October 22, 2010

2 Kings 3
What does God require of you? Jehoram put away the Baals of his fathers, yet he was still termed as evil. He worshipped the idols of Jeroboam. Why was that so evil? After all Jeroboam still worshipped the Lord. It was just that he used the golden calves as a representation of the Lord. At least he wasn’t sacrificing children to idols as did the Moabites. Well, first of all, the making of images in order to worship the Lord is forbidden in the second commandment. Second of all, the use of the images was for the express purpose of manipulating the people politically. Religion and politics do indeed make strange bedfellows. Jehoram was intent only upon one thing, remaining the top dog of Israel. He would do so by the use of any available tool, including the Lord.
Having committed himself to subduing the rebellious Moabites, he finds himself stranded with his armies and no water to give them to drink. Jehoram is quick to blame the Lord. Jehoshaphat calls for a prophet of the Lord. Elisha prophesies that the Lord will provide water. It happens. The three armies proceed to attack Moab. Moab is doing their best to resist Israel, Judah and Edom, but they are fiercely outnumbered. In one desperate attempt to avoid destruction, the king of Moab sacrifices his own son upon the wall to his god, Chemosh. Shouldn’t that be motivation to the Israelites to destroy such wickedness? No, indeed, it had the opposite effect. The Israelite, who didn’t really know their god, succumbed to their superstitious ways. They were afraid of what Chemosh might do. They knew not the glory of their Lord. Why? They did not know what the Lord required of them. 120 years later Micah would answer the question, “To do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God!” Did they walk humbly with their God? Absolutely not! The Lord was someone to be manipulated. Since they could not manipulate Him, they turned to other gods, which could be manipulated and used to manipulate others. They forgot the glory of our Lord. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

1 Timothy 2
There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. It is the glory of Christ that He is the only Mediator between God and men. Why is that? It is pretty exclusive. Many theological voices are in our world today that proclaim that Jesus is just one among many. “Sure,” they would say, “He is a mediator. But there are many mediators.” Yet this verse is very clear. There is one God and one Mediator between God and men. No one else can bring them together. Only He can do that. Why? Only Jesus has both the eternal nature of God and the perfect nature of a real human being. Only such a Being could pay the eternal price of death for sin and over come it. Only He is qualified to come between God and men—He is perfect God and perfect Man.
When I focus on that glory, what should it produce? It should drive us to intercessions, prayers and supplications and giving of thanks for all men, for leaders and for those in authority. Why? Because our Mediator has chosen to respond to our prayers. He has chosen to cause people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth, when we pray. He delights to include us into His glory. The first step to our being included (after meditation on His glory) is prayer. Our mediator has somewhat limited Himself to our prayers. He does this so that we can be part of His glory. In due time, He gives open doors, power and ability to powerfully testify of His glory. He does this, so that, others might be saved. Oh let us press on to know Him and share in His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John