Finding a Remedy - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 36:16,

"They mocked God's messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy."

This observation is made of that fateful day when the last of Israel would be destroyed and a remnant of Jews hauled off to a seventy year captivity in Babylon.

There may be those who find room in their hearts to be disgusted with the Jews of that day. However, I believe Israel's shortcomings, her sins, her rebellion against God, her proclivity to displace God in their lives with whatever, is a picture of the condition of the human heart - all of us. The airing of Israel's sin and rebellion against God provides us a good look at the sinful condition of all mankind.

I note the Jews then mocked God's messengers. Those who penned our Bibles are God's messengers to us of our day. The faithless today do the very same thing as they mock the Scriptures and those who teach it. Not only did Israel mock the prophets, they also despised what the prophets had to say. The same is true today. Many in our day despise what our Bibles have to say.

Eventually the Jews of that day aroused the Lord's wrath, "there was no remedy". This is exactly the fate of the faithless today. God's judgment of each one of us for the sins we have ever committed is looming on the horizon. There is still time for people to turn to him, but at some point there will be no remedy.

If we but place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, there will be a remedy for us on judgment day. An ample remedy that restores us into God's grace as righteous in his sight, no matter how we have sinned, no matter what we have done.

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!

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Worship, God's Way - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 35:6,

"Slaughter the Passover lambs, consecrate yourselves and prepare the lambs for your fellow Israelites, doing what the Lord commanded through Moses."

King Josiah, Judah's last good king (four evil kings would follow by the time the Lord destroyed Jerusalem) reversed the rebellious course his father, King Amon had taken. The above verse is in reference to the Passover celebration Josiah re-instituted.

I note Josiah had the people worship the Lord as the Lord had commanded through Moses when it came to the Passover celebration. The Lord himself determined how he would be worshiped by his people.

One thing we learn about the instructions the Lord gave regarding how he wanted to be worshiped is that the elements contained in the worship are educational. The Passover was particularly instructive for the people to understand the nature of Jesus Christ's atonement for our sins on the cross.

Just as the blood of the Passover lamb applied to the door posts provided protection from the death angel of God while Israel was preparing to leave Egypt, so the blood of Jesus Christ's sacrifice protects all who apply it to their lives, by faith, from the judgment of eternal death at the great white throne following this age. Worship, among other things, is instructive. One of the many reasons to follow the Lord's instructions on worship.

In all the examples of worship provided us in the Scriptures, particularly in the book of Psalms, we find either or both of God's character and nature or the awesome works of God extolled. Worship necessarily observes the transcendent greatness and goodness of God to express our reverence for, our adoration of, and devotion to the Lord. Thus, worship becomes instructive.

Public worship also has an evangelistic outreach element in that any and all who may not be among the faithful, yet in the presence of the congregation of worship can learn what all the fuss is about.

How well versed are we in both the instructions and the examples of the worship of our Lord from the pages of Scripture? Do the "roll-your-own" practices of today's "worship" accomplish the Lord's desires? Maybe some do? Maybe some don't? What might we want to pursue in our worship of the Lord as we learn from the prophets writings on worship?

Just thinking out loud here.

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!

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No Shelf Life On the Bible - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 34:24-25,

"This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people—all the curses written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah. Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all that their hands have made, my anger will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched."

These are the words given the prophetess Huldah for King Josiah of Judah - a message of the Lord's coming wrath. By this time the northern kingdom of Israel had been destroyed by Assyria at the Lord's hands, and now the same fate awaits the southern kingdom. The words were against the nation and not the king himself. Josiah was a good king, the sixteenth monarch of Judah and her last good one. Four more kings would follow before Judah's destruction, all evil in the eyes of the Lord.

The occasion for the prophecy was the finding of Israel's neglected and lost Bible. At the king's direction, the temple was restored and the book of the law was found. When it was read to Josiah, he tore his robes as he bereaved the rejection and rebellion against the Lord his predecessors led the nation in. He sent officials to the prophetess to inquire about the Lord's great anger that was surely coming to them.

The law was given to Moses following the Exodus from Egypt that took place some time around 1400 BC. The time that Josiah reigned in Judah was 640-608 BC, some 800 years later. It was that law of God given Moses the nation was now going to be judged by. I notice there is no shelf-life to the word of God.

What God has said in our Bibles stands just as authentic, authoritative and "operational" today as the day he gave it to his prophets. I am reminded of Jesus words, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished." Matthew 5:17.

If anyone has the outlook that what the Lord had to say was so long ago, it doesn't matter anymore... need to take note. Every bit of it is in full effect and matters just as if it had been given to prophets this morning. 

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!

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A Painful Tactic of the Lord - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 33:12,

"In his [King Manasseh's] distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors."

In this account we learn an oft repeated explanation as to how the Lord gets our attention.

Manasseh was one of Judah's most evil kings. Just listen to this description: "He [Manasseh] did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, 'My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever.' In both courts of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. He sacrificed his children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger." Verses 2-6.

With Manasseh leading the nation in the opposite direction the Lord wanted in his effort to prepare Israel for her coming Messiah, the Lord took action: "So the Lord brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon." Verse 11.

The Lord's action provided the exact response he wanted, "And when he [Manasseh] prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God." Verse 13.

This is how the Lord gets our attention when he desires it. We read of this tactic of the Lord throughout the Scriptures. It is in bold display in the book of Judges where we see a cycle the nation repeats with the Lord over and over. The people live in a prosperous peace (provided them by the Lord), then the people follow their proclivity to turn from the Lord, then the Lord brings hardship on the people to get their attention, then the people return to God. Just like we read of Manasseh in this chapter.

The Lord is very effective in this. He also applies this tactic on a personal level with us, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent." Revelation 3:19. The wise keep themselves from the difficulties the Lord can bring to straighten us out. Me, I have the bruises and scars that represent many a time the Lord has had to get me back on the straight and narrow.

How about you?

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!

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With us is the Lord our God to help us and fight our battles - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 32:7-8,

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles."

Following Hezekiah's cleansing and restoration of the temple and the temple worship, the Assyrian king, Sennacherib came with his massive army to destroy Jerusalem. After consulting with his officials and military team, he sought to encourage and strengthen the people with the above words.

Perhaps these words of encouragement are good to consider in all ages for all believers. We may not be facing a military threat, but whatever challenges we face (and we all face challenges!) we need to take our encouragement in the Lord.

He wants us to take confidence in his strength and to be assured that we have a mighty refuge in him. Whatever we face we can rely on his love for us, his care for us, and his transcendent ability to provide for us in our times of need.

During the darkest hours we may ever face, he is there for those of us who have embraced him. It is precisely those times of difficulty when we learn and experience for ourselves his loving compassion for us, his concern for us, and his willingness and ability to see us through.

In life, there is none other that can come close to our God in love, in faithfulness and in ability to be a solace, refuge and help in times of need.

Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged! We have a greater power with us than what ever can be represented in our challenges. "With us is the Lord our God to help us and fight our battles."

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!

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The Way Back from Sin: Worship! - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 31:1,

"When all this had ended, the Israelites who were there went out to the towns of Judah, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. They destroyed the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin and in Ephraim and Manasseh. After they had destroyed all of them, the Israelites returned to their own towns and to their own property."

The "this", in "When all this had ended" was the reestablishment of worship in the nation. Following a period when the nation had abandoned the Lord, King Hezekiah led the people back to him. He had the temple purified, had the Levites consecrated, and began the temple worship with its sacrifices and sacred celebrations.

The above observation was made following the celebration of Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. We are told following this celebration of worship "The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place." 2 Chronicles 30:27.

Following this wonderful season of worship, the folks went out and destroyed all of the idols that had led them to abandon the Lord. Worship has a wonderful way of cleansing our hearts from sin, from rebellion against the Lord and the like.

When you or I may find ourselves slipping from the devotion and reverence for the Lord that is his due from us, when we find ourselves straying into sin, into anything that may distract us from the Lord, here is our path back: worship!

Worship necessarily focuses our minds on the transcendent majesty of the Lord. Worship necessarily focuses our minds on his many-splendored perfections. Worship necessarily focuses our minds on the amazing and wonderful acts of the Lord. It is within worship we find the dynamic to energize our spiritual lives in a way that expresses itself by clearing sin out of our lives, clearing out anything that might cause us to drift from him.

It certainly happened in Hezekiah's day and it certainly will in ours!

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!

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How to Have God Come Near to You - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 30:6b,

"People of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you..."

These words were penned by King Hezekiah to all in Israel and Judah, inviting them to come to the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Having restored the temple and the worship there, he now made his appeal to all of Israel.

By this time the northern kingdom had been defeated by Assyria at the Lord's hand. Israel had abandoned the Lord and were now suffering for it. As a nation, they were no longer suitable for the Lord's purposes (preparing the nation for the coming of the Messiah) and took those actions needed to remedy Israel's shortcomings.

I note the two step manner in which King Hezekiah sought the rapprochement of Israel with her Lord: first, "return to the Lord", then the second, "that he may return to you..." First the people's part, then the Lord's part. When the people initiated a return to the Lord, the Lord would respond.

That seems to me to be a model for us all. If we ever find ourselves estranged from the Lord through some sin or whatever, don't wait for anything. Don't wait around for some "sign from God" or anything else, just make a move! Return to your devotion in the Lord, and watch the Lord respond. Start praying! Immerse yourself in his word! Worship him!

I am reminded of James command, "Come near to God and he will come near to you." James 4:8.

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!

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Climbing Into the Saddle with King Hezekiah - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 29:35-36,

"So the service of the temple of the Lord was reestablished. Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly."

Hezekiah became king of Judah when he was twenty-five years of age. We are told that in the first month of his first year as king he opened the doors of the temple in Jerusalem. His predecessor and father, King Ahaz, had abandoned the Lord and led the nation astray.

Hezekiah had the temple consecrated by the priests, had all "defilement" removed from it, commanded the sin offerings and burnt offerings to be made. He posted Levites with their musical instruments at the temple and with the "whole assembly" began the worship there. After having the assembly dedicate themselves, he had them bring their sacrifices and thank offerings. In this way the service of the temple was reestablished and both the king and the people "rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people".

Restoring the temple worship was a choice Hezekiah had made. In the face of deplorable spiritual disarray in his nation, Hezekiah took action and addressed it.

Where others might shrug their shoulders in acceptance of what was left them to deal with, Hezekiah took action. He did not allow circumstances to dictate how he would lead his nation. He knew what needed to be done and simply did it.

Here I see a wonderful example to emulate. Where we may have our own spiritual failures, where something in our lives relative to our relationship with the Lord may be in disarray, we have Hezekiah's example for us to follow. Whether by our own doing or even when that disarray may not be our own doing (as in Hezekiah's case), I am entirely convinced the Lord wants us to climb into that saddle and address that challenge, whatever it may be.

Hezekiah was successful and was rewarded by the Lord for it, and we can be too!

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!

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Preparatory Work by the Lord - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 28:19,

"The Lord had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had promoted wickedness in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the Lord."

Ahaz was the twelfth monarch of Judah. Unlike Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah and Jotham before him, "he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord", verse 1. He led Judah astray from the Lord as the remainder of the kings (and one queen - Athaliah) before him had done.

Under Ahaz's rule, Judah suffered at the hand of the Lord - as she and the northern kingdom of Israel did under the rule of all the kings that led them in a direction antithetical to the Lord's agenda. The Lord used this period of monarchy, as well as the earlier period of judges and the later period of captivity, to prepare Israel for the eventual coming of the Messiah.

One wonders what the Lord is afoot doing these days in preparing the world for the second coming of the Messiah...

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!

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Jotham's Example - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 27:6,

"Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God."

Jotham was Judah's eleventh monarch. He ruled the nation for sixteen years and we are told, "He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done, but unlike him he did not enter the temple of the Lord." Verse 2.

As a king who did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, the Lord blessed him. He completed major construction projects, such as rebuilding the Upper Gate of the temple, wall repair, the building of towns in the hill country, with "forts and towers in the wooded areas." Verses 3 and 4.

Additionally, he was successful in protecting Judah militarily. He conquered the Ammonites and fought other successful wars. Clearly the Lord had blessed his endeavors because he "walked steadfastly before the Lord his God." Jotham was faithful.

The passage speaks to me of the importance of placing the Lord as a priority in our lives. Jotham did and found he had a very successful reign as king of Judah.

We may not be kings. However, we can walk "steadfastly before the Lord" as Jotham did. As we do, we just might find we may enjoy successes in life just Jotham did. Living our lives for the Lord is not without its benefits, not without his blessings, not without his recognition of what we do.

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!

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The Cautionary Tale of Uzziah - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 26:16,20,

"But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense... When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the Lord had afflicted him."

Uzziah was Judah's tenth monarch. We are told that when he was younger (he became king at sixteen years of age), "He [Uzziah] did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success." Verses 4-5.

Later, we see Uzziah succumbing to pride with all of his accomplishments which the Lord helped him to attain. He took it upon himself to do what was only allowed by God for priests - he entered the sanctuary to burn incense on the altar of incense. Due to this act, God struck Uzziah with leprosy, which he had till the day of his death. Following this act of arrogance, Uzziah lived the remainder of his life in a separate house with his disease until the day he died.

This account to me is a cautionary tale. It is best to recognize the successes in our lives just may have been at the Lord's hands. It certainly was with Uzziah. To take personal credit, for even personal triumphs, can very easily lead to a pride that brings God's opposition. When we get too big for our britches, the Lord can and just may bring us down to size.

The message of the cross is that we are totally dependent upon God in this life. This life leads directly to eternity and without the right standing before our Creator that Jesus Christ wrought for us, we are hopelessly lost. Hence, the important theme throughout the Scriptures is that we are always dependent upon God and the instant we become enamored with how great we are, we place ourselves in the great jeopardy of failing to seek him as our refuge, our salvation.

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!

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Understanding God in the Affairs of Mankind - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 25:20,

"Amaziah [king of Judah], however, would not listen, for God so worked that he might deliver them [Judah] into the hands of Jehoash [king of the northern ten tribes of Israel], because they sought the gods of Edom."

Flush with his victory over Edomites, Amaziah, king of Judah, called out Jehoash, king of Israel, to fight. Jehoash attempted to dissuade Amaziah, but he wouldn't listen. We are told Amaziah would not listen because God intended to bring a disaster on Judah.

Following Amaziah's victory over the Edomites, and despite a good start with the Lord in his reign as king of Judah, he began to worship the worthless idols of the Edomites he had defeated. Where the Lord intended to prepare the nation for the coming Messiah, here was yet another "adjustment" needed and that the Lord took to bring the nation back as a useful tool in his hands. Judah suffered a humiliating defeat.

Throughout the Scriptures we see the Lord pursuing his agenda within the milieu of the affairs of mankind. This he does still. There is no question in my mind that to understand the events of our day, we need to view them within the context of seeing what the Lord is busy accomplishing these days. The Lord is busy building his kingdom and at some point the last soul will enter in through the gospel message, and then the Lord will bring this age to a close.

When we understand how the Lord draws people to himself, and see how that works out in the events of our day, we will have a better grasp on what we see taking place around us. This is yet one of the many benefits of studying and knowing our Bibles.

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!

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Learning From Joash's Detrimental Choice - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 24:2,

"Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years of Jehoiada the priest."

Here is an interesting observation: as long as King Joash had the wonderful priest Jehoiada with him, Joash "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord". Joash listened to Jehoiada and even allowed him to pick wives for him, verse 3. However, when Joash no longer had Jehoiada in his life, Joash went downhill.

Where Joash had the temple repaired and insured the burnt offerings to the Lord took place appropriately, as soon as Jehoida died, he abandoned the temple of the Lord and the Lord himself. He turned to the worship of Asherah poles and idols.

The Lord sent prophets to warn Joash, to no avail. Joash would not listen to the Lord.  Even when Jehoiada's son, Zechariah, came with a prophetic message from the Lord saying the Lord had abandoned Joash and his cohorts because they had abandoned the Lord, Joash had him stoned in the temple courtyard.

The influence of the godly priest Jehoiada on King Joash was profound. Without that influence in his life, the depth of depravity Joash slipped to was equally profound. A key comment I find in the account is in verse 17, "After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them." Thus began the devolution of King Joash. Where Joash had the godly influence of Jehoiada early in is reign as king, following Jehoiada's death, Joash chose to align himself with the wicked among the officials of Judah.

It was a choice Joash made, an unfortunate and horrific choice, resulting in the Lord removing Joash, "Because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, judgment was executed on Joash." Verse 24b.

I am reminded of a proverb that might have helped King Joash, "Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm." Proverbs 13:20. Had Joash aligned himself with Jehoiada's son Zechariah, following Jehoiada's death, I suspect things may have ended completely differently for Joash.

Which, of course, brings to mind what we learn from such an account. We all have the freedom to choose who we "hang with". How wise are the choices we make in that regard?

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!

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Taking What Belongs To God - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 23:12-13,

"When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and cheering the king [Joash], she went to them at the temple of the Lord. She looked, and there was the king, standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and musicians with their instruments were leading the praises. Then Athaliah tore her robes and shouted, 'Treason! Treason!'"

Athaliah was an evil woman. She was the previous king's (Ahaziah's) mother, and encouraged him to "act wickedly", 2 Chronicles 22:3. Running afoul of what the Lord wanted to do with the nation, the Lord brought about his downfall, 2 Chronicles 22:7. When Athaliah saw that her son was dead, she moved to destroy the whole royal family and took the throne for herself.

She obviously felt the nation was hers - hers to rule and hers to do with whatever she felt. This was a case of the classic sense of entitlement and self-appointed right to rule by a power-hungry woman given to despotism for authoritarian domination over others.This is clearly seen in her response to the enthronement of the previous king's son, Joash, orchestrated by the priest Jehoiada. Her response in exclaiming "Treason! Treason!" was her alarm in seeing a rebellion, not against the nation, but against herself personally. In her mind, she owned Judah.

However, the nation belonged to the Lord, not to Athaliah, and from Athaliah the Lord took the nation and gave it to another.

How often people illegitimately attempt to take those things that belong to God solely, as if it were theirs to take.

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!

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Getting In God's Way - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 22:3,7a,

"He [King Ahaziah of Judah] too followed the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him to act wickedly. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as the house of Ahab had done, for after his father's death they became his advisers, to his undoing... Through Ahaziah's visit to Joram, God brought about Ahaziah's downfall."

Ahaziah was a wicked king in Judah. We are told God brought about his downfall when he went to visit Joram, king of northern Israel. It was on this trip he was put to death by Jehu, a man the Lord tapped to destroy the house of Ahab, Joram's family. Ahaziah had only ruled Judah for a year before his death.

We are told God's judgment of our sins awaits us following this age at the great white throne judgement we read of in Revelation 20:11-15. This is why it appears incoherent to us that some really bad people live longer lives than other people who are not nearly as bad. And, with others, such as Ahaziah, the other way around. One wicked person may seem to not be held accountalbe for their sins yet another seems to be, based on how long God allows them to live.

It appears to me that one person may be raised up by the Lord and another taken down for an entirely different cause than personal payment for sins. Rather, its cause is attributable to God's activities, God's agenda.

We need to keep in mind, the judgment for our sins awaits us after this age is over. "Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God." 1 Corinthians 4:5. The judgment for sins takes place, "At that time".

Why then are some put to death by God before that time, such as Ahaziah? It appears to me that since God is very active in the affairs of this world (despite the lack of "appearances") as he pursues his agenda of the redemption of mankind, when someone is found to be at odds with what God is doing, God is going to make adjustments. In this case, Ahaziah needed to be taken out as the Lord was preparing Israel for her coming Messiah.

When the Lord intentionally and directly brought about Ahaziah's death, it doesn't seem to me to be due to personal payment for his sins. That has yet to come. Ahaziah got in the way of what the Lord wanted to do with and through Israel - so God took him out.

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!

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Passing Away to No One's Regret - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 21:20,

"Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He passed away, to no one's regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings."

Jehoshaphat was a good king in Judah, with some shortcomings. When it was time for him to pass the throne down to his successor, he followed convention and chose his first born son, Jehoram.

Jehoram's life can be pretty well summed up in the above verse. He was worse than worthless as a king of Judah. We read in verse 6, "He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord." One of his first acts as king was to murder all of his brothers and other officials to protect his throne, "When Jehoram established himself firmly over his father's kingdom, he put all his brothers to the sword along with some of the officials of Israel." Verse 4.

The Lord had the prophet Elijah send Jehoram a letter condemning him. The indictment against him was, "But you have followed the ways of the kings of Israel, and you have led Judah and the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ahab did. You have also murdered your own brothers, members of your own family, men who were better than you." Verse 13.

He was so removed from the things the Lord wanted to accomplish, that in Elijah's letter the Lord told Jehoram he would stirke him with an illness such that he would be very ill for a long time untill his bowels came out. The Lord sent the Philistines and Arabs against Judah because of Jehoram, had Judah plundered, along with his wives and all but one of his sons taken.

After two years of suffering, Jehoram's bowels did come out and he died in great pain. And, his death at no one's regret.

What a waste! An incredible opportunity to do great things for all eternity as the king of God's people, an opportunity to be an important figure in usefulness to God's agenda, squandered! His foolishness led to his miserable and excrutiating downfall. Neither God nor man regretted his passing.

All this points to the one-life opportunity each one of us has in pursuing the things of the Lord, aligning ourselves with his plans and agenda, finding fulfillment, satisfaction and purpose in doing those things that count for all eternity.

How will we spend the one life we have here? Will we find ourselves being welcomed into eternity with the words, "Well done!" from the Lord himself? Or find ourselves to have wasted our life like Jehoram?

The choice is all up to us - each one of 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.

The One Who Rules the Nations - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 20:6,

"Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you."

Thus begins Jehoshaphat's prayer in his plea to God before all Judah to deliver them from the advancing hords of Moabites, Ammonites and Meunites who came to wage war. This army was a "vast army" and caused a great alarm with King Jehoshaphat and all Judah.

His plea to the Lord for help begins with the acknowledgment that the Lord rules over all the "kingdoms of the nations." This reality is communicated to us throughout the Scriptures. 

In Psalm 2 the rebellious nations are seen as no match for God who has ultimate rule over them and will some day establish his Son, Jesus Christ as king over them all:

"Why do the nations conspire
    and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
    against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,
'Let us break their chains
    and throw off their shackles.'

The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
    the Lord scoffs at them.
He rebukes them in his anger
    and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
'I have installed my king
    on Zion, my holy mountain.'" Psalm 2:1-6.

Paul reminds us that the Lord himself established the various nations for his purpose of redemption:

"From one man he [God] made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.'" Acts 17:26-28.

Paul also points out that the authority of any nation on earth has been established by God himself (yes, even the "bad ones"):

"Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves." Romans 13:1-2.

Perhaps it is time for us to take a step back from assuming the devil runs the world (he does play his part!) and see how the events taking place today fall into the plans of our God as he pursues his agenda of redeeming mankind.

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!

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An Undivided Heart For the Lord - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 19:1-3,

"When Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem, Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, 'Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, the wrath of the Lord is on you. There is, however, some good in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God.'"

Jehoshaphat was considered a good king, all in alll. We are told in 2 Chronicles 17:3-6, "The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. The Lord established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor. His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah."

But then in the next chapter we read, "Now Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage." Ahab was the wicked king of the northern kingdom of Israel. Jehoshaphat went to visit Ahab and offered his support and fidelity to Ahab. Ahab had asked Jehoshaphat to join with him in attacking Ramoth Gilead and his reply was, "I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the war." 2 Chronicles 18:3.

It was upon his return from this fight (that resulted in Ahab's death) that the prophet Jehu brought the Lord's accusation against Jehoshaphat's divided heart. The core of the indictment was, "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord?"

How about us today? Do we have undivided hearts before the Lord? Do we claim to love the Lord on the one hand and embrace that which is otherwise on the other? May we all listen to Paul's admonition, "I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord." 1 Corinthians 7:35.

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.