March 25 - I Kings 13-15
The story of the man of God going to Bethel in the northern kingdom to deliver God's prophecy to Jeroboam and the people of Israel gives us a great lesson for life. God is consistent. He means what He says. He will do what He says, even when it involves one of His prophets. We must take God at His word. We must completely obey. Then, even if someone else comes to tell us an angel told them to tell us to do something different, we must stick to what God told us. God would not contradict Himself by an angel or any other means.
The prophecy of Ahijah against the family of Jeroboam shows how much God hates idolatry and sexual perversion. God did not leave one person alive. This was not just a strong punishment. It shows how the sin had spread to his family. In fact, his sin spread to all Israel, and it caused them to suffer for many years and then to be taken into exile. The New Testament says " a little leaven, leavens the whole lump." This refers to the power of sin to spread through a group of people. Therefore, sin must not be condoned. It must be dealt with in love, but in obedience to God's word.
It did not take long for the sin of paganism to spread in the southern kingdom of Judah, either. God brought quick judgment from Egypt. When the gold shields were taken by Shishak, bronze ones were put in their place. The bronze was a cheap imitation of the gold. In the same way Judah had become so much less than God desired for them, because they rebelled. Asa did turn Judah back to God, but it was only for a short time. Once sin takes over a nation it takes a great awakening to turn it back to God. That is what we need in America today.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Kings 16-18.
The prophecy of Ahijah against the family of Jeroboam shows how much God hates idolatry and sexual perversion. God did not leave one person alive. This was not just a strong punishment. It shows how the sin had spread to his family. In fact, his sin spread to all Israel, and it caused them to suffer for many years and then to be taken into exile. The New Testament says " a little leaven, leavens the whole lump." This refers to the power of sin to spread through a group of people. Therefore, sin must not be condoned. It must be dealt with in love, but in obedience to God's word.
It did not take long for the sin of paganism to spread in the southern kingdom of Judah, either. God brought quick judgment from Egypt. When the gold shields were taken by Shishak, bronze ones were put in their place. The bronze was a cheap imitation of the gold. In the same way Judah had become so much less than God desired for them, because they rebelled. Asa did turn Judah back to God, but it was only for a short time. Once sin takes over a nation it takes a great awakening to turn it back to God. That is what we need in America today.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Kings 16-18.