turning to Baal as though he doesn't exist and because of that Ahaziah is on what will become his deathbed.  When the messengers return with the message and describe the man who gave it, Ahaziah knows that Elijah has stepped out onto the public stage once again.  Repeated attempts to arrest him result in fire falling from heaven -- it is unwise to trifle with this man of God!  Aside from his unusual appearance (and, come to think of it, the lightening strikes on his enemies), Elijah reminds me of some spiritual giants I have known.  These are people who don't make a big deal of themselves, who seem out of step with what most of us think of as "normal," but spend a lot of time in the presence of God.  When they have something to say, we are wise to listen.

June 26, 2006

2Kings 2: Your life repeated in my life.  I want to be a holy man just like you.

There is no one on earth as powerful as Elijah is.  As he lives his last day in this world it seems he already has one foot in heaven and spiritual power and authority seem to radiate from him.  Somehow, probably because Elijah himself has announced it, everyone knows that this is his day.  His assistant, Elisha, who has walked with him through the years, is glued to him on this day.  More than once the old man of God has told him to stay put but both of them know it isn't going to happen.  Now, as a moment unique in human history nears, the old prophet asks Elisha what he can do for him before he is taken.  Elisha is not shy!  He wants to be the man Elijah was.  He desires that, even as their names are similar, that their walk with God will be much the same as well.  I think the Lord provides us powerful role models too but  because we are so close to the situation we miss their spiritual greatness.  Elisha knew what he had in Elijah but we generally don't know what we have in some of the special people in our lives until they are gone.  First, let's open our eyes to spiritual greatness in those special people in our lives.  Second, let's allow the Lord to do in us what he has done in them.  "Your life repeated in my life," -- what a powerful phrase!

June 27, 2006

2Kings 2: Elijah went up in a whirlwind to heaven.

As we study the Scriptures we find two accounts of people who left this world without tasting death.  One is Enoch who, the Bible says, "was taken away" by God.  The second is Elijah, who is taken up by a whirlwind into heaven, accompanied by a chariot and horses of fire.  I have read some interesting explanations of what was happening on that day.  Some are efforts to interpret this event based on a literal view of the Scriptures, trying to harmonize it with other passages.  At least one approach is to somehow make this into an alien abduction!  I don't have the credentials to take this event on from a scholarly point of view, but it is clear to me that this entire passage is intended to convince us of the uniqueness and spiritual power of this man of God.  On this day Elijah is overflowing with God's power.  Nothing like this has been seen on earth.  Any understanding of this passage has to recognize that the intention of the writer is to convince us of the greatness of Elijah, the man of God.  Ultimately though, this, and all Scripture, must be read as a "God story."  God has done something in Elijah's life.  Earlier, we were given a clear picture of his humanity: a discouraged, exhausted, and fear-filled man.  Then we have seen what God did for him and in him.  After that, he is transformed into the spiritual dynamo we see in this passage.  Then, as Elijah disappears into the sky, we don't find ourselves at the end of anything.  God's power begins to flow through Elisha.  This story continues because God continues to work. 

June 29, 2006

2Kings 2: Now where is the God of Elijah?

I have known some spiritual giants in my lifetime.  Some pastors and some lay people who walked close to God and, like a motor boat crossing a calm lake, left a broad, expanding wake that has influenced people far beyond their experience and even lifetimes.  They have influenced me.  Had it not been for them I would not be the man I am now.  In fact, it would be easy for me to just focus on them and let them be my example and inspiration.  Were I to do that I would be a better person.  However, as potentially positive as that might be, it would be a mistake on my part.  Elisha has known a great man, a man overflowing with the power of God.  Now, though, that man is gone.  Elijah's disciples want to form a search party to try to find their master.  Elisha, though, doesn't seek Elijah.  Instead, he seeks the God of Elijah.  He knows that all that Elijah was was due to the God he served.  He knows that the great need of his life is not Elijah to tag after, it is the God of Elijah.  Today, I thank God for those spiritual giants of my life.  Their influence is not taken for granted.  However, it is not them that I need as I pursue spiritual excellence.  Not them, but the God they served.

July 1, 2006

2Kings 2: So there -- didn't I tell you?

Even as Elisha seeks the God of Elijah, the disciples of Elijah are still looking for Elijah.  I can't be too hard on these good men because of some supposed lack of faith on their part.  They literally saw their master picked up by a tornado and carried away.  Had I seen such a thing, I might be inclined to view things from a non-spiritual viewpoint too.  They want to form a search party and try to find Elijah -- just in case the Lord was merely relocating him and not taking him from earth in a way never seen before or since!  Again, I can't be too hard on these men.  Elisha assures them that Elijah is right where God wants him to be, but, when they insist, he agrees that 50 of them can go and do a search and rescue.  Three days later they are back and reporting that Elijah is nowhere to be found.  It is then that Elisha says, "told you so."   Aside from the fact that I would have likely been among those on the search team, I note that sometimes we have to let people do what they want to do.  I think I tend to waste energy trying to get people to do things my way when I would be better off pursuing my vision and letting the Lord straighten them out when they are ready.  Elisha knew without a doubt that the 50 wouldn't find Elijah, but he also knew that they would have to find that out for themselves.  Understanding that doesn't mean that I should never attempt to influence others, but it does mean that I am free from trying to micromanage their lives.

2Kings 2: Elisha turned, took one look at them, and cursed them.

The story makes me uncomfortable.  Some children mock Elisha, the man of God, so he curses them resulting in two bears coming out of the woods killing 42 of them.  What is this all about anyway?  Some Bible scholars I have read say that "children" is not the only meaning of the Hebrew word used.  It can mean "servants" and can refer, not to 7-year-olds, but to young people and even young adults.  However, reading that a group of 20-year-old servants mocked Elisha and he cursed them doesn’t do much to solve my discomfort with this incident.  So what do I do with this passage?  I think I have to just read it and go on, believing that there is something happening here that I don't get, that I am missing some vital bit of information that would help me make sense of the passage.  It isn't unusual to have to deal with life issues that way.  For instance, someone tells me that a person for whom I have great respect has done something that seems totally out of character.  I can't defend it, but I can conclude that I don't know the whole story, and, if I did, it would make sense to me.  So, as I come to the end of 2 Kings 2 I read something that just plain doesn't fit in with what I know about God -- that "God is love," holy and righteous.  I can't explain it, but instead of making me doubt God, it just reminds me that I don't know the whole story about this or about another million or so issues of life.

July 5, 2006

2Kings 3: Dig ditches all over this valley.

An alliance of three armies has formed to take on the army of Moab.  The armies of Edom, Israel, and Judah plan to circle around and attack from an unexpected direction. However, it all backfires.  They find themselves a day out from Moab and in the desert having exhausted their supply of water.  Jehoshaphat asks for a prophet of God and Elisha "just happens" to be nearby.  God's word through Elisha is that they are to begin digging ditches in this desert plain because, without a single drop of rain falling on them, God will fill those ditches with water.  Many years earlier Elisha's predecessor had prayed for rain and, when a cloud "the size of a man's hand" appeared on the horizon he stopped praying and started running in preparation for the rain storm that was coming.  Now, Elisha promises water, but tells them that they need to start preparing for it before they see even the first drop.  Obviously there is a pattern here and in many other instances in God's Word.  God expects us to act in faith that he will keep his word to us.  For Elijah that meant he needed to stop praying and start running.  For this army it meant that out in the arid, dusty desert they were to prepare for flowing water.  How does this principle apply to my life today?

July 6, 2006

2Kings 4: He said, "That's it. There are no more jugs." Then the oil stopped.

Clearly the series of stories in the first part of 2 Kings are examples of what a powerful man of God Elisha is.  Still, it seems that, like a symphony, each story is a variation on one theme: that when people have faith they act on that faith.  These miracles all start with a need and the promise of God.  Then, the person has to take action in preparation for God to move.  In one story we have soldiers digging ditches in the desert in preparation for water to miraculously flow into them.  Here we have a widow with just a little oil being told to go out and borrow jars from everyone she can.  When she starts pouring oil out of her meager supply she fills all the jars she collected.  It is only when she runs out of jars that she runs out of oil.  So often we take our needs to God and then want to stand back and watch him what he does.  However, in this, and the other stories, we see that God invites us to partner with him in what he does for us.   No doubt, he does the greater work; after all, anyone can collect jars -- only God can fill them all from such a limited supply.   Lord, help me to be a "jar collector" -- a person doing my part in working with you as you accomplish your purposes in my life and in this world.

July 10, 2006

2Kings 4: "She said, "Everything's fine."

This is a surprisingly powerful story.  Elisha the man of God promises a woman from the town of Shunem that she is going to have a son and the child is born the following year.  A few years later the little boy becomes suddenly ill and dies.  His grieving mother travels straight to Elisha.  As she is coming the servant of Elisha is the first to encounter her.  Clearly something is wrong, but when Gehazi asks her how things are, her reply is "Everything's fine."  It is only when she gets to Elisha that she pours out her heart.  Elisha goes to the lifeless child and performs a miracle, raising him back to life.  While I see that this is another story intended to show me how powerfully God is working in the life of the prophet, I am drawn to the Shunammite woman.  If there was ever an example of desperate faith it is here.  Her heart is broken as she lays her dead son on the bed.  The only thought on her mind is to get to the man of God, the miracle worker who promised the son in the first place.  She desperately wants to believe he can make things right, but looking into the face of such loss it is nearly impossible.  Knowing that, she realizes she has to get to Elisha as quickly as possible, and, instinctively, she knows that even saying the words, "my son is dead" will destroy the mustard seed of faith to which she clings.  How is it that "it is well" in her life?  It is because she is holding on to God with her last ounce of spiritual strength.  This is miracle-working territory.  Without a cross or an empty tomb she believed the impossible.  God can do a lot with faith like that.

July 19, 2006

2Kings 4: They not only ate, but had leftovers.

During our Lord's ministry some of the people thought Jesus was possibly one of the prophets of old, resurrected from the dead.  It might be that they were thinking of this incident.  In fact, if the chronology in Luke is correct this suggestion comes right after Jesus feeds the five thousand.  In this case, Elisha feeds, not thousands, but a hundred; and not with bread and fish but with bread and apples.  A different day, a different man, and a different main course -- but the same God.  Because of that the lessons are the same: "little is much when God is in it," and I can trust the Lord with my meager resources -- he can make better use of them than I can anyway.  Whether I am thinking about Elisha or Jesus or apples or fish it is good to be reminded that when I give my all to the Lord he can bring wonderful things to pass.

July 24, 2006

2Kings 5: If the prophet had asked you to do something hard and heroic, wouldn't you have done it?

It is one of our favorite stories from 2 Kings.  Naaman is the General of the Army of Aram, a nation that has a long and contentious relationship with Israel.  He is a brave and capable warrior who is well respected in his homeland.  Yet there is one terrible affliction that not only haunts him, but is probably literally killing him: he has leprosy.  When he hears that there is a man of God in Israel who heals people of this terrible disease he travels there, prepared to pay handsomely to be cured.  To his dismay, Elisha doesn't even meet him in person, but instead sends a mere servant with what sounds like a silly command: take seven baths in the old muddy Jordan and be healed.  Furious and humiliated, he turns on his heel to leave, but an old family servant gives the great general the best advice of his life.  If Elisha had told him to do some great thing (for instance, pay a king's ransom) to be healed, he was prepared to do that.  Why not, then, do some simple thing like, "take a bath and be clean."  Naaman listens and the result is a miracle of God and a happy ending to the story.  I think Naaman's story is often reflected in our dealings with God.  We are ready to do the great thing, follow some demanding course of action, to make some big sacrifice as we follow the Lord.  While such as this is sometimes a part of being a disciple, more often than not it is much less spectacular.  "If you want to be my disciple follow me," the Lord says.  I respond, "You've got it Lord -- I will serve you to the ends of the earth, I will make great sacrifices for you, I will be an example of total surrender to God."  The Lord says, "tell you what, if I want you to do that stuff, I'll tell you -- for now, how about just walking with me?" 

July 25, 2006

2Kings 6 Don't worry about it -- there are more on our side than on their side.

The Lord has been revealing to Elisha the military plans of nearby Aram and Elisha has, in turn, told those plans to the King of Israel.  Because of that, Elisha has become a prime target.  In fact, on this morning in the town of Dothan Elisha awakes to find the whole town surrounded by his enemies.  To Elisha and his servant this is more than an inspirational Bible story -- this is life and death.  His servant is mystified by Elisha's calmness in the midst of his pending capture.  That is until Elisha prays that this young servant will see what he sees.  Surrounding the army that surrounds them is a "whole mountainside full of horses and chariots of fire."  With God's army escorting him, Elisha has nothing to fear from the army of Aram or anywhere else for that matter.  God didn't send the army of Aram that day, but he was prepared for it to come.  Had Elisha been captured, well, that would have been an unwelcome thing for Elisha and company, but it could only happen if God allowed it to happen.  Elisha might have been more aware of it than I am, but the Lord's army is escorting me too.  That doesn’t mean that everything always works out just the way I want.  Still, difficult days only come if he allows it, and in the end, I have the assurance that victory will be mine.

July 26, 2006

2Kings 7: Let's go tell the good news.

The capital city, Samaria, is under siege creating a terrible famine.   Things can't get much worse there with people being driven to horrible acts of desperation.  Four lepers decide they have nothing else to lose.  They will throw themselves on the mercy of the invaders.  If they are executed, they will die a quicker death than they would die by starvation anyway.  When they arrive at the camp they are surprised to find that there is no one there!  God has moved to bring fear upon them and the army has fled in panic not even knowing why they were running.  The lepers have the time of their lives, eating their fill and ransacking the place.  It is at that point that one of them says to his friends, "We aren't doing right.  Back in Samaria people are starving to death while we are enjoying all this bounty."  This real life story is also a parable for Christians everywhere.  Like the lepers we have discovered something wonderful.  Meanwhile there is a world that desperately needs to know what we know.  If we aren't telling we aren't doing the right thing either.

July 27, 2006

2Kings 10: God doing what, through Elijah, he said he'd do.

I don't like reading the stories of uprisings, murders, and judgment found in the stories of Judah and Israel.  Beheadings and assassinations just plain don't make for good devotional reading!  Still, there are some powerful themes in the story of Jehu's uprising.  God had judged Ahab's sin years earlier, and even though he had, at times, blessed Israel with his help against her enemies, the Lord never overlooked what Ahab had done and continued doing.  When the time was right, the Lord raised up Jehu to act in judgment on Ahab's family.  It was bloody but it was intended to give Israel a chance to return to the path that they had left so long ago.   Before Jehu was finished Ahab's family would be destroyed and the altars of Baal would be gone.  In spite of all that, Jehu will prove to be a disappointment.  I see that the Lord can use a less than perfect vessel to accomplish his purposes.  Also I am reminded that no one has to fail.  Jehu had a golden opportunity that he let slip through his fingers.

July 28, 2006

2Kings 11: Athaliah, oblivious to his existence, ruled the country.

Jehu's purge nets both Joram, wicked king of Israel, and Ahaziah, the king of Judah who had become a partner with Joram in his sinful leadership.  Ahaziah's mother, Athaliah, takes her son's place, not only on the throne but also as one committed to evil.  Her first act is to kill anyone in her family who might contest her claim to the throne of Judah.  It seems her plan has worked, and it would have, except for the bravery and quick action of Jehosheba who hides the infant Joash from his own grandmother's murderous intention.  Now, six years later it is time to act.  Intrigue abounds as plans are made to dethrone the pretender Athaliah and elevate Joash to his rightful place as boy king.  As this takes place we are told that Athaliah is "oblivious" to it all.  I think the Lord often works like this.  Ordinary people and even the wicked pursue their goals, pressing on, thinking everything is working out as anticipated.  Meanwhile, God is at work in the underground.  Big things are coming and we are "oblivious" to it all.  For Athaliah it means that her hijacking of the throne of Judah is soon coming to a bloody end.  For us followers of the Lord, it means that we had better keep our eyes on Jesus and be ready for -- well, be ready for "whatever" comes next.

August 1, 2006

2Kings 11: Jehodiah now made a covenant between God and the king and the people.  They were God's people.

A seven-year-old boy sat on the throne of Judah.  His mentor was the priest Jehodiah, a man fully committed to God.  As Joash is installed as king, the priest makes a covenant with God on behalf of the young king and his people.  Joash will rule the nation "under God" and the people will view themselves as "God's people."  A second covenant promises that Joash will rule justly and the people will willingly live as citizens under his rule.  These covenants will stand for 40 years, throughout the lifetime of Joash.  Covenants are powerful things.  They bind people together and also to certain courses of action.  They create a roadmap for relationships and behaviors.  Covenants are commitments between two or more parties, a contract of sorts.  Committing to the right thing can have long term implications.  The people of Joash's day were impacted by the covenant for a lifetime.  What am I committed to that has that level of impact?  Or, maybe better said, is what I am committed to worth the effort?  How about you?  Are your covenants worth keeping?  The Lord has offered one covenant that is worth everything: and it is the one sealed with the blood of Jesus.

August 2, 2006

2Kings 12: Why haven't you renovated this sorry-looking Temple?

The sample we are given of Joash's leadership of Judah is his faithfulness to repair the Temple of God.  Any building will deteriorate if it is not cared for and Joash realized that the Temple was overdue for some serious work.  He ordered the priests who served there to use offerings for that purpose, but it never happened.  Instead of being used on the building, the money was absorbed in the everyday operations at the Temple.  When Joash saw this, he changed tactics and created a system by which money could be given for this specific purpose.  The people responded and during his reign Joash saw the Temple restored to much of its former glory.  So what do I see in this incident?  First, I am reminded that the building where worship takes place needs regular attention, and that the Lord has gifted some people for this task.  The church needs to recognize that and both finance and empower those people for their work.  Second, I see that without leadership things gradually fall apart.  In this case, not only was the building deteriorating, but the plans for financing the renovations also came apart without Joash's leadership.  It wasn't enough for him to have the vision and then put a plan together.  He had to be sure that the plan continued to completion.  Third, I see that the best way to finance such an operation is with money specifically given for that purpose.  The expenses of the Temple continued even through the building project, so the money had to be given above the regular offerings.  Finally, I see that people were willing to give to such a project.  People don't have to be brow beat to give if they see the need and that something is really happening.  Clearly, these are good principles for today even as they were good so long ago.

August 3, 2006

2Kings 13: It didn't make any difference: They didn't change their lives.

Jehoahaz takes his father's place on the throne if Israel, but he makes no religious reform.  Instead, he continues down the path of God-ignoring idol worship. As happened during the time of the Judges, God allows the enemies of Israel to come in and dominate them.  For years the people are miserable in this sorry state of affairs.  Finally, Jehoahaz himself humbly comes to God, confessing his sins and the sins of the people.  In his mercy, God answers, raising up a warrior who drives the invaders out.  Of course, this results in a great revival of Jehovah worship: not!  Without missing a beat they continue their idol worship with hardly a tip of the hat to God.  Once again, I see here the mercy and patience of God.  No question, he wants to care for us, to bless our lives.  Also, there is the truth that mere human freedom is not the ultimate need of man.  Don't get me wrong, I believe in freedom and thank God for it.  However, the greatest need of humanity is not for liberty to cover the globe.  The need is for changed hearts.  Otherwise, everything else is just window dressing.

August 4, 2006

2Kings 13: The king struck the ground three times and then quit.

The old prophet Elisha is nearing the end of life.  Unlike his mentor, Elijah, he will not depart this world in a whirlwind.  Instead, he will die from old age and illness.  However, before he goes, he has good news for Jehoash, king of Israel.  The king is instructed to fire an arrow in the direction of his enemies.   Then Elisha instructs him to strike the ground with the remaining arrows.  Obviously, this is supposed to be an action related to their struggle with Aram but the king only strikes the ground a few times and stops.  Elisha tells him that what he does is not good enough and that his minimum cooperation is symbolic of the few times he will defeat Aram.  Had he responded with enthusiasm and commitment things could have been different but his token response will result in only a token defeat of Aram.  The wise man of Ecclesiastes says, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might" (Ec. 9:10).  Had Jehoash been ordered to actually go into battle he would have, no doubt, done it with "all his might" but since this was merely symbolic, he just gave a token effort.  With that, Elisha and, apparently, God was displeased.  So as I read this I am reminded that things that appear to be a "little deal" are sometimes a "big deal" in God's eyes. 

August 8, 2006

2Kings: 13 He never gave up on them, never even considered discarding them.

In spite of God's patience and blessings and in spite of the difficulties of life, Israel continues down a destructive path.  When things are terrible, they temporarily turn to God but before long they are back in the old God-ignoring rut.  Their future is not bright.  We know what happens over at the end of 2Chronicles when the twin kingdoms come to their official end.  Then again, we know what happens on the next page when we see God's faithfulness through the priest, Ezra.  In fact, looking into their future as we can do by simply turning the pages of our Bibles we are taken with the truth of this statement: "He never gave up on them."  Oh, the grace of God who looks our failure straight in the eye and says, "I won't even consider discarding you."  I am a trophy of such grace.  And so are you.

August 9, 2006

2Kings 14: He lived the way God wanted and did the right thing.  But he didn't come up to the standards of his ancestor David.

When Joash is assassinated his son, Amaziah, becomes king of Judah.  This young man picks up where his father left off: doing the right thing and honoring God.  Because of that, he goes down in history as one of the "good kings" of Judah.  This man rules for 29 years and, over all, does what was pleasing in God's sight.  Still, I can't get passed the statement that "he didn't come up to the standards of David."  In other words, Amaziah does "okay" and receives a passing grade from the Lord, yet he could have been much more.  You might say that David earned an "A" while Amaziah earns a "C+."  It is too bad when a person has great potential yet, while things aren't a complete disaster, never quite measures up.  Do you know what really bothers me here?  I am not so concerned about Amaziah's lukewarm reviews as I am of my own!  Can it be said of me, "Well, he did the right thing, but he never measured up to his full potential."  I don't want to live at a lukewarm life.

August 14, 2006

2Kings 14: God wasn't yet ready to blot out the name of Israel from history, so he used Jeroboam son of Jehoash to save them.

Jeroboam II, king of Israel is another in the line of leaders of Israel who don't make the grade.  He could have done better.  In fact, he should have, but instead he continues the march away from God, even as so many of his predecessors have done before him.  Leaders cannot force morality, but they can model it and make it the law of the land.  Beyond that, leaders, even especially powerful ones, must give account of themselves to Almighty God.  Still, Jeroboam has some successes, some military victories that win back territory that had been lost to their enemies.  We are told here that God is helping Jeroboam do that, not because he favors this pitiful king but for his own purposes.  Although the day of destruction and defeat is coming, for now the Lord isn't ready for Israel to be defeated, so he helps Jeroboam lead Israel in some specific ways.  This is good for Israel.  Still though, Jeroboam will face a God who is displeased with him.  It is good to remember that God acts according to his own agenda but that doesn't get people off the hook when they fail of their own free will.

August 15, 2006

2Kings 16: The old bronze Altar that signaled the presence of God he displaced from its central place.

The march of the kings of Israel and Judah continues as I read through this book of Kings.  A few get passing marks, although no one earns an "A."  Most are viewed as failures.  Ahaz of Judah is singled out as an example of major failure.  We are told that he burned to death his own son in a pagan "passing through the fire" ritual.  When the country is under attack he never considers calling out to God.  Instead, he pays the king of Assyria a "king's ransom" to rescue him from his enemies.  Much of the payment comes from stripping the Temple of its gold and silver.  Once the war is over, Ahaz visits his new master in Damascus.  The altar of pagan worship there really impresses him, so he has a copy of it made.  He moves the old Altar that has served for many generations as the place for sacrificing to the Lord God off to the side and replaces it with his "new and improved version."  Of course, this is not told in praise of Ahaz.  Instead, it is told as an example of his spiritual failure.  Today, I am not thinking so much about replacing the old church pews with new chairs or even replacing the old altars (mourner's benches) with something more modern.  Rather, I am thinking that there are some basic elements to our relationship with the Lord that can never be "upgraded."  Immediately, prayer comes to mind.  Prayer is a spiritual basic that is irreplaceable.  It may be that a few church folks get tired of hearing about the importance of prayer, but it is as central to spiritual life as is breathing to physical life.  It is really no big deal to change the type of songs we sing to something more modern, or to add some new technology to assist in worship.  However, it is a big deal to downgrade the importance of a spiritual discipline like prayer - to push it off to the side to make room for some new worship "innovation."

August 16, 2006

2Kings 17: They lived a "nothing" life and became "nothings."

The 17^th chapter if Second Kings is the epitaph of the Kingdom of Israel.  After centuries of ups and mostly downs they come to the end of God's patience.  The Lord gives them over to their enemies and the citizens are removed from their beloved land to live in exile the rest of their days.  God's verdict is clearly stated: "the exile came about because of sin...they had accumulated a long list of evil actions and God was fed up...God said, 'Don't!' but they did it anyway."  For decades it appeared that they could brush God Jehovah off and do things their own way, that his Commandments were mere suggestions that didn’t really apply.  Traveling that road could only bring them to one possible destination and now they have arrived, "they lived a 'nothing' life and became 'nothings.'"  What happens to a nation that has been abundantly blessed by God but persistently chooses to ignore him and his ways?  This chapter ought to really frighten us.

August 17, 2006

2Kings 17: In the end, God spoke a final No to Israel and turned his back on them.

Second Kings 17 is a long chapter that burdens the reader with a heavier and heavier weight of despair and condemnation as it is read.   These are painful words: "God was fed up," "God had had enough," "God spoke a final No."  There is the feeling of hearing the verdict read in a courtroom.  The evidence for conviction is overwhelming and the conclusion is obvious.  God's only choice is to turn is back, to declare "No" to them and their sin, to be done with them.   Reading this chapter not only condemns the people of ancient Israel and justifies God in his abandonment of them, but it also frightens me.  How far can a nation push God?  How many of his blessings can it forget, and how many of his Laws can it break before the Almighty is fed up?  My nation is foolishly testing the patience of God right now.  Second Kings 17 is not before us as just some dusty old history lesson.  It is a warning that we had better heed.

August 21, 2006

2Kings 17: They don't really worship God.

After defeating and exiling Israel the king of Assyria relocates other people from under his rule to the now empty land.  At first, these settlers ignore Jehovah God, but it becomes apparent that the Almighty is not going to allow that.  A priest is brought back to teach them how to worship God.  However, they only add worshiping the God of the exiled people to their list of gods to worship.  In fact, we are told, they don't really worship God at all.  How do we know that?  The writer proves his point by saying that they don't take seriously what God says about how to live and what to believe.  Apparently, just doing the right things in a worship service isn't sufficient so far as God is concerned.  He is just as interested in how people live, how they relate to one another, and what they really believe as he is with whether or not they can put on a proper worship service.  What I do outside of church is just as important to God as what I do inside the church.

August 22, 2006

2Kings 18: He pulverized the ancient bronze serpent that Moses had made.

It is such a pleasure to meet Hezekiah, king of Judah.  After reading the pitiful record of most of the kings of Israel and Judah it is a breath of fresh air to read, "in God's opinion he was a good king."  It's good to know that it is possible to do that which is pleasing to the Lord and see that he doesn't set some impossibly high standard for us just to make us jump a little higher trying to reach something that is forever out of reach.  Hezekiah proves that God's standard is within our grasp and that it is made possible by the help of none other than the Lord, Himself.  Hezekiah gets off on the right foot from the beginning.  For centuries kings of Judah have tolerated the fertility shrines that the people wanted.  Even when there was a revival of the worship and service of Jehovah God these shrines remained.  It is not so under Hezekiah.  He gets rid of them all.  Then we see that he gets rid of something else.  Generations earlier, during an infestation of poisonous snakes, the Lord directed Moses to make a bronze snake.  That snake became their salvation, a symbol of the mercy of God.  These days, though, that old bronze snake has become just another idol with people actually making sacrifices to it!  Hezekiah does the unthinkable!  He destroys this important historical artifact, grinding it to nothing.  Of course, there was nothing wrong with the old bronze serpent.  It was just a statue with historical significance.  It was their use of it that was objectionable.  Better to destroy a bit of their history and serve God in the here and now.   I wonder what the "bronze serpents" are in my nation, in my church, and in my life?  Whatever they are, and no matter what value they were in the past, it is better to "pulverize" them than let them come between God and me.

August 24, 2006

2Kings 19: Maybe God, your God, won't let him get by with such talk.

Even though Hezekiah has tried to mend relations with Sennacherib king of Assyria it is too late.  Having whipped into shape several other countries that had attempted to break away, Sennacherib returns his attention to Judah.  A representative is sent, not to broker a deal, but to call for complete surrender.  That representative is named Rabshaketh and, in an attempt to frighten the people of Jerusalem into rebellion against Hezekiah he not only insults Hezekiah and his small army, but he insults the God Hezekiah serves.  This situation is filled with military, political, and historical elements but we read the story from a spiritual viewpoint.  Hezekiah's father, Ahaz, had yielded to Assyria and even installed a new altar at the Temple modeled on one used for idol worship in Damascus.  When Hezekiah comes to power he not only refuses to pay tribute, but he gets rid of that altar and all the shrines and altars to the pagan gods.  Even when he agrees to resume paying tribute to Sennacherib, his removal of the pagan altar is seen as a refusal to be the lap dog to Sennacherib.  Because of that, the insults by Rabshaketh focus on God Jehovah.  Now, Hezekiah faces absolute destruction from the giant Assyrian army.   He turns to the man of God, Isaiah, asking for prayer and direction.  He thinks that perhaps God will take up his cause, especially in light of the way Rabshaketh has insulted the Almighty.   Facing the impossible, he turns to the One who specializes in doing the impossible.  And, he isn't disappointed.

August 26, 2006

2Kings 19: And Hezekiah prayed -- oh, how he prayed!

Through Isaiah Hezekiah has received an encouraging word.  God is at work even as Sennacherib issues his threat against Judah.  Things are going to be okay because God says they will be okay.  Soon thereafter Sennacherib has to turn his attention to another battle line, but before doing so, he sends Hezekiah another message which is intended to scare him witless.  Whether it succeeds in scaring him or not, I do not know, but it certainly gets his attention.  Rather than running and hiding, Hezekiah goes to prayer.  Taking the letter from the King of Assyria to the Temple he spreads it out before God and begins pouring his heart out to the Lord.  The answer comes sooner and not later.  A messenger arrives from Isaiah with word that God has heard his plea, and that God has an answer for Sennacherib - an answer that should scare him witless!  Well, this all makes for good biblical drama -- fine devotional reading for me to glean through and see what lessons can be learned.  However, today I am reminded that this isn't just a story from out of a Book so far as Hezekiah is concerned on this day so long ago.  There is a real and powerful enemy who fully intends to kill him and massacre his people. When I see him going to pray, I see a man desperate beyond words, and when I hear God answer him through Isaiah, I know that the story isn't all wrapped up with a neat bow at that point.  Now that Hezekiah is hearing from God he must do what may be the hardest part of all: he must believe.  It is one thing to read stuff like this in the Old Testament but another to see it really work in our lives.  What do I do when a sad doctor is saying that there is nothing else to be done, yet some uncertain messenger from God is saying otherwise?  Even when I want to believe it isn't all that easy.  Hezekiah cries out to God and God answers -- but the rest of the story is that, when God answers, Hezekiah believes.

August 29, 2006

2Kings 19: Did it never occur to you that I'm behind all this?

If Sennacherib's threatening letter to Hezekiah is intended to frighten him, it is a great success.   However, in his fear Hezekiah runs, not away, but straight to God.  Soon thereafter he receives an answer.  As Hezekiah has spoken to God, now God has spoken to his man, Isaiah.  Part of the message from God is directed to Hezekiah, but part is addressed to Sennacherib, king of Assyria.  God is not pleased with him and he is about to take action against him.  One of the statements in particular draws our attention today.  God tells this powerful heathen king, this enemy of his people, that he has been using Sennacherib for his own purposes.  This must have been seen as an unbelievably naïve word out of Judah.  Tiny and powerless Judah says that their God has been behind his military successes of this world superpower.  It would have been absolutely laughable except for the fact that on that very night a hundred and eighty-five thousand Assyrian soldiers die without Judah lifting a hand against them.  Here are some things to consider.  First, we see that God used a heathen king for his own purposes.  Just because a nation has success in some area it doesn't mean that God is smiling on them and pleased with them.  Second, God moves quite comfortably in the international arena.  As one of his people I need to be careful I don't play, to use a baseball term, "small ball" all the time.  I serve a God who is interested in, and working through, events that are global in scale.  Finally, no nation is bigger than God is.  Even if the whole world falls under the command of a nation, ultimately God remains Sovereign.  Leaders of powerful nations had better remember that.

August 30, 2006

2Kings 20: I've just added fifteen yours to your life.

This is one of those incidents that offer much for consideration.  Hezekiah is sick and Isaiah comes to him with the news that God says he will not recover.  When Hezekiah pleads with the Lord, Isaiah returns with the news that God has heard his prayer and is going to add 15 years to his life.  Also, Isaiah orders medicinal help in the form of a fig plaster.  Hezekiah (foolishly brave if you ask me) asks for some kind of sign and Isaiah offers him a choice of the shadow on the sundial moving forward or backward.  The king says, "back" and that is just what happens.  As I said, there is a lot to think about here.  For instance, there is the fig plaster.  Did God give Isaiah a remedy for the illness or is Isaiah just having those caring for Hezekiah do something to bring relief until the healing takes place?  These days the church often prays that God will "direct the surgeon's hands" as an operation is performed.  Is that similar to Isaiah saying God will heal but then ordering medicine as well?  And there is the shadow of the sundial.  When this happens it is seen as a miracle, but now, with our knowledge of the nature of the world, it stands as one of the greatest miracles of the Bible.  Talking about "moving heaven and earth" to accomplish something takes on a whole new meaning when I read this account!  Then there is the 15 years.  Hezekiah, by my math is probably 39 years young when this happens.  The 15 years will take him all the way to the ripe old age of 54.  His broken heart at the prospect of dying in the prime of his life is a very human response.  The additional 15 years basically gives him a "normal" life span for that day and age.  Is it reasonable for a person to plead with God for more time, a longer life?  At what point does a person say, "God's will be done - I am ready to go if he chooses to take me"?   We see in the story that later on, when emissaries from distant Babylon come that Hezekiah foolishly shows them all the wealth of his kingdom.  Isaiah tells him that he has made a major mistake that will result in his own descendants being carried off as captives.  We are told that Hezekiah more or less brushes it off.   Had he died, would this chain of events not happen?  And, if so, would God answer one prayer that opens the way for disaster later on?  Sorry, but I don't have the answers.  However, as you can see, I have plenty of questions!

August 31, 2006

2Kings 21: And God was angry.

Manasseh wasn't even born when Hezekiah received the 14-year extension on his life.  He assumes the throne at just 12 years of age and rules Judah for 55 years.  His record as king is that of total failure.  All the reforms of his father are reversed.  He appears as committed to sin as his father was to righteousness.  Over time he moves heathen idol worship right into the Temple of God.  The result, according to the Bible, is that, "God was angry."  Now, decades after the fall of Israel God says he is sending the same, and worse, upon Judah.  He has put up with their evil long enough.  Still, in spite of the dire words of doom, the Almighty does not act, at least not yet.  Manasseh finishes his life and is buried in peace.  His son Amon doesn't fare as well and is assassinated within two years of assuming the throne.   In these accounts I am overwhelmed by the patience of mercy of God.  Even when he is "fed up" he waits a bit longer.  That doesn't mean that we can assume that God will always give us one more chance but it does mean that God's patience is beyond our comprehension.  In each generation he reaches out with a new and old message of hope.  Even as the door of his mercy is closing he extends a final ray of light, one last opportunity to receive that light.  This works on a deathbed where a merciful God gives a person who has rejected himself again and again one last opportunity.  It works in lives that are, so far as the world is concerned, ruined beyond repair.  Even as the darkness descends, there is one last glimmer of hope for the one who will reach out and grasp it.  And it works for people who are reading the Internet desiring some word of hope when they stumble upon a mostly unread blog.

September 5, 2006

2Kings 22: I'm taking you seriously.

The clock is about to run out on Judah as the nation has drifted farther and farther from God.  When the boy-king Josiah comes to power things have eroded to the point that even the priests at the Temple don't know God's Word to them.  As Josiah grows up he wants to do the right thing even though he is unsure of what the right thing is.  Out of respect for God, he decides to renovate the Temple and it is while that work is being done that Scripture is found.  The message is not a pleasant, comforting one.  Instead, its words declare the covenant made between God and Josiah's ancestors.  That covenant contains words of blessing but also states, in graphic terms, what will happen if they break that covenant.  As the Josiah hears these words the seriousness of the situation dawns upon him.  He and his people are clearly candidates for the "curse" part of the covenant.  He is heartbroken and he is frightened.  He sends word to a woman of God asking for her intercession.  The message she receives from God is both positive and negative.  It is negative in its confirmation that all the curses of the covenant will come true.  Simply put, God will keep his word.  It is positive in that God is taking Josiah's repentance and commitment to the Almighty seriously.  Once again the curse is put on hold.  As a result, Josiah will rule in peace throughout his life.   Even as the Lord took Josiah seriously he takes me seriously.  That doesn't mean my saying "I'm sorry" will stop events that are already in motion from happening.  It does mean that the Lord is willing to hear and forgive when I call out to him. 

September 6, 2006

2Kings 23: The world would never again see a king like Josiah.

When Josiah became boy-king of Judah the Temple was not only a place for sacrifices to Jehovah God, but was used for worship of Baal, Ashtoreth, and other pagan gods as well.  The country was filled with shrines and altars, some dating back for centuries.  Near Jerusalem stood an iron furnace that was used for child sacrifices.  Clearly, the spiritual condition of Judah was pitiful, as the commandments of God had been ignored for generations.  Josiah's discovery of the Law of God shocks him to action.  What he does is not some cosmetic religious reform -- this is all out transformation.  Josiah uses the Book as a literal instruction manual on how to live and worship.  To the best of his ability he follows it to a letter.  For instance, the Book of the Covenant describes observing the Passover, something that hasn't been done for centuries.  Josiah reads the Book and follows the directions, reestablishing this observance.  A result is that God is pleased with him, giving him an "A+."   Because of his faithfulness an entire generation is changed.  Today, he inspires us to take God seriously and to swim against the tide of popular culture.  Josiah's story gives us hope of transforming our society.

September 7, 2006

2Kings 25: This should have been no surprise -- God had said it would happen.

Judah finds itself in the middle, right between two warring world powers.  On one side is Egypt and on the other is Babylon.  Like some small island out in the Pacific during the Second World War, this small nation is thrust on the world stage, not because of its military might, but simply because of its location.  Upon Josiah's untimely death the nation struggles for its identity.   Sadly, it is Josiah's reforms that lose favor.  Soon, the nation is once again on the road to spiritual and national disaster.  Raiding bands begin to assault Judah as the two big players on the world scene see this small country as having military significance.  It is Babylon that wins.  Following the "conquer and relocate" policy of Assyria before them the people of Jerusalem are relocated to a distant land with only the poor left to be ruled by a puppet king.  The writer of 2^nd Kings tells us that no one should have been surprised.  For over 300 years they have been warned that God is not some kind of lucky charm for them.  They mistakenly thought that being the "people of God" meant that, ultimately, they would be safe.  They thought that because of Josiah's reforms they were inoculated against failure.  Because of the patience and mercy of God over the years, they downplayed the warnings that had been given again and again.  Finally though, things happened just as God had said they would.  I am reminded today that God isn't kidding when he says he will judge sin.  It is a dangerous thing to mistake the patience of God with his not being fully serious in what he says.

September 9, 2006

2Kings 22: Judah went into exile, orphaned from her land.

Following its defeat by Babylon Zedekiah is made king of the now subjected Judah.  However, in spite of all that has happened, Zedekiah ignores God and then foolishly rebels against Babylon.  This is the final step on the road to destruction.  King Nebuchadnezzar personally oversees the final defeat of Jerusalem and then orders its total destruction.  Anything of value is carried off and the rest is leveled.  Even the Temple is destroyed as the city is left desolate, uninhabitable.  For this generation it is all over.  Those who survive will live their lives as exiles, with all the wonderful promises of the now-broken Covenant discarded in the pile of rubble that was Jerusalem.  History tells us the human reasons for all this: the rise of Babylon, the defeat of Egypt and Assyria, and the physical location of Judah.  However, the Bible tells us the spiritual reason: sin.   They rejected God and then, after centuries of patience and renewed chances, God rejected them.  It isn't easy, but it is possible to exhaust the patience of a merciful God.   This ought to serve as a warning to both individuals and nations.