"Uncertain Times"

Scripture Passage

2 Kings 16:19-20; 2 Chronicles 28:26-27; Isaiah 13-16:14

Scripture Focus

“This message came to me the year King Ahaz died…”  (Isaiah 14:28 NLT)

Observation

On the whole, today’s reading has to do with God’s judgment on the nations surrounding Israel/Judah…how God does, indeed, have a plan involving all nations (“I have a plan for the whole earth” Isaiah 14:26 NLT)…and how God will, in fact, work justice/act justly throughout the whole earth toward the whole world.

The thing that’s captured my attention is how Isaiah understood this reality…how prophetic understanding was given Isaiah regarding these realities…during a time of significant transition.

It’s clear from the sequence of readings that scholars date these prophecies as being given near the time of transition from King Ahaz to King Hezekiah. Isaiah specifically says about his “Philistine” prophecy that “This message came to me the year King Ahaz died…” (Isaiah 14:28 NLT).  From a better known passage in Isaiah, we know that Isaiah encountered God and received his calling “in the year that King Uzziah died” (Isaiah 6:1 NIV).

I’m thinking, this morning, of how reluctant we are (certainly how reluctant I am, anyway) to embrace seasons of transition or uncertainty. Nobody likes walking on shaky ground! But today’s reading reminds me of how often God uses times of change to show us things we’d otherwise not see, to spark in our hearts a fresh hunger for Him, or perhaps to unsettle us enough to move us off dead center.

Things are certainly unsettled for our nation these days—or so it seems to me. Things are certainly unsettled in the world at large. Maybe that's evidence of God working out His perfect plans!

Maybe things are unsettled for you, as they are in some ways for me. May the Lord help us to “fix our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2), to hold to His unchanging hand (to borrow a phrase from a great African-American spiritual), and—in uncertain times—to “learn of Him” (Matthew 11:29), finding in Him “rest for our souls”.

***

"Sudden Turns and Sour Grapes"

Scripture Passage

Isaiah 1:21-5:30

Scripture Focus

…he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes,
     but the grapes that grew were bitter.
                                  (Isaiah 5:2 NLT)

Observation

You know how it feels when you have to hit the brakes hard and make a sudden, jolting turn because you realize at the last second that you’ve just about missed your exit? That’s what the opening verses of Isaiah 5 feel like to me. The chapter begins as God’s beautiful love song about Israel. (The birds sing, the mild breezes blow…)

Now I will sing for the one I love
     a song about his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
     on a rich and fertile hill…

(…the sun gently warms the earth, music plays softly in the background…)

He plowed the land, cleared its stones,
     and planted it with the best vines.
In the middle he built a watchtower
     and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks…

(Are you getting the picture?)

Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes…
       but the grapes that grew were bitter.
                                 (Isaiah 5:1-2 NLT)

(Errrrrrrrr! Crash!)

God set everything up perfectly for Israel to blossom…to succeed…to grow as a living testimony to the whole world regarding how awesome and holy and loving and generous and gracious He was. And Israel messed it up—hugely. And not just in things we think of as “religious”—in their worship of false gods—but also in matters we don’t often enough think of as related to our living testimony of God—matters of social justice…of doing right towards others and seeing that right is done! (In 1:26, Jerusalem is called the “Home of Justice”—I’d never noticed that before!)

I don’t want to do that—I don’t want to fail to provide a “sweet” return on the investment the Lord has made in me. I don’t want to produce bitter grapes when what obviously ought to come forth are sweet ones! To return to a Biblical phrase we focused on a few days ago, in and through my life…

“…let justice roll on like a river,
     righteousness like a never-failing stream!”
                                    (Amos 5:24 NIV)

***

"Got Ammo?"

Scripture Passage

Isaiah 28:1-29; 2 Kings 17:5; 2 Kings 18:9-12; 2 Kings 17:6-41; Isaiah 1:1-20

Scripture Focus

So now God will have to speak to his people
     through foreign oppressors who speak a strange language!
                                                    (Isaiah 28:11 NLT)

Observation

I confess—I don’t know what to focus in on this morning. I am intrigued by the way the Isaiah 28 passage begins—“[Samaria] is the pride of a people brought down by wine” (28:1 NLT). I understand that I’m a teetotaler in a world that certainly isn’t, but I attended a KC Royals ballgame Friday night (haven’t been in years) and was reminded again of our culture’s glorification (worship?) of alcohol (and of gaming, by the way). Call it "nothing" all you want…”Don’t be a stick in the mud, Kent”… ”Hey, surely I can have a beer with the boys now and again!”—I’m convinced it’s part of what’s destroying us as a nation.

That same chapter, however, has a verse that’s particularly significant to anyone who really believes in and values the activity of the Holy Spirit in and through the church today…significant because it’s a verse that the Apostle Paul quotes in 1 Corinthians 14 while discussing the activity of the gifts of the Spirit within the church. I’ve often tried to think about why Paul chose to quote Isaiah 28:11 in a discussion of the gifts of the Spirit—what about *this* passage seemed applicable?

In Isaiah 28, Isaiah pictures even the priests (!) as so drunk with wine that they complain of the Lord’s instructions as childish gibberish (with their own slurred speech). Neither the priests nor the people have any appreciation for the Lord’s instructions. So in response, God says (my paraphrase), “I’ll spell it out for you, then! You treat my words as the unintelligible babbling of an infant—I’ll send you some unintelligible babbling in the form of an invading foreign army!”

So now God will have to speak to his people
     through foreign oppressors who speak a strange language!
                                                (Isaiah 28:11 NLT)

That’s the verse Paul quotes in 1 Corinthians when referencing the manifestation of the spiritual gift of tongues! What could be the connection? Why does Paul choose *this* text in particular?

Today I’d suggest that Paul is turning the analogy on its head, so to speak…that, for Paul, the connection is this one:

“God once used an invading army to teach Israel a thing or two…and that God has now raised up and equipped a new army—His church—to show this world a thing or two.”

One thing that certainly has to be remembered if that’s the case is how the church must view power and conquest differently than the Assyrian army did (and different than our world does)—that we lead by serving…that we conquer when we surrender!

Given that, there’s no doubt we’re called to battle. And given Paul’s analogy, we battle effectively only in the full experience and empowerment of Holy Spirit. Apart from His presence and activity, we’re an army with no ammo.

***

"I'll Be Dining Alone..."

Scripture Passage

Hosea 9:1-14:9

Scripture Focus

They may eat this food themselves,
    but they may not offer it to the LORD.
                               (Hosea 9:4 NLT)

Observation

There’s so much to today’s reading—Israel’s persistent rebellion, God’s compassionate heart (torn between the need to mete out judgment and His undying love for his people—I love Hosea 11:8), God’s call to repentance and promise of restoration…these are rich, full chapters!

But there was a sentence in the opening verses of chapter 9 that especially caught my attention. Hosea is describing the impact of Israel’s eventual deportation into Assyria as a result of their sinfulness. He makes it clear that sacrifices to God will be impossible in that foreign land, if only due to unavoidable ritual impurity.  And he says about life under those conditions…

They may eat this food themselves,
    but they may not offer it to the LORD.
                                (Hosea 9:4 NLT)

Anyone who has never “tasted” fellowship with God may read that verse and respond with, “So what?” But anyone who has any real sense of how good it is to live in relationship with God—to know Him…to have experienced His presence—…anyone who takes a moment or two to think about it…will recognize how empty life would be apart from that rich and abiding fellowship.

Many of the ritual sacrifices God’s people offered were “shared meals.” The sacrifice was given, but then portions of the sacrifice were received back as a meal to be enjoyed by the priests who presented it and the family who offered it. And the meal was shared with a sense that it was eaten in the presence of God—that He, too, was “at the table” and a part of the fellowship! How empty—how hollow—a meal would become apart from the presence of God, especially when a person knew the joy of a meal shared with God!

I’ve said before—one of the most difficult moments following the unexpected death of my father several years ago was that moment when it was time to sit down together again at the dining room table with the rest of the family. It was another reminder—and a most powerful reminder—that my Dad was gone and things would never again be the same. I wonder if this prophetic pronouncement of judgment felt similar at all to the Israelites—“You’ll eat, alright, but not with God. He’ll not be there with you, as He always has been in the past.”

Wow…that may be one of the saddest verses ever.

***

"My Complaint, You Priests, Is With You!"

Scripture Passage

Hosea 2:14-8:14

Scripture Focus

"Don’t point your finger at someone else
    and try to pass the blame!
My complaint, you priests,
    is with you."
                                  (Hosea 4:4 NLT)

Observation

It’s too personal—today’s post is—for "general consumption."  Hosea’s words are too biting…too direct…too targeted…at me! It’s the priests—the spiritual leaders—who take it on the chin today…and that means I’m the guy!

John Maxwell (a leadership guru) says, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” I’m not as absolutely, 100%, hook-line-and-sinker convinced of that as I used to be. I’m more aware, these days, that good leadership must be matched by good “follower-ship.” Still, Hosea’s words remind (and indict) me again that spiritual leadership brings both great opportunity and grave responsibilities. And Hosea has no trouble blaming Israel’s spiritual leaders for the dearth of genuinely faithful Israelites.

The challenge is for me, today—and you can listen in if you want to. I receive it:

“Come, let us return to the LORD.

He has torn us to pieces;
    now he will heal us.
He has injured us;
    now he will bandage our wounds.
In just a short time he will restore us,
    so that we may live in his presence.
Oh, that we might know the LORD!
    Let us press on to know him.
He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn
    or the coming of rains in early spring.”
                                   (Hosea 6:1-3 NLT)

***

"A Parody of Piety"

Scripture Passage

Isaiah 12:1-6; Isaiah 17:1-14; 2 Chronicles 28:16-21; 2 Kings 16:10-18; 2 Chronicles 28:22-25; 2 Kings 18:1-8; 2 Chronicles 29:1-2; 2 Kings 15:30-31; 2 Kings 17:1-4; Hosea 1-2:13

Note: Not historically tied to today's text!

This altar is not Assyrian and

was discovered at Beersheba

Scripture Focus

Then King Ahaz removed the old bronze altar from its place in front of the LORD’s Temple, between the entrance and the new altar, and placed it on the north side of the new altar. He told Uriah the priest, “Use the new altar for the morning sacrifices of burnt offering, the evening grain offering, the king’s burnt offering and grain offering, and the burnt offerings of all the people, as well as their grain offerings and liquid offerings. Sprinkle the blood from all the burnt offerings and sacrifices on the new altar. The bronze altar will be for my personal use only.” Uriah the priest did just as King Ahaz commanded him.  (2 Kings 16:14-16 NLT)

Observation

Okay, this is tricky. King Ahaz has traveled to Damascus to meet with Tiglath-pileser III, the King of Assyria. They don’t meet as equals—rather, Ahaz comes as representative of Judah as a vassal state. While in Damascus, Ahaz’ attention is captured by an altar of Assyrian design, so he sends plans for the altar back to Jerusalem with instructions for Uriah the priest to construct one.

Upon his return, he replaces the old altar—of Jehovah’s divine design—with the new altar of Assyrian design, and begins making the daily sacrifices on the Assyrian altar. He keeps the old altar, he says, for “personal use only.”  He then gets busy doing a bunch of religious things in religious ways that have nothing to do with loyalty to or the worship of Jehovah—a parody of piety!

What’s that got to do with “tricky”? Well, it’d sure be easy to take this text and bemoan all the changes in the church these days. We’ve gone from pews in sanctuaries to seats in multi-purpose buildings. We’ve gone from hymnbooks and organs to video projection and electric guitars. We’ve gone from extended revivals meeting every night of the week to not even hosting a “conventional” Sunday evening service. Are we guilty—as Ahaz was—of discarding “real” faith for some foreign substitute?

I dare say “no”—at least, not because of the changes I’ve described. Ahaz’ modifications were not the result of technological improvements or to facilitate cultural connection. Ahaz’ changes resulted from misplaced loyalty—trusting the power of the Assyrian king and seeking to please him, rather than trusting the power of Jehovah and seeking to please him!

Ahaz could have continued to use the existing altar and been just as disloyal to God as ever. Conceivably, Ahaz could have installed a different altar for some legitimate reason and continued to worship God with a pure and undivided heart. Churches can retain pews and hymnbooks and traditional calendars and be as devoid of genuine love for God as any pagan. Churches can embrace cutting edge technology and ministry out of a heart for God and the world for which He died.

The matter, then, is not so much how the gift we bring to the Lord is wrapped, but the gift itself. Does He indeed find in me one who worships “in spirit and in truth” or find in my worship only a parody of piety?

"Conspiracy Theories, Anyone?"

Scripture Passage

Isaiah 8:1-11:16

Scripture Focus

The LORD has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said,

“Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do,
     and don’t live in dread of what frightens them.
Make the LORD of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life.
     He is the one you should fear.
He is the one who should make you tremble.
     He will keep you safe.
                                      (Isaiah 8:11-14 NLT)

Observation

If you haven’t read yesterday’s passages, I encourage you to do so before tackling today’s. They set the context for Isaiah 7-11, which stands as a unit.

Bottom line, Judah is at risk of attack from a Syrian-Israeli coalition, and Isaiah has brought King Ahaz the promise of God’s deliverance if Ahaz will only respond in faith. The promise continues in today’s reading, but stretches beyond immediate deliverance for Judah to the initiation of a messianic kingdom (9:1-7) lead by a descendent of David on whom the Spirit of the Lord will rest (11:1-16), a promise we see fulfilled, of course, in Jesus of Nazareth.

The wonder is that this prophetic word carries such a pertinent challenge for today’s world. Read again Isaiah 8:11-14:

The LORD has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said,

“Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do,
     and don’t live in dread of what frightens them.
Make the LORD of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life.
     He is the one you should fear.
He is the one who should make you tremble.
     He will keep you safe.
                                   (Isaiah 11:14 NLT)

Let’s face it—conspiracy theorists abound in today’s political climate. And hear me—I’m not even discounting the potential validity of their theories! But Isaiah’s challenge to the people of God is to not be unduly concerned with abounding conspiratorial speculation as if any person or group of people somehow had the power to accomplish their own will at the expense of God’s. As someone has said, “God’s will, to be sure, is not always done on earth—but God’s will, you can be sure, shall ultimately be done on earth!”

The thing to fear, then, is not conspiracies or conspirators, but “the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!” He is the one who should make you tremble because He is the one who will keep you safe.

"It's Your Test, Dummy!"

Scripture Passage

2 Kings 15:32-38; 2 Chronicles 27:1-9; Micah 1:1-16; 2 Kings 16:1-9; 2 Chronicles 28:1-15; Isaiah 7:1-25

Scripture Focus

Later, the LORD sent this message to King Ahaz: “Ask the LORD your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want—as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead.”
But the king refused. “No,” he said, “I will not test the LORD like that.”
                                                                   (Isaiah 7:10-12 NLT)

Observation

I’m intrigued today by God’s offer and Ahaz’ refusal.

Fairly early in his reign as king of Judah, Ahaz is facing the threat of invasion from an alliance formed between Israel and Syria. When Isaiah is told to find him at “the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool” (Isaiah 7:3 NLT), Ahaz is probably busy securing the site against future enemy attack. A secure water supply would have been essential for a city under siege.

In that context, Isaiah delivers a promise from God—a promise with a conclusion that makes it clear—God’s deliverance is dependent upon Ahaz’ response of faith:

Unless your faith is firm,
     I cannot make you stand firm
                       (Isaiah 7:9 NLT)

And then, as if God’s promise might not be enough, God sweetens the pot. Through Isaiah, God delivers an additional challenge/opportunity:

“Ask the LORD your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want—as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead.” (Isaiah 7:11 NLT)

And verse 10 says…

But the king refused. “No,” he said, “I will not test the LORD like that.” (Isaiah 7:12 NLT)

Ahaz likely had in mind Deuteronomy 6:16—"Do not test the LORD your God as you did at Massah." The thing is, it wouldn’t have been Ahaz testing God in this case—God was testing Ahaz!

And Ahaz failed.  Ahaz failed for religious reasons…on religious grounds.

When God made an offer, Ahaz quoted and misapplied God’s Word, voiding the opportunity God was presenting. And it simply makes me wonder—as a religious guy…

(Oh, I know…this is not about religion but about relationship. I also know that for nearly 4/5ths of my life, I’ve proudly worn the label “Christian”…which means I’m probably carrying more Pharisaical baggage than I can possibly know.)

It simply makes me wonder—as a religious guy—how often I might be guilty of voiding God’s opportunity with my religious thinking…of times when maybe—just maybe—God was ready to do a remarkable thing, and I voided His offer (with religious objections, no less) because my heart couldn’t conceive of it. That scares me.

“Lord, when your Spirit speaks promise into my heart, do not let me cloud the promise with religious limitations. Grant that I might latch on—hard—to any offer you might make. Because I know, it’s always a good gift you offer your children!

"Surprising Compassion"

Scripture Passage

Amos 7-9:15; 2 Kings 14:28-29; 2 Kings 15:8-29; 2 Kings 15:6-7; 2 Chronicles 26:22-23; Isaiah 6:1-13

Scripture Focus

Then I said, “O Sovereign LORD, please forgive us or we will not survive, for Israel is so small.” (Amos 7:2 NLT)

Then I said, “O Sovereign LORD, please stop or we will not survive, for Israel is so small.” (Amos 7:5 NLT)

Observation

I commented yesterday on the “less than refined” approach to ministry embraced by Amos, the crusty shepherd-become-prophet of God. In contemporary nomenclature, he seems a no-holds-barred, hellfire-and-brimstone kind of guy. But today’s reading—closing out the book of Amos—gives a fuller perspective. I’m particularly taken by the opening verses of chapter 7.

In two separate visions, Amos has seen dire destruction coming upon Israel, first, as a “vast swarm of locusts over the land” (Amos 7:1) and second, as a “great fire…devouring the entire land” (Amos 7:4). In both cases, Amos’ response is to passionately cry out to God for mercy on Israel’s behalf. I’m not sure that’s the response I might have expected from one who spoke so harshly to so indifferent a people.

As the story goes…

A certain congregation hosted two candidates for the office of pastor on two consecutive Sundays. Both candidates preached on the topic of hell. The second candidate was voted in.

When asked what made the difference—why the second candidate was chosen over the first—one member responded, “When the first candidate preached on hell, it was like he was happy to see it happen. With the second, it was like he was brokenhearted that we might possibly go!”

“Lord, give me a heart more like Amos’ heart—always willing to live and speak your truth, but never in self-righteousness. Instead, give me a heart that breaks over the tragic fallout that results when people live distant from You.”

"Cut the Music, You Fat Cows!"

Scripture Passage

Amos 1-6:14

 

Scripture Focus

Away with your noisy hymns of praise!
     I will not listen to the music of your harps.
Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice,
     an endless river of righteous living.
                                   (Amos 5:23-24 NLT)

Observation

What a great book—what a remarkable prophet!

Amos was a shepherd from the southern kingdom of Judah called by God to prophesy to the northern kingdom of Israel. The focus of his challenge was against the opulent wealth and empty religion of Israel’s upper crust. See any potential problems there? A southern sheep herder telling wealthy northerners what was wrong with all their wealth and religion?

And Amos apparently hadn’t read “How To Win Friends and Influence People” before launching his ministry, either. You gotta laugh when you see the way he the way he addresses the women of Samaria—“Listen to me, you fat cows…always calling to your husbands, ‘Bring us another drink!’” (Amos 4:1 NLT).

If you can stand to hear it, though, Amos drives home powerful truth. Those in Israel who still claimed any allegiance to Yahweh were merely going through the motions—even though they may have been going through the motions with gusto! All their zealous and meticulous acts of worship did nothing to change the oppressive means by which they acquired the wealth they were enjoying. And so, God says through Amos…

Away with your noisy hymns of praise!
     I will not listen to the music of your harps.
Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice,
     an endless river of righteous living.
                                   (Amos 5:23-24 NLT)

Bottom line, religious acts mean nothing removed from righteous living. Tithing off income produced through oppressive business practices doesn’t honor God. It’s not the offering of sacrifices or the giving of tithes that God needs—it’s a people who reflect His character! Only then—when our lives reflect God’s heart—do “noisy hymns of praise” ring true!

(Addendum:  You may recall an allusion to today's text by Martin Luther King, Jr., in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. If you’ve never watched or heard the entire speech, you can find it here. I encourage you to listen to the whole thing.  Truth is, it’s more than a speech—it’s a great sermon delivered by an anointed man of God!)

"Full of Himself"

Scripture Passage

2 Kings 14:1-14; 2 Chronicles 25:1-24; 2 Kings 13:12-13; 2 Kings 14:15-16; 2 Kings 14:23-27; 2 Chronicles 25:25-28; 2 Kings 14:17-22; 2 Kings 15:1-5; 2 Chronicles 26:1-21; Jonah 1-4:11

Scripture Focus

When King Amaziah returned from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought with him idols taken from the people of Seir. He set them up as his own gods, bowed down in front of them, and offered sacrifices to them! This made the LORD very angry, and he sent a prophet to ask, “Why do you turn to gods who could not even save their own people from you?’
But the king interrupted him and said, “Since when have I made you the king’s counselor? Be quiet now before I have you killed!” (2 Chronicles 25:14-16 NLT)

Observation

It’s “full of himself” day in the Scriptures. Today’s reading opens with the story of King Amaziah of Judah. Amaziah started well.  Specifically, after hiring mercenary troops from Israel to attack Edom, Amaziah was rebuked by the man of God to dismiss the “hired guns”, and to trust in the Lord both for victory in battle *and* for the replenishment of the money wasted hiring foot soldiers now dismissed. Amaziah responded to that challenge, and God gave Judah a great victory over the Edomites.

Amaziah must have gotten bonked on the head in battle, however, as he began to pay homage to the false gods of the very nation he’d just defeated. Again the man of God delivered the obvious challenge—“Why do you turn to gods who could not even save their own people from you?” This time, however, Amaziah rebuked the man of God, persisted in his journey down “Stupid Street,” and ended up suffering defeat at the hand of the Israelites, who had tried desperately to deflect Amaziah’s challenge towards war.

Next comes the story of Uzziah, who enjoyed early success, “but when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall” (2 Chronicles 26:15 NLT).

Finally, we meet Jonah—so full of himself he can’t perceive God’s love for the people of Nineveh. Though God does a great work among the Ninevites, the book of Jonah closes with Jonah angry and pouting. What’s up with that?

The Biblical reality is this: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (1 Peter 5:5 NIV). Early success becomes lasting success only when the heart stays humble and the spirit stays willing—willing to listen and act in submission to the one whose place is “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come” (Ephesians 1:21 NIV).  So that's where I want to be—humble and willing, so that every success becomes a lasting success!

"Symbolic Snafu"

Scripture Passage

2 Kings 13:1-11; 2 Kings 12:17-21; 2 Chronicles 24:23-27; 2 Kings 13:14-25

Scripture Focus

But the man of God was angry with him. “You should have struck the ground five or six times!” he exclaimed. “Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times.” (2 Kings 13:19 NLT)

Observation

In 2 Kings 13, EliSha’s failing health prompts an emotional visit by Israel’s King Jehoash. He weeps over Elisha. “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” he cried (2 Kings 13:14). Elisha, in a deathbed directive, instructs Jehoash to get a bow and some arrows, and to fire an arrow towards the east. Elisha then announces the symbolic significance of the act—“This is the LORD’s arrow, an arrow of victory over Aram, for you will completely conquer the Arameans at Aphek” (2 Kings 13:17).

Elisha then instructs Jehoash to “pick up the other arrows and strike them against the ground.” He does so—but only three times. He’s soundly rebuked by Elisha.

“You should have struck the ground five or six times!” he exclaimed. “Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times.” (2 Kings 13:19 NLT)

I’ve always read that before and thought, “Bad form!” (on Elisha’s part, I mean). How was Jehoash supposed to know the significance of his actions? How come Elisha didn’t give him some kind of warning? Today (in contrast to past readings)…

It seems obvious to me that it should have been obvious to Jehoash that this was a symbolic action of great significance. Elisha has just had him perform a symbolic act, declared the significance of it (“This is the Lord’s arrow, and arrow of victory over Aram”), and then instructed Jehoash to strike the ground with the rest of the arrows! Jehoash should have seen it plainly—and I’m not so sure he didn’t!  But if Jehoash did understand the significance of his actions, why didn't he strike the ground agressively and repeatedly?

For the very reasons we don’t!

How often has the “man of God” said, “Lift your hands in praise, friends!” or “Can you say, ‘Amen’?” or “Won’t you respond to God’s Word by gathering around the altars?”…how often has the pastor or worship leader requested a simple but significant symbolic act on the part of the people…to which the people have responded half-heartedly, if at all?

I’m leaving it to you, today, to assess the reasons behind your lackadaisical response…I’ll be busy assessing my own! But I am reminded that these simple actions (common or not-so-common) that God asks of us are not insignificant…that powerful action on God’s part can be fueled by the simplest obedient action on our part. I need that—so I’m listening with fresh intensity, today, for God’s voice of direction.

"Spiritual Leadership: Essential!"

Scripture Passage

2 Kings 11:1-3; 2 Chronicles 22:10-12; 2 Kings 11:4-12; 2 Chronicles 23:1-11; 2 Kings 11:13-16; 2 Chronicles 23:12-15; 2 Kings 11:17-21; 2 Chronicles 23:16-21; 2 Kings 12:1-16; 2 Chronicles 24:1-22; 2 Kings 10:32-36

Scripture Focus

But after Jehoiada’s death, the leaders of Judah came and bowed before King Joash and persuaded him to listen to their advice. They decided to abandon the Temple of the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and they worshiped Asherah poles and idols instead! Because of this sin, divine anger fell on Judah and Jerusalem. (2 Chronicles 24:17-18 NLT)

Observation

Spiritual leadership is essential for every life.

Today’s reading contains the astonishing story of a seven-year-old king, Joash. As a baby, Joash had been safely tucked away when the rest of his siblings (potential heirs to the throne) were murdered by a power-hungry queen mother, Athaliah. At the age of seven, Joash’s existence was revealed, and he was (rightfully) proclaimed king in an effort spearheaded by Jehoiada the priest.

Under Jehoiada’s tutelage, Joash led wonderful reforms in Judah. The covenant was renewed, the temple repaired, and spiritual fervor restored to levels not seen since the days of Jehoshaphat. “But after Jehoiada’s death,” the Bible says…

…the leaders of Judah came and bowed before King Joash and persuaded him to listen to their advice. They decided to abandon the Temple of the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and they worshiped Asherah poles and idols instead! Because of this sin, divine anger fell on Judah and Jerusalem. (2 Chronicles 24:17-18 NLT)

I think I have some understanding of how difficult it must be to stay connected to spiritual overseers. (I say that recognizing that my whole life is centered on spiritual leadership, which puts me on a little different track than most people.) I do understand how pressing life can be in other ways and places…how difficult it can become to maintain the spiritual discipline of connection to the body of Christ…even how frustrating it can be to be led by imperfect leaders. All of that gets trumped, however, by how scattered, disconnected, and damaged lives become when spiritual leadership—however difficult or imperfect—is discarded. People who once held Christ as their first love and served Christ with passionate hearts can become so indifferent and apathetic—a place at which they themselves would never imagine arriving.

Of course, I must recognize that I need spiritual leadership in my life as much as anyone. “Help me, Father, to keep myself under the leadership of those you’ve placed over me in Christ!”

"Sorry to See You Go!"

Scripture Passage

2 Chronicles 21:8-20; 2 Kings 8:23-29; 2 Chronicles 22:1-7; 2 Kings 9-10:17; 2 Chronicles 22:8-9; 2 Kings 10:18-31

Scripture Focus

No one was sorry when he died. (2 Chronicles 21:20 NLT)

Observation

Well, the whole passage is disheartening today. Jehoram, King of Judah, suffers judgment from God in the form of a fatal disease, and then God uses a man named Jehu to carry out necessary judgment on the dynasties of both Ahab of Israel and Jehoram’s successor, Ahaziah of Judah. There’s much to be warned by and little to rejoice in.

The saddest verse of all, I think, has to be 2 Chronicles 21:20. Speaking of Jehoram, the Bible says, “No one was sorry when he died.” Is that not a remarkable statement?

My responsibilities as a pastor mean it’s not unusual for me to be around when someone dies. Some people deal with death easier than others, I know, but I’ve never known anyone who wasn’t mourned at all. I’ve seen family members relieved when someone dies, because their loved one’s suffering was ended. I’ve seen friends and families rejoice in spite of loss, because they knew the one they loved was now forever in the presence of the Lord. But even in the worst of cases, where the truth was, everyone knew the deceased had lived an absolutely selfish, hateful, egotistical life, it’s amazing how saintly they became upon their death!

Jehoram doesn’t even get that courtesy. No one was sorry when he died.

I don’t want to be there. While I hope anyone present at my funeral knows the hope I have in Christ, and refuses, then, to grieve “as those who have no hope”, still—I’ve got to admit—I hope *somebody* misses me. And I hope nobody’s happy to see me go.

Seems obvious to me that how people feel about me after I’m gone will have a lot to do with how I love them while I’m here. There’s a pretty good strategy to see that I don’t end up in Jehoram’s condition in words Jesus identifies as the greatest commandment ever:

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37-40 NIV)

Sounds like a pretty good plan.

"Horses and Chariots of Fire!"

Scripture Passage

2 Kings 5:1-8:15

Scripture Focus

“Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. (2 Kings 6:16-17 NLT)

Observation

Again today—so many great stories…so many rich challenges. I love, especially, one challenge from the story of Namaan—how easily pride stands between us and God’s solution to our biggest challenges!

However, today my heart has settled on the remarkable story of Elisha and the Aramean army that begins in 2 Kings 6:8. Long story short, surrounded by that enemy army, Elisha prays that his troubled servant’s eyes would be opened in order that he might *really* see what was going on. “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The Bible says…

The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. (2 Kings 6:17)

Years ago, author Frank Peretti wrote a series of books giving us a glimpse into the spiritual realities we so easily ignore. More recently, I have been reminded of how the impact of the Enlightenment and the resulting value the Western world places on rationalism has significantly narrowed our ability to understand and process our lives. The Scriptures, by contrast, reflect a world-view much more open to spiritual realities that exist beyond the boundaries of the scientific mind. The Bible reminds us that there is more to life than what can be seen under a microscope or measured in the laboratory.

And so my prayer for myself today matches Elisha’s prayer for his young servant—“Open my eyes, Lord, and let me see!” Let me see the forces I face and the help that is at hand—divine “horses and chariots of fire!”

"Why Go Today?"

Scripture Passage

2 Kings 2:1-25; 2 Kings 4:1-44

Scripture Focus

“Why go today?” he asked. “It is neither a new moon festival nor a Sabbath.” (2 Kings 4:23 NLT)

Observation

Today’s reading details a series of remarkable miracles God accomplished through the hand of his servant, Elisha. Not the least of these miracles, reminiscent of God’s promise to Sarah and Abraham, was a miracle given in "promise form" to a childless woman well along in years. “Next year at this time you will be holding a son in your arms!” (2 Kings 4:16 NLT).

God’s promise through Elisha comes true, but some time later the boy suffers some sort of affliction and dies. However, instead of calling the mortician, the mother places the body of her son in a room often used by Elisha, and requests of her husband “one of the servants and a donkey so that I can hurry to the man of God and come right back” (1 Kings 4:22 NLT). It’s his response that captures my attention:

“Why go today?” he asked. “It is neither a new moon festival nor a Sabbath.” (2 Kings 4:23 NLT)

The father’s casual response revealed his failure to comprehend the urgency of the moment. The mother’s purposeful response showed the opposite—that she understood how significant this moment was. The father’s casualness in sending the boy home to his mother in the first place, and then his lack of inquiry as to the boy’s condition, reflected his unhealthy preoccupation with “business concerns.” The mother’s tenacity in connecting to the power of God (in this case, through God’s servant) reflected her understanding that nothing else would adequately address her need.

The father’s words—“Why go today?”—warn me that I can miss what is urgent in the middle of what seems important—that I can all too easily minimize the utter necessity of experiencing God's touch in the press of daily concerns.

“Open my eyes, Lord, to that which matters most—your touch, your work in my life—that I might lay aside the pressing to pursue the irreplaceable.”

"A Different World"

Scripture Passage

2 Kings 1:1-18; 2 Kings 3:1-27; 1 Kings 22:41-49; 2 Chronicles 20:31-37; 1 Kings 22:50; 2 Chronicles 21:1-4; 2 Kings 8:16-22; 2 Chronicles 21:5-7

Scripture Focus

Once more the king sent a third captain with fifty men. But this time the captain went up the hill and fell to his knees before Elijah. He pleaded with him, “O man of God, please spare my life and the lives of these, your fifty servants.” (2 Kings 1:13 NLT)

Observation

It’s just a different world—the world of Scripture versus the world of today. Here’s Elijah, the prophet of God, who supernaturally comes to know that Israel’s king, Ahaziah, has chosen to inquire of the false god Baal-Zebub instead of Jehovah, the God of Israel (and all else). So Elijah interrupts the inquiry with a message for the king—“You’ll not recover because you inquired of this false god instead of Israel’s true God!”

Unhappy with both the interruption and the news, King Ahaziah sends an army captain and fifty men to arrest Elijah. These men are promptly destroyed by fire from heaven. So Ahaziah sends fifty more. These men are promptly destroyed by fire from heaven. Can you imagine being the captain of the third contingent of fifty soldiers?

“O man of God, please spare my life and the lives of these, your fifty servants.”

Now there’s a guy who had it figured out. Elijah honored that and spared his life and the lives of his men, and traveled with them to deliver his message of rebuke to the king personally.

My thoughts, this morning, are not so much about the story itself—my thoughts, this morning, are where I started this brief note… It’s just a different world—the world of Scripture versus the world of today.

Or is it?

“Elijah was a man just like us,” James says. “He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops” (James 5:17-18 NIV).

Now, that passage is not about today’s incident—but it is about today’s God…who’s just the same as He was in Elijah’s day…and about Elijah, who was “a man just like us.” So maybe it’s not our world that’s changed—I’m sure it’s not our God who’s changed—maybe it’s us.

Maybe, with our left-brain dominated, rationalistic culture, we miss some ways God would like to move…ways God would like to speak. Maybe there’s revelation knowledge and fire from heaven to be had—to those who dare to be open to it. Maybe it’s not about all we know or think we understand, but about who we know—the God who’s ways infinitely exceed our puny understanding. Maybe if we did less rationalizing and more listening and believing, we’d see and know what Elijah saw and knew. Just wondering…

"Put the Musicians at the Head of the Parade!"

Scripture Passage

1 Kings 22:10-28; 2 Chronicles 18:9-27; 1 Kings 22:29-35; 2 Chronicles 18:28-34; 1 Kings 22:36-40; 1 Kings 22:51-53; 2 Chronicles 19-20:30

Scripture Focus

“After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the LORD and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang:

“Give thanks to the LORD;
     his faithful love endures forever!”
                        (2 Chronicles 20:21 NLT)

Observation

Once again, we’ve stumbled into one of my favorite Biblical stories. Judah is in trouble, being attacked by the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites. King Jehoshaphat does not know what to do and cries out to God in a desperate prayer!

“O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.” (2 Chronicles 20:12 NLT)

And the Spirit of God moves in a way any 21st century Pentecostal believer would rejoice in. A man named Jahaziel begins to prophetically declare God’s promise of victory. The beautiful thing is—the people receive it, believe it, and prepare to act! Early the next morning, the army sets out for the battle field. And on the way, Jehoshaphat has an idea.

“After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the LORD and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang:

“Give thanks to the LORD;
     his faithful love endures forever!”
                      (2 Chronicles 20:21 NLT)

Okay—as a musician—though I’m somewhat grateful I wasn’t actually there and called on to participate that day, I’ve got to tell you—I love it that the musicians led the charge! It was really nothing more than a faith-filled response to God’s promise—but…well…that’s what really matters, isn't it?  It was a faith-filled response to what God had promised.

God said He’d deliver, and God’s people praised Him for it, believing what He’d said. And guess what? God did just what He promised He’d do.

Perhaps it’s coincidence, or perhaps divine providence. But this post goes out on Sunday—and today is an opportunity to “sing to the Lord and praise him for his holy splendor.” Who knows what might happen if the people of God dare, today, to praise Him as faith-fully as the people of Judah did that day? I say we give it a shot!

"The Pouting King"

Scripture Passage

1 Kings 20:23-22:9; 2 Chronicles 18:1-8

Scripture Focus

“So Ahab went home angry and sullen because of Naboth’s answer. The king went to bed with his face to the wall and refused to eat!” (1 Kings 21:4 NLT)

Observation

This is a fascinating scene, isn’t it? Ahab is Israel’s king but when he doesn’t get his way, he goes home, sits on his bed, and pouts! Seems to be something of a habit for Ahab, as that had been his response to a different situation in the previous chapter—“So the king of Israel went home to Samaria angry and sullen” (1 Kings 20:43 NLT).

This guy’s a piece of work, isn’t he?

Of course, so am I. I’ve been known to pout a time or two when I couldn’t get my way. So the truth is, I don’t have much of a complaint to lodge against Ahab. But I do have at least one good lesson to learn from him:

Staking my claim on what God has already said isn’t mine is a losing proposition every time.

That is the case here, you know. The vineyard Ahab wanted was Naboth’s by right—land given to his family when God gave Israel the land of Canaan. But Ahab wasn’t happy with what God had provided, and decided to take what he wanted regardless of what God had said. (Really, that’s been humanity’s behavior since the beginning, ala Adam and Eve.)

The thing is, that’s been my behavior more than once. I’m not beyond taking what God hasn’t provided, either—whether it’s a purchase of some item I know I can’t afford, or the presumption of authority that’s not mine by right. I can be just as guilty as Ahab of pouting over what I want when God’s already said “no”—and then taking it anyway. How foolish—especially when God has plainly promised to supply all I really need as I put my trust in Him.

“Lord, I’m not as different from wicked Ahab as I’d like to think I am. Prod me when I pout, rebuke me when I’m tempted to take what isn’t mine, and challenge me by your Spirit to trust your full and generous supply of exactly what I need!”

"The People Were Completely Silent"

Scripture Passage

1 Kings 17:8-20:22

Scripture Focus

“…the people were completely silent.” (1 Kings 18:21 NLT)

Observation

Where to start?  There's so much to note!  When we get to Elijah (as someone has said), “It’s like drinking from a fire hose!”

Don’t you love it when Elijah says to the widow woman, “…make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son” (1 Kings 17:13 NLT). What an opportunity for that woman to express whole-hearted trust in God! Will I see that opportunity when it comes my way today, Lord?

And then Elijah prepares to present himself to Ahab and challenge the prophets of Baal. I love the wonderful, honest, almost comical image of Obadiah’s appeals to Elijah—“And now you say, ‘Go and tell your master, “Elijah is here.”’ But as soon as I leave you, the Spirit of the LORD will carry you away to who knows where” (1 Kings 18:11-12 NLT).

Who doesn’t love the great confrontation between Elijah—and Elijah’s God, really—and the prophets of the false god Baal? “At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed… (1 Kings 18:36 NLT)” God answers—definitively!

I love Elijah’s faith—when, to him, a cloud “the size of a man’s hand” (1 Kings 18:44 NLT) signals a thunderstorm that would make a Kansan proud. I understand Elijah’s deflated emotions—even after a great spiritual victory (1 Kings 19:10).

But the one (quick, I promise) thing that’s caught my attention today…something I’d never noticed before…was the people’s response when Elijah first issued the challenge to choose up sides—Jehovah or Baal—on Mount Carmel.

“…the people were completely silent” (1 Kings 18:21 NLT).

Bottom line, that’s not where I want to be when the challenge rings out. *Before* the miracle, I want to be where the people were *after* the miracle—

“The LORD—he is God! Yes, the LORD is God!” (1 Kings 18:39 NLT)

So help me today, Lord, to never be slow or silent concerning who You are or faithless regarding Your readiness to act. If I’m not the one issuing the challenge, I at least want to be the one declaring Your praise!

"You Missed Your Chance"

Scripture Passage

1 Kings 15:16-22; 2 Chronicles 16:1-10; 1 Kings 16:1-34; 1 Kings 15:23-24; 2 Chronicles 16:11-17:19; 1 Kings 17:1-7

Scripture Focus

At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa and told him, “Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram instead of in the LORD your God, you missed your chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram.” (2 Chronicles 16:7 NLT)

Observation

It is one of the saddest phrases in the English language—“you missed your chance.” But that’s exactly what happened to King Asa of Judah, after Judah had been attacked by mercenary soldiers hired by Israel.

Asa figured he’d solve his problem with money. Since these were “for hire” soldiers from Aram, all Asa had to do was offer more money than Israel had paid, and the money-grubbers would turncoat before the ink dried on the check. He was right about that.

What he missed, however, was the divine deliverance God had planned—a deliverance that involved relief from Israel and even more—the defeat of the very soldiers Asa had just bought off.

As it was, since Asa put his trust in the king of Aram instead of in the LORD his God, he “missed [his] chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram.”

You see, though Asa didn’t perceive it, God was up to something really good (He always is). He was on full alert (He always is), scouring the land (He always is), just looking for someone who might be trusting in Him (He…well, you get the picture).

And with an opportunity like that—what a horrible loss. Worse than a military loss, Asa missed his chance…his chance to be blessed by God, delivered by God, and provided for by God in ways that exceeded his ability to believe.

I don’t want to be there. I don’t ever want to miss a divine chance like that. I want to live knowing…perceiving…fully aware that God’s looking for me to trust Him so He can surprise me with blessing!

"Accept No Substitutes"

Scripture Passage

1 Kings 13-14:18; 1 Kings 14:21-24; 2 Chronicles 12:13-14; 2 Chronicles 11:18-23; 2 Chronicles 12:1-12; 1 Kings 14:25-28; 2 Chronicles 12:13-16; 1 Kings 14:29-15:5; 2 Chronicles 13:1-22; 1 Kings 15:6-8; 2 Chronicles 14:1-8; 1 Kings 15:9-15; 1 Kings 14:19-20; 1 Kings 15:25-34; 2 Chronicles 14:9-15

Scripture Focus

“So King Shishak of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem. He ransacked the treasuries of the LORD’s Temple and the royal palace; he stole everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made. 10 King Rehoboam later replaced them with bronze shields as substitutes…” (2 Chronicles 12:9-10 NLT)

Observation

The kingdom of Israel—so significant and powerful under Solomon—is crumbling fast. Israel has become two nations—Israel and Judah—with two kings—Rehoboam and Jeroboam. And both of those nations are collapsing at breakneck speed.

In Judah’s case particularly, the nation is attacked by Egypt, and Shishak, King of Egypt, enriches his nation’s treasury by taking from Israel 500 gold shields (200 large, 300 small—see 1 Kings 10:16-17) that Solomon had made and used in decorating the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. Rehoboam, the Bible says, “replaced them with bronze shields as substitutes.”

Makes me wonder about us—individually and corporately—…about what’s been taken from us and how we’ve substituted for it. I’m thinking specifically about the richness of corporate life…the vitality of relationship…the abiding sense of the presence of the Lord…the realizations and expectations surrounding the resurrection of Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit…that characterized the church we read about in the book of Acts—and how we’ve traded that for…well, I’m not sure what we’ve traded it for—efficiency? relevance? good strategic planning?

Hey, you know I love the word “strategic,” so there’s part of me that has no problem with that! Plenty of what I’ve seen in the name of Spirit-filled life and ministry has seemed to me to have been so scattered, diffused, and self-serving. Still…still…there was a genuineness…a reality present in the people of God that I read about in Acts—and that I’ve seen on occasion in my own experience—that we cannot afford to be without. We cannot afford to substitute bronze shields for “shields of gold.”

“Do not put out the Spirit's fire,” Paul says. “Do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good” (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 NIV). In light of today’s reading—don’t settle for bronze replacements. Pursue and embrace “shields of gold.”