Tag: idolatry
The lost connection!
Scripture Reading for March 10th: Judges 1-5
When I was younger, we heated our home on the farm with wood. When it was extremely cold, we had a small bin of coal to help with the heat through the long winter nights in Iowa. One of the jobs right before bed was to go down and stoke the fire. More wood would be added and ashes removed so a good flow of air would cause the fire to heat up and blaze. A scoop of coal would be tossed in too. A short time later the damper was shut so all the coals and logs would glow with heat all night. If no one stoked the fire, it would go out and the house would quickly cool down.
Godly leaders stoke spiritual fire with the wood of prayer and pour on coals of God’s Word to keep zeal burning. But when the godly leader is gone the house cools down. After Joshua passed, some elders stoked the fire for a time. They passed without stoking the fire for the next generation!
After the death of Joshua and the elders, Israel drifted into sin and idolatry. God got angry and sold them into slavery to an oppressing nation. The people cried out to the Lord and He raised up another leader who would deliver them. Then there was a time of peace during the life of that leader (Judge). After the leader’s death, the cycle would begin again. (Judges 2:10-19) This was repeated seven times in the Book of Judges!
There is a great need for godly leaders in the church who will stoke the fire again and connect the next generation to God! A godly leader teaches and lives out God’s Word and sparks revival in a home or church. That leader can be a father or mother, pastor or Sunday School teacher, or a janitor who is passionate for the Lord. Will you stoke the fires of the Spirit today by praying and reading God’s Holy Word? May God anoint you afresh with the Holy Spirit and fire from on high and bring new connections for the next generation! (Matthew 3:11)
Stiff-necked disconnection!
Scripture reading for January 30th: Exodus 32-34
Moses was on the mountain in the cloud and fire for 40 days. He received the tablets with the 10 Words from the Lord. The people came to Aaron, who was left in charge, and asked for gods who would lead them. Aaron gave in quickly and asked for gold earrings and ornaments. Aaron had soon fashioned a golden calf and the people wildly worshiped it.
God spoke to Moses about the idolatry. (Exodus 32:8-10) God’s verdict–“They are a stiff-necked people.” Stubborness is as the evil of idolatry and rebellion is as the sin of divination. (1st Samuel 15:23) God is jealous! (Exodus 34:14) God had just written the tablets on which He emphasized no other gods before Him and to make no idols. (Exodus 20:3-6) Moses smashed the tablets in holy anger indicating the breaking of God’s Word by the very people who had sworn to obey! (Exodus 32:19; Exodus 24:3)
Moses, however did pray and intercede with God, asking Him to spare the people. He asked on the basis of God’s reputation and promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God listened but judgment still fell on those who sinned.
Moses called for those on the Lord’s side and the Levites stepped up. They strapped on swords and executed those who participated in the idolatry, even if it was their brother, friend or neighbor! (Exodus 33:27-28) Three thousand were executed that day. God was jealous! Israel was His Bride! From her would come His Son, the Messiah!
This loving and compassionate God (Exodus 34:6-7) does not tolerate idolatry and sexual immorality. Lying often goes with them. The sword represents a slaying of the flesh! The flesh must be crucified and stubbornness and idolatry are works of the flesh. (Galatians 6:19-20) The sword of the Spirit, the Word of God brings conviction which can lead us to repent and forsake idolatry! Let’s stay connected with God and His grace through Jesus our Lord. May the Word of God cleanse us from all stubbornness and idolatry!
The Lost Book!
Scripture reading for April 16: 2nd Kings 22-25
Josiah became king of Judah when he was just eight years old! By the time he was 26, he was ready to begin what was to be the last revival in the land of Judah before the captivity! Josiah was a king who did right in God’s eyes and tried to follow the Lord in obedience. He was concerned for the temple, which had fallen into disrepair. While helping with the restoration of the temple, Hilkiah, the high priest found the Book of the Law which had been lost and ignored. The king’s secretary, Shapan read the Book, and then took it in to the king to read it to him. As the king heard the Word of the Book, he was humbled and tore his robes. He realized that God’s anger was against them because of their disobedience!
Josiah sent the leaders Huldah the prophetess to seek counsel from the Lord. She told them of God’s coming judgment and how the Lord was merciful towards King Josiah because he humbled himself. King Josiah called the elders together and they went up to the temple where he had the lost Book read in their presence. They renewed the covenant of the Lord that day by pledging themselves to the Lord. (2nd Kings 23:1-3)
Where do we end up when we lose track of the Book? First, the temple of God will be in disrepair! Without God’s life-giving Word, things decay fast! Death and sin do their destructive work among God’s people without continual contact with the Book! Second, idolatry will fill the void. The idols had crept into the temple of the Lord! Josiah’s revival of reading the lost Book brought recognition and destruction of the idols in the land. (2nd Kings 23:4-7) A key element was the response to the Word of the lost Book. Conviction brings repentance that leads to true change of direction. Humbling and response from the heart is what God is looking for.
Have you lost track of God’s Book? Why not get back on track with your life today by responding to this reading as the Word suggests? Now is the right time to make the change! Humility and repentance is the right posture to receive grace from the Lord! He is watching and waiting to restore and heal you! You’ll never be ashamed of responding as Josiah did!
Fame, fortune, and falling away!
Scripture reading for April 5th: 1st Kings 9-11
“The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives.” Proverbs 27:21
Fame and fortune bring lots of praise from the lips of men. These blessings can easily lead our hearts away from faith in the Lord. God warned the Israelites that when they entered the promised land and settled down and became prosperous, they would be tempted to forget God. (Deuteronomy 8:10-13) In a sense, prosperity and fame can be a more difficult test than sexual lust. Solomon found this to be true.
After Solomon finished dedicating the temple and achieving all he had desired to do, God appeared to him a second time. God promised that He would hear the prayers said at the temple and watch over it. God then warned Solomon against turning away from Him and going after other gods. (1st Kings 9:6-9) God understood the test that Solomon would face as his fame and fortune grew.
Solomon was soon headed down a wrong path. His heart was not obedient to the Lord. He left the Caanites in the land and put them in forced labor. Solomon married foreign women and took 700 wives and 300 concubines from among the nations. God had warned that their hearts would be led astray to idolatry. (1st Kings 11:1-6) Solomon’s heart was not fully committed to the Lord and he did evil in God’s sight! He built high places for these gods of his foreign wives and they offered sacrifices, further angering God.
God raised up adversaries against Israel. Hadad the Edomite and Rezon from Aram (Syria) were both hostile towards Israel. One of Solomon’s own officials, Jeroboam, son of Nebat, also rebelled against the king. Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but he fled to Egypt.
We all think that it would be wonderful to have what Solomon enjoyed, but we must be reminded of how our hearts are tested by this. The pride and power of prosperity can make one as drunk as wine! God is jealous (Exodus 34:14) and will not tolerate idolatry. Many mighty have fallen through pride and idolatry!
Pray today for someone who has fame or fortune, who is in a position of authority and influence. Pray for God’s grace to protect and keep that person from falling away and leading others astray.
Israel’s history of rebellion!
Scripture reading for June 10th: Acts 7:30-50
Stephen’s sermon defense to the rulers of Israel who crucified Jesus and now were plotting to get rid of him was taken from their own Scriptures. Stephen went on to show how the Moses that the Israelites had rejected was picked by God 40 years later to be their deliverer. He was sent to them with signs and miracles and led them out of Egypt. (Acts 7:35-36) Moses also prophesied that God would raise up another prophet like him from his own people.
While Moses was on the mountain of God getting the Ten Commandments, the people rebelled by making a golden calf. They began to worship the works of their hands and turned away from God. God gave them over to the worship of the creation and idols that they made. Their rebellion would eventually send them to captivity in Babylon. Stephen quoted Amos 5:25-27 showing that God knew about the rebellion and promised to punish them.
Stephen was being used by God to instruct these men, showing God held the Israelites accountable for their idolatry. They had always rejected His prophets and refused to follow His ways. Even now, these men were rebelling against the same God by persecuting those who were preaching Jesus Christ as Lord and performing signs and miracles in His name. They had rejected God’s chosen leader Moses and had also rejected the prophet like Moses that God raised up, Jesus! They were in danger of being given over themselves to their own idolatry of the Law and the temple!
Stephen used Isaiah 66:1-2 to show that God had already stated that He dwelled in heaven and that any earthly house could not contain Him. These truths were made plain by Stephen’s preaching to those who were ruling in Jerusalem. But truth will either bring conviction and repentance, or bring hardening and God’s judgment. Stephen’s job was simply to present the truth in the power of the Holy Spirit and let the people choose their response. How are you at listening to God’s truth when you are living outside of it? Do you like it when God reveals an area of rebellion in your own life? Is Jesus the leader you are following?
Good News for God’s People!
Scripture reading for September 23rd: Nahum 1-3
Nahum was a prophet sent to declare God’s judgment on Nineveh. Jonah had come about a hundred years earlier to give a message of judgment to this wicked city and to his surprise and dismay, all the city repented! God was delighted to give this city more time to get their lives in order and spare the cattle. (Jonah 4:11) But as often happens, emotional repentance may work for a short time but sin’s grip takes hold and drags individuals and nations back into rebellion and wickedness. Nineveh again had crossed the line and God had decreed destruction to those who failed to heed His earlier warning.
Nahum, like Micah, saw a vision of God coming in the awesome power of nature. He saw God coming in a whirlwind and storm, with clouds as the dust of His feet. He could almost feel the earth shake and tremble at His presence and see the hills melt. People also trembled with fear as God’s wrath was poured out like fire and rocks split open at His coming! (Nahum 1:3-6) (Micah 1:3-4) Nahum declared that this coming would bring destruction upon Nineveh and all who oppose Him.
“From you, O Nineveh, has one come forth who plots evil against the Lord and counsels wickedness.” (Nahum 1:11) There seemed to be one evil ruler who God cited as being behind this wickedness. God promised to prepare his grave for him, because he was so vile! (Nahum 1:13)
“Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your festivals, O Judah, and fulfill your vows. No more will the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed.” Nahum 1:15 This God who would come walking on the high places would bring good news to God’s people! Their enemy had been completely destroyed! No more would he torment them! God’s people could celebrate and fulfill their vows in joy!
This is truly good news for God’s people of all times! Through Jesus Christ, Satan has been defeated at the cross! The feet bringing “good news” were that of our Savior! (Isaiah 52:7) They were pierced with nails that we might be free to walk with God! Our enemy, Satan has been totally defeated! His end is sure–the Lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels! (Revelation 20:10) True peace with God is ours forever!
Crimson Stains in the Holy Nation
Scripture reading for July 17th: Isaiah 1-4
Isaiah is one of the major prophets of the Old Testament and his writing contains a rich treasure of revelation concerning God’s plans to redeem His people and send the Messiah. He spoke and wrote these words from about 722 BC to 681 BC. As we begin this book, it would be helpful to take a moment to ask the Lord for His guidance in understanding and applying it to our lives as 21st century followers of Christ.
The first vision of Isaiah recorded in today’s readings concerned Judah and Jerusalem. “Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him.” (Isaiah 1:4) People reap what they sow and God does nothing without warning His people by the prophets. (Amos 3:7) God sent Isaiah various visions to warn these backslidden people of the coming wrath. He told them of the desolate land and burned cities that would result. (Isaiah 1:7-9) He warned them that only God’s mercy could save them from becoming like Sodom and Gomorrah!
These people attended to the temple and sacrifices, but God was not honored or pleased! They offered prayers and sacrifices, but did evil in His sight. They oppressed the widow and orphan and shed innocent blood. Religion without repentance is hypocrisy and only wearies the Lord. (Isaiah 1:11-15) God’s warning was clear and concise!
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 1:18-20)
God’s people needed to listen and use their heads. God offered cleansing from these deep stains of sin if they would be humble and willing to change. If they refused and rebelled, they would be devoured by the sword. God is offering to reason with people today as well. Many need to heed His offer of grace through Jesus Christ. The way is narrow that leads to life and blessing but broad that leads to destruction. Let those crimson stains be made white as snow!