The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Kings 15:29-30,
"As soon as he [Baasha] began to reign, he killed Jeroboam's whole family. He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all, according to the word of the Lord given through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. This happened because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had caused Israel to commit, and because he aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel."
King Jeroboam's son, Nadab, succeeded him on the throne of northern Israel. After a mere two years of ruling Israel and continuing in the idolatry of his father, Nadab was assassinated by a man named Baasha. When Baasha took the throne he killed all of Jeroboam's family. This prevented anyone from attempting to turn the throne back to Jeroboam's family. We are told in the above passage that these things came about because Jeroboam had "aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel." This Jeroboam did by pursuing the evil idolatry that turned Israel away from the Lord - it also included child sacrifice (they burned to death their own children in worship to these disgusting idols - just as abominable as the abortion practice of today).
While the full extent of the Lord's anger against Jeroboam did not manifest itself immediately - it came to visit his family with certainty. There would be absolutely no avoiding the Lord's judgment of Jeroboam and his family once he had earned and aroused the Lord's anger.
Unstoppable, like a massive freight train that has left the station and headed right at us, full steam, the Lord's judgment is unavoidable, indomitable, insurmountable and invincible. Each person who has ever lived will have to face this same God of Israel on judgment day for each and every sin ever committed.
The payment for sin will be an unending eternal death for all. All, that is, except for those who have fled to the Savior, Jesus Christ, for refuge from the devastating and staggering judgment of God. The death of Jesus Christ on the cross was payment for sins. The sins of all mankind, not just a few. "He [Jesus Christ] is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2:2.
All who seek the Lord's forgiveness of sins will find it in their embrace of Jesus Christ in faith. Those who do not seek the Lord's forgiveness will face the Lord's judgment, the expression of his righteous anger just as Jeroboam's family did.
It all boils down to one simple reality: do you fear the Lord? Do you have a healthy reverence for the one who will, with certitude, cast you, on the basis of your sins, into a fiery lake of burning sulfur, Revelation 21:8? We read in Proverbs 1:7, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Perhaps it is well to keep in mind, "It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:31.
"As soon as he [Baasha] began to reign, he killed Jeroboam's whole family. He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all, according to the word of the Lord given through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. This happened because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had caused Israel to commit, and because he aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel."
King Jeroboam's son, Nadab, succeeded him on the throne of northern Israel. After a mere two years of ruling Israel and continuing in the idolatry of his father, Nadab was assassinated by a man named Baasha. When Baasha took the throne he killed all of Jeroboam's family. This prevented anyone from attempting to turn the throne back to Jeroboam's family. We are told in the above passage that these things came about because Jeroboam had "aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel." This Jeroboam did by pursuing the evil idolatry that turned Israel away from the Lord - it also included child sacrifice (they burned to death their own children in worship to these disgusting idols - just as abominable as the abortion practice of today).
While the full extent of the Lord's anger against Jeroboam did not manifest itself immediately - it came to visit his family with certainty. There would be absolutely no avoiding the Lord's judgment of Jeroboam and his family once he had earned and aroused the Lord's anger.
Unstoppable, like a massive freight train that has left the station and headed right at us, full steam, the Lord's judgment is unavoidable, indomitable, insurmountable and invincible. Each person who has ever lived will have to face this same God of Israel on judgment day for each and every sin ever committed.
The payment for sin will be an unending eternal death for all. All, that is, except for those who have fled to the Savior, Jesus Christ, for refuge from the devastating and staggering judgment of God. The death of Jesus Christ on the cross was payment for sins. The sins of all mankind, not just a few. "He [Jesus Christ] is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2:2.
All who seek the Lord's forgiveness of sins will find it in their embrace of Jesus Christ in faith. Those who do not seek the Lord's forgiveness will face the Lord's judgment, the expression of his righteous anger just as Jeroboam's family did.
It all boils down to one simple reality: do you fear the Lord? Do you have a healthy reverence for the one who will, with certitude, cast you, on the basis of your sins, into a fiery lake of burning sulfur, Revelation 21:8? We read in Proverbs 1:7, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Perhaps it is well to keep in mind, "It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:31.
A word to the wise, "... worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:28-29.
This is exactly why we celebrate Christmas! God has made a way for us through his Son, Jesus Christ! He is our only hope and our only refuge from God's horrific judgment, our great Savior, Jesus Christ!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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