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 2 Chronicles 11:4,
"Do not go up to fight against your fellow Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing."
When the northern ten tribes split from Judah and Benjamin, following King Rehoboam's foolishness and folly, the Lord told Rehoboam not to fight against them. It was his doing.
We live in a world where many of us assume everything that happens is our doing. However, from the Scriptures we find that not all that takes place in our world is our doing. Sometimes things happen that have its origin elsewhere, from the lofty heights of heaven itself, and that, right from our Creator's own hands.
I am entirely convinced that many of the things we see in the news today have their origin in the will and determination of God. I don't intend to say that all things that take place find its cause in heaven, I'm certain that the fallen nature of mankind has wrought all kinds of evil here on earth.
I suspect we can assume Rehoboam felt the northern ten tribes departure from him was an evil, but it actually was an action of God in pursuit of his agenda of the redemption of mankind. The Lord was busy preparing Israel for her coming Savior.
The rub comes in trying to determine that which has its origin in heaven, and that which has its origin elsewhere. The Sanhedrin faced this dilemma when they were confronted by the evangelistic activity of the apostles. As many religious leaders are apt to do, they felt threatened (by this new movement of followers of Jesus Christ) and sought to put them to death. A wise Pharisee named Gamaliel intervened and said, "Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." Acts 5:38-40.
As I say, the rub comes in determining what it is we see taking place in the world: is it from God or elsewhere? I'm afraid all too many who are not that acquainted with the Scriptures, make assumptions and really have no way of knowing - including many of our "religious leaders."
Here is yet again a very important reason to keep our noses in our Bibles. We can all have our opinions about what we see about us, but only those who have taken the time, energy and effort to know the Lord by what he has revealed to us in the pages of Scripture have any hope of knowing the origin of things about us.
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.
"Do not go up to fight against your fellow Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing."
When the northern ten tribes split from Judah and Benjamin, following King Rehoboam's foolishness and folly, the Lord told Rehoboam not to fight against them. It was his doing.
We live in a world where many of us assume everything that happens is our doing. However, from the Scriptures we find that not all that takes place in our world is our doing. Sometimes things happen that have its origin elsewhere, from the lofty heights of heaven itself, and that, right from our Creator's own hands.
I am entirely convinced that many of the things we see in the news today have their origin in the will and determination of God. I don't intend to say that all things that take place find its cause in heaven, I'm certain that the fallen nature of mankind has wrought all kinds of evil here on earth.
I suspect we can assume Rehoboam felt the northern ten tribes departure from him was an evil, but it actually was an action of God in pursuit of his agenda of the redemption of mankind. The Lord was busy preparing Israel for her coming Savior.
The rub comes in trying to determine that which has its origin in heaven, and that which has its origin elsewhere. The Sanhedrin faced this dilemma when they were confronted by the evangelistic activity of the apostles. As many religious leaders are apt to do, they felt threatened (by this new movement of followers of Jesus Christ) and sought to put them to death. A wise Pharisee named Gamaliel intervened and said, "Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." Acts 5:38-40.
As I say, the rub comes in determining what it is we see taking place in the world: is it from God or elsewhere? I'm afraid all too many who are not that acquainted with the Scriptures, make assumptions and really have no way of knowing - including many of our "religious leaders."
Here is yet again a very important reason to keep our noses in our Bibles. We can all have our opinions about what we see about us, but only those who have taken the time, energy and effort to know the Lord by what he has revealed to us in the pages of Scripture have any hope of knowing the origin of things about us.
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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