II Kings 15
Uzziah [Azariah] reigned for fifty two yearsverses 1-2
In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel
began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign
sixteen years old was he when he began to reign
and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem
and his mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem
Uzziah struck with leprosyverses 3-5
And he did that which was RIGHT in the sight of the LORD
according to all that his father Amaziah had done
save that the high places were not removed
the people sacrificed and burnt incense
still on the high places
And the LORD smote the king
so that he was a leper unto the day of his death
and dwelt in a several house
and Jotham the king’s son was over the house
judging the people of the land
Record of Uzziah’s reignverses 6-7
And the rest of the acts of Azariah – and all that he did
Are they not written in
the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
So Azariah slept with his fathers
and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David
and Jotham his son reigned in his stead
Zechariah reigned in Israel for six monthsverses 8-10
In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah
did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam(II) reign
over Israel in Samaria six months
and he did that which was EVIL in the sight of the LORD
as his fathers had done
he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam
the son of Nebat – who made Israel to sin
And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him
and smote him before the people -and slew him
and reigned in his stead
Record of Zechariah’s reignverses 11-12
And the rest of the acts of Zachariah – BEHOLD
they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel
This was the word of the LORD which HE spoke to Jehu
saying
Your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel
to the fourth generation
And so it came to pass
Shallum reigned over Israel for one monthverses 13-14
Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign
in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah
and he reigned a full month in Samaria
for Menahem the son of Gadi went up form Tirzah
and came to Samaria
and smote Shallum the son of Jebesh in Samaria
and slew him – and reigned in his stead
Record of Shallum’s reignverse 15
And the rest of the acts of Shallum
and his conspiracy which he made
BEHOLD – they are written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel
Menahem reigns in Israel for ten yearsverses 16-18
Then Menahem smote Tiphsah – and all that were therein
and the coasts thereof from Tirzah
BECAUSE they opened not to him
therefore he smote it
and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up
In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah
began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel
and he reigned ten years in Samaria
and he did that which was EVIL in the sight of the LORD
he departed not all his days from the sins of
Jeroboam the son of Nebat
who made Israel to sin
Menahem bribed king of Assyriaverses 19-20
And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land
and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver
that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom
in his hand
And Menahem exacted the money of Israel
even of all the mighty men of wealth
of each man fifty shekels of silver
to give to the king of Assyria
So the king of Assyria turned back – and stayed not there in the land
Record of Menahem’s reign over Israelverses 21-22
And the rest of the acts of Menahem – and all that he did
Are they not written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
and Menahem slept with his fathers
and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead
Pekahiah reigned over Israel for two yearsverses 23-24
In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah
Pekahiah the son of Menahem
began to reign over Israel in Samaria
and he reigned two years
and he did that which was EVIL in the sight of the LORD
he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam
the son of Nebat – who made Israel to sin
Pekah killed Pekahiahverse 25
BUT Pekah the son of Remaliah – a captain of his
conspired against him and smote him in Samaria
in the palace of the king’s house
with Argob and Arieh – and with him fifty men of the Gileadites
and he killed him – and reigned in his room
Record of Pekahiah’s reignverse 26
And the rest of the acts of Pekahiah – and all that he did – BEHOLD
They are written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel
Pekah reigned for twenty yearsverses 27-28
In the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah
Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign
over Israel in Samaria – and reigned twenty years
and he did that which was EVIL in the sight of the LORD
he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam
the son of Nebat – who made Israel to sin
King of Assyria conquered land in Israelverse 29
In the days of Pekah king of Israel
came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria
and took
Ijon – Abel-beth-maachah – Janoah – Kedesh
Hazor – Gilead – Galilee
all the land of Naphtali
and carried them captive to Assyria
Hoshea killed Pekahverses 30
And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy
against Pekah the son of Remaliah
and smote him – and slew him – and reigned in his stead
in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah
Record of Pekah’s reignverse 31
And the rest of the acts of Pekah – and all that he did
BEHOLD
They are written in the book of chronicles of the kings of Israel
Jotham reigned in Judah for sixteen yearsverses 32-33
In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel
began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign
five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign
and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem
and his mother’s name was Jerusha
the daughter of Zadok
Jotham pleased the LORDverses 34-35
And he did that which was RIGHT in the sight of the LORD
he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done
howbeit the high places were not removed
the people sacrificed and burned incense
still in the high places
he built the higher gate of the house of the LORD
Record of Jotham’s reignverses 36-38
Now the rest of the acts of Jotham – and all that he did
Are they not written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
In those days the LORD began to send against Judah
Rezin the king of Syria
and Pekah the son of Remaliah
And Jotham slept with his fathers
and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father
and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. (4427 “reign” [malak] means to be the king, rule, to install someone as king, to rule as king or supreme ruler over a nation, or to become ruler or supreme ruler over a nation)
DEVOTION: The LORD chose to have kings who started serving at the age of seven and sixteen. So we have children who were given direction by adults to rule over a nation. Here we have a good king who started his reign at age sixteen. To us it seems that it was too young but to the LORD it was not a problem.
Mature teenagers can make good decisions with proper instructions from the LORD and good Biblical leaders. This king ruled well for fifty-two years. He honored the LORD with his decisions.
Can teenagers today honor the LORD with their decisions? The answer is still YES!! It takes a teenager who is willing to listen to those who are giving him good spiritual guidance. If a teenager is willing to learn Biblical truth on a regular basis, he will be able to make decisions that are pleasing to the LORD.
We need to give teenagers a choice regarding what they are willing to do for the LORD. Too often we look at them as children and give them no responsibility in the church and it causes them to become discouraged.
Remember we are to be encouragers of our fellow believers and this includes children and teenagers who show a willingness to serve the LORD properly at a young age.
We have seen men train children and teenagers to preach. It seems good if there are individual who don’t develop a pride in themselves. Pride is not what the LORD wants as an attitude in the lives of adults or children or teenagers. We have to remember that pride always comes before a fall.
With proper attitudes and training the future generation can be a witness that can reach their world for the LORD. It is up to the older generation to give them a chance to prove themselves with good training.
CHALLENGE: Don’t wait too long to train those who have a desire to serve the LORD!!! All teenagers are not equal!!!
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 5 And the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house. And Jothan the king’s son was over the house, judging the people of the land. (2669 “several” [chopshiyth] means prostration, separateness, sick house, hospital, freedom, separation or physical isolation)
DEVOTION: Once a kingdom that used to worship the LORD started worshiping other gods it decreased in influence and size. The kingdom of Israel started with a king that set up two golden calves to keep the children of Israel from going to Jerusalem to worship. These two calves stayed with the nation until it fell. Each of the kings of Israel didn’t destroy them.
However, there were other sins that were committed against the LORD by the kings of Israel. Many of them didn’t last very long as king. One only lasted a month. Once honoring the LORD left, so did the discipline of the people in following a leader that didn’t love the LORD. Many of them were assassinated. Life didn’t matter to those who didn’t believe that they were answering to a Living God.
In this verse we have a king who was doing what was right in the sight of the LORD. To find out the rest of the story we have to read II Chronicles 26: 16-21. The king thought he could take the responsibility of a priest and offer incense on the altar in the temple. The LORD judged him quickly for this action. HE gave him the disease of leprosy. He could no longer rule himself. He had to have his son rule with him. He was in a place of separation from the rest of the people because of his disease.
We need to watch ourselves, when we think, we can do someone else’s responsibility better than they can. There are many people who think that they would make a better preacher or pastor than the one they are listening to each Sunday. If God has not called them to be the pastor, they are asking for the judgment of God on their lives.
Each of us has to use the GIFT God has given us for the GLORY of God. Each of us receives a GIFT from the LORD at the point of salvation. The lists of gifts are found in the books of Romans, I Corinthians and Ephesians. Don’t try to practice someone else’s gift. It will not give glory to God but bring reproach to HIS name in the eyes of the world.
A king trying to be a priest was a sin against the LORD. The LORD always chastens HIS own children. HE did it then, HE will do it now.
Find your gift and use it for the glory of God. There is no just sitting in the pew once we become a follower of God. There is a responsibility in the local church for each believer.
CHALLENGE: Practice your proper gift or expect the chastening of the LORD.
: 12 This was the word of the LORD which HE spoke to Jehu, saying, Your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation. And so it came to pass. (1696 “spoke” [dabar] means to express in speech, to promise, command, converse, command, promise or warn)
DEVOTION: Promises, promises, promises. Humans make promises but break them many times throughout their life. It is better if we don’t make promises we are not going to keep. This doesn’t stop us. No because it seems that most of us have a problem keeping our word to those around us.
This is not what happens when the LORD promises HIS people something. It also doesn’t happen even with those who are not good followers of the LORD. HE makes a promise to someone here that fulfilled what HE wanted done and so received the promise. Israel was the northern kingdom that was evil most of the time. They worshiped false gods regularly. They kept their high places where they sacrificed to these gods as well. The LORD knew all about what was going on and yet allowed the kingdom to say active until their captivity by Assyria.
This is another example of the longsuffering of the LORD. HE allowed them to continue to follow the example of bad king after bad king without a final judgment.
HE is longsuffering with us as well today. HE does send warnings to us if we are out of fellowship with HIM. HE promises to never leave us or forsake us. Yet we know that HE will have to correct us if we continue to disobey HIM.
HE understands that we are not consistent with our walk with HIM. HE wants us to glorify HIS name throughout our life but knows that HE will have to correct us many times in that lifetime.
This is the love we show our children if we are good parents. It is an active role that we have in their training and we have to correct them on a regular basis yet without condemning them.
We as parents and grandparents need to seek the LORD’S guidance in our training of the next generation. Here we have four generations of individuals who were not obedient to the LORD but yet received a promise which the LORD kept.
CHALLENGE: Think about how much greater a promise we have in our lifetime of service to HIM.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 28 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. (2398 “sin” [chata] means cause to violate divine command, offend, be culpable, miss the mark, induce to disobey, go wrong, commit a mistake, or miss the way).
DEVOTION: One of the common statements throughout the kingdom of Israel was that they didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam. He set a standard of behavior which was against the law of God. He helped the people under his rule to disobey the LORD. The kings after him followed his example. He lowered the standard and the people enjoyed keeping his new standard.
Today we find that many Christian leaders are lower the standard of behavior for genuine believers. We are not taking just about liberal leaders but we find that even those who love the LORD can cause the people to believe in a lower standard of behavior in their Christian life.
This happens real easy when a leader doesn’t want to offend those who attend his church. He allows things to slide when it comes to confronting those who are causing problems in the church with the hope that they will change without any confrontation.
Many leaders who are not pastors have been in the church so long that they think that they know what is right and wrong behavior and instruct the people in these areas. When a pastor comes who is more Biblical in their approach to the proper standard for believers they simply have the man voted out as pastor.
Jeroboam set a low standard for the ten tribes and they liked his standard and kept returning to it with the kings that followed him. It was not a good reputation to follow.
Evil doesn’t take long to take over a nation. Evil doesn’t take long to take over a church. Evil doesn’t take long to take over a home. It has to be fought tooth and nail if we are to keep our eyes on the LORD.
CHALLENGE: We should never be accused of causing fellow believers to depart from the standard the LORD has set for HIS church or our homes.
: 35 Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the House of the LORD. (5493 “removed” [cuwr] means to turn aside, to change direction, to go off, retreat, to be removed of something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or be removed something abstract, or abolish)
DEVOTION: One sin enters a nation it is hard to get rid of it. Here we have generations of people worship false gods. They were brought up with this type of worship and didn’t think it was wrong because it has been going on for so long.
This is wrong thinking. They knew that the LORD didn’t want them worshiping other gods but they still didn’t really see that it was wrong after all the other generations have been doing it and they grew up seeing it done, so it was natural to follow the lead of their parents and grandparents.
God wants us to realize that there is false worship going on in every generation and each generation should study HIS Word to see what is proper and what is not. We need to do this even today.
There are many traditions that have been passed on from previous generations that we need to re-evaluate in our time period to see if they honor the LORD or not. Once we determine that it is not honoring to the LORD, we have to stop doing it.
Our generation seems to want to change all the standards of the past but that is not always right either. There has to be a balance as to what is Biblical and what a tradition is.
If it is only tradition and not a biblical standard then it can change for the better.
CHALLENGE: Make sure that we are worshiping the LORD properly. HE wants everything to be done according to HIS standard and not ours or our parents.
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 Chroniclesverses 6, 11, 15, 21, 26, 31, 36
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)
House of the LORDverse 35
Higher gate built
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Book of Chroniclesverses 6, 11, 15, 21, 26, 31, 36
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 3, 5, 9, 12, 18, 24, 28, 34, 35
Sight of the LORDverses 3, 9, 18, 24, 28, 34
Word of the LORDverse 12
House of the LORDverse 35
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)
Pul – king of Assyriaverse 19
Tiglathpileser – king of Assyraiverse 29
Rezin – king of Syriaverse 37
Sent by LORD against Judah
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Worshiping in the high placesverses 4, 35
Evil leaderverses 9, 18, 24, 28
Sins of Jeroboamverses 9, 18, 24, 28
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Right in the sight of the LORDverses 3, 34
Fulfillment of prophecyverse 12
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jeroboam – king of Israelverses 1, 9, 18, 24, 28
27 year of his reign
Son of Nebat
Made Israel to sin
Azariah – son of Amariah = Judahverses 1-7, 13, 17, 27, 32, 34
Began to reign
16 years old
Reigned 52 years
Did what was right
High places still existed
A leper
Rest of acts written in the
Chronicles of the kings of Judah
Uzziah
Jotham – son of Azariahverses 5, 30, 32-36
Over house because father was leper
Judging the people of the land
Reigned 16 years
Did what was right
High places not removed
Acts written in book of the chronicles of kings of Judah
Zachariah – son of Jeroboam = Samariaverses 8-11
Did evil
Shallum conspired against and killed him
Acts written in book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel
Shallumverses 10-15
Began to reign in 39th year of Uzziah king of Judah
Fulfilled promise of LORDverse 12
Menahem – son of Gadiverses 14-22
Killed Shallum
Smote Tiphsah
Riped up women with children
Ruled 10 years
Did evil
Paid off Pul of Assyria
Written in book of the chronicles of
The kings of Israel
Pekahiah – son of Menahemverses 23-26
Reigned 2 years
Did evil
Killed by Pekah
Pekah reigned in Samariaverses 25, 27-29, 31, 32, 37
Son of Remaliah
Captain of Pekahiah
Reigned 20 years
Evil in sight of the LORD
Hoshea – son of Elahverse 30
Conspiracy against Pekah
Killed him
Reigned in his stead
Ahaz – king in Judah verse 38
Son of Jotham
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
34–35 Jotham turned his attention to his country’s internal needs. He rebuilt the Upper Gate at the northern entrance of the temple (v.35) and extended the wall of Ophel (2 Chronicles 27:3; cf. 2 Chronicles 26:9). He also turned his attention to urban planning, constructing cities in the highlands of Judah that, together with a system of towers and fortification in the wooded areas, could serve both economic and military purposes.
At the onset of his reign, the Ammonites, from whom Azariah had exacted tribute (2 Chronicles 26:8), refused to acknowledge Jotham’s overlordship. This occasioned successful campaigns against the Ammonites so that they once again paid their tribute (2 Chronicles 27:5). The notice that this tribute continued into the second and third year may correlate with the probability that Jotham had turned over the reigns of government to his coregent son, Ahaz, about the year 736, possibly due to some failure in health, or due to rising international tensions. (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. 241). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
Only one of Jotham’s accomplishments is recorded in 2 Kings. He rebuilt the Upper (north) Gate of the temple, perhaps to encourage the worship of Yahweh. Jotham’s other building projects and his subjection of the Ammonites are recorded in 2 Chronicles 27:3–5. The reason he became a powerful king is that “he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God” (2 Chron. 27:6) (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. 568). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
Jotham, son of Uzziah, began to reign when he was twenty-five years old and ruled for sixteen years (27:1). He was coregent with his father after Uzziah was smitten with leprosy for invading the temple precincts. Jotham would be considered a good king, although his son Ahaz was a bad king. In fact, from Jotham, the eleventh king of Judah, to Zedekiah, the twentieth and last king of Judah, only Jotham, Hezekiah, and Josiah could be called good kings. That’s three kings out of ten. The Lord kept David’s lamp burning in Jerusalem all those years, but there came a time when He had to bring in the nation of Babylon and punish His people for their sins.
Like his father, Uzziah, Jotham was both a builder and a warrior. He repaired the walls of Jerusalem and the Upper Gate of the temple. He also built cities in the Judean mountains and fortresses and towers in the wooded areas. His army confronted the armies of Israel and Syria, and he won a great victory over the Ammonites and put them under a very heavy annual tribute—nearly four tons of silver and 62,000 bushels each of wheat and barley (27:5). “So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God” (27:6, nkjv). We wonder how much more good he would have accomplished had he lived longer.
In Hebrew history we frequently find a godly father begetting an ungodly son and an ungodly father raising a godly son. Good king Jehoshaphat begat bad king Jehoram, but godly King Joash gave the nation a godly son (Amaziah), grandson (Uzziah), and great-grandson (Jotham). However, Jotham’s son Ahaz was not a good king or a godly man, yet he begat good King Hezekiah, who in turn was the father of Manasseh, perhaps the most wicked king of the lot—and he had a reign of fifty-five years! Ezekiel the Prophet in Babylon dealt with this interesting phenomenon in chapter 18 of his prophecy.
God is sovereign in His gifts to individuals and nations. The Lord was longsuffering toward His people during those difficult and evil days, and He was faithful to keep His promises to David. But time was running out. After Ahaz died, only Hezekiah and Josiah would honor the Word of God and seek to obey His will. Yet, in spite of the sins and failings of the people, the Lord maintained a godly remnant in the nation, and from that godly remnant the Messiah would eventually be born.
“Known to God from eternity are all His works” (Acts 15:18, nkjv). (Wiersbe, W. W. (2002). Be distinct (pp. 106–107). Colorado Springs, CO: Victor.)
Ver. 34. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, &c.] Jarchi, in 2 Chron. 27:2. observes, from a writer of theirs, that in all the kings of Judah before him, even in the best, some sins were found; but in Jotham there was nothing scandalous and reproachful; and it is a high character Josephus gives of him, that there was no virtue wanting in him; he was pious towards God, just towards men, and careful of the public good; but the inspired historian chiefly respects matters of religious worship; he did not give into idolatry: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done; that is, according to what was well done by him; he did not imitate him in going into the temple to burn incense, which is particularly excepted, 2 Chron. 27:2. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 2, p. 819). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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!!)
The Divine Designer
“Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?” (Isaiah 40:12)
The answer to this rhetorical question can only be God, the divine Designer of all the intricate interrelationships of His great creation. Four of the disciplines of natural science are implied here, and in each case a key principle of that science is anticipated.
The emphasis is on the precision of the divinely allocated quantities of each component. First, there is the precise balance of the waters of the earth between the oceans, rivers, groundwater, and atmospheric waters. Hydrology is the science of Earth’s waters, and life on Earth is dependent on the fine-tuning of the components of the hydrologic cycle. “He looketh to the ends of the earth. . . . To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure” (Job 28:24-25).
The atmospheric heaven also has been carefully dimensioned in size and composition to make life possible, as formulated in the science of meteorology.
The “dust of the earth” is nothing less than the basic chemical elements out of which all things are made. The accuracy with which elements combine with each other is based on their valences, and all of this is involved in the study of chemistry. The principle of isostasy (“equal weights”) is the fundamental principle of the science of geophysics, involving the weights of mountains and hills, continents, and ocean basins.
God does not deal in chance and caprice, even with inanimate physical systems such as mountains and waters. Not even a sparrow can “fall on the ground without your Father” (Matthew 10:29). HMM (Institute for Creation Research)
Through the use of metaphors, James warns us about the tongue. There is nothing good or bad, right or wrong about a tongue; it is simply a few ounces of muscle. But the tongue articulates the contents of the heart. If a flask full of acid is bumped, acid will spill out. If a flask full of water is bumped, only water will spill out. Water will never spill out of a flask of acid, and acid will never spill out of a flask of water. In that sense, the tongue merely reveals the heart. Let the heart be bumped, and the tongue will reveal what is in the heart. In controlling the tongue, you must control the heart. If you want to change the words of the tongue, you must change the condition of the heart. (Quiet Walk)
KEEPING GOD’S COMMANDMENTS
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 1 John 5:3
There is nothing about which we can so deceive ourselves as the fact that we love God. A man may come to me and say he loves God. He says with Browning, “God’s in His Heaven, All’s right with the world.” But when something goes against him, he finds he does not love God. He says, “Why does Gods?” Feelings are very deceptive. How do we know we love God? There is the next step when we keep his commandments.
Our Lord emphasizes that in John 14:21: “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.” You cannot separate these things. Love is not a sentiment; it is the most active, vital thing in the world. If I love God, I want to please Him “I keep the commandments. And what I may regard as the love of God in my soul is a pure delusion unless it leads me to keep God’s commandments and to live life as He wants me to live it.
Again, says someone, you have just shifted the problem. This keeping of the commandments what is this? Well, says John in essence in a kind of footnote on which he is going to elaborate in the next verse, what matters in this whole question of keeping the commandments is my attitude toward them. When I face the commandments of God, do I resent them? Do I feel that God is imposing an impossible load upon me? Do I groan and grumble and say, Oh, this hard taskmaster who asks of me the impossible?
If that is your attitude toward the commandments of God, says John in effect, “you are not keeping them, and neither are you loving God, and you are not loving your brethren you are outside the life altogether. For someone who is truly Christian does not find the commandments of God to go against the grain.
A Thought to Ponder: Someone who is truly Christian does not find the commandments of God to go against the grain. (From Life in God, pp. 30-31 by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
THE SOUL
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Mark 8:36
Our Lord always talked about one thing only. He had only one theme, and that was the soul of man. He kept on saying that there was something about the individual that was of priceless value. “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” It was as if He looked at His congregation and said to them, “You are always interested in things, in the world itself; but I am interested in that which is within you, which is called the soul. It will avail you nothing, though your whole world is put in order, if your soul is wrong with God.” The soul—that was His constant theme. He persisted in dealing with it, and thereby He offended large numbers of people who listened to Him, people who were at first interested but who ended, like the people in John 6, by going home and walking no more with Him.
Think of many of the illustrations our Lord uses. Cannot you see that all of them are just illustrations about the soul? Look at Him in the country standing there with His followers beside the orchard. He seems to be very interested in fruit trees. He talks about them quite often and seems to know a lot about them. Yet He never lectured on horticulture and the mystery of life in the trees. He says in effect, “Do you see the trees of the orchard? They can be either good or bad, and you judge the tree eventually by the fruit that it bears. If it bears evil fruit, it is an evil tree. If it bears good fruit, it is a good tree. For ‘by their fruits ye shall know them.’ You have a soul within you, and it is like that tree in the orchard.”
A Thought to Ponder: The soul—that was His constant theme.
(From The Heart of the Gospel, p. 58, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
The Soul Exchange
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:36-37)
The lives of many people revolve almost completely around the stock exchange, and they never stop to realize that it easily may become a soul exchange where they exchange their very souls for the imagined blessings of the great god Mammon. “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10).
Similarly, many are greatly exercised about their monthly profit-and-loss statements. But the Lord Jesus asks whether there is really a profit, even if one acquires the wealth of the whole world at the cost of his soul, and the answer to such a rhetorical question has to be: “No!” For “the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:17).
Furthermore, the words “life” in verse 35 and “soul” in our text are actually the same word (psuche) in the Greek original. That is, to lose one’s soul is to lose one’s very life, for they are inseparable. A life centered around money is not only a soul lost but a life wasted as well. On the other hand, if we lose our lives in Christ, then we find true life, eternal life, beginning here and now, and continuing forever. This is a good exchange!
God may well bless a Christian with material wealth, but this should not be his motivation. “Charge them that are rich in this world,” Paul says, “that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate [i.e., share]; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:17-19).
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
The Right Words
Pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan.
Ephesians 6:19
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