I can’t help but see the same cycles which Judah experienced occurring in our nation today. In 1973 we permitted the taking of human life in the womb for the sake of not being saddled with the responsibility of raising unwanted children. Since then, we have lurched from one president to another who each seem to be opposites on their stand to the taking of human life in the womb. With each cycle we seem to move a little more toward a president who is more permissive of the murder of children in the womb or partially born or in some cases infanticide. Last spring president Obama addressed Planned Parenthood. He proudly announced his support of preserving ‘women’s rights’ to privacy of their own bodies. The code words take the focus of what is being destroyed onto what is supposedly being preserved. But if we are indeed destroying innocent human life, then what kind of rights are we preserving? We are preserving the right to destroy a human being who is created in the image of God. We are lashing out at the Creator who made us.
2 Kings 24:3–4 Surely at the commandment of the LORD this came upon Judah, to remove them from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, and also because of the innocent blood that he had shed; for he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, which the LORD would not pardon.What is the ‘innocent blood’ which Manasseh shed? Is it God’s glory that He would not pardon it? Manasseh had led the nation in sacrificing children to Molech. He even made his own sons pass through the fire. While Manasseh repented of it later, the damage was done. He made it culturally acceptable in his time. His repentance did not carry over to all of the people. Yes, there was a temporary revival under Josiah where the people seemed to repent, but inside rebellion was rife. As soon as Josiah died, and his evil son was on the throne, the people returned to their old ways. The Lord would not pardon, and rightly so. If there is not repentance, how can there be pardon?
Thousands of year later in a land far away, our land, we still sacrifice our offspring to the god of our own pleasures. Even if president Obama were to repent, I fear it is too late. We may postpone the judgment of God by a temporary revival, as did Josiah, but judgment is coming. Too much innocent blood has been shed. The judgment will bring glory to God, but men will not recognize it. The souls of innocent slain in heaven will recognize it and give glory to Him, and so will I. Yes, forgiveness is available to individuals who repent and trust in the Lord, but corporately, I do not think He will pardon. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Taken from the western end of the Hinnom Valley looking through the length of the valley to the East. In the distance modern Silwan is seen where the Hinnom meets the Kidron Valley. Manasseh sacrificed his sons to Molech in the valley. The nation followed suit. After the exile the nation turned it into a garbage dump where garbage was constantly burning. By Jesus’ day the valley had become called Gehennah, a corruption of the Hebrew, Ben Hinnnom. Gehennah became a metaphor for Hell because of its constant smoldering and rotting garbage. Judas was buried at the Eastern end of the Valley, the Potters Field. Today it is kind of a park and pleasant to walk through, although its cliffs are riddled with tombs and graves.
Psalm 131
When our oldest was a couple of months old, Laura and I went to my grandfather’s farm for the afternoon. Plenty of aunts and grandmas were there so we took advantage of the time went for a walk in the woods with some of my cousins. I guess we were gone too long for the baby. He was throwing a fit, and he did not want the backup bottle. I never will forget the look on the face of one of my aunts as we walked up to the house. It was a look of simultaneous desperation and relief. His crying had caught everyone’s attention for the last 15 minutes because no one could quiet him.
In a culture where baby bottles, formula and sippy cups did not exist, this Psalm probably made a lot more immediate sense. But anyone who has raised children from birth can relate to this. A new born has only two ways to communicate to his mother that he is hungry. He can root around with his mouth looking for a place to latch on, or he can cry until he gets fed. Weaning came a little later in Biblical times, often around three years of age. By that time a child had gained the ability to eat solid foods, and the ability to wait until the appropriate time to eat. Meals were more laborious to prepare than in our society. Snacks were not as common, and refrigerators non-existent. When an un-weaned child wanted food usually only one person could satisfy him. Woe be to those watching the child until she is available to satisfy him! The weaned child, however, has learned not to be so demanding. Physically he does not need to be fed on demand. He can quiet himself just by being held by his mother. He knows that food will come at the appropriate time. If he needs comforting, his mother’s embrace is enough.
As you know, the New Testament likens our spiritual life to being born again (John 1:12; 3:1-18; 1 Cor. 3:1; Heb. 5:13; 1 Peter 2:2). When we receive Jesus, we need the milk of the Word to cause us to grow. Receiving the milk on a regular basis enables us to grow. When the growing pains of the hunger of life tie our spiritual stomachs in knots, it is the milk of the Word that comforts us. But it is sad when something happens to a child so that he never grows up. We need to be weaned. We need to learn to eat solid foods:
For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Hebrews 5:13,14Using the milk of the Word, application, enables us to eat the meat of the Word which is a discernment of good and evil in relation to Scripture because the Holy Spirit has empowered us to obey the Word. Consequently, when hunger pains of life assault our stomachs, we can come to the Lord and quiet our souls in Him knowing that the appropriate time is coming when those pains will be relieved. We have experienced His glory enough to know that only He will satisfy, and He will satisfy at the appropriate time. We need not be frantic when life does not roll as we think it ought. We learn to be comforted by just His presence. Nor should we be frantic when spiritual babes are crying their heads off for milk. We just take them to the milk of the word, and try to help them understand how to use it in their situation. That is His glory! He causes us to grow and to be quieted in the pains of life! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
HABAKKUK 1
13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness. Why do You look on those who deal treacherously, And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours A person more righteous than he? Obviously, Habakkuk does not mean literally that cannot see evil; otherwise, He could not judge it. Clearly, the meaning Is that God does not look upon evil with favor. Yet why does it always seem that the wicked get away with their evil? That is the point of this little book. The answer is simply, “God’s eyes are indeed too pure to behold evil.” He will eventually judge. We just have to wait and be patient. His waiting on judgment is giving us time to repent. If I think about it that way, then wow, He is really merciful, even in His justice. Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
HEBREWS 8
The writer of Hebrews now clearly reveals the main point of his letter and it is simply this: the glory of Christ as our High Priest. The priesthood and tabernacle, which were brought into existence through Moses, were simply copies and shadows of what Jesus would be, become and do in order to rescue His defiled creation from the sin that we chose to bring upon ourselves. His ministry is much better than any of the ministries of the Jewish priests. His ministry is much better than any pastor's ministry today. His is the real thing. Ours only give partial glimpses at what He is doing. His covenant is much better than the covenant God made with the nation of Israel. The covenant God made with Israel had blessings and curses. If the people obeyed the covenant stipulations, the law, then they would be blessed and could live in the land. If the people disobeyed the covenant stipulations, the law, then they would be cursed and driven out of the land. The law was written on stone tablets for the people to observe and to try to obey. His covenant has a law that is written on our hearts. When His covenant (inaugurated in His blood) comes in its full force (at His return), my job will be obsolete. No one will teach or exhort another any more to know the Lord. We will all know the Lord. Our sins and lawless deeds He will remember no more. He will take away even the very presence of sin. What a High Priest! He brings a real change to our lives with our cooperation! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
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