II Kings 14
Amaziah did right in sight of the LORDverses 1-4
In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel
reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah
he was twenty and five years old when he began to reign
and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem
and his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem
and he did that which was RIGHT in the sight of the LORD
yet not like David his father
he did according to all the things as Joash
his father did
howbeit the high places were not taken away
as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on
the high places
Amaziah killed those who killed his fatherverses 5-6
And it came to pass as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand
that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father
BUT the children of the murderers he slew not
according to the that which is written in the
book of the law of Moses
wherein the LORD commanded
saying
The fathers shall not be put to death for the children
nor the children be put to death for the fathers
BUT every man shall be put to death for his own sin
Amaziah had victory over Edomverse 7
He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand
and took Selah by war
and called the name of it Jok-theel to this day
Amaziah challenges Israel to battleverse 8
Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash
the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu
king of Israel – saying
Come – let us look one another in the face
Two kings communicateverses 9-10
And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah
saying
The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon
saying
Give your daughter to my son to wife
and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon
and trode down the thistle
You have indeed smitten Edom
and your heart has lifted you up
glory of this – and tarry at home
for why should you meddle to your hurt
that you should fall – even you
and Judah with you?
Judah defeated by Israelverses 11-14
BUT Amaziah would not hear
Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up
and he and Amaziah king of Judah
looked one another in the
face at Beth-shemesh
which belongs to Judah
And Judah was put to the worse before Israel
and they fled every man to their tents
And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah
the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah – at Beth-shemesh
and came to Jerusalem
and break down the wall of Jerusalem from the
gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate
four hundred cubits
and he took all the gold and silver
and all the vessels that were found in the
house of the LORD
and in the treasures of the king’s house and hostages
and returned to Samaria
Jeroboam II reigns after death of Jehoashverses 15-16
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did – and his might
and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah
Are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Israel?
And Jehoash slept with his fathers
and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel
and Jeroboam (II) his son reigned in his stead
King Amaziah’s record recordedverses 17-18
And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah
lived after the death of Jehoash
son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years
and the rest of the acts of AmaziahAre they not written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
Conspiracy against King Amaziahverses 19-20
Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem
and he fled to Lachish
but they sent after him to Lachish
and slew him there
and they brought him on horses
and he was buried at Jerusalem
with his fathers in the
city of David
Sixteen year old Azariah [Uzziah] reigns Judahverses 21-22
And all the of Judah took Azariah – which was sixteen years old
and made him king instead of his father Amaziah
he built Elath – and restored it to Judah
after that the king slept with his fathers
Jeroboam II did evil in the sight of the LORDverses 23-25
In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash
king of Judah Jeroboam (II)
the son of Joash king of Israel
began to reign in Samaria
and reigned forty and one years
and he did that which was EVIL in the sight of the LORD
he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam
the son of Nebat – who made Israel to sin
He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamoth
to the sea of the plain
according to the word of the LORD God of Israel
which HE spoke by the hand of HIS servant
Jonah the son of Amittai – the prophet
which was of Gath-helper
LORD used Jeroboam II to save Israelverses 26-29
For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel
that it was very bitter
for there was not any shut up
nor any left – nor any helper for Israel
And the LORD said not that HE would blot out the name of Israel
from under heaven
BUT HE saved themby the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash
Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam
and all that he did – and his might
how he warred
and how he recovered Damascus and Hamath
which belongs to Judah – for Israel
Are they not written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Israel?
And Jeroboam slept with his fathers – even with the kings of Israel
and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 6 But the children of the murderers he slew not: according to that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin. (5221 “murderers” [nakah] means to strike, smite, to strike dead, to kill, give a thrust, slay, attack, or destroy)
DEVOTION: Each generation is going to be judged for their own actions. We are not going to be judged for the sins of our fathers. Our fathers are not going to be judged by our sins. Each person is going to stand before the LORD and have no excuse.
Too often today we find that children want to blame their parents for their actions. Once they became adults they are supposed to overcome the sins that they saw practiced in the home. If they were brought up in a home that honored the LORD their parents would not be judged for the actions of their children.
We need to establish the fact that each person is accountable to the LORD for their own actions and HE will judge each person according to their own actions. It sounds simple but so often we play the blame game.
The Old Testament established the teaching that parents and children are judged on their own merit. This command is followed by Amaziah when he executed the men who killed his father but didn’t kill all of the children of these men.
We have to make sure that if we have someone’s family in our congregations that didn’t do what was right in the eyes of the LORD and caused real problems in the church that we don’t judge the children by the actions of their fathers and mothers.
We have to take each individual and work with them. We have to train those children who didn’t receive good training in their home. We have to encourage parents who are trying to raise their children properly but find that they are rebellious against the standards of the Word of God.
God knows the hearts of those who try and the ones that are faking. We sometimes can’t tell. Sometimes parents look good to us but in the home they are not honoring the LORD. Sometimes children look good but rebel the first chance they get once they have left the home.
CHALLENGE: Ask the LORD for wisdom to discern which ones are truly obedient to the LORD.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 10 You have indeed smitten Edom, and your heart has lifted you up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why should you meddle to your hurt, that you should fall, even you, and Judah with you? (1624 “meddle” [garah] means stir up, contend, strive, to stir up strife, battle, engage in strife, to excite, or begin a dispute)
DEVOTION: Small victories sometimes make us think that we can win big victories sooner than the LORD wants us to think those thoughts. If we have a victory we need to praise the LORD and ask HIM what to do next.
This didn’t happen in the life of Amaziah. He thought if the LORD gave him victory over the Edomites that HE would give him victory over the nation of Israel.
Jehoash told Amaziah to stay at home. He even gave him an illustration concerning what would happen if he continued to challenge him. Amaziah didn’t listen. He continued to want to fight against the ten tribes with his two tribes. He was going to lose that battle.
Victory is only given by the LORD. Sometimes even those who do what is right in the eyes of the LORD are going to lose battles because that is what the LORD wants at the time.
The LORD doesn’t want any of HIS servants to be prideful. HE wants them to be humble and wait on HIM for guidance. When we run ahead of the LORD we are going to find that we don’t have as many victories as we would like in our life.
Timing is everything with the LORD and HIS timing is not the same as our timing.
Running ahead of God can lead to the same disaster that happened to Amaziah when he lost to Israel. Israel took all the gold, silver and all the vessels from the Temple in Jerusalem including all the treasures from the king’s home when they won the victory.
CHALLENGE: Acting foolishly is part of what happens when pride comes before the fall. Measuring our actions is always necessary. Think before you act.
: 14 And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria. (214 “treasures” [‘owtsar] means storehouses, cellars, armory, supplies of food or drink, storehouse, a depository where wealth and precious objects can be kept safely, a room or building, or magazine.)
DEVOTION: In the Old Testament when a battle was lost the victor could go into the city or into the nation and take whatever they wanted. Once someone lost it was all over as far as keeping anything that the other nation wanted.
Here we see that the children of Israel went against the children of Judah because Judah wanted to fight. This was a losing cause most of the time as Israel had more people than Judah did.
Why would a king to fight with an army bigger than itself? It was just pride. They thought they could do it or only the king thought they could do it but they or he was wrong.
Everyone on the losing side lost something. Here we see that Israel didn’t mind going into the House of the LORD and taking all they wanted from it. It was the LORD’S money or possessions but that didn’t bother a nation that didn’t honor the LORD. Israel was made up of people who were worshiping false gods rather than the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob.
They had drifted into the worship of the gods of the nations around them. They had forgotten their heritage. Have we done the same today? Are we worshiping the false gods of our world instead of the God of the Bible? Was this nation founded on Biblical principles?
Our wealth is something that we worship more than the God who provided our wealth as a nation. HE was the one who the founding fathers worshiped when they landed in this country. They didn’t honor HIM in all their actions but they said that they were dedicating this land to HIM.
Now we see that our nation is moving further and further away from worshiping the God of the Bible even in our churches that have HIS name on their doors. It is sad that we have not kept the faith that was once delivered to us.
God judged the nation of Judah because of their lack of faith and trust in HIM. They got to the point where they trusted in themselves more than in HIM. That was their downfall and it is the downfall of our nation as well.
Judah needed to return to worshiping the LORD alone and we need to if we claim to be believers in Jesus Christ as the only way to heaven.
Not everyone in America claims Jesus Christ as their Savior but those that do should follow HIM correctly according to the Word of God, the Bible.
CHALLENGE: Our treasure should be in the teaching of the Word of God and allow the LORD to give us the wealth HE wants us to have.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 25 He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gath-hepher. (5030 “prophet” [nabiy’] means inspired man, prophecy, them that prophesy or that prophecy)
DEVOTION: History is full of surprises. We find today that they are rewriting history to suit their own purposes. Also, in some places they are just leaving things out of history classes that are taught I our school. Many are challenging any part of history they would like. There are group of people who state that Hitler never had concentration camps for the Jews. He never killed the six million Jews that history used to record. Everything is up for interpretation.
We have seen many inspired men and women of God throughout the Old Testament. Each had their special responsibility given to them of God. Each had their individual struggles in their relationship with God. We have just covered in I Kings, how that Elijah had a problem with Jezebel to the point that he wanted to die. God was not finished with him yet. Could God have chosen another prophet to finish the tasks he had for Elijah? YES!! Did HE do it that way? NO!!!
Each of us has a special task that God wants to fulfill in our lives. We are here for a reason. We don’t understand some of the struggles we go through in this life. We have to depend on God to help us through our struggles. HE helped Elijah.
Here we have another inspired messenger. This messenger is called the reluctant prophet because he did not want to go to Nineveh to witness against it. He did not want the nation to repent. He was mad at God for sending him. He went the other way. God took him off his ship and gave him another form of transportation. He was delivered to the destination where the LORD wanted him to go. He preached and the nation repented. He still wasn’t happy. The LORD continued to deal with him. This reference to a prophecy that Jonah has given years before was coming true now.
All of God’s predictions for the future are going to come true in HIS timing. We are waiting and watching for the return of Jesus. Remember that Jesus described HIMSELF as someone who was greater than Jonah. Jesus was the one who would save those in the world from their sins once they made a commitment to HIM.
We are HIS communicators today. What are we communicating to those in our world? We are not going to add to the word of God, but we can convey the message of the Word of God to others. Are we sharing HIS word with others? Are we sharing these devotions with others?
The message has not changed for two thousand years. It is the message of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins. Repentance is necessary for everyone to become a follower of Jesus Christ. Those who don’t repent are going to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire reserved for the devil and his angels. The time is short. Many of us are like Jonah. We don’t want to give the message of judgment to our family and friends. He didn’t want to give the message to his enemies. We have to give HIS message even to those we don’t like.
CHALLENGE: Give this message to someone this week!!!
: 27 And the LORD said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven; but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash. (4229 “blot out” [machah] means destroy, abolish, wipe out, erase, annihilate, obliterate, or exterminate)
DEVOTION: The LORD was willing to use a evil king to cause the nation of Israel to survive this time period. Jeroboam II was good in his military knowledge but followed the ways of the other kings of Israel who didn’t honor the LORD.
The worship of false gods was prevalent and the people didn’t see the need to genuine worship of the LORD. Their practices were going further and further away from the way the LORD wanted them to live. HE was not going to abolish the ten tribes but HE would have to bring judgment because of their lack of obedience.
This is true even today. Many seem to have victories over certain sins but not fully giving their hearts over to the LORD. This is not all that the LORD wants from each of us. HE continually wants us to have a total commitment to HIM rather than a partial commitment.
The prophets Amos and Hosea were representing the LORD at the time of Jeroboam II’s reign. Their message was strong but the people didn’t want to respond to the LORD with obedience.
There was warning of coming judgment from the Assyrians but the people didn’t heed the warnings. The LORD is warning us that if we don’t have a revival our land might not be one that will be blessed.
The church has to wake up to the fact that the LORD still wants total obedience of HIS people for HIM to send a genuine revival that can stop the judgment that is coming.
CHALLENGE: Don’t be lulled to sleep by little times of blessing and victory when there could be great times of blessing and victory.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Book of the chronicles of kings of Israelverses 15, 28
Book of the chronicles of kings of Judahverse 18
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Book of the Law of Mosesverse 6
Book of the chronicles of kings of Israelverses 15, 28
Book of the chronicles of kings of Judahverse 18
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 3, 6, 14, 24, 25-27
Sight of the LORDverses 3, 24
House of the LORDverse 14
God – Elohim (Creator)verse 25
LORD God of Israelverse 25
Word of the LORD God of Israelverse 25
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Edom defeated by Amaziahverses 7, 10
Judah took Selah changed name to Joktheel
Lebanonverse 9
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Sacrifices in the high placesverse 4
Sinverses 6, 24
Heart lifted upverse 10
Conspiracyverse 19
Evil in the sight of the LORDverse 24
Sins of Jeroboamverse 24
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Right in the sight of the LORDverse 3
Servant [Jonah]verse 25
Prophet [Jonah]verse 25
Afflictionverse 26
Helperverse 26
Not blot out nameverse 27
saviorverse 27
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Joash or Jehoash – son of Jehoahazverses 1, 8-16
King of Israel
Responded to Amaziah request for war
Fights against Judah
Met at Bethshemesh of Judah to fight
Came to Jerusalem and took the treasure
Actions recorded in in book of the
Chronicles of the kings of Israel
Buried in Samaria
Amaziah – son of Joashverses 1-8, 11-20, 23
King of Judah
Reigned 29 years in Jerusalem
Did right in the eyes of the LORD
High places not taken away
Killed the ones who killed his father
Obeyed the book of the Law of Moses
Met with Israel to fight
Outlived Joash by 15 years
Actions recorded in book of the
Chronicles of the kings of Judah
Conspiracy against him
He was killed
Buried in Jerusalem
Davidverses 3, 20
Jereboam II reigns in Israelverses 16, 23-29
41 year reign
Did evil in the sight of the LORD
Copied the sins of Jeroboam
No helper for Israel
Acts recorded in the book of the chronicles of Israel
Azariah – king of Judahverses 21-22
16 years old
Built Elath
Jonah the son of Amittai the prophetverse 25
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
14:26–29 The Lord’s kindness emerges again in this text. As in 2 Kgs 13:22–23, the writer stresses that the Lord uses a quite imperfect ruler to extend grace to Israel. In language reminiscent of Exod 2:23–25, the text reminds readers that it is God’s goodness, not the nation’s, that allows Israel to survive. When Jeroboam II dies, Israel has lost its final chance to change. Assyria will soon march under Tiglath-Pileser III, Syria will regain some power under their king, Rezin, and Israel itself will suffer severe leadership crises. The respite is over. (House, P. R. (1995). 1, 2 Kings (Vol. 8, p. 327). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
26–27. After the suffering caused by Aram (10:32–33; 13:3–7), Moab (13:20), and Ammon (Amos 1:13), God now gave a period of grace to give opportunity for repentance. See on 13:23. Yet continued apostasy was leading inevitably to final judgment (Amos 4:2; 6:14) and ‘Israel used the time of her respite to weave the rope with which she was soon to be hanged’. ( Wiseman, D. J. (1993). 1 and 2 Kings: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 9, p. 265). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
In all this the faithfulness of God, despite Israel’s unfaithfulness (cf. Hos 2:2–3:5; 11:1–14:8; Amos 3:1–15), is evident. Because Israel had fallen into such desperate spiritual conditions (vv.26–27), a merciful God had acted on behalf of his people. As he had granted them deliverance from external pressures by sending Adad-Nirari III of Assyria against the Arameans (cf. 13:5, 22–23) initiating a period of recovery under Jehoash (13:25; 14:14–15), so now in a grander way he culminated that deliverance with full victory over the Arameans, one that included Israel’s recovery of its former boundaries (vv.27–28). (Patterson, R. D., & Austel, H. J. (1988). 1, 2 Kings. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job (Vol. 4, p. 231). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House)
During Jeroboam II’s reign the Prophets Amos and Hosea ministered in Israel (Amos 1:1; Hosea 1:1). Their prophecies give additional insights into life in Israel during Jeroboam’s reign. Jeroboam II died in 753 b.c. and his son Zechariah … succeeded him (cf. 2 Kings 15:8–12). (Constable, T. L. (1985). 2 Kings. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 566). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
To “blot out their name from under heaven” meant to annihilate Israel totally, leaving no trace or memory of her (Dt 9:14; 29:20). Thus, moved with compassion, the Lord Himself used Jeroboam II’s reign to rescue His suffering people. However, as the books of Hosea and Amos show, Israel did not respond to God’s grace with repentance.
14:28 Without devotion to the Lord, Jeroboam, by might and clever leadership, brought Israel more prosperity than the country had known since Solomon. The people rested in their prosperity rather than God’s power. Material blessing was no sign of God’s blessing, since they had no commitment to Him. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (2 Ki 14:25). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
THREE FRUITS OF REBIRTH
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 1 John 5:1
The first fruit of the rebirth is that I believe that “Jesus is the Christ.” And obviously, believing that is not something intellectual or something I only do with my mind. If I believe, I commit my whole life to Him. If I believe, I know I am delivered because Christ has done that for me. I see that apart from Him I am lost and undone and doomed. This is a profound action; it is a commitment; it is a banking of one’s everything upon that fact.
The second fruit of rebirth is love for God. John’s way of putting it is: “every one that loveth him that begat” Christians see that they are hell-deserving sinners and that they would have arrived in hell were it not for His great love in sending His Son. They realize the love of God for them, and therefore they love God; they realize they owe everything to Him. It seems to me that this again is one of those fundamental things about Christian men and women.
However good a life they may be living now as saints, they still feel that they are hell-deserving sinners in and of themselves, and that they owe everything to the grace of God; it is God’s love alone that has made them what they are. They lose their sense of fear and a sense of enmity against God and are filled with a sense of profound gratitude to Him.
And the final thing is, of course, that we love our brethren. “Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.” We look at other believers, and we see in them the same disposition as in ourselves. We realize that they owe everything to the grace of God, just as we do. We realize that in spite of their sinfulness God sent His Son to die for them, exactly as He did for us; and we are aware of this bond. Though there are many things about them we do not like, we say, “That is my brother, my sister.”
A Thought to Ponder: We realize that in spite of their sinfulness God sent His Son to die for them, exactly as He did for us. (From Life I God, pp. 19-20, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.)
Nearing his death, Joshua charges the Israelites to be faithful to the Lord.
INSIGHT
After a brilliant career as Israel’s leader, Joshua bids them farewell. He urges them not to allow themselves to be corrupted by the gods or people of the nations around them. Then Joshua encourages them that if they are faithful, “all the good things” of the Lord will come upon them (23:15); if they are not faithful, “the Lord will bring upon you all harmful things, until He has destroyed you from this good land” (23:15). (Quiet Walk)
WHEN WE DON’T UNDERSTAND
All things work together for good to them that love God. Romans 8:28
Our Lord’s message to us is that we must trust Him absolutely and explicitly, even when we cannot understand. That, in effect, as we have seen, is what He was saying to John in Matthew 11:2-6. “I am doing the things you have heard reported of Me. But then you say, ‘Why aren’t You doing other things?’ But if you really believe that I am the Messiah, the Son of God, cannot you leave it to Me? Even about this question of your being in prison and what your friends are saying about My not being concerned about you—John, if you know that I am who I am, cannot you trust Me there in prison itself?”
Faith means that I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ absolutely. Ah, we all have to learn this lesson. Even Paul had to pass this way. He had a thorn in the flesh, and he could not understand it. It seemed all wrong to him. He wanted to preach the gospel, but the thorn was a hindrance to him. Three times he besought the Lord to remove it, but this was the answer he got: “My grace is sufficient for thee.” “I am not taking out the thorn,” said the Lord in effect, “but I will do something infinitely bigger. I will bless you with the thorn in your side. I assure you that even with the thorn I can do wonders through you.”
“Quite right,” says Paul, “and I see that when I am weak, then I am strong, and I care about nothing except that I be right with You.” The place that God would have us come to is the one in which we can say, “All things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28). “All things”—it doesn’t matter what. “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11).
A Thought to Ponder: Faith means that I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ absolutely.
(From The Heart of the Gospel, pp. 51-52, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
God Is Triune
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” (Matthew 28:19)
The foundational plank of Israel’s worship was Deuteronomy 6:4—“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.” Even the great apostle James acknowledged, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble” (James 2:19).
Some have suggested that the Old Testament does not teach the Trinity and that the New Testament is making a “god” out of Jesus to foster the new religion. Nothing could be further from the truth. Both sections present the triune God.
The Father is named in Malachi 2:10: “Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us?” Jesus Himself insisted that we pray to the Father. “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9).
The Son is clearly declared in both Testaments. “The LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee” (Psalm 2:7). Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), and the apostle Paul insisted that the Lord Jesus was “all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9).
The Holy Spirit is hardly a stranger to both Testaments. King David knew that “the Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue” (2 Samuel 23:2). And as the Lord Jesus was preparing to go back to the Father, He promised that “the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26).
This much is clear: There is one God, who is manifested to us in three Persons.
(HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)
Heavy but Hopeful
Lord, you are the God who saves me.
Psalm 88:1
In a Peanuts comic strip, the very enterprising character Lucy advertised “psychiatric help” for five cents. Linus found his way to her office and acknowledged his “deep feelings of depression.” When he asked her what he could do about his condition, Lucy’s quick reply was, “Snap out of it! Five cents, please.”
While such lighthearted entertainment brings a momentary smile, the sadness and gloom that can grip us when real life happens is not that easily dismissed. Feelings of hopelessness and despair are real, and sometimes professional attention is needed.
Lucy’s advice wasn’t helpful in addressing real anguish. However, the writer of Psalm 88 does offer something instructive and hopeful. A truckload of trouble had arrived at his doorstep. And so, with raw honesty, he poured out his heart to God. “I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death” (v. 3). “You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths” (v. 6). “Darkness is my closest friend” (v. 18). We hear, feel, and perhaps identify with the psalmist’s pain. Yet, that’s not all. His lament is laced with hope. “ Lord , you are the God who saves me; day and night I cry out to you. May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry” (vv. 1–2; see vv. 9, 13). Heavy things do come and practical steps such as counsel and medical care may be needed. But never abandon hope in God. (By Arthur Jackson) Our Daily Bread
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