BIBLE REFLECTIONS, MAY TO AUGUST 2021
IF YOU’RE HERE AGAIN,
YOU’RE LOST ONCE AGAIN, BECAUSE THIS READS LIKE A JAPANESE MANGA.
‘THE LAST WILL BE
FIRST’, HENCE, THE LAST ENTRY ON THE LAST PAGE WILL BE READ FIRST.
ENJOY, AND BE
ENCOURAGED…=)
"The Lord will
judge the people... The righteous judge tries the heart and reins..."
Even as we agonize
over our troubles, our sickness and pain; with a repentant and humble heart, we
can be confident like King David; that our God will hear and save, heal and
restore us...
Let this be our daily
prayer and song...
Some of us sleep less
on some occasions, some more... But the best part of the believer's life, is
our trust and faith in the God who enables us to sleep in peace, to commune
humbly in our hearts to Him and to ourselves, and to stand in awe of His mighty
power, and in respect and love of even the least of our fellowman...
We can go to sleep,
and rest assured that with all that troubles us, God will always sustain us...
Life is already
difficult enough as it is: just trying to survive, just trying to keep
ourselves safe, struggling to heal and recover... Let us not anymore challenge
God and be prideful; let us become humble and have our peace with Him and our
fellow men... For indeed, those who put their trust in Him are truly blessed
(v. 12); whatever happens in life, just trusting God shows that our minds and
spirits are aligned to the Highest Power in the universe, something that many
misled, darkened and troubled minds have failed to do... And so keeping our
hopes and faith centered on Him who gave us life, and who alone has every right
to rule and take it away, is the blessing enough in itself... Blessed be the
Name of the Lord...
As we begin our study
and reflection of the book that sits in the middle of Biblical Canon, more
explanatory or commentary words are not needed because the texts are plain
enough to understand, and too powerful not to plant deep in our beings... May
we be truly blessed as we meditate on these, and not be ungodly (in this
passage obviously meaning those who do not ponder upon what they read and
hear)... May we live the rest of our lives with our souls stripped bare and
lifted up by the Psalms...
In true repentance,
there is double the blessing... When Job repented and said sorry for saying
things without knowledge and wisdom, in questioning about his predicament, God
forgave Him, and his friends too, when they obeyed and offered for their sin
offerings... And Job received double the favor, and double the grace, compared
to his state before his tribulations... What a wonderful, Merciful God we have,
if we only acknowledge our ignorance and pride before Him, humbly repent and
ask forgiveness for all the stupid and foolish things we say and do, and come
to Him in worship and praise... These days, especially with the
democraticization of social media, it is clear that there are far too many
people who lie, slander, speak vitriol and senseless words devoid of reason,
good manners, and godly wisdom... Yet even these too, if they turn from their
wickedness, God is willing to hear, to forgive, to bless and shower with His
grace... Before we run out of time, before we take our last breath, may we put
our lives in the proper order, and return to our God, spending the rest of our
days being good stewards, with full awareness that we are accountable for every
word we say (Matthew 12:36)...
Though 'leviathans'
terrorize us, we can trust and hope in the One who created them, for He reigns
supreme over all... There is duality in this message for us until today,
because like the fire-breathing, water-and-land dwelling leviathan dragon which
God described to Job, there are many people today who speak vitriol, engage in
acts of violence, to intimidate and terrorize others, so they can promote their
own selfish interests; and even going against lawful and legitimate civil,
political and religious institutions to justify their crimes... God proclaimed
the leviathan as king over them (v. 34), the "children of pride", who
refuse sound discipline, good instructions, constructive criticisms, and fail
in managing challenging situations, because they want to maintain their hold on
power, and cover over their corruption and wicked ways... Yet God says, if we
can cower before such creatures, who can stand before Him (v. 10)?... Indeed,
even these 'human leviathans' can never do anything when God calls upon their
souls and takes their breath for good... And so, instead of promoting
ourselves, kissing up to those in power, and constantly striving to rise up in
life by stepping on others, disregarding their rights and humanity, insulting
their intelligence, and exploiting and abusing the gullibility and helplessness
of those who have less, what remain the sensible things for us to do are to
humble ourselves, gain wisdom, and act with justice, fairness, patience,
generosity, love and understanding, so we may be able to preserve our lives,
and that of our children too (2 Chronicles 7:14)... May we have the eyes to
see, the ears to hear, and the hearts and loins of flesh to obey...
To reason with God like
a man, is to keep silent and let Him do the talking... For indeed, who are we
to dictate to Him, and what can we do compared to what He has done throughout
time, and in all His creation... Yes, we may speak, but to the extent of
praise, worship, giving Him thanks and praise (Psalm 95), and like our Savior
said, to ask for our daily bread, for strength, for safety and for forgiveness
(Matthew 6:7-13); for that is our lot, who may be here today, but in one
instant, whose breaths can be taken away and gone tomorrow (Psalm 144:4, James
4:14)... And all we can do to make this short life worthwhile of His grace and
mercy, is to be humble, to do good and right, to execute justice, fairness,
generosity and understanding (Micah 6:8) , and to be bringers of peace (Matthew
5:5 & 9) and promoters of life (Deuteronomy 30:19)... May we have the
wisdom, understanding, and humility to fulfill such, our whole duty as mankind
(Ecclesiastes 12:13)...
A global menagerie to
ponder on and learn from... In this passage, God speaks to Job and to all of us
who claim to know Him, and presume that we can dictate Him to grant our wishes
and prayers, simply by twisting His hands through our passionate appeals,
without gaining wisdom from His Word, without humility and obedience to His
leading... If we can't even dictate how animals move, how can we presume to
have control over God's grace and favor... Especially in times of tragedy and
despair, God reminds Job and us to remain humble in affliction, to continue to
be faithful and to pray, but not to be demanding, not to proclaim and boast
about our privilege as His children, but to wait, to be full of hope and live a
life of patience and persistence, unassuming simplicity, and contentment--in
both plenty and want... For just as He directs and takes care of the animals on
earth--on land, sea and air, so will He not forget His promises, and will
fulfill them in our lives...
The God of the
whirlwind and of all creation... Finally, Job's longing and earnest prayers
were granted, and he seemed grateful; that though God, in finally speaking,
corrected his views and words, yet it has had the desired effect of giving more
wisdom and understanding, enabling a deeper love and respect of God... Indeed,
foolish humanity may have discovered and found out some of the very things that
God is talking about in here: astrology and astronomy, latitudes and
longitudes, earth's foundations or layers and all the physical laws and forces
that govern, even water drainage and air systems... Yet, for all these, many of
us failed to see the glory and wisdom behind, and the love that powers through,
as we fail to acknowledge the life force that makes all these things
work--which we should all rightly ascribe to our God, Maker, and King... In
this passage, it seems that God Himself is telling us, that yes, we may
increase knowledge of His creation through science and technology, or through
the laws of hypothesis-observation-conclusion that is never really an exact and
final but rather a dynamic discipline; but it should not be our source of
pride, because we were not even there when these things came to be, and could
not even agree as to when exactly was the point in time all creation came to
existence... All we have left to do is to give thanks, to praise and worship the
One who made them, and Whose power is still at work today, causing these things
to produce the elements we need to survive... May we learn to listen to God's
Words, for unlike scientific theories, which by name means subject to proof or
disproof, and can be changed when conditions prove otherwise, and therefore not
dogma and not 100% certain; but God's Word and His Truth is full of wisdom,
timeless, and true, a worthy guide for life... May God be glorified...
The God of the climate
and the weather... Unlike ancient deities however, He was the True, the One and
only... In His book, the seasons always come in their right time, no matter the
changes in intensity and frequency... And in this part of Elihu's monologue, we
are made to understand why: "for correction (of man's sinful ways), for
His land (and the nourishment of all creation), or for His mercy (so that in
spite of his shortcomings, man might live from the produce of the land... (v.
13)"... May we be forever thankful for and be humbled by this realization,
as we live out the rest of our days in concert with and being good stewards of
all His creation...
Speaking in behalf of
the Great God who dispenses justice like clouds and rain... Elihu proceeds with
his speech, by reminding us that we have a Great God, whose ways we can not
fully understand; yet, He establishes kings and leaders, and brings them down
low when they have committed too much abuses and oppressions; a God who sends
in clouds to cover the light of the sun and moon, and pours out rain on all
creation... Since these things and events are even beyond us, we must choose to
do what is right and just, stop doing iniquity, worship and serve Him in
humility, and obey His commands... For just as He saves and blesses the poor
and righteous (v. 6-7, 15-16), He gives wisdom and a good life to leaders and
rulers when they listen to Him, but ultimately punishes and destroys them when
they exceed their transgressions (v. 7-14)... May we learn our lesson and spend
our days doing good, in worship to God, and in truly loving and respecting our
fellowman...
Brazen... One would
think that this is a prevalent mindset today, when we witness the oppression
and abuses done by people, from the neighborhood, to whole nations from across
the globe... Elihu is our voice of reason until today, reminding us that though
we may have forgotten that God sees everything we do (v. 10-12), yet, the
oppressed, harassed, abused, persecuted and downtrodden can find hope in Him
because He gives justice to all who deserved it (v. 13-14): God's angry
visitation and life's bitter end to the cruel and proud and wicked ones (v.
15), while mercy and grace to the humble and faithful (v. 14, Psalm 18:27 &
31:24 & 138:6, Proverbs 15:25, James 4:6)...
God sees the truth but
waits... That was the title of Tolstoy's poignant story... In here Elihu
declared the same of God on Job's predicament... After Job and friends have
exhausted all their reasoning, their understanding of God and all He does still
comes up short; for God sees everything in man, even allowing them to go
through difficulties for a time, that He might proclaim His righteous
judgments, mercy and grace, whom nobody can refute... That is why, it is just
right not to question God about our hardships, for surely He sees and feels our
suffering and pain; and if we remain humble and firm, steadfast, not be
influenced or distracted by wicked people around us--be they of the world or
even so-called brethren who still lack godly wisdom and spiritual maturity, He
will save and deliver us at the right time...
As Elihu proceeds with
his speech, he testifies that God sent him to impart wisdom to Job and his
friends, and to all their audience and listeners... He proclaimed to be
speaking with God's voice (v. 6), according to his name, 'Elihu' (my God is He),
when he puts everything in their proper perspective: God is infinitely higher
than man, so that we could not fully understand His motivations, why He allows
certain things to happen... Yet in here, Elihu lays out his main conclusion:
that sometimes, we humans go through trouble, pain, and hardship, because God
wants us to avoid going through harder, more miserable, and more excruciating
pain and sorrow later (v. 17-30)... And like God, whose blessings and
discipline only bring good and develop our character (Hebrews 12:10-11, Psalm
119:75); Elihu claims that instead of causing pain and sorrow, the words that
God commanded him to speak will bring peace and healing to Job--spiritually and
emotionally (v. 7, 31-33)... May we have the courage and patience to endure
whatever hardships we may be suffering now, unless it blatantly and
unreasonably destroys our life and person; otherwise may we listen to wisdom
and extricate ourselves from willfully compromising, mentally and physically
dangerous situations and connections, and focus our energies and time on the
work God meant for us to according to our talents and gifts, and hold our
peace, as we open ourselves up to God's revelations (v. 14-16)...
A voice of reason... Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, a
kindred of Ram (or Aram - - 1 Chronicles 2:9, Ruth 4:19, Matthew 1:3 & 4 -
- who was King David's ancestor), a mere listener and audience to Job and his
friends, spoke out and put things in perspective... Even until today, many
people speak out from the abundance of their hearts, but often our perspectives
are limited, prejudiced and insufficiently informed... And there will always be
people like Elihu, neither advanced in age, nor high in social, political or
economic status, yet whom God blessed with wisdom and godly reason, to humble
us and make us realize that nobody holds a monopoly to knowledge, and that
truth often comes from unexpected places; while the will of God, which we so
desperately try to understand, many times come not from the illustrious, or the
great, but from people who listen well and in humility... Elihu's speeches
promise to be a great read, and are poised to teach us more about life and God
too... May we be humble and open, and listen to what he has to say, as he
presents to us, how God feels and thinks...
Job's closing
statement... Job ended his speech and argument by asking God to clarify if he
had indeed sinned greatly that is why he is suffering, and narrating all the
good things he had done... Such timeless attitude is still with us until today,
which Job calls as Adam hiding his transgression and iniquity in his bosom...
But, human as we are, we all sin and commit mistakes, no matter how righteous
and noble we may project ourselves to others be; and yet, to only think that
God allows bad things to happen is because we have slipped up would be too much
of a stretch, for as we learned from the first chapters of Job's book,
sometimes the devil goes to the details, and confounds us with sorrow, tragedy,
shock and put downs... In reality too, because we are yet in this physical,
earthly life, we get subjected to tragedies beyond our control, like the forces
of nature, thus, making the argument that 'good happens to the good, while bad
happens to the bad' turn on its head... It is difficult enough to just survive
daily, so that on those moments where life takes a particularly hard turn, we
can only hope and pray, and trust that our God will see us through; for as much
as "He sends rain on the righteous and the sinner" (Matthew 5:45), so
will He never fail to sustain us too... Hence, there really is no reason to be
overcome by worry, fear and panic, because even if we cannot understand life
that much, or get a firm grip on what makes it work out well, we can have
confidence that our God will never leave us hanging, bewildered and alone
(Hebrews 13:5)...
Reversal of fortune... In
this part of Job's speech, though he is talking about how even people who were
more miserable than him before, now ridicule and mock him when he was brought
down to nothing after his tribulations... Yet we also learn, because we know
how his story turns, how is it really like when God is truly at work in a
person's life: it's not all sunshine and roses, bad things happen, wealth and
loved ones disappear or leave, the body breaks down and is brought down by
disease and aging, and the mind and heart weakens... But such things are
necessary to prove one's character and perseverance (James 1:2-4)... Yes, in
this physical life, we have been set free from the slavery of sin, yet, our
full actualization comes at the appearing and glorious deliverance of our God
in our lives, and in the eyes of all (Romans 8:22-23, 1 Corinthians 15:50-52, 1
Thessalonians 4:15-17)... May we find comfort and strength in this (1 Thessalonians
4:18), as we are encouraged by our Savior, to persevere and endure until the
end (Matthew 24:13)...
A journey to the past
may help, but not totally erase an existential crisis... Like many of us today,
whose lives have been upended by the pandemic, Job couldn't help but long for
the good old days... Yet, King Solomon says such is not wise (Ecclesiastes
7:10), for indeed our God who never changes (Numbers 23:19, Malachi 3:6), said
Himself that He is making all things new (Isaiah 43:19), and that His mercies are
new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23)... Yes, the past can be good, but they
can only remain as a good memory... What our God wants us to focus on is now,
and in the future, when, in spite of all our hardships and troubles in the
present day, He promises and always delivers on a better tomorrow...
True wisdom and
understanding does not come from human philosophies and achievements... In this
passage, Job once again leads us through an expansive tour of creation, the
natural elements, the forces of nature, and a basic understanding that they
have weights--a few of which what we now call for example as: wind velocity and
speed, direction, atmospheric pressure, sea-levels, depths, surge, ocean
currents, wave speeds, lightning speed, air temperature, air pressure, to name
a few... Yet none of these have ever been controlled by man, but only by our
as-yet unseen Omnipotent and Omnipresent God, who constantly works and directs
them, knowing which way they should take... And so, try as we might, in both
natural forces and in our personal lives, we can only measure, date and
understand things based on our limited perception; but when we acknowledge that
pretty much everything that makes us live and survive are beyond our control,
to be humble, to have a holy fear, and to worship the One who created them for
us is true wisdom... For after all, human philosophizing and pride fail when
one is struck by the natural elements through for example: storms, floods and
earthquakes, lightning and wildfires, and even sickness and disease brought
about by animals and microbes and even dysfunctions within our own bodies,
except the very natural human instinct to survive and live for another day...
And it is true understanding when we accept this reality, and to spend the rest
of our days in humility and reverence, making choices and acting out how our
Creator wants us to be--to do right, depart from evil deeds and persuasions,
and make His glory known through our lives, and our care and stewardship of all
His creation...
Pain is a great teacher... And Job, who became
for a time, one of the Word's most pitiful people, is a worthy medium and
teacher too... And so it is in life, that those who have undergone the most
tragic, sorrowful, miserable and painful lives can teach us deep wisdom... That
is why, our God told us through the mouth of Job, not to judge harshly and
quickly those who are suffering and undergoing severe deprivation and hard
tribulations; for if we care enough to reach out to them, help with whatever we
can--through prayers or moral support, our time and finances--and listen to
their story, both us and them could teach us wisdom and holy fear and respect
of our Maker, as well as strength and endurance, humility and integrity, hope
and faith... May we be aware and attentive; may we learn to care and share...
Nobody can boast
before the God of the cosmos and all creation... In this part of his speech,
Job is once again declaring God's marvelous creative and sustaining work: an
early and crude rendition of space analysis--the earth operating on
gravitational forces (v. 7), and nature--clouds as part of precipitation or the
water cycle (v. 8-10), even creatures under the seas and waters (some he thinks
'dead', for so long of which even pre-modern naturalists thought corals to
be--v. 5), and the crooked serpent (or slinky, slithering reptiles--v. 13)...
He predates what Jesus said, when Job said that if one hasn't even helped those
powerless and in need around him, how can one presume to know the mind of God,
and use that as a yardstick to judge others? (v. 1-4)... Jesus Christ said to
the same effect, when He wants us to "sell" or give up our
selfishness and greed, and help or share with those in need (Mark 10:21), then
we can properly "take up our cross", or fulfill our burden in working
for His kingdom, and then, we can truly, "follow Him"...
From worms to
butterflies... Or rather, from puppa to monarch... In this speech, Bildad the
Shuhite continues the denigrating attack on Job and his qualifications to
entreat or appeal to God, by emphasizing that he is just a worm, whereas God
has the largest and most number of Hosts or Armies in the entire universe, in
the form of angelic beings... Yet, even Bildad, with seeming flattery, still
was not able to plunge deep into the heart of God who spoke through the prophet
Ezekiel, thus, "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will
put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give
you a heart of flesh." (ch. 36, v.26... Even until our time today, God's
call remains, as even reiterated by the apostles: "Therefore, if anyone is
in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has
come." (2 Corinthians 5:17)... Yes, we are worms; particularly gruesomely
illustrated by the festering, maggot-infested boils on Job's body, and even on
Lazarus the beggar (Luke 16:19-31)... Yet, through their faith, abject poverty
but full of hope and humility, God granted them salvation and grace; so that we
would do well to heed their example too, as we "... not be conformed to
this world, but be transformed by the renewal of our mind, that by testing we
may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and
perfect." (Romans 12:2)... So that from being mere worms, we transform into
the most magnificent monarch butterfly, as "... He who began a good work
in us will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."
(Philippians 1:6)... And He is able to finally proclaim to all creation, His
ultimate will and desire for all of us, thus: "And they shall be my
people, and I will be their God.I will give them one heart and one way, that
they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children
after them. I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn
away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts,
that they may not turn from me." (Jeremiah 32:38-40)...
There is a worthy end
to all abusers, oppressors, those who steal and rob from the poor and helpless,
even adulterers, and all corrupt people... A timeless reminder from Job that
though such people enrich and greedily secure themselves at the expense of and
on the improperly compensated labor of others, and even provide for a lavish
lifestyle to themselves; yet God will not stay silent forever, these people
will be brought down low, stripped ultimately of all that they have unjustly
taken and more... And so, for those who have been victimized and offended by
them, these should only put their hope in God, for He will give them justice...
May we learn our lessons, and live the rest of our days dispensing justice,
fairness, mercy and love...
Known, tried, minted
(v. 10)... In Job's answer to Eliphaz, he declares that however hard his
suffering may be, he remains confident that God is always guiding him, molding
him to become like gold--in faith and character; preceding what the apostle
Peter also declared in 1 Peter 1:7... May we find hope and strength in this, as
we battle daily with all that threatens and challenges us... for like Job, and
like what the apostle Paul also proclaimed in Romans 8:28, all things--good or
bad--operate in the mathematical principle of absolute values: for the good, of
those who love God and who heeds His call to live and fulfill His purpose... Even
these two pillars of the faith, unlike Job in the latter chapter, were recorded
in history as having been tortured by the Roman authorities, and killed
horribly; yet their faiths remained strong up until the last moment, and was
made of the same substance as what should be ours today too: hope and trust in
the God who preserves His people amidst the harassment, persecutions, attack
and torture of the enemy; strengthening and sustaining them, giving them wisdom
and courage, in order that they may become more like Him--precious and true,
timelessly relevant and of ever increasing value...
Inconvenient truths,
convenient generalizations... So is this passage where Eliphaz the Temanite
emphasizes to Job that because the latter is suffering now, he must surely be
wicked, think too highly of himself that God would listen to him since God has
no need of man as lowly creatures, and that Job needs to return and turn back
to God... Although the intention to evangelize was commendable, but Eliphaz was
speaking to the wrong person, while having incorrect assumptions... While it is
true that God is all powerful and we are almost nothing before Him, yet He
himself said that He cares for us and will never forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6,
Joshua 1:5, Hebrews 13:5), if we continue to remain faithful to Him and His
words, and be of good courage... Eliphaz has many like-minded people today,
easily generalizing situations and wrongly accusing or refuting people and
their statements or principles, by attributing false conjectures or imagined
situations... Yes, we may think that we are too imposing on God, that we may
not matter to Him considering our own imperfections, but it is true that He
cares so much for us and our affairs, and that He derives joy from us repenting
of our wrongdoings, wrong ways, sinful thoughts, and grants healing and
deliverance when we do so (Ezekiel 18:23 & 33:11, Psalm 8:4-6, 2 Chronicles
7:14)...
Every bit of news,
good or bad, is a call to prayer... Job's response to Zophar the Naamathite
echoes through time and until our generation today, with even some reports
saying that during this pandemic, the rich got richer (with many of them as Job
said--v. 7-15, expressly living out the principle of not needing or
acknowledging God in their lives)... There are more news reports too, that
confirm that in the last and current years alone, the poor got poorer, and even
those who have risen economically, have been set back by about two decades
worth of loss in income, standard of living, and purchasing power... Yet, there
are still many like Job's friends, who grow tired and weary of hearing and
seeing bad news (v. 2, 3 & 34), oblivious of the fact that in all the
sufferings the world is experiencing now--disease, disasters, political
upheavals, wars--many brethren in the faith, and many more innocents, have
fallen... Job is right in saying that he only complains to God, and only needs
a sympathetic ear from his friends, for indeed, only God knows when our
tribulations will end, as Jesus Christ said, "... For the elect's sake,
they shall be shortened..." (Matthew 24:22...and on to verse 28)... In our
generation today, and especially in the future, these bad and awful things will
still happen, and even grow in intensity; yet, if we remain faithful and true
to the call, if we endure to the end, we will be saved and delivered (Matthew
24:13-15), and not before (as our Savior even comforted us with--John 16:33),
so that we cannot be like a sorcerer by invoking God (as they do with amulets,
talismans, and familiar spirits) just so we can be insulated or immuned from
the suffering around us (Proverbs 21:13), because our Savior meant for us to
hear, to care, to act (Proverbs 3:27, Matthew 5:6, 7, 9, 13-16, Luke
11:5-10)... So that in the intervening time, may we not lose empathy and
awareness, because our Savior Himself has taught us to pray (Matthew 6:9-13,
Luke 11:1-4), and we have to do it without ceasing, throughout all our waking
hours (1 Thessalonians 5:17)... Because every news we see and hear, especially
the bad, is not something to get scrolled down by, but one more petition in our
unending prayers, an offering of fragrant incense to Our God and King
(Revelation 5:8 & 8:4)...
Envy is a terrible
lens... In this passage, Zophar the Naamathite once again launched a verbal
attack on Job, on the surface veiled curses, but the undercurrent seems to be
from a place of envy, implying Job to be one like wicked people, who rob from
the poor to get rich, so that all his punishments are from God, to also take
away what he has unlawfully taken... It seems Zophar believed in God, yet had
extremely limited and narrow view on grace... Much like many people today who
only see things based on what they want to see, or know and accept things if
they think it is beneficial to them, without considering that we are all
accountable to each other; so that if one suffers, we can not outright judge or
dismiss them, but should support them, make them see truth and the grace of
God... It seems ironic that Zophar talks about hypocrisy when he is actually
the hypocrite himself... and even until today, many people are like this too:
professing and proclaiming to be righteous and of faith, but actually are
heartless, full of envy and greed, which is often laid out in the open in times
of tragedy and disaster... May we all learn to examine our hearts, lay them out
to God for Him to cleanse us from wickedness, and so truly live out the faith
and hope we profess...
Faith that is more
than skin deep... Job in this passage is crying out, and appealing to his friends
not to cut him anymore with their hurtful words, as he has suffered enough..
Many times, the people closest to us hurts us the most, maybe because any
misdeed is all the more cruel because of the time and care we invested, only to
be betrayed, harassed, oppressed or ignored... Yet, we can have hope, for even
Job believed that no matter the attacks of the enemy, even if all our trials
and tribulations take their toll on our hearts, our minds, our spirits, our
bodies, the truly faithful can still find hope and confidence that stripped
down to bare flesh and bones, we can still see God, through His marvelous works
in our deliverance and ultimate salvation...
Verbal twists and
turns... Bildad the Shuhite, in his exasperation that though they have been
verbally attacking Job, the latter seemed to speak more forcefully with wisdom,
now resorts to even cursing him outright, is not unlike many today, who, so
passionate in the little they know about God's Word, and even misinterpreting
it, that when called out, turn defensive and resort to the same childish
tactics, twisting God's words and promises to suit their own limited
understanding, and turning their backs to the truth (2 Timothy 2:18-20,
3:1-9)... Yet, life and faith is not for the forever babe (Hebrews 5:14), so
that by truly living the Word, we should all have learned its deeper and more
glorious mysteries, and should have grown in wisdom, mercy, good works, and
faith (2 Peter 3:18)... May we humble ourselves in acknowledging what we lack,
ask God for more wisdom, and truly grow in our walk with God...
Stirred up, holding
on, stronger and stronger... So goes Job's analysis of people who are innocent
and righteous before God (v. 8-9)... Even in the face of hardships and
difficulties, the lies of the enemy and his minions, and even so-called
believers who are actually at heart rebellious and proud and apostate, who
misunderstand His Words, misinterpret His prophecies, and misrepresent His
Gospel to the world... those who remain faithful to God, who are His true
children, will be stirred up in the face of hypocrisy and lies, and they will
not put His Name and His church to shame or mockery; they will continue in
obedience in the right path which He set for them, with the right knowledge and
godly wisdom gifted on them as favor from our Maker; and in the rest of their
life's journey, will continue to grow stronger in faith and character, even
through the darkness in these last days, holding on to the correct, not
misinterpreted, true, and sure hope of prophecy, "... until the day dawns,
and the morning- or day-star rises in our hearts" (2 Peter 1:19)...
The wrinkles do not
lie... In this passage, Job is expressing his frustrations that instead of his
friends truly comforting him as they have stayed with him for a week without
talking, they have accused him of unproven wrongdoing and unrighteousness...
For his defense, he poured out his disappointment and grief, and though a bit
funny, even said that his wrinkles and leanness or thinness testify against him...
The face readers we have watched on popular media, literature authors, and even
scientific people agree that as we age, our skin loses elasticity, and we
develop wrinkles due to many years of contorting the muscles of our face
because of our emotions... There is a saying that wrinkles on the forehead
indicate a life of problems, in between the eyebrows of always thinking and
planning, thin lines at the outer corners of the eyes are about happiness, but
deep lines there indicate tension, while wrinkles around the mouth indicate
grief... Indeed, emotions often are seen in our faces and leave their marks
there... It is sad when people cosmetically alter and stretch their facial skin
to look young; but actually, with this they are trying to erase a significant
record of their lives that can be seen on their faces, not on written
autobiographies or Facebook stories and statuses... Yet the Bible celebrates
and honors old age, with all its wrinkles and pains... The only wrinkle that it
seeks for us to erase is inside, in our spiritual lives (Ephesians 5:27), so
that we may be worthy of our King and Savior when He returns to finally rule
over all...
Wisdom knows no age...
Eliphaz the Temanite seemed to have gotten irritated at Job, because maybe he
thinks the latter is showing off his wisdom, with Eliphaz even emphasizing his
age, his moral ascendancy perhaps, and reiterating that the wisdom of old age
is with him and his allies... True, with age should come wisdom; unfortunately
however, even until today, everybody ages, yet most are still clueless and
immature, failing to have understood many things in life and even God and His
will for us... My niece said to the effect that for average people, after
hearing a lesson or word of truth, they just promptly forget about it and move
on, never learning the lesson at all... And so it happens that in many areas of
life today, in many places around the world, some younger people have more
wisdom and discernment than their elders or those who are higher up in either
bureaucracy or organizational hierarchy; and are better judges of character,
history and current events, because information is more easily accessible to
them, and they have more energy to search out a matter; unless they are
bombarded with fake news and conspiracy theories, which being at an
impressionistic age, they believe immediately, and often say or do things
without thinking of its consequences... That is why our God told us parents and
elders to teach them well, with good and godly values, good manners, proper conduct,
and to have the desire for right knowledge and wisdom (Deuteronomy 6:7 &
11:19, Proverbs 4:20 & 22:6)... For then, for such times as we have now,
where the whole world is sick, bewildered and afraid, our young generation will
be the ones to give clarity (Joel 2:28-29, Acts 2:17-18); and where it says
that the old men, though thought to be wise, will only dream dreams--of the
past and future maybe, but the youth and younger generations will do the work,
proclaim God's prophecies, and make His will, His deliverance and salvation
come true and bear fruit in the lives of all...
Unreforested... In
this passage, Job is saying a timeless truth: that unlike plants and trees
which, even if cut down (or burnt, as the case today in many parts of the world),
yet, even with the scent of water (v. 7 - 9), they still sprout back to life
and grow again; when people die, we bring nothing with us to and beyond the
graves, not riches nor wealth, not recognition nor memories, for death is the
ultimate unconsciousness (v. 12, 21), even if there is a physical
decomposition, and the "mourning" for vanished awareness and physical
energy (v. 22)... Yet, our lives are full of difficulties, confusions, bad
judgments more than wise decisions (v. 1 - 4)... And so, all we can do while
yet alive is to make sure we do good, preserve and protect life, in humility
correct our mistakes, and ensure that our next generations will be able to live
better lives than ours; for then, when our call time comes (v. 15), we can
answer our Creator will proper accountability... May we make wise choices and
good deeds today and always...
The travails of Job
and the world today... Though written as a character of virtue thousands of
years ago, but particularly for our time today, Job is the quintessential
everyman--suffering, with slim hope, but with not the foggiest idea when his
troubles would end... In exasperation at his so-called friends who constantly
harrass him, his words ring loud until today, "withdraw your hand from me,
and let not your own fears make me afraid," (v. 21)... We all know quite a
few people these days who deserve to be put down in their proper places by
those words... Some nickname them 'conspiracy theorists', others,
'anti-vaxxers'... And we know them by the same slogan they often chant, like
that of Job's friends: "where there is smoke, there is..." So that
even if to their right and left, they see people getting sick and dying, they
deny the truth and God's wisdom from His Word staring so strongly at them in
the face... Often, like Job's friends, they masquerade as righteous, religious,
well-meaning, and act holy and noble; yet their intentions are impure, seeking
only to discourage others, to weaken them, to oppress them so that they could
have whatever opportunities and benefits there may be to themselves alone,
while holding others down so that those could not receive what is due them...
Our Savior even has harsh words for people like these, which He directed to the
Pharisees: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!
You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor
will you let those enter who are trying to." (Matthew 23:13)... And Job
considers his friends to be belonging to the same mold: people who are so
devoid of godly wisdom that they fail to see how life's trials and tribulations
today should develop us to become better people, to care more for the lives and
souls of our neighbors, enemies and even strangers; how life's difficulties
should push us to make a stand and help preserve lives, and not to bring
disease and damnation on them by our own pride and thoughtlessness... Instead,
they spread lies at whatever cost, even if it means more sickness and death to
many... Yet, we can learn a lot from Job's hope and strong faith, that in spite
of the attacks of our unseen physical tormentor, and even our spiritual
adversary: even to the point of death, we can choose to have good courage, be
widely aware of the truth, think clearly and lucidly, decide logically, and
rise up every moment to the biggest challenge to our faith and person so far,
and the bigger ones ahead; finding confidence in these words: "Though He
slay me, yet will I trust in Him: but I will maintain my own ways of integrity
before Him. He also shall be my salvation: for a hypocrite shall not come
before Him." (v. 15-16)
May wisdom not die
with us... In Job's answer to Zophar's speech, he declared what mature
believers should know: that in nature, one can learn the essence of life; for
if nature can speak our language, it would declare of God's mighty work, and of
His continued involvement in our lives and affairs... Even our ears and mouths
help us discern and understand things, and with them too we know what other
people are like, and whether they understand how God is working in their lives
too... Here also, Job is echoed by the apostle Paul in Romans 13, that in spite
of their own personal convictions and actual performance, whether good or bad,
the reign of kings and leaders are actually allowed by God; in the first case
to uplift His people, and in the second, to teach them humility and trust in
Him, not to idolize or worship their human leader... And so if we can
understand that life is best accomplished when we study nature and be humbled
by what it teaches us; that old age should make us grow in wisdom, patience,
humility and understanding; that yes, we have to submit to governing
authorities but not depend on them too much as the end-all and be-all of our
survival and progress, because He can also remove and replace them; and that we
have to recognize that the only hope our nations are saved, healed, delivered,
developed and prospered, rests on Him alone, and our obedience to His commands
in physical manifestation of our love for Him (John 14:15 & 21); then,
unlike Zophar, wisdom will be kept alive and burning in each of us...
Where does wisdom
reside... Zophar the Namaathite, one of Job's friends, seem to be questioning
the latter's wisdom and understanding of God's nature, His Words and promises,
and His will, by blatantly telling Job that he knows nothing, for, if he is
truly righteous and wise, how could he be suffering... He is not unlike the
mockers who taunted Jesus Christ when He was being tortured, then nailed on the
cross (Luke 22:63; Matthew 27:29; Mark 15:29-32)... Even until today, many of
those who call themselves by His Name seem to have this attitude: that if one
is indeed truly righteous and wise, that person wouldn't experience pain,
sickness, suffering, loneliness, or even bewilderment and confusion... Yet our
God clearly manifested through the life and suffering of His Only Son and our
Lord and Savior, that His dominion is paved by humility, obedience and
submission to God's will, and even submission to earthly authorities when he
was charged with sedition and treason, condemned to be nailed on the cross, and
hung out to die a slow torturous death under the blazing heat of the noonday
sun... Wisdom indeed is not found on top of a stage or platform, or in front of
a camera or audience, or behind a podium or a pulpit alone... More than
accolade, degrees, even age and experience (lacking discernment, that is),
wisdom begins with the fear of God (Proverbs 1:7); in acknowledging His
powerful, creative, and excellent work in us (Isaiah 28:29 & 40:28);
manifested in a life of peace-loving and -keeping, consideration, submission,
full of mercy and good fruit, impartial or unbiased or just, and honest or
sincere, without hypocrisy (James 3:17); the kind of wisdom that is a perfect
example for all the world to see and follow, for them to live lives abundant
with His grace and goodness, as we obey the words and admonitions of our God
and King (Deuteronomy 4:6)...
In science and
faith... In this passage, Job made remarkable scientific observations that are
way ahead of his time: that we are made of clay, or powdered dust, to which we
all are actually reduced to, physically, after death; that we are composed of
liquid, like milk, which refers to our blood and other bodily fluids, and in
injury or sickness, when "poured out" or hemorrhaged or even
discharged just naturally, curdles like cheese; that we are clothed or made up
of skin, then flesh (muscles); that inside we have bones and sinews (nerves);
that God has granted us life and favor, or energy and the "breath" or
electrical impulses of life that powers our physical bodies... Yet for all this
marvelous work inside each of us, Job is complaining to God out of the anguish
of his soul... An understandable human reaction, which most of us still do today...
But, unlike Job, many of us don't even acknowledge the favor that God has
granted us so far, His marvelous creative work inside each of us... The message
from suffering Job seemed to be that such a meticulous, detailed God, even
through our hardship, may still yet bless and deliver us, and grant us
deliverance and salvation... For just as how carefully has He designed our
bodies, which decompose to dust after death, must He also be ensuring with
great care that in all areas of our lives, we carefully work with Him in
developing our characters, in strengthening our faith, in maturing our spirits
and gaining more wisdom to understand what are His will and desire for us...
May this give us reason to think more deeply about Him and about our lives, and
so live more humbly and deliberately...
No one is above the
goodness meter before God... In this passage, Job reiterated what the Psalmist
declared in chapter 14, that when God looks down on us all, nobody is perfect;
and everyone, both nice and nasty, are subjected to the same temptations,
weaknesses, troubles and afflictions while alive... Goodness or righteousness
indeed, are evasive attributes, for the moment you think you are, you cease to
be one, because of pride... Like Job, we may cry out to God out from the depths
of our pain and suffering, but it is pointless to ask why, for we may not be
able to grasp the depths and timelessness of His plans... We can only pray for
His help and salvation, strength, courage, fortitude, peace, endurance and
perseverance, until we get to our better days--our healing, deliverance and
breakthrough--where there will be more times of unbound rejoicing,
thankfulness, sacrifices of praise, and gladness of heart in worship...
A Johnny-come-lately
in the faith (v. 9)... Bildad the Shuhite, one of Job's three friends, is an
early adherent of the so-called 'prosperity-gospel', where believers new in the
faith, as-yet with incomplete knowledge and wisdom in God's Word, immature and
unripe when it comes to experience and growth: that God will always give
prosperity and the good life to His people, and that if a person suffers, it
must surely be because there is something lacking in their faith or obedience
to God... He may have failed to comprehend much of the Psalms, or Ecclesiastes,
or even know or hear about them, when they say that even good people suffer...
Unfortunately, so-called Christians even today still suffer from the same
ailment, when we have the printed word so easily accessible and affordable,
where even our Savior said to his ardent apostles, disciples and followers
that, "in this world you will only have troubles" (John 16:33), or
that the Galileans massacred by King Herod, or those on whom the Tower of
Siloam fell (Luke 13:1-5) may not necessarily be worse sinners, or even the man
born blind (John 9:1-3); but that all hardships and troubles we may experience
on earth happen so that God's glory may be revealed in us, through lives built
up in character, through faith strengthened and refined like gold, fit to spend
eternity with Him...
Echoes of the heart of
God... Job in this chapter, particularly verses 17-18, echoes King David's
question to God in Psalm 8:4-6, primarily raising the age-old query of humanity
which we still put forward today: if man is mortal, his days numbered, and in
one instance his breath can stop and his life can be taken away, why would a
great and mighty God bother to test and prove his character by letting him go
through pain and suffering?... Man is just created from the dust of the earth
but made little lower than the angels, and given dominion over God's creation,
which at birth, even scientists say that humans are the most helpless of all,
particularly because he takes the longest time to learn how to survive and take
care of himself, unlike other animals... And so we go back to Genesis 1:27 when
God declared that man is to be created in His own image... Yes, we are mere
mortals, and our lives mostly beyond our control... But the good news is, when
God created us in His image, He has given us the freedom to choose: life, over
our own self-determined knowledge; obedience to Him and His laws, and anointed
authorities, instead of being masters of ourselves, our fate, and our bodies
and minds; the faith and hope to persevere in trials and sufferings, over a
defeatist, selfish attitude of giving in, thinking that life is no more worth
living just because life rains and pours out hardship on us... In this passage,
Job is our prayer leader and mouthpiece, proving his own claim that he does not
misinterpret or misunderstand God's words and promises himself, because even in
the very words he utters, we can see God's answer, the silver lining to all our
troubles: (v. 17-18)--though people who do not believe in God say that life has
no meaning, that we are random evolutionary flukes and therefore, it is not
worth appealing to His higher power and presence--yet, we can have peace and
confidence that we have: "a Wonderful One, a Counselor of bottomless and
timeless wisdom and grace who magnifies us as He is glorified; an everlasting
Father who sets His heart upon us and our welfare; an Omnipresent, Mighty God
who visits us every morning; and an elder/firstborn-of-all-creation Brother and
Prince of Peace who tries us or checks up on us every moment" (uniting verses
17-18 with Isaiah 9:6 and Colossians 1:15)... May we find hope and strength in
these...
A friend indeed is
needed... Here Job responded to Eliphaz and explained himself... He only
complained to God about his troubles, but he never came close to cursing Him;
his reactions are normal for those to whom life seemed to have poured out
miseries and troubles, even wishing that God would end them by taking his life;
yet he still has his wits about him, can still think clearly, and can still
understand God's words and not misinterpret it... Job stated what he and even
therapists and counselors reiterate today: when somebody is in deep trouble or
heavy problems, a true friend listens, does not twist the truth, nor accuse or
blame the sufferer or add to their guilt and shame, nor condemn them...
Otherwise, they are just like a brook that dries up in summer, and only seem
blackish because of the ice and snow in winter, and not because they run
deep... So is a person who only pretends to be a friend, yet when difficulties
come, are the first to blame, to make excuses not to help, and worse, even
stomp down on those who are already down and out... Let us evaluate how we are
as a friend, for we may be close physically to somebody, but our hearts far and
our minds only full with thoughts on what we can gain... May we be a true
friend, who may be separated by distance, yet in spirit close and full of care
and concern, by always praying for our friends, and providing them
encouragement and support, emotional and spiritual upliftment, especially in
times when they need it most...
Backhanded and wide
off mark... Was this next chapter in the speech of Eliphaz... True, he quoted
from the Psalms, from the books of wisdom, and even from the Torah and the
Prophets; yet such words are misapplied and irrelevant to the depressed man
whom they saw did the best he could to live a godly life, yet was tortured and
broken in heart, mind and spirit (Psalm 22:6, 13-17; Proverbs 17:22b)... Such
harsh words of judgment are like knives that poke at a gangrenous wound - -
curses and condemnation, which came out of the same mouth who praised God with
the lips (James 3:10) - - (but obviously not with the heart, since that seemed
to have been closed by pride in its belief that it is right and more righteous
than his friend - - Luke 18:9-14)... How sadly unfortunate that even in our
times, so many people are like Eliphaz; they quote and share bible verses and
inspirational words that only seek to make them feel good that they have shared
some scripture; yet fail to address the brokenness inside the human heart and
spirit (Isaiah 29:14, Matthew 15:7-9, Mark 7:6)... There are some too, who
quote scripture verses like talismans or mantras, believing that by uttering
such, they could rebuke or wish their troubles (even the pandemic) verbally
away (Matthew 6:7); without realizing that these troubles do afflict both
righteous and sinners; in order to test and show our true characters; so we may
understand God's words more deeply (Psalm 119:71), and His will for us, draw
closer to Him, exercise the wisdom He blessed us with on how to keep ourselves
safe and sane, and still support the people we value most (2 Chronicles
7:14)... Experts predict that like the common cold, the disease ravaging us now
may never go away, and obviously its effects on the way we live henceforth;
much like probably the pain that Job experienced at losing the ones he first
loved will be forever etched in his memory, also like that of a mother to her
child, and prick his conscience (Isaiah 49:15a); yet may we realize that we
cannot invoke God's words to proclaim our own perceived (most times,
ill-conceived) judgment on the rest of the suffering world, because pronouncing
spiritual eternal judgment is God's right alone (Matthew 7:7)... Conjuring
scripture to promote ourselves, our agenda, or our fame and perceived
invincibility is nothing short of modern day witchcraft, masquerading under the
cloak of so-called enlightened christianity (Acts 8:9-24, 16:16-18)... May we
learn more wisdom than Eliphaz, realize and humbly make decisions to live what
our Savior gifted us with, to be "rivers of living water" - - (John
7:37-39) translated as life-nourishers, preservers, givers, protectors,
wisdom-dispensers- - to a world that desperately needs the touch, the wisdom,
the love, the compassion, the grace and salvation of an Everlasting God and
Father...
The first of Job's
friends to speak after a whole week of being silent, while sitting down with
him on the ground to console him, Eliphaz the Temanite expressed a common and
normal human sentiment, even claiming that a supernatural revelation reinforced
such conviction: that Job, no matter how perfectly godly he may have been in
the past, even encouraging others and serving as their inspiration in godly
living, must have done some secret sin, of which he has now suffered the
rewards... This, however, may be true in some cases, but in this case, more
harmful to the man in grief, for the Word itself says that it was not because
of sin that Job suffered, but because of the adversary... And it is like this
until today too, where even as we read this, far too many people are suffering
not due to their own making, but due to the selfishness and greed of others...
May we pray for each other, for deliverance; and instead of blaming or
questioning each other's morality or merit, may we instead work for
righteousness, peace, love and joy in our daily living...
Reality shift... Job
acted out and spoke aloud, what many depressed people feel and think when they
are in the depths of despair: a reality shift--often choosing to forget the
good things they have experienced in the past, and telling themselves it wasn't
real, that they were not truly loved and blessed, that they were not worthy,
and that no matter how great they may have become or what they have achieved,
that life is not worth living for... And such is a very dangerous episode, for
many have taken their own lives after feeling and causing themselves to believe
so... An online therapy article said that the cure for this is cognitive
therapy, where a therapist and that person's loved ones and support system,
slowly but certainly remind the person what is true and real, and assuring that
person that he or she can trust others, that he or she matters and that life is
worth living for... In Job's case, his very own wife did not give him the
emotional and mental support he needed, even cursing and insulting him and God;
probably because she too is experiencing the same, since all her children died,
and their family's fortunes gone--so that she could not be an effective support
for him since she needs it badly too; we shall see in later chapters if his
friends are up to the task... Meanwhile for those who are experiencing this, or
have friends and loved ones going through such episodes, the book of Job is a
good read; sincere prayers, loving and listening support can do much; and
likewise availing the services of a qualified pastor, therapist or mental
health professional who will help guide the person and his or her support
system, to navigate this situation in a godly, unabusive, loving and affirming
manner... Meanwhile we can draw hope as always, in our God who never fails, who
always blesses and whom we can praise, as we tell ourselves in moments of pain
and sadness, "Why are you downcast, O my soul? and why are you disquieted
in me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his
countenance." (Psalm 42:5)...
Both good and bad... And Job said it
best for us, when he refrained from sinning by complaining to God how
everything was taken from him, and how now he is afflicted with painful boils
so that he even had to spend his days like a beggar or leper, scraping his body
with a potsherd and sat down among the ashes, in alternative treatment and
alleviation to his pain, because he could no more afford to be treated by a
physician... Any person with weaker resolve and less clearer motivations would
have broken down, because it seems that at the time that he should have been
mourning for his children, he could not, for his pain and disease robs him of
the time and energy to think and even sleep, thereby affecting his mental and
emotional constitution badly... How many more of us for lesser afflictions,
weaken in the faith and get discouraged?... Even today, we see people around
the world, their families, homes and livelihoods taken away from them by evil
people and governments, with even their bodies abused, violated and mutilated,
yet, never lose faith that God will save, God will give deliverance, and someday,
God will bring them justice... May we learn from their strength and Job's too,
when we feel that life is getting difficult and heavy; for indeed, our God us
good, but while yet in this day and age the enemy will always attack us so that
we get to experience bad things, but that we should never lose hope and
faith... May God indeed be glorified in our sufferings... (1 Peter 4:12-19)
Naked we are born, and
that is how life will be all throughout until the end... And so we start with
the book that expounds best on human suffering... Here we start with what is
actually the conclusion of the whole matter, but going through the rest of the
book will teach us more too... Job declared to us the right attitude: yes, each
of us have different situations when it comes to pain and suffering, some more
horrific and traumatic than others, but they only show us one thing - - that we
actually are not the real owner of our lives (Isaiah 45:9 & 64:8; Jeremiah
18:1-11; Psalm 135:6)... We were born under God's generous mercy and grace,
barring any circumstance that prevents us from being so, like countless
children throughout history aborted for convenience or by accident, or those
stillborn (Psalm 139:13-17; John 16:21)... We are each equally blessed whether
complete in senses and appendages or not, because our bodies and what ailments
or inadequacies it may have, are our instruments to give glory to our Maker,
and for Him to declare glory on all people through us (Genesis 1:27; 1
Corinthians 6:12-20, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10)... Whatever we have achieved is not
because of our skill and effort alone, but 99% of it is because God has given
us gifts and talents (Matthew 25:24-30; 1 Corinthians 12:7-12; Romans 12:6-8; 1
Peter 4:10-11), His strength and enabling power (Psalm 46:1-3; Proverbs 18:10;
Nehemiah 8:10), and the people He sends our way to support and care for us, and
to encourage us (Ephesians 6:4; Matthew 7:7-11; Luke 11:5-13; Proverbs 18:24;
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) ... It is but right therefore that, whatever we have, we
give back to God in prayer, praise and offering (1 Chronicles 16:23-29; Psalm
96:1-9; Malachi 3:10; Hebrews 13:20-21)... And like Job, when life's
circumstances make us lose one or all of them, we may grieve and mourn (2
Samuel 12:16-23), but more than that, we can only give thanks and praise that
the God who has provided for us so immensely, as long as we still have breath
in our bodies, can do so again and more in the future, as long as we remain
humble and obedient to His leading... Let His Name be praised forevermore
(Psalm 113:1-4)...
The duality of
Purim... In this passage was documented for all generations, the origins of the
joyous Jewish festival of Purim, "festival of lots", because although
Haman the Agagite cast his lots with his allies on when and how to destroy the
Jews in the Persian empire, but with Queen Esther's intercession, they were
delivered, and it was Haman, his ten sons, and all his associates and friends,
who were killed and their families destroyed, but the book emphasized that the
Jews did not take their wealth for themselves... What the Word tells us is that
even if today, Purim is observed with eating and drinking, giving gifts to one
another and of charity to the poor, and even music and dancing and theatrical
presentations, yet, it came at the cost of the lives of their enemies and their
families... We realize that Purim mirrors for us what is happening in real
life... We are different from each other; different in faith and culture; but
the moment one thinks he is superior to others, step down on them, abuse them
or destroy them, that is disturbing the careful balance of goodness and justice
which our God declared upon us at creation (Genesis 1:31); and there will
always be a recompense, a penalty, a repayment (Isaiah 13:11)... And so
therefore, we must learn that for every good thing that we receive, we must be
humble and thankful (Psalm 107:21-22); and provide for those who are less able
at the moment, uphold their rights and give them justice (Proverbs 3:27-28
& 28:27; Isaiah 58:6-11; Deuteronomy 15:10-11); not oppressing or abusing
them (Proverbs 14:31; Leviticus 19:34; Deuteronomy 10:19 & 27:19; Psalm
146:9; Ezekiel 47:22; Zechariah 7:9-10; Matthew 25:35 & 40; Acts 10:34;
Romans 12:13; Colossians 3:11; Hebrews 13:1-3)... Because then, like as
Mordecai sought wealth for his people using honest means, and speaking peace to
them (Esther 10:3b), so also our God's righteousness, salvation and
deliverance, joy and peace, will He cause to rain down on us (Hosea 10:12;
Isaiah 45:8)...
Light and gladness,
joy and honor, a feast and a good day... Is how the Jews celebrated their
deliverance through the justice they have received, the favors and immunity
granted by the King... How much more for us who have been saved by the precious
blood of our Savior, for whom "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for
those who are in Christ Jesus," (Romans 8:1); who must now live godly
lives so that we will not be condemned, our salvation not be wasted, and the
Name of our God not be put to shame (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8)... May we persevere
in doing good, both in what people can see, and in what only God can see inside
of us (Galatians 6:6-10)...
Hanged... That is,
Haman, to the gallows that he himself had made for Mordecai, when Queen Esther
told the King of the true situation, and prodded on by the chamberlain
Harbonah... This reads like a classic story where evil is defeated by good at
the end, and the substance of our Savior's promise that "he who endures to
the end shall be saved" (Matthew 24:13); and though "evil and
wickedness will flourish for some time, they will be utterly destroyed in the
end" (Psalm 92:7-a Psalm for the sabbath day)... May this give us hope and
courage to persevere...
In the 'Hangman' game, which a lot
in my generation grew up with, the player's character gets hanged when he or
she runs out of guessing chances... It seems that Haman, who had made a gallows
for Mordecai, is fast and tragically going down that path himself... Having
high hopes because of his pride in his flatteries and lies which the king
believed in, he was brought down low and hard to learn from the King that the
awards and recognitions he thought he would be receiving were actually meant
for Mordecai, his avowed enemy, and he was the one who actually did declare them
before all people, as per the King's order... And more bad news is coming, when
even before he can rue his misery, here comes the call to attend Queen Esther's
banquet, leaving him no time to plot mischief and evil again... Even until
today, we will always learn that evil does not pay, "pride goes before
destruction" (Proverbs 16:18), "let the wicked be caught in their
evil schemes" (Psalm 10:2)... May we learn from today's passage, and
conduct our affairs with humility, honesty, integrity, justice and fairness, so
that our God will always look upon us (Isaiah 66:2,), we will be protected
(Psalm 34:7), and we will be delivered and saved from the wicked devices and
ways of evil people (Jeremiah 15:20-21)...
Behind every man...
Here, the traps and gallows are set: by Queen Esther, upon being granted King
Ahasuerus' favor, and given a banquet with only Haman as guest, leaving the
other complacent and confident, not knowing that the Queen was observing him,
whether he would change his mind and retract his suggestion so the king would
retract his insinuated order to destroy the Jews; and Zeresh, Haman's wife,
which she intended for Mordecai, but which would actually fulfill a more tragic
purpose... Yet Haman, ever a proud man, was taken over by his envy of Mordecai,
and still hardened his heart... His wife, too, shared in his pride and
over-confidence, and even came up with the evil suggestion... Two women, both
passionate about the things they care about, actually run these events, while
the men were mere pawns... But whereas a wise woman takes her time and
carefully builds things up to a sure success (think the Proverbs 31 woman), the
foolish one does not think of the consequences of her actions... From birth to
death, we are all actually ruled by women, even though men take all the credit;
still, may we women have the wisdom to recognize the enormity of our
responsibility, be humble yet less gullible and emotionally dependent, and do
all we can to protect our families, and uphold its values and good character,
for "The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with
her hands." (Proverbs 14:1)...
In times of trouble,
community... Queen Esther's request that the Jews fast and pray with her and
her handmaidens, so that God will save her from death when approaching King
Ahasuerus without appointment but with her great supplication, is a good
example for us until today, that in times of tragedies and impending doom, we
need the united support of family and community to pray hard and sincerely, and
to fast, or in our time now, to give up some conveniences, freedoms and certain
rights, in order to prevent the total annihilation of the human race... And our
God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Isaiah 40:28)... If He had
planted such resolve in the heart of brave and wise Queen Esther, what can we
do today, to prevent the total destruction of humanity?... Will we be content
just to pray in our secret little corners, or do we step up, at risk of
liberty, life and limb, to make sure we protect ourselves, our loved ones, our
brethren and people... Like what Mordecai said, "... If we keep silent at
this time, deliverance for our people will come through another, but we and our
family will be destroyed," (v. 13-14)... And just as Queen Esther became
Queen for this purpose (v. 14b), so are we in this time now, where reliable
information can be easily and freely obtained, where life expectancy is better
because of the abundance of quality and affordable over-the-counter medicines,
where more nutritious food can be taken even at more affordable prices, and
more than anything, because in our generation, unless one is spiritually blind
and doomed to eternal damnation, God is doing mighty works today among His
people, across all ages, social statuses, fields of discipline and careers,
nationalities and genders... May we be strong and take good courage (Joshua
1:9)...
The Jew's enemy...
Haman came to represent until the modern day, those who would willingly commit
genocide against any people they believe are a threat to their own
self-interest, an affront to their pride and greed, so that they feed and
organise propaganda to isolate them, economic and civil restrictions to take
away from them their source of livelihoods, their freedom and ultimately their
identity... And those of us not forgetful enough will indeed know the likes of
Hitler and other despots and dictators even until today who reigned and still
reign for certain times to have their way... Yet, we know such things happen
out of ignorance, pride and greed, and the silent tolerance, denial and
cooperation of those who are cowards enough not to speak out, often not looking
at the general good such victims may have contributed to culture and the arts,
sciences and even finance and the economy... God forbid that such people's
enemies cause again worldwide wars, although the current condition of the world
shows such in many countries around the world... Let us instead pray that our
God will, as always, intervene in our affairs, so that these people will be
made to pay, and that God's children be delivered and saved...
A myrtle tree, a star,
a queen... In the ultimate Persian beauty pageant, Hadassah, a Benjamite orphan
girl who was raised by her cousin Mordecai, hid her Jewish identity and took
the name Esther and became queen... She was no pushover however, for knowing
how to play her cards right, gained favor from the king Ahasuerus when she
warned him of a planned assassination by his chamberlains Bigthan and Teresh,
based on a plot overheard by Mordecai, which resulted to the men being executed
by hanging on a tree... Jewish tradition says that Hadassah was named after the
myrtle tree and like it, which is sweet-smelling but has bitter taste, Hadassah
was beautiful and demure, yet cunning and crafty too, and quite merciless to
her perceived and actual enemies... She was renamed Esther, a star, when she
entered the harem, for like a star, she shines... And in her queenship,
although not stubborn like previous Queen Vashti, yet she showed wisdom in
making sure she is safe and secure in the position first, being obedient to the
assigned chamberlains Hege or Hegai and Shaashgaz, but showing her true colors
and playing along with the intrigues and politics of the Palace by helping the
king eliminate his enemies... Some may question Queen Esther's morals or ethics
on this matter, but one should never forget that because she managed to stay
alive, visible, material and on top of her affairs in the palace, that a great
deliverance will be made of her people... May we learn from her character too,
which is one example meant by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when He said,
"I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. Be wise as serpents, but
gentle or (even) harmless as doves." (Matthew 10:16)... May we have such
cunning and discernment, in order not to be led astray by the lies of the
world, by every wind of false doctrine and strange teachings (Ephesians 4:14,
Hebrews 13:9), as we avoid empty and worldly chatter, vain and profane
babblings that lead to ungodliness (2 Timothy 2:16), but instead to fix our
eyes (Hebrews 12:2) on what our Savior has commissioned us to do (Matthew
28:19-20, Mark 16:15), so that like Queen Esther, we can help bring others into
a knowledge of and relationship with God (Matthew 4:19-20, 9:36-38; Mark 13:10;
John 20:21, Daniel 12:3)...
Giving up a queenship
in order to assert a personhood... And that is what happened to Queen Vashti
according to the passage today, who was stripped of her position and status,
when she refused to be paraded as a beautiful exhibit by the King... Although
such gave way to the rise of Esther, and the later salvation of the Jews, yet,
one cannot deny that in such times and even in many places around the world
today, women are still treated as lower citizens, their persons disregarded,
often abused and treated as objects... Yet from the beginning of creation, she
was made equal with man (Genesis 1:27), a proper and worthy help or partner he
needs to survive (Genesis 2:18, 21-25), the first best friend and companion
(Ecclesiastes 4:9-10), one which he should treat as precious as his own body,
taking care of it, protecting it, keeping it holy and pure, so that she too
must respect him in return (Ephesians 5:21-33), second to how she respects and
loves God (Matthew 22:34-40)... Queen Vashti may be at fault for not giving
respect to her husband and king, yet the king may have been in error too, for
not recognising the queen's personhood and right to self-determination... Such
matters require deep and godly wisdom, like what the future Queen Esther will
be blessed with; a wisdom which we all need even until today, as we recognize
the significant and perfect complementary role of women in progress and
development, and even health and healing, with their inborn and common cultural
backgrounds and upbringing on proper hygiene, cleanliness and good order...
To modern eyes,
Governor Nehemiah may be seen as a racist and bigot, yet when we consider that
exactly because their past kings and leaders compromised with the cultures and
lifestyles of the people around them that they lost their national identity, we
can understand his zeal in purifying the people... Even today, we use words
like independence, sovereignty, freedom, democracy; and though globalized, each
one of us would still want to be recognized as belonging to a certain cultural
identity, regardless of physical race... Yes, we are told to be peacemakers
(Matthew 5:9), but even that is part of our spiritual and cultural identity
too; because the God we worship and serve, is also both an everlasting Father,
and a Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)... And though we may belong genetically to
different races, yet, we have One Shepherd, whom we must listen to and follow
(John 10:14-16); and every moment that we live, a testament to the world of His
mercy and grace, His salvation and rule; as we spend our days upholding and
dispensing truth, wisdom, mercy, justice, faithfulness, and love; in lives
lived openly and as a light for all the world to see, to declare God's praises
and glory, for others to learn from, and be blessed and encouraged by (1 Peter
2:9)... May we learn from Nehemiah's cause, so that we may boldly enter into
the presence of our God (Hebrews 4:16), and with confidence, like the other
thief in Calvary who echoed Nehemiah's prayer, say from the bottom of our
hearts, "remember me, oh my God..." (Nehemiah 13:31; Luke 23:42-43)
Resounding, resonating
joy... There is no doubt that music speaks to the human soul, as with the
reappointment of the priests, Levites, and particularly the singers and
porters, and their offerings, the people rejoiced, and their joy reached and
was heard far and wide (v. 43)... There is no doubt indeed too, that joy is the
ultimate character of a truly fulfilled person, like what Nehemiah recorded about
the people, particularly since those who were entrusted with the works, the
offerings and portions proved faithful (v. 8, 9, 24-27, 30, 44-47)... May this
also be our ultimate goal in personality development, because whereas the world
seeks for laughter and happiness--that is only fleeting, and the happening of
which is dependent on external circumstances (Ecclesiastes 2:1-2), joy is full,
always renews itself day by day, and develops our personal characters, giving
us strength that will last until the end of our days (Ecclesiastes 2:26, Psalm
30:5, John 15:11, Nehemiah 8:10)...
Anti-urban sprawl...
Nehemiah has proved to be one of the best governors in the history of God's
people, and one which even leaders and administrators today can learn from...
To prevent urban sprawl and secure the boundaries and the grassroots of the
nation, only the rulers, the priests, Levites and temple workers, are made to
live in the capital city, with 10 percent of the population, while the rest of
the 90 percent population were settled in their tribal lands as scattered
around the country, each family gainfully employed in the corresponding
livelihoods of their tribes... Such leadership is difficult to adapt these days
as many leaders today would want to concentrate influence in the urban areas,
because they could get more votes there, often neglecting the economy and
infrastructure, education, health and welfare of far flung villages and
regions... Indeed, this mindset, is what our Savior had too, for He is the Lord
of the poor, the downtrodden and the oppressed, and those in the fringes of
society (Matthew 11:4-6, 25:40-45; Luke 6:21-22, 11:5-14, 14:16-24, 16:19-31),
and He calls on His people to defend and protect them, and help provide for
their needs too (Psalm 82:3-4, Matthew 5:42 & 19:21; Luke 3:10-11 &
6:35 & 38; Proverbs 3:27-28)... As such, what Nehemiah did in managing the
people, and zoning them properly, leading them to gainful employment even far
from the capital, was addressing the abject poverty and misery the people experienced
after their exile... He showed wisdom and really strong political will, and he
succeeded in getting the people's cooperation too, most probably because as
what we have learned in earlier chapters, he prepared his heart, like Ezra the
priest and scribe, to follow God's Word, His will and ways, in leading the
returned people back to spiritual, civil and economic security... May we learn
from Nehemiah, for we need his character to emulate from today...
The better mark and
seal... Nehemiah shows us in this passage what kind of covenant we should be
marked and sealed for, just as he, the former king's cupbearer turned
Tirshatha-governor and the people of Israel entered into: the seal of obedience
to God's Word and ways, of keeping ourselves pure and clean from the evil
influences of the world, of giving to God our full tithes and offerings in
recognition of His great creative and redemptive act in our lives... May this
enlighten our minds even today, as we are beset and barraged by all kinds of
lies from people who only seek to give the impression that they know some deep
knowledge, but are actually bereft of godly wisdom (Proverbs 6:12-13); who
wants us to believe that they have our best interest in mind, but when actually
they only want to use us, abuse us and profit from us by blinding us with their
machinations and misleading us with fables and myths, unproven, ungodly
theories that destroy our spirits (Psalm 12:2-6)... May we have the eyes to
see, the ears to hear, the hearts to be humble and to obey the Word of God, so
that we may be able to enter into His rest, and to have our lives be secured in
Him (Jeremiah 33:6, 1 Peter 3:10-12, Psalm 95:7-11, Hebrews 4:1-16)...
Image from: thecalendarpedia.com
Atonement and
at-one-ment... The passage today speaks of the national day of atonement
re-instituted by Nehemiah and the Levites, when they led the people in
acknowledging their sins and wrongdoings before God, giving Him praise for
being Creator of all, and the One to whom all creation are accountable to, and
renewing their covenant of obedience to Him through His Word and ways... It speaks
to us until today too; for it cannot be denied that most of the troubles we are
experiencing now are the results of our collective pride, selfishness and
greed, ignorance brought on by denial to receive godly wisdom and discernment,
and complacency in accepting the enemy's lies to the detriment of our own
physical lives and souls... Yes, the world is in the thick of the pandemic now,
and much as it would be hard for even scientific, lay and some religious people
to accept, but viruses and bacteria actually belong to the great mass of
created beings that our Mighty God made (v. 6), and like us, these things only
seek to survive... Yet God created our bodies perfectly and wonderfully
according to His will in each of us (Psalm 139:14), whether we have complete
appendages, or perfect senses or not (because they each and all display His
power and glory--John 9:1-41), so that by living according to His will and plan
(Deuteronomy 5:33)--by learning from history (Romans 15:4), by learning from
creation (Romans 1:20), by humbly acknowledging and accepting that He has given
wisdom to some to be experts in the field of medicine, pharmacology, health and
scientific research (Exodus 30:25, Jeremiah 8:22, Luke 10:34), and that He has
given His Spirit of truth and prophecy to many, regardless of gender, age or
academic qualification (Joel 2:28, Acts 2:17-18)--can we be truly at one with
Him (1 Corinthians 6:17), and be worthy recipients of His eternal,
ever-renewing mercies, grace, healing, and peace (Hebrews 4:16, Exodus 15:26
& 23:25, John 14:27)...
We are pilgrims whose
lives depend on our Creator's joy... And so it was, that Nehemiah, now named
Tirshatha or high governor, documented that Ezra the scribe and priest, for
whom the people made a pulpit of wood and requested for to read the book of the
law, which were promptly explained by the priests and Levites to the people,
read the same in front of the street before the water gate, for half of an
entire day... The people were filled with remorse, convicted in their hearts
and mourned, when they realized their sins, but Ezra, Nehemiah and the Levites
encouraged them saying that, "... the joy of the Lord is your
strength" (v. 10b)... And when they learned again about the festival of
booths, or Sukkot, they observed it again with great passion and joy, even
making temporary booths on their roof decks or on the ground near their homes,
and physically dwelling in them for seven days... These celebrations and words
are very Jewish indeed, but as people entrusted with God's words, they lived
for us what God wants all the world to always remember: living in booths
(mostly unsecured from the elements) for sometime, should remind us that our
lives are like that too--short, temporary, vain, open and unprotected, and
always subject to tests and trials to our humanity and faith--yet, we can be
satisfied, happy and confident, because in spite of our weakness, we have
strength in the joy of the Lord, as He works mightily through us... while the
great festival on the eighth day is a celebration of deliverance, a reminder
that someday, whatever comes first between physical death or the physical
return and manifestation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, it will always
be a time of victory, celebration and joy; so that we can encourage ourselves
and each other, "eating the fat (that was normally reserved only for burnt
offerings, now God allowing His people to enjoy too, in communion with Him),
drink the sweet (enjoying the better things in life as He blesses us and gives
us more grace), sending portions to those who are weak (sharing what we have
with the less fortunate and able), making joy, holiness or righteousness
(justice, mercy or compassion, fairness and equity) the core part of our being
(as every day that we live and do so, become even holy to our Maker), for the
joy of the Lord is indeed our strength"... May this spur us on to live for
God more...
Of Urim and Thummim,
Tirshatha, and the seventh month... In this passage, Nehemiah, being a
conscientious man, set in order and restored the returnees to their proper
locations and positions... He also complied with Mosaic Law in that, despite
the Tirshatha's judgment that priests who have been offsprings of the people's
mixed marriages be removed from post, still the final dispensation was given back
to God, to answer with light /yes, or dark/no (v. 65)... There was also mention
of Tirshatha, those holding high governmental positions and social or civil
status, giving of what treasures they have, like what the rest of the people
did, to make for and recreate the temple's many utensils and instruments (v.
70-72)... And all these were done, with all the children of Israel who
returned, settled in their corresponding cities by the seventh month, or before
the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year (Leviticus 23:23-25)... There
are deeper meanings to these events even for us until today too: in our old
lives, we have intermarried and been born to the corrupt systems and ways of
life in the world, and unless we say YES to God, and accept Jesus Christ as
Lord and Savior, life may sometimes be materially favorable to us, but still
feel empty and unsatisfying, a confusion, a chaos, a fruitless chasing after
other people's validation... Unless we give up our hold on all things we hold
dear in this physical existence--material attachments, other people's
recognition and acclaim, our intellectual achievements, social and political
status--we will spend the rest of our days blinded and prejudiced like the
Tirshatha, who can only see what's in front of them, and even be misguided by
lies masquerading as deep knowledge and wisdom... And all these things are what
we have to settle ourselves first, before we can begin our New Lives, our New
Years with God, that will last until eternity...
The passage today is
one of the Word's prime examples of how to never give up in spite of rumor- and
fear-mongers that belittle, discredit, insult or defame the good work we do for
God and His people... Much like how the world today should have learned,
especially with technology and easy access to reliable knowledge and facts...
We should pray for discernment and the courage to practice it, like Nehemiah
(v. 9, 12), to recognize that conspiracy theories, rumors, gossips, and
conjectures that only seek to feed the proponents' intellectual insecurity and
ignorance of God's Word, His will and plan, more so, should not affect the
conviction of God's people: to do what is right, and fair and just (Proverbs
2:9 & 21:3); for that is true righteousness, and what He requires of us,
more than empty words of praise or offerings and sacrifices (Micah 6:8, Isaiah
56:1, Deuteronomy 5:29, Hosea 6:6, Matthew 9:13)...
True leaders are
ethical... And Nehemiah documented his efforts to live by that, as well as his
encouragement to the Jewish rulers and elders... Because, really, even until
today, far more leaders and even people who are better off in life are only in
it for the fame or prestige, the power, the wealth, so that they abuse the
people, exploit services from those they think are socially and economically
beneath them, but without commensurate pay and remuneration, exact usury and
high taxes at every turn, yet trample on people's rights, spread lies and take
credit for success and achievements not of their own making, and malverse and
steal all they can, so they can maintain their vested interests... May we
ponder on these things, as God ever puts us in situations that call on our
leadership and influence of others, so that in humility we can have the
boldness to ask of God to, "think upon me, my God, for good"... (v.
19)
Two hands, one
heart... Nehemiah showed wisdom, good strategy and leadership in preparing the
people against any ambush by the adversary, while making sure the work of
rebuilding the wall continues... This is a refreshing and encouraging lesson
for those many of us today, who may feel we already have our hands full with
all the pressures of work and family, added with the stress and anxiety from
the pandemic, lockdowns, deprivation of our freedoms and threats of sickness,
contributing to challenges to our faith and mental stability... May we have one
heart to remember the purpose of our lives, that we who have been redeemed and
who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and King over our lives are
destined for more and greater, even beyond this physical lifetime (John 3:16),
that we are just pilgrims on earth (Hebrews 11:13, Philippians 3:20, 1 Peter
2:11), and that our present trials and tribulations are temporary (John 16:33
& 14:1-3, Romans 8:18, 2 Corinthians 4:17)... And may we always remember
that we have two hands: one to continue living and fulfilling our part in God's
kingdom work on earth (Hebrews 13:20-21), and the other to continue defending
the faith He entrusted to us, against the fiery darts of the enemy (Ephesians
6:16), in earnest prayer and firm confidence that our God shall fight for us
(Nehemiah 4:20b)...
Priests, Levites,
rulers, goldsmiths, merchants, apothecaries, and ordinary inhabitants of
different backgrounds.. Such is the diversity of people who were inspired at
Nehemiah's zeal and initiative, and rebuilt the city wall according to their
assigned portions... Today, God's people, that is, the true sheep of the Good
Shepherd, come from all social status, gender, age, ethnicity, cultural and
educational background; yet united in a common cause to worship and serve a God
who creates and rebuilds--be they lost souls, broken relations, or wayward
lives... May we embrace and love this uniqueness of the family of God; that
though we have different capacities and skills, yet we must do all we can to
protect and rebuild or repair when necessary, the portion of His spiritual
kingdom in our lives, and not be as Nehemiah's adversary who only seek to
discredit God's work (Nehemiah 2:10), pridefully challenge and provoke God to a
'duel and stage-show of miracles' (Numbers chapters 11-21)... Instead, let us
live each day upholding His will and plan in our lives, as we too take after
His image of being good stewards of all those He had entrusted to us: our
bodies and souls, our minds, the lives and wellbeing of our loved ones, our
livelihood and talents (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 12:42-46 & 16:10; Titus
1:7-9; 1 Corinthians 4:2; 1 Timothy 5:8)...
Because Nehemiah was
not a political person, his actions and participation in the rebuilding was
done not through bureaucratic channels; but because of his favored position, he
was able to get letters of commendation--of safe passage and a form of a letter
of credit--from King Artaxerxes himself... And because he is not a politician,
he did his inspection personally; and for safety, did it by night; after which,
he encouraged the Jewish elders and leaders... Often, God works through people
like Nehemiah, who doesn't have much political or even social and economic
backing, to demonstrate to a world that is so enamored with power, wealth and
fame, that He is powerful and mighty, and that He works effectively behind the
scenes... And it is through the leadership of humble and unassuming people,
that organizations are grounded in the right values, yet be able to achieve
true success and longevity... Nehemiah's initiative is commendable, and may we
learn from his example to do all we can, with whatever is in our power, to
actively participate in God's kingdom work here on earth...
The faithful
cupbearer... Even though Nehemiah was cupbearer to the Shushan king (a highly
trusted position who enjoys the king's confidence and favor), he did not
forget, even in the place of exile, of his true Lord and Master... And his
remorse at his people's sins and pitiful condition, is what powered up his zeal
and fueled his prayer to ask God to guide him and grant him success and
prosperity in his planned career change, to something new and challenging,
which may even be unpaid or socially and materially less rewarding for him and
his family, but which is mentally, emotionally and spiritually fulfilling;
because he would then join the ranks of his people in prophecy, the remnant
that will return and rebuild the house and city of God... During our time
today, a lot of us were forced to live down (many involuntarily), career-wise
and economically, and readjust our priorities, as the pandemic took a lot from
us, including our loved ones and friends--livelihood, freedom of movement,
connections and even lives... Yet, may we remember that the One who is truly in
charge is the very God we serve... Yes, the virus has to run its course,
unleashing disease and death wherever it can, yet, we believe we have victory
in Christ; and like His good soldiers in the Word, our battles are fought in
many levels--highest of which is on our knees in prayer; but equally in zeal,
through our hands, feet, minds and bodies, as we strive to do all we can to
keep ourselves and our loved ones safe and protected... We may not know the
hour or the day when it is our time to go, but may every moment we take be
worth its weight, as we do not only speak empty words of wishing and praying
for health and healing for us and everyone, but to do the deed and walk the
talk, and to defend and demonstrate our faith to a confused, fearful, ignorant
yet prideful world; as we exhibit lives that claim and live the reality of such
health and deliverance, by upholding what is true, right, noble, healthy, wise
and just...
The great divorce and
repentance... The book of Ezra ended on a tragic note, when all those who had
intermarried with the foreign women, as their ultimate act of repentance, vowed
to divorce their foreign wives, and were each individually judged as to their
willingness and capacity (v. 16-17), in spite of the bad weather (v. 13), and
send them away, including those who already had children, so that they
themselves could return back to Israel's community... Some Rabbis were recorded
in a commentary as saying this being not totally an injustice, for many of these
men too, left their Jewish wives for the more exotic foreign women (Malachi
2:10-16)... Yet, divorce is not God's intent, according to the word of our Lord
(Matthew 19:3-12), but because people are stubborn, and will willingly do what
they want, even entering into marriages or sexual relations without God's
blessing and will, thereby causing untold suffering not only to each other, but
the future generation too... May those of us still unmarried ponder on this,
because entering into marriage is not a cure for growing old alone, which is
not a disease, or an insulation against people's mockery on those who live
independently... As God ordained, it is to build a family who will grow up with
wisdom, to become responsible stewards of His creation (Genesis 1:28-30), and
witnesses of His Word and will (Proverbs 22:6; Deuteronomy 6:5-9)... We must
make sure that we can take such responsibility seriously, and fulfill it well
for the rest of our days...
The passage today may
be seen through modern eyes as bigotry, intolerance, or even racism,
particularly since Ezra mourned and preached against the people's spiritual
impurity because of the intermarriages with other nations, as even led by the
princes and the nation's leaders... But we have to remember that God is the
same, yesterday, today, and forever (Malachi 3:6, Numbers 23:19), as Jesus was
(Hebrews 13:6-8), and He doesn't discriminate (Acts 10:25-37); so therefore we
can understand that the passage does not talk about differing ethnicities and
race, but something spiritual and cultural... Because akin to the identity of
Israel is belief in and obedience to a God who cannot be seen because He is too
wonderful to behold (Yahweh: Exodus 20:19; 34:6), but speaks so closely like a
whisper (1 Kings 19:11-13), and to His chosen messengers face to face like a
friend (Exodus 33:11-23)... And so therefore even until our time today, Ezra's
prayer is a timeless Sermon, that wherever life may take us, that we should not
lose our spiritual and eternal cultural identity, nor compromise our faith...
Yes, like Daniel and friends (Daniel chapter 1), and like what the Apostle Paul
reminded the New Testament believers (Romans 13:1-2), in our civil and
political obligations, so that the Name of our God be not mocked or blasphemed,
we can dutifully obey and comply with the required laws; but in spirit and
faith, in thoughts, words, and lifestyle, we should not lose our true
citizenship and eternal cultural identity as God's people, obedient unto Him,
and fulfilling our mission to preach His Word to all the earth, and help lead
them in the way to salvation...
The fast and the
offerings... Ezra the priest and scribe recorded for us in this passage, the
batch of remnants who returned with him, reckoned according to their immediate
ancestors, not to the Jacobite tribes, probably because a lot of them have
intermarried with other tribes, and other nations during exile, thereby giving
chances to Israelite descendants of mixed ancestry, but with a heart to seek
God like him, and to choose His way of life, and citizenship... And true to his
desire to prepare himself for the great work of revival and rebuilding, he led
them in a fast, not to abstain from eating or to give up food to reduce calorie
intake, but to afflict themselves of whatever sins and shortcomings they may
have been defiled with, and to seek God's wisdom and His guidance in the right
way to take, including their little children, and for all their substance and
properties (v.21)... And God's answer had always been consistent even until now:
to gain wisdom and be led in the right way, they worshipped God and offered
gold and silver, and burnt offerings... Let this be a reminder for us until
today too, that in times where life takes us to the precipice or brink of our
life's chapters, there can only be breakthroughs when we repent of our
wrongdoings, afflict our souls for our shortcomings, and offer up praise and
sacrifices to our God and the work that He does on earth through His anointed
church, financially or out of the fruits of our labor... And this is our active
participation in our God's ongoing work to call all people to Him, as we
"... further the people, and the (spiritual) house of God (in our
generation) (v. 36), and so that "... His hand (may always be) upon us,
and deliver us from the enemy, and those that lay in wait by our way (v. 31)...
In today's passage, we
read how the commission of priest and great scribe Ezra came to be, that it was
because King Artaxerxes wanted his family to be blessed by the Jewish God, even
if he himself, might have worshipped other gods too... Still, God used his
desire to anoint Ezra, the gifted scribe, to organize the administration of
rebuilding the city, the temple, the lives and spirits of the people... Ezra
was the perfect person for the job, because in spite of his talents, he had
humility in acknowledging that it was all God's hands that inspired and did the
work (v. 28); and so, he was able to think well, be courageous and strong, in
"preparing his heart to SEEK the law of the Lord, to DO it, and to TEACH
in Israel statutes and judgments" (v. 10)... And for this, a commentary
said that he is the ultimate founder of the scribes, (though many in Jesus'
time have already been corrupted by pride and worldliness) and even the simple
believer too, as our God commands us to seek Him always (Deuteronomy 4:29;
Jeremiah 29:13), to obey His commands (John 14:24; Deuteronomy 5:33; James
1:22), and to teach the rest of the world God's Words purely, without malice or
greedy and selfish gain, in truth and verified facts, and in all honesty (2
Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12)...
Because true leaders
are not swayed by intrigues or rumors or theories, but by confirmation of
facts... And the rebuilding of God's temple and city continued because Emperor
Darius was one true leader, especially since, even if he might have been
idolatrous, he asked the Jewish elders to also pray for his family and people
to God... May we keep this trait in mind, as we appoint people in positions of
leadership and in the front lines, for through such God's work progresses, and
His glory and Majesty revealed to all...
The rebuilding of
God's house continued, with the encouragement and empowerment of two of the
more well-known Old Testament prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, of whom a
commentary said the first appealed to the people's financial and material
priorities (Haggai 2:8, of which God said, "... Silver and gold are
mine... "), and the latter called attention to the spiritual conditions of
the people (Zechariah 1:3, when God said "... Turn to me, and I will turn
to you...")... Even until today, unless a true prophet or a true messenger
of God's Word calls out to us and point out what is lacking in our ways, we
would happily do what we want, without considering that there may have been
inconsistencies between the faith we profess, and the lifestyle we ascribe to;
or that we say we obey God, we follow Jesus Christ, but misinterpret His Words
according to what is convenient for us to make us look and feel good, and
misunderstand His heart, or the intent of the laws, commands, reminders and
urgings that He has left for us to read, meditate and remember... May we not be
stubborn and proud anymore, as we strive daily to weigh the affairs of our
lives, whether in both spiritual and material matters, if God is pleased and
honored, and if He is glorified...
Antagonists continue
to antagonize, because evil is fed with lies... And this caused the pause in
the rebuilding of Jerusalem, because of a few influential people, who
manipulate the Persian rulers' minds, by repeatedly making written complaints
without basis, and unashamedly even using old versions of the same complaints
and masquerading them as evidence of the veracity of what they are saying...
But lies and rumors and intrigues cannot become truth even if repeatedly said,
nor can continued evil deeds become acceptable the more they are done; likewise
mediocrity and underperformance will not lead to excellence or success and
victory, even if done everyday... As we will learn in later chapters, yes,
these bad influences may cause some setbacks, especially to God's work in our
lives, but we can rest assured, there will be a day of reckoning for them,
because as always, evil will not pay, but instead always gets punished... May
we have the ears to hear, the eyes to see, the hearts to understand and humbly
conduct our affairs...
Pain and joy... These
emotions share inside each of the elders who lived in both times--before
captivity and after exile--upon witnessing the rededication of the House of
God; for they were convicted in their hearts, of theirs and their ancestor's
stubbornness and sins, how it led to the nation's downfall, and of how, by
God's mercy and grace, they were given a chance to return and rebuild... Such
should also be the defining mark of a true child of God too, that at any one
time we think of Him and His goodness, we feel both pain at our own failures
and hard-heartedness and inadequacies, yet joy that the God who created all and
is above all, have given us salvation and grace... We do not do good because it
makes us feel good, and opens doors for more opportunities of worldly success
and material wealth; but we strive to be righteous--in the Hebrew thought or
psyche of the writers of the Bible: that means upholding justice, fairness and
equity--because it is the only thing we can willingly do, to express our
appreciation to the God who is ever mindful of our affairs... May we learn our
lessons here, and live accordingly...
Those who returned,
and heeded the call of Emperor Cyrus, showed steadfastness to resume the
responsibility that God bestowed on their ancestors several generations past,
in leading the people to worship and serve God, and to rebuild His house and
city... And that is true leadership: seeing a need and filling it, or heeding
and obeying a godly and lawful call and fulfilling it... And from some of the
names mentioned in this passage, like Mordecai, we can read in later books of
how they were used by God time and again, to save and preserve His people.. May
we learn from their example of obedience and courage, so that even in our time
today, God can use us to help and save our people too...
As we start the book
of priest and scribe Ezra, we meet Cyrus the Great, one of the first emperors
in the known world who respected the cultural and spiritual diversity of the
different nations under the Achaemenid empire of Persia, even providing
material support for the people to do so... Wikipedia credits him with
upholding human rights, good governance and military strategy through a
centralised government, the local branches of which worked extensively for the
benefit of his subjects, so that even the prophets even refer to him as a
Messiah in old testament times, his name variously meant in the different
languages of his realm, "like the sun", or "humiliator of his
enemies", or "one who takes care"... And such was what God
ordained for His people, so that they being exiles, were able to return to
Jerusalem and Judah, and rebuilt the city and the temple... Even until the
present day, Cyrus' tomb and relics are considered sacred in Iran, and
well-respected and venerated... We see here an almost immortal King who, even
not belonging to God's people, yet given wisdom and a large heart to care for
all people, and protect the sovereignty and peace of his empire... Larger than
life indeed, but may we not lose the lesson of Cyrus' reign, that as people of
God, we are influencers and leaders, not called upon to judge the world as
worse sinners than we are, but to care and love them enough to proclaim the
Gospel of our Savior and the truth of God in His Word, so that they too will
enjoy the peace and abundance He offers to all who come to Him in repentance,
and an eternity under His rule and care...
In the last chapter of
his book, the Chronicler is retelling his readers about the last years of the
Israelite kingdom, how, in each of two generations, the kings chosen by the
people were taken hostage by the more powerful empires of the time, Egypt and
Babylon, and each of their brothers put in place as puppet-king, with the rest of
the land either exiled, enslaved or subjected under tribute... Although in
spiritual reckoning, the Chronicler attributes their downfall to the king and
people's idolatry and disobedience of God, indeed, such weakness made them prey
to the world superpowers during that time... How normal that such things must
repeat itself in history over and over until our time today... Yet, there is
still hope, for even during their time, Cyrus, king of Persia, which empire
rose up after conquering Babylon, issued a decree to rebuild God's house in
Jerusalem, and to have the people return if they sign up to rebuild (v. 23);
surely, there will also be a time in the future when the people who calls their
name by the Name of the Savior today, will be delivered from the world's
troubles and tribulations, rebuild God's house and reign over their lives and
daily affairs, and return to the land (spiritually) where He has caused His
Name to be established (Isaiah 10:21-23)... And that is the essence of
eternity: freedom to worship, unencumbered by the world's issues, influence,
lies and misdeeds... May we find our strength and hope in this...
As the Chronicler is
approaching the end of his records, he reminds the readers through this
passage, of the greatest passover since before the time of the kings, thereby
establishing King Josiah as one of Israel's greatest leaders, beloved for his
overflowing generosity in providing for the people's burnt and sacrificial
offerings, and for obeying God's instructions and laws... And even though in
his last days, King Josiah embarked on a foolhardy battle of resistance against
Pharaoh Necho of Egypt, as a way to gain favor and ally with the Assyrian
empire, which ultimately led to his death, his contributions and great
leadership were not forgotten by the people... And from King Josiah's reign, we
learn that indeed a good leader is generous, providing and caring for the
people, setting them in their proper offices and places according to their
tribe's anointing and individual talents, whoever they may be, whatever may be
their personalities, and whether they grumble or complain occasionally, because
he is fully aware that each person is equally precious in the sight of God, and
deserves to be heard and attended to... As we and the rest of the world are on
the precipice, leading us to the next level of our existence, that despite
every day's threat to our health and lives, we will still choose whom to put in
positions of power, may we remember past actions of would-be or aspiring
leaders for any manifestation of real, consistent, unbiased, uncorrupted
generosity, leaders who seek only to uphold the laws of the land and the basic
rights of the people, much like how King Josiah did everything in his reign
according to the law of the Lord (v. 26)...
The passage today is
the Chronicler's retelling of the beginning of the reign of King Josiah, the
people's rightfully chosen one, and of how he followed after the heart of his
ancestor King David, and did all he could to bring about revival in the nation,
and to purge the people from idolatry... Key to this was the discovery of the
long forgotten Books of the Law, and of everyone hearing as it was read, which
led to the nation being convicted in their hearts, repenting of several
generations of sin and disobedience, and of coming back to God... It is
interesting that God once again used a woman, Huldah the prophetess, who dwelt
in the college of the prophets in Jerusalem (from 1 Samuel 19:18-24), wife of
Tikvath and daughter-in-law of Hasrah, wardrobe-keeper, to remind Josiah and
the people, of the consequences of their disobedience, and of His blessing
because of Josiah's desire to make His Word known, and to lead people to obey
it... In our time today, we especially need to emulate King Josiah and the
people, for it seems many today use and abuse God's Word to promote lies, to
bring about confusion of mind and weakness in other people's faith, by making
them doubt God's will and ways, and therefore leading them to fear, destruction
and death... But perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18), and His Word is
perfect (Psalm 19:7-10), converting the soul, and leading the person in the
right way... May we spend the rest of our days reading it, understanding it,
meditating on what it says and what its intents are, so that we may be
strengthened, and our hearts lead us in the straight path to our God and to the
eternity He has prepared for us (v. 2)...
The passage today is
the Chronicler's retelling of the long reign of King Manasseh (55 years, v. 1),
and the short reign of his son Amon (2 years, v. 21)... Both started to do evil
and again institutionalized idolatry, but unlike Amon who did it all the way
through in his short stint, his father King Manasseh, when he was taken
prisoner by the Assyrian empire and afflicted, humbled himself, repented, and
was heard, so that God restored him to the kingdom, and he organized
infrastructure restoration and spiritual revival in the kingdom too... But when
he died, he was buried in his own house, and not in the sepulchre of the kings,
which seemed to imply that the people already manifested their disillusionment
with the Davidic dynasty... This became most apparent when, after Amon was
assassinated, the people rose up to avenge for him, yet chose his son Josiah,
instead of whomever he might have favored while alive, which marked the
beginnings of a democratic monarchy, where, regardless of noble succession of
figurehead leadership, the people themselves get to choose who will administer
their civilian affairs... Then and until now, God's spirit and power moves
among and interacts with the people: when He is honored in worship and praise,
there is prosperity for all, loyalty, cooperation and success between rulers
and citizens (Psalm 33:12, 144:15; Proverbs 11:11, 29:2); but when He isn't...
Well, the passage today and the words we have pondered on since the start of
the year and until now, recorded for us what were the terrible consequences...
May we all learn our lesson to always walk worthy of the salvation we have
received, the faith to which we have been called, as even in our earthly
journey, God is blessed, honored and glorified by our obedience to Him, and to
those who rule over us, spiritually or politically (1 Timothy 2:1-2; Titus
3:1-2; Romans 13:1-7)...
Just gave an
interesting comment to a very dear cousin who is also a staunch anti-vaxxer,
and I would like to share it here too, for transparency, truth and faith...
"ana jud na _ _,
lain2 jud na belief ang tawo about vaccine, especially kay walay expert nato
kasagaran about medicines. That is why faith is a common strength in both those
for or against the vaccine. Sa akoa, if sa balay ra ko ga work, okay ra man pud
dili magpa vaccine. But I go to the office everyday, because if I don't, daghan
transactions dili mahimo, daghan tawo dili makasweldo. So, if getting the
vaccine is the least I can do to protect myself and those who depend on me, I
trust that God will save and preserve me. Daghan man gud mi kaila nga
Christians, born again and protestants, wala magpa vaccine _ _, out of faith over
fear, unya namatay hinuon, nakapangtakud pa, even family members of pastors.
Getting the vaccine for me is not discounting God's power, kay God is a healing
God, but there are cases that He doesn't, no matter how much we believe and
pray, because sickness and death tests our faith and strengthens us (2
Corinthians 12:8-9). Kay si Jesus Christ bitaw niingon, it is not the healthy
who need a doctor, but the sick (Matthew 9:12). And apostle Luke was a doctor,
and his Gospel focused on Jesus' healing power (Luke 6:8), but with reason and
awareness that sickness and disease are sometimes a result of man's sin and
stubbornness (Micah 6:13, Luke 5:20), or sometimes out of circumstances beyond
our control (John 9:1-12, Luke 18:35-43). When Jesus healed the leper, He told
the man to be examined by the priests(Matthew 8:4; Luke 5:14), during His time
they were the ones anointed by God to examine, isolate, and treat lepers and
microbial diseases, because they were trained in the Jewish faith in extensive
disinfection and quarantine (Leviticus 13, 14, 15). Karon nga time, dili na man
sila available for everyone, but their recorded practices are the basis of
modern medicine, mao nga for me, if the top doctors around the world say to
clean up, mask up, social distance, and get vaccinated, just like what medical
records say during Cholera and Spanish flu, I would obey, kay I believe it
doesn't disagree with what God the Father instructed Moses and Aaron and the
Levite priests. Amping na lang jud tanan, do our best to stay healthy and
hygienic, be aware of what's true or not, always be updated, and pray a lot
harder. 
"
Hope this can help
clear up, and resolve doubts on vaccination as a duel between faith and fear,
and on whether trusting medical experts means our faith in God is lessened.
#ForTransparencyAndTruth07202021Part05
The chiefest King...
King Hezekiah was considered one of the greatest Kings of the kingdom of Judah,
not only because of the victories and the buildings he had done, with history
and archaeology corroborating the same until modern day, but primarily because
he is a true father to the people, encouraging them in times of fear (v. 7-8),
like when Sennacherib King of Assyria laid a seige, and when his pride takes
the better of him, and God disciplines him, he humbles himself, so that God
always healed and saved them (v. 25-26)... Much like his ancestor, King David,
it seems that King Hezekiah also had the right heart to lead and serve... There
may be times he would commit mistakes personally and offend God, yet he would
always return and repent... This worthy attitude may have been what the people
saw in him, so that when he died, he was buried in the chiefest of the
sepulchres of the sons of David (v. 32-33)... May we all learn from King
Hezekiah's leadership and his relationship with God, as we live the rest of our
lives, and as we periodically choose the right kind of leaders to rule our land
and our people...
This reflection may be
offensive to some with socialistic or even liberal tendencies, but in this
passage, the Chronicler is telling his readers that there is no better way to
bring a better life for everyone, than that of a leader who leads the people in
faithfully and honestly giving tithes to those anointed for spiritual and
various other work in the house of God; for it seems that a heart that is
willingly obedient to give wholeheartedly to the cause and earthly work of an
unseen, yet in faith believed firmly to be a great and true God, is also the
person who has the generous and righteous heart to live and lead with wisdom,
and to make sure all the people he influences are sufficiently provided for...
And this should also be what we who are called by the Name of our Savior,
should use as yardstick of our faith and walk--in faithful rendering of our
tithes, offerings and vows, as we take after the Father of our faith, Abraham
(Genesis 14:18-20); and as we follow King Hezekiah's example, to do that which
is good and right and true before the Lord our God (v. 20), so that God will
bless all the work of our hands and make us prosper (v. 21)...
God hears those who
return to His fold... And this is one lesson that the Chronicler is saying in
this passage, during King Hezekiah's great revival of the feast of unleavened
bread and passover, which even called out the northern tribes to participate,
and which those whose hearts in the tribes of Asher, Manasseh, Issachar and
Zebulun, have been touched, did obey... And the Word said that God heard King
Hezekiah's prayers and healed the people (v. 20), and heard and accepted the
prayers in behalf of the people, by the priests and Levites too (v. 27)... We
realize that when leaders call on to God, and do the work of evangelism at the
same time, calling unto the people of the land to return to God in repentance,
and restore their relationship with Him, there is revival, there is unity and
reconciliation, there is power and healing, and answered prayers... For indeed,
Ecclesia, the called out ones, the church, can only be saved and delivered when
they listen to His voice, come out of their comfort zones, and live their lives
in surrender and faith to His leading... May we learn to seek for such leaders
even until today, even in the face of the corruption around us and in the
people in authority over us, so that someday, there will be deliverance for
all, salvation and eternal life for those who humble themselves and return...
A period of national
cleansing... The passage today is the Chronicler's reminder that when King
Hezekiah ruled, the first thing that he did was institute a national cleansing,
starting with the house of God, which served as inspiration in the people's
internal spiritual cleansing and preparation of themselves too... Rarely do we
find leaders like this who find time for the organization or a group to
evaluate themselves properly, regarding their inadequacies and shortcomings,
and like the Israelites of old who offered, worshipped and sang in praise,
should also actively remedy and correct their faults; because for far too many,
even performance evaluations today are rigged with an eye to promotions and
more favors, rather than making sure family, group and corporate values are
strengthened for the longevity of the organization, or the people's
relationships... But that is what the Chronicler wants us to learn: that unless
we cleanse ourselves of our sinful nature--selfishness, greed, pride, envy,
theft, covetousness, hate, prejudice, malice, and lust--even the very best
things we can accomplish will all come to nothing... But if we start with an
attitude of humility and surrender, with worship and acknowledgment of the rule
of God and His will in our lives, our hope and confidence will have substance,
and the rest of life and eternity awaits for us--full of grace, peace and
truth...
Tumultuous times
happen when leaders can not discern what's true... And this is what the
Chronicler is saying in this retelling of King Ahaz's reign... Because unlike
his father before him, and his son after, he compromised with and led the
nation in idolatry, believing that the more gods and idols to help him in his
cause, like that of the Syrians who defeated him in battle, the better (v.
23)... He forgot the Lord's declaration, that He is only one (Deuteronomy
6:4)... As a result, tragedies happen to the nation, even to the point where
the people themselves planned to engage in human trafficking of the defeated
tribes; except that it was stopped upon the warning of the prophet Oded (v.
9-15), when the people listened, relented, restored their brethren, and took
good care of them (one is also reminded of the tale of the good Samaritan in
Luke 10:25-37, of which undoubtedly, this episode is a historical precursor,
where a man from the northern kingdom took care of a Jew who fell victim to
crime and violence)... These events make one realize that even in positions of
power and authority, some people are blinded by greed and lust, so that they
are not able to discern what is morally and spiritually right; yet there are
people like the heads of the tribe of Ephraim (Azariah, Berechiah, Jehizkiah
and Amasa, v. 12), who listen to God's word and good advice, and therefore are
able to do what is right and just... May we learn to be like them, so that no
matter how hardened we may have become, or how weak we may be reduced to,
because of life's challenges, but we will still listen to what is true, good,
just and fair, and act with mercy and love, kindness and generosity...
No-frills greatness...
In a short chapter of nine verses, the Chronicler is retelling the life (41
years) and reign (16 years) of King Jotham, a careful man, full of humility and
wisdom; because he learned of his father's shortcomings, and did not repeat
them (v. 2)... We are reminded again that he is a working and building ruler
(v. 3 & 4), but he was also a man of war (v. 5); but his greatness did not
lie in his skill or talent or strength, but because he was a strategic planner,
who prepared his ways--in ruling the kingdom, and even undoubtedly in his
personal life--before and to follow God's leading... And when he died, he was
buried in the city of David, Jerusalem, considered today to be the world's
holiest place... May we remember that his life is one among many in the Word,
in the Halls of Faith, that we must emulate; for only when we prepare our ways
before God, living in the integrity and truth that He has revealed unto us,
making our light shine, and outpouring and sharing life, grace, salvation and
deliverance on others, can we truly have a completely abundant and satisfying
life, no matter its length in years...
In this passage, the
Chronicler is retelling the readers about the life and time of King Uzziah, how
he took after his father Amaziah's zeal for God's work, and more, because
initially, he learned his lesson to fully trust God, and so was able to be
extremely successful and prosperous in leading the nation (v. 5), and even
developed engines and machinery, technologically advanced for their time,
establishing the nation's earlier supremacy in warfare and defense (v. 15)...
Furthermore, he was counseled by and listened to the words of two of the Word's
greatest prophets, Isaiah and Zechariah... The passage only wrote down one
fault of his, when he became so confident of God's favor and divine anointing
as king, that he went inside the temple to burn incense, which Mosaic law said
only belongs to the priests, as what Azariah and the priests forcefully stood
against... As a result, God struck him with leprosy, and he was isolated from
the rest of the people until the day of his death; but because of his
illustrious rule, he was buried in the field (now grown from sepulchre) of the
kings... This was not totally a bad thing however, for even our Lord Jesus
Christ had mercy on lepers and healed them (Matthew 8:1-4; Luke 17:11-19)... We
realize that God indeed is a Merciful God, because rather than giving King
Uzziah more chances and opportunities to feed his pride, He had him isolated
from community, so that all the rest of his days will be spent alone in
communion with God, until the time he was called home... May we learn our
lessons from the life of King Uzziah, so that we too will continually seek God,
and live His will throughout the rest of our days...
In today's passage,
the Chronicler shows us what happens when people trust God only half-way, and
do not fully commit every area of their lives to Him... Like King Amaziah, many
of them often bite off more than they can chew, and falsely believe that in
times of trouble, He will deliver them... Alas, a Jealous, all-knowing,
all-powerful God could not be fooled; for how can someone who does not give God
the preeminence in his life be helped by the same, when He barely has enough
room to display His power and glory through them, because of their idolatry and
vanity, and the multiplicity of their greed, envy and materialism?... Yes, God
can do all things, even the impossible ones, but as He said, only when we are
obedient to His commands and leading... May we learn from the tragic life of
King Amaziah, and how in his position as leader of the nation, his personal
downfall translated to the downfall of the nation too, and the pillaging of its
treasures, some of the most valuables of which were guarded by Obed-edom and
his descendants, the forever-favored and blessed doorkeeper and guard of God's
house... May we keep well the faith entrusted to us, and may we forever let His
light shine through us, so that people may see how good our God is, how great
is His desire to be number one in our lives, and how bottomlessly deep is our
need of Him...
The Chronicler is
reminding his readers in this passage that, because of peer pressure, and the
loss of the great man who guided him to do great things for God, King Joash
went from honoring God and restoring the temple, to tolerating once again
idolatry in the people, even tolerating the murder of Jehoiada's son and
Joash's cousin, Zechariah who, in God's spirit, rebuked him, until the Syrians
attacked them and destroyed all the things they worked hard for, with Joash
contracting great diseases due to his unhealthy associations and the stress
from fighting off the Syrians, and his own servants assassinated him, after
which, although he did great in repairing the house of God, yet was not counted
worthy by the people, and not buried in the sepulchre of the kings... We
realized that contrary to popular sayings that to begin well is to finish well,
like King Joash, there are far too many people even until today that fail to
live up to the greatness that they have accomplished in their earlier years...
Indeed it takes godly guidance like that of Jehoiada and Jehosheba for one to
learn and grow up in the right path, but it undoubtedly needs spiritual
maturity to stand firm on godly principles, and not give in to the pulls of
trends, thoughts and philosophies, peers and influences that only seek to
overturn what has been established, without instituting something better in
return... Everyday we make choices, and the voice of the Chronicler reminds us
that no matter the challenges, be they something new or novel ways, we have to
decide based on the metric on what's good and godly, and make sure such
choices, which will always have lasting and eternal consequences, will bring
life, and strengthen us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually...
Jehoiada's and
Jehosheba's zeal... Is what saved the life of the baby-prince Joash at one, and
made him boy-king at seven... And it is godly wisdom and good courage poured
out on the couple that made them do everything they can, gather, equip and
strengthen the right people, and at the right time, to restore justice and
godliness to the land, and get rid of evil-queen Athaliah... For as long as
humanity have people with the right minds and spirits as Jehosheba and
Jehoiada, there is hope, that in spite of the evil deeds and influences of
corrupt and greedy rulers, oppressive and murderous regimes, there will be a
time of restoration, justice, order and renewal... May we hold on to this hope
in our time too, and nurture ourselves and the next generation, that they may
emulate the wisdom, humility, passion and courage of Jehosheba and Jehoiada...
The Chronicler is
retelling us again, of the life and reign of King Jehoahaz, renamed Ahaziah,
son of King Jehoram and grandson of King Jehoshaphat, who ruled under the
counsel and influence of his wicked mother Athaliah, daughter of King Ahab and
Queen Jezebel, who then had all his brothers killed after his death, and ruled
Queen-regent... But one of Jehoahaz/Ahaziah's sisters, Jehoshabeath or
Jehosheba, wife of Jehoiada the priest, hid his young son Joash and his nurse,
took care of him and had him grow up in the temple quarters, safe and away from
his evil grandmother... This was the same Joash that we learned in the previous
books to have instituted a revival in the land, under the guidance of his uncle
Jehoiada, and his aunt Jehosheba... The Chronicler is telling us that in
history and religious life, women had significant impact, for they can make or
break a life, build a better future or ruin it, and that they are worth their
due respect and recognition for good deeds, or appropriate wariness and
punishment when not, as in the case of Athaliah... May we have the wisdom and
strength to support them, so that they will reach their full potential, and
fulfill their roles as co-life bringer and nurturer...
Because greed and
unresolved insecurity leads to ruin... And this is what the Chronicler sought
to remind the readers in this retelling of the life of King Jehoram who, in
spite of being firstborn and being given the kingdom by his father Jehoshaphat
(v. 3), killed his younger brothers, and even other princes and other
noblemen(v. 4), whom the prophet Elijah wrote about to be better than him (v.
12-13), probably to eliminate those whom he thinks will compete with him as to
who is more qualified to rule... Because of this, and of his leading people to
sin by letting them engage in idolatry, God, through the prophet, declared and
imposed a three-fold punishment: a plague on the people (for indulging themselves
in the King's spiritual and moral licentiousness); a forever war with the
Philistines and Arabians, and a revolt by their near-kin, the Edomites; and a
physical disease of the bowels, and wasting away from various sore or painful
diseases, for two years, and up until his death... His path to secure his
throne, and to destroy those whom he thinks will oppose, ultimately destroyed
him, the people he ruled, and even his legacy, as the Chronicler said, "no
burning", or rather, no vigil, was made for him when he died, and he was
buried with his fathers, but not in the sepulchre of the Kings (v. 19-20)...
Even in their time, and until now, people can only be oppressed so much, but
not too much, or they will cast off all sense of respect for the errant
leader... Likewise, we too can only do so much stubbornness as in abandoning
our first love, but we must return to the presence and fellowship of our God
through repentance, and in humility, before we run out of time and chance...
The battle is the
Lord's... And this is what the Chronicler reminded his readers, in this
retelling of the battle King Jehoshaphat was forced to wage, to defend
themselves against the Ammonites and Moabites... Judah gained the victory, and
the consequent spoils of war, not due to its strength, but when its leader
sought the Lord, and proclaimed a national fast (v. 3)... The believer is
reminded of this too, even in the present day, that in the midst of
difficulties, if we seek God first and put our trust in Him, and live a life of
"fasting" (not just literally, but primarily giving up worldly habits
and desires, materialism and envy, a focus and preeminence on our body sizes
and looks, but to live a life of humility and contentment in even the barest
and littlest things that sustain us and keep us alive), He will hear us, He
will strengthen us, and He will give us victory, as what Jahaziel, the Levite
singer who is a descendant of Asaph, prophesied, "... for the battle is
not yours, but God's" (v.15) ... And as we continue to live the rest of
our days, may we learn not to trust or put all our hope in sinful, fallible human
beings, systems, and philosophies, even if they be good friends, close family
members or relatives, or much-decorated and admired celebrities and human
authorities, but to continue to seek God and dedicate to Him all the works of
our hands, so that, "... the Lord will not break our works" (v. 37);
and so that we will have peace and quiet, when in our humility and obedience,
"... God will give us rest round about" (v. 30)...
A better judgment of
character... As what the Chronicler has relayed to his readers in this passage,
where King Jehoshaphat seemed to have become a completely different person,
doubling his zeal and passion for God's work, after the downfall of King Ahab,
and after realizing how wrong it is to trust in fallible, sinful men, instead
of trusting in God alone... He came back to rule with more vigor, and
instituted a reaffirmation and strengthening of duties and resolve,
particularly in the priests, Levites, judges and administrators of the land...
Too often, even until today, most of us are like this too... Until that which
we cling on to for support and affirmation is taken away, or relationships and
connections turn sour, we will never remember that we have a God who loves us
unconditionally, and who cares for us all the way... May we learn the lesson
King Jehoshaphat learned too, so that in spite of our inadequacies and
failures, our God may give us mercy and grace, "as we prepare our hearts
to seek Him" (v. 3); and may we be strengthened in our daily walk, as we
"let the fear of the Lord be upon us; as we take heed and do our appointed
tasks: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons,
nor taking of gifts (or bribes)" (v. 7)...
Truth is painful and
alone amidst a sea of lies, but it saves and delivers... And this is what the
Chronicler reminded his readers, in this retelling of good King Jehoshaphat's
alliance with evil King Ahab in the battle against the Syrians... King Ahab is
like many today, who only want to hear what they want to hear; that they are
good even when they are not; that they are doing fine, even when life so
blatantly shows them that they need God in their lives... And each gets their
due, because King Jehoshaphat was saved from certain death, when the Syrians
realized the truth that they mistook him for King Ahab, and did not hurt him
(32); while evil King Ahab, master of deceit and lies, was struck and wounded
by an archer who may have or may have not known that he was the king, and prime
target for assassination... If one thinks highly of one's self, such reversal
of fortunes may seem cruel, but God calls it justice, especially against people
who stubbornly persist in their selfish, greedy nature... Yes, for a time, lies
and deceit, corruption and greed, idolatry and evil may persist; but these will
not go unpunished, and the consequences will always catch up with their
perpetrators; so that a believer would do well to save his soul, by living in
obedience to God's word and ways, so that in whatever situation, He will hear
and help (v. 31)... May we answer the call of the true prophet Micaiah (v. 27),
have the eyes to see, ears to hear, wisdom to consider, and humility to obey...
Only when we seek God
earnestly, and live it in our daily realities, will He be found, and will He
dwell in us (v. 3-4)... And this is what the Chronicler reminded his readers
through this retelling of the life of King Jehoshaphat... So that he had
authority and anointing to cause princes and dignitaries, accompanied by
Levites and priests, to go down to the grassroots, and teach all the people the
words and ways of God (v. 7-9)... So is it today too; those with credibility
through lives well lived in truth and integrity, are usually the only ones whom
people heartily express loyalty and obedience... Yes, force and intimidation
can make people do the bidding of the leader, but since it is driven be fear,
it will not last, and will even result in rebellion... But the good leader who
shows righteousness and compassionate leadership driven by godly wisdom and
love, shall remain forever in the people's hearts and minds long after said
leader is gone... May we ponder on these, as everyday life calls on us to
exhibit leadership of other people, our families, and ourselves most
especially...
When doubt and fear
kill the spirit... And so it was, in the last half a decade of King Asa's
reign, when he allied himself and trusted Ben-hadad, King of Syria, against
Baasha, King of the northern 10 tribes, so that God through Hanani, the
prophet-seer, rebuked him, whom in his anger, he sent to prison... Doubt and
fear often cloud good judgment, preventing one from remembering past victories,
blessings and deliverance, and ultimately--unless corrected and repented of, and
one is enlightened with God's Word--leading to one's downfall, which in the
case of King Asa, wars instead of peace, a paralysing foot disease, for which
in doubt and fear, even with the best apothecaries, he was not cured because he
did not call on God... Medicines and physical treatments are not bad per se,
for even God Himself appointed them, like in the making of oils and fragrances
helpful in worship and communion with Him (Exodus 30:25), which also would have
the effect of making people feel good by alleviating stress and calm their
spirits when they go to worship God and have fellowship with Him... But one
must realize that these are just instruments, and that their ultimate efficacy
lies in God's healing hand, whether it is in His will to heal or soothe, or
not; and for this, the believer must pray to Him, the God who heals; because
pain and sickness are actually tickets for us to get closer to Him in prayer,
and real instruments by which we can ask for and Him to show His power, mercy
and grace in our lives... And so, we heed seer-prophet Hanani's words, and be
not foolish like King Asa, as we take it to heart, believe and live the truth
that, "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth,
to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward
him..." (v. 9b)... Let our faith and hope then, rest on this God, who has
the will and desire to show Himself strong through us, as we strive daily to
make our hearts perfect toward Him...
The Chronicler reminds
us that in the first 35 years of King Asa's reign, his heart was considered
perfect before God, especially his zeal in making sure all citizens worship God
and stop worshipping idols, even stripping his own mother of Queen-ship for
idolatry... Modern society would consider him an autocrat, eliminating
diversity, and discouraging creativity and self-expression... Yet one must
remember that the nation was sanctioned by the spiritual call of its founders,
and should continue to do so... Yes, God loves all people, but He wants all people
to love Him too, discover Him in worship and reading His Word, hear Him when
they pray and ponder, and when He responds, have the discernment to see and
comprehend... God made us diverse, but we are all made in His image, and should
only reflect how He is as Father and God, Son and Comforter; not according to
what we want, because no matter how smart we are, we can never fully understand
Him, nor probe into the depths of His being... On the contrary, no matter how
great we may become, we cannot deny that even earth and life themselves, prove
to us and make us see, that we are all accountable to The One who gave us life,
and compelled by our very nature, to bring Him glory and honor, and not our
own... May we think about this some more, so that in all our efforts to please
Him and live His Word and will, we may "Be strong therefore, and let not
your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded." (v. 7)
The Lord gives rest to those whom He
loves (Psalm 127:2)... And this has nothing to do with the length or number of
hours one sleeps, but an inner peace and true contentment (John 14:27)... And
this the Chronicler tells us too, in the life of King Asa, while he followed
God, and trusted in Him like his father Abijah... And this rest (v. 6) can be ours
too, so that even if literally the world around us may be in chaos or get into
war, yet, deep within the hearts and souls of those who truly obey God's
leading, there will be peace and rest, when we choose and actively do that
which is good and right in His eyes (v. 2)... May we learn and live these
truths...
The sins of the
fathers may not always be inherited or paid for by the sons... And that is what
the Chronicler reminded his readers in today's passage... King Abijah did not
take after the evil deeds of his father Rehoboam, but after the faith of his
great-grandfather David, and after the wisdom of his grandfather Solomon...
Yes, he may have been too privileged having grown up in the palace, with his
contender-siblings banished by his father far away from him, but it put him in
the lead position to show everyone, especially in the difficult battle against
rebel-King Jeroboam, that God fights for His people, and even in the face of
impossible and desperate situations, gives them victory... King Abijah also
inherited some of the wisdom of his grandfather Solomon, and spoke wise words
and sayings that the passage says were recorded in the Story of the prophet
Iddo, a lost text that unfortunately did not make it into Old Testament
Canon... Here as always, we are reminded that God gives grace and deliverance
to all who trust Him, and that their lives will be used to declare His glory,
like that of King Abijah whom God used to destroy Jeroboam and his allies, and
will forever be remembered as a wise and brave king whose courage came from
trusting God and His promises and prophecies... May we learn to emulate King
Abijah's conviction and resolve too...
Just as God judged
Rehoboam and the people, and their syncretic idolatry, the Chronicler reminded
us that that was when they were invaded by Shishak of Egypt, and his allies,
and all the treasures Rehoboam's father put on display in God's temple, taken
in spoils, so that King Rehoboam replaced them with brass... Yet, because he
and the people repented a little, they were not utterly destroyed, but only
made subservient... We realize that this is a timeless example of how God deals
with all of us... In spite of life's hardships, our disappointments and regrets
at unanswered prayers, lost opportunities because we did not have the wisdom
and discernment enough to realize and correct in time our wrong judgments and
choices, we will learn that God was always there... Through the pain and hurt,
through the suffering, these may not exactly be gone, but He is always there,
strengthening us, molding us, teaching us, enlightening us, and making us
understand Him more... Contrary to the incomplete popular teaching that 'God
will not give us more than we can bear'(1 Corinthians 10:13a), many times
actually, we are given trials and tests far more than we can ever manage on our
own, because the second half of that passage emphasizes that regardless of our
own judgment and strength, '... with the temptation (He) will also make a way
to escape, so that we may be able to bear it.'...(1 Corinthians 10:13b)... And
so, even if life leads us on to the end of our ropes, and the rope breaks, and
we have no more strength left to fight, we can still have hope because He said,
"...' My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that
Christ’s power may rest on me." (2 Corinthians 12:9)... Let this be a
substance of our hope and faith then...
King Rehoboam was,
like new generations of leaders who live in more affluent and civilizationally
advanced times, (but which their ancestors actually built for them) was
cunning, yet lack wisdom... And this the Chronicler would have us remember, in
how the king tried to syncretize the land, removing the authority of Aaronic
priesthood, yet elevating self-appointed priests to lead in worship of idols
and demons, so that those who remain faithful to God, all gathered in
Jerusalem, to 'hold down the fort' spiritually, by being in and in the vicinity
of God's temple, ready and willing to stand and defend... The king married many
women but banished all his children except the son of his favorite wife, so
that there is no contender for the succession of the throne, showing that far
from asking God's will in such matters, he took it upon himself to decide on
leadership and keep all the glory... And it was during his time that Shishak,
king of Egypt, came and destroyed and took away the cities he built, according
to historical and archaeological records... Sadly, many leaders even until now,
still follow in the sins of Rehoboam... In the guise (pretending to be) of
ordained authority, lies masquerading as truth in numbers and long observance,
plurality and pacifism, they adopt the thoughts and principles of foreign
cultures, that are detrimental to the culture and faith God has called them to;
mimicking and parroting outdated, prejudiced, biased, racist, oppressive and
unenlightened philosophies that only bring misinformation and lies, ruin and
destruction, sickness (in body and mind), and death (physical and spiritual) to
the flock under their care... May God keep us from such ravenous wolves, and
when we are forced by them to follow and obey, even at the expense of our own
health, safety, and the strength of our faith and fellowship with God and His
people, may He deliver us as promised, and keep us from their evil thoughts,
words and deeds... We have much to pray strongly for, and be vigilant and
discerning of, still...
The Chronicler is
reminding us once again, what ultimately powered the rift between the tribes
(although there may have been brewings of discontent due to the divine choosing
of who leads the nation), and this is that a spoiled child who lacks wisdom, is
made to rule in a dynasty, where in his desire to be seen as different from his
predecessor-father, King Rehoboam ignored the requests of the elders, and only
followed the so-called radical views of his young counselors... One realizes
that such things have been a human predicament even until today, where even
behavioral analysts say the greater majority of the new generation disregard
the manners and conventions, lessons and wisdom of the generations before them,
thinking they know better since they live with the more advanced technology;
and this has resulted to scores of disoriented youths who have no idea how to
survive the present tragedies and thrive in the future challenges, lacking the
necessary skills and fortitude to weather through life's downturns... May we
think on these things, so that we may not breed a generation of Rehoboams who
ignore age-old wisdom and good advice to their own peril, and to the danger of
their own souls... Still...
The 40-year reign of
King Solomon was indeed a literal, intellectual and spiritual golden age: the
temple and its instruments glittered with it, his wisdom became known far and
wide, and the people's worship were rejuvenated in the atmosphere of so much
opulence... Yet, the Chronicler would have us see this as a standard, for as we
have learned in the previous books, and even in the whole history of humanity
until today, gold and wealth could easily get stolen and plundered, and those
greedy for it live in idolatry of an earthy metal that though refined by fire,
can still melt with even more heat and pressure... And so, we remember again
that what is more important than gold is faith (1 Peter 1:7)--our relationship
with God, and the only thing that matters when our rule and role in life is
done, and we live this world for the life beyond (John 3:16)...
A wise leader restores
and rebuilds, assigns people to their proper places, takes care of both loyal
followers and even outliers, builds connections and strategic alliances... And
this, in God's wisdom, King Solomon started to do during his reign, so that the
country became known even in the world stage... May our leaders today ponder on
these qualities, and may those of us granted the right and obligation to choose
them, choose well, be strong and support them that they may continue on the
right path...
Because faith is an
action word, to a people called by God's Name... Such was His answer to King
Solomon's prayer of dedication of the temple, and intercession for the
people... And so it is with us until now, primarily those who claim to belong
to the faith named after our Savior-God, Redeemer-King, and soon-to-come
Ultimate Judge, Deliverer and Ruler of all... So that with all the hardships
and troubles life constantly throws our way, may we take to heart, and be
strengthened and renewed by the words of our Maker, thus, "When I shut up
the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts (even harmful
microbes, detrimental bacteria, viruses and pests) to devour the land, or send
a plague (epi- or pan-demics) among My people; if My people, who are called by
My Name, will humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from
their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin
and will heal their land." (v. 13-14)... May we live this prayer everyday,
repent and turn from our greedy, selfish, idolatrous, sinful and prideful ways;
so that in every hardship, in every pain, in every suffering, even in the face
of death, our God will hear our prayers, and our God will heal...
A true leader
intercedes and prays for his people... And this is what the Chronicler reminded
his readers, that one reason they were set free from captivity and were able to
return to their homeland was the prayer their good king made in humility,
kneeling before God in the sight of all, that God will have mercy on them, that
He will forgive their sin when they repent, and that He will hear their
prayers, both Israelite citizens, and even foreigners and strangers (Gentiles
in biblical language), who will come to worship and serve God with them, in the
same Spirit and in truth... And such prayer was indeed heartfelt, as God
responded to in the next chapter, and as seen and recorded in King Solomon's
very own rule... And this should become the model prayer for leaders the world
over even until today, especially for those who say they worship and believe
the same God as ancient Israel... So that instead of always plotting and
maneuvering how they can increase their power and position, how to amass more
wealth at the expense of and from the state coffers, and considering only to be
famous and looking good physically and increasing their favorable survey
ratings, leaders instead should regularly get down on their knees privately and
in humility before God, not in front of the whole world to see and be impressed
by, and manifest the fruits of this prayer in their day-to-day administration,
thus, "and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among Your people
Israel—being aware of their afflictions and pains, and spreading out their
hands toward this temple—then hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. Forgive,
and deal with everyone according to all they do, since You know their hearts
(for You alone know the human heart), so that they will fear You and walk in
obedience to You all the time they live in the land You gave our ancestors. As
for the foreigner who does not belong to Your people Israel but has come from a
distant land because of Your great Name and Your mighty hand and Your
outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple, then hear from
heaven, Your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of You, so that all
the peoples of the earth may know Your Name and fear You, as do Your own people
Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears Your Name." (v.
29-33)... May God bless us with such kind of leaders, and may we do all we can
to put them in position too, and support them all the way...
When God is pleased,
He visits in His covering cloud... And this is what happened after King Solomon
and the people finished all the work in building the house of God, and the
people worshipped, made music and praise for its dedication... The same pillar
of cloud in Exodus 13:21-22 that guided Moses and the Israelites, that gave
them light, and darkness to their enemies in Exodus 14:19-20, that dwells in
the mountain when God gave Moses His commandments in Exodus 19:16, and that is
present in the tent of meeting and the tabernacle of the congregation whenever
God talks to Moses face to face in Exodus 40:34 and Numbers 16:42... After many
years and several generations, God manifests His presence to the people, by
being in the cloud... This is what the Chronicler reminded the people, even
after so many years in exile and after they returned... And even after
thousands of years, the cloud shouldn't lose its meaning for us today too,
since this is the very same God whom the Psalmist referred to in Psalms 97:2,
Who is surrounded by clouds and thick darkness, Whose throne is founded in
righteousness and justice... Yes, the world is fast heating up and melting
down, as proven by science and prophesied by the Apostle Peter in 2 Peter 3:10,
and we all reap its deadly consequences in natural disasters and calamities,
resultant economic downturns, destruction and uprootings, a never-ending plague
of deadly zoonotic diseases like the pandemic now, and involuntary emigrations
and refugees leading to more and deeper poverty and sickness and misery, yet,
as long as we see even a hint of a cloud like the one seen by the prophet
Elijah's servant in 1 Kings 18:44, we can have hope that deliverance is coming,
that His goodness and mercies will fall like rain (Acts 14:17, Job 5:10 &
37:6, Jeremiah 14:22, Joel 2:23, Leviticus 26:4, Zechariah 10:1)... And just as
thick and dark clouds portend rain (Ecclesiastes 11:3), so too, even in the
darkness of life, we know that very soon, He is coming to judge and reign over
all (Revelation 14:14)... May we find comfort and strength in these....
What a sight it must
have been, for the Israelites to worship in God's temple, where all instruments
were made of pure gold, beaten into perfection with intricate designs,
reflecting beautiful flowers and such. It would have been blinding, to say the
least, even a bit disorienting to some, and vertigo-inducing. But the effect
would have been of awe and wonder at such a great and powerful God, who have
done so mightily in their lives, and the talent and skill of His anointed
craftsmen and workers... Yet, what history has recorded told us that even their
Kings and leaders soon lost that awe and wonder, the basic elements of respect
and worship of God, and lived sinfully, until the kingdom was destroyed, and
the people exiled and abandoned... Gold indeed, is a fleeting thing, as what
the apostle Peter said, when we leap forward in time to 1 Peter 1:7... What
counts most, particularly as all of us go to war daily, against the challenges
of life, the attacks of the adversary, and even our own weaknesses, is our
faith--definitely of more worth than gold--of how, in moments of wonder and
joy, and in moments of despair and disillusionment, will we be able to keep it,
strengthen it, and persevere, that God may be praised and honored by our
obedience and faithfulness... So that even though we, like the apostles asked
from Jesus Christ in Luke 17:5, ask God to increase our faith, and Jesus
replied that it only takes faith as little as a mustard seed to do great things
(Luke 17:6), that even if our earthly masters should only pay us our due and
even less, not thank us, and that we should not take pride in what we have
achieved since these are only the results of the work God has assigned for us
(Luke 17:7-10), but the better thing is to endure and persevere in doing all we
can to serve God (our true master, Colossians 3:23) and be counted worthy, so
that at the right time, we may hear Him say, "well done, good and faithful
servant..." (Matthew 25:23)...
In the passage today,
the Chronicler reminds the readers of how glorious was God's temple that King
Solomon had built, how all materials for it were thoroughly and extensively
prepared, so that actually putting them all together only started during the
fourth year of his reign... All the gold mentioned brings us forward in time to
the soon-coming heavenly city (Revelation 21), which all of us who believe,
eagerly wait and long for... Meanwhile, for the poor exile returnees then, and
even until today, to all of us whom earthly life has not been so kind,
particularly as it tests us at every turn, tries to weaken our faith, seeks to
make us waver in our resolve, and belittle us some more in the eyes of others
and even to ourselves, so that we are led to doubt the assurance of our
salvation and deliverance, which our Lord has graciously promised (Psalm 18:17,
32:7, 40:17, 107:20, Philippians 1:6)-- still, the Chronicler brings our
attention to the two pillars, Jachin and Boaz (v. 17), which mean, respectively,
"God will establish", and "In God is strength"... So too,
even if the physical pillars themselves did not survive the destruction by the
Chaldeans/Babylonians (Jeremiah 52:17), yet, may we forever bring to mind what
they stood for, every time we approach God, in worship and prayer... We must
always trust that, "God Himself will establish us, and make His will, and
His good plans come true in our lives... Jachin"... And that no matter how
difficult, stressful, tiring and exhausting, desperate and miserable life may
become, we can have confidence and hope, we can renew our faith and strength,
for "In God (His Joy--Nehemiah 8:10), is our strength... Boaz"...
An extremely
beneficial alliance... Was established between King Solomon and King Hiram or
Huram, of Tyre, much like that established between their fathers... And
historical records show that indeed, both Kings ruled at their respective
Kingdom's golden ages... Each had respect of each other's faith, yet, had
wisdom and prudence enough to protect and promote the welfare of their people,
ensuring health and prosperity to all... King Solomon was able to build God's
house and his own with good materials and beautiful designs of the leadership
of Tyre's Hiram (the craftsman), while the wheat, barley, oil and wine it paid
for the timber and purple dyes, helped strengthened Tyre's position as a
prosperous trading city... One learns that even in daily living, we all need to
establish relationships like this too, with people whom we hold mutual respect,
with those who can help us bring better lives for ourselves and our loved
ones... That is why it is wise to always heed King Solomon's warnings against
being 'a companion of fools' (Proverbs 13:20), so that we may all become the
best that we can be...
The true measure of a
person, is wisdom... Though King Solomon later admitted that he has not lived
up to it a hundred percent (Ecclesiastes 1:16-18), and that when he dies, it
becomes useless and lost on his own children (Ecclesiastes 2:14-16), still we
learn that God values it above all too (Proverbs 9:10, Psalm 111:10), for
wisdom is the principal thing (Proverbs 4:5-7)... For out of wisdom comes
humility and peace (James 3:13-18, Proverbs 11:2), faith and holy fear of God
(Job 28:28, Psalm 107:43), and godly, righteous living (Proverbs 3:7)... And at
the very end of days, this relationship with our Maker, and how we have built
it up with wisdom, will be our sure hope (Proverbs 24:14), our ultimate
redemption, and the only thing that matters and remains (1 Corinthians 1:30)...
The Chronicler closes
the first book of Chronicles, with the end of King David's reign, and the
reason why we owe God alone all our thanks and praise, all glory and worship...
And it is the only correct view of life too, and our part in it, when we praise
and pray to God, thus, "Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power and the
glory, the victory and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in earth is
Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head over all. Both
riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hand is power
and might; in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. Now
therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name. But who am I,
and who are my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this.
For all things come from You, and of Your own we have given You. For we are
aliens and pilgrims before You, as were all our fathers; our days on earth are
as a shadow, and without hope." (v. 11-15)... This day and everyday, may
we start and end our days with this conviction, this invocation, and this
resolution, and so live out true freedom (from slavery of sin, to an abundant
life with Christ), and true independence (from our own puny and meaningless
efforts, to that of letting God rule mightily over and through our lives)...
Here the Chronicler
documented for the remembrance of the exile-returnees, what led to their golden
age under King Solomon... Yet, the Word says, "All scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness..." (2 Timothy 3:16) When the
apostle Paul penned this, the 'scripture' referred to the Torah, or the
Pentateuch and these histories and chronicles, the Wisdom books, and the
Prophets... And so, we discern the intent of the Chronicler in that the very
same thing that led to their golden age, is what humanity throughout all
generations should learn and adapt too, if we ever want our lives to experience
a great breakthrough: the legacy of a good shepherd, in turning over the work
of serving God to a new generation who must implant these words in their hearts
and minds, and live them daily, amidst life's everyday challenges and
realities; thus, “And you, my son Solomon (and all of us until today too),
acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion
and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands
every desire and every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but
if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever... Be strong and courageous, and
do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with
you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of
the temple of the Lord is finished." (v. 9, 29b)... May we have the
humility to obey, and the courage to persevere, until all our life's work and
purpose, "is finished"...
In this passage, the
Chronicler details the leaders of King David's army, even the lead gardeners,
farmers, animal keepers, scribes and counselors... And a commentary said that
they were all qualified and worthy for the tasks, whether in training, culture
or upbringing, and proven loyalty and faithfulness to the king and to God...
Here we learn that even in our lives today, we can only find true fulfillment
when we do that which is according to God's will and plan for us; because, yes,
it is not wrong to dream, to have an ambition, a goal and a vision; but when
God said that His plans are good and are meant to bring life, we disobey when
we only consider what we want to do based on the little that we know now, what
we have heard and seen from others without using judgment and wisdom to
ascertain Truth, and following the dictates of people--be they secular
influencers or even spiritual leaders--because we think they are qualified,
without observing if their lives have borne the fruits that God said those
truly filled by His presence should produce, in keeping with lives lived for
His glory and honor... No matter our position, our work and career, may we
dedicate these to the One Who gave us life, and One Who does not deserve blind
following and word-parroting from us, but a faithful obedience born from
personal knowledge of His goodness and love, of the true context and the Spirit
by which He gave us His Word, of hope in His faithful promises, and with full
awareness of His power and presence...
Now the Chronicler
went into detail about the lots and services of the porters, mighty and strong
men of valor, who were honest and faithful too, able-bodied to carry the Ark,
and all the instruments for worship and service in the Tabernacle... We
realized that as a lesson from the death of Uzzah, the king wisely appointed
the people with the proper disposition and attitude, who, despite their own
physical strength and military prowess, consider it greater glory to be porters
for God's instruments... We see both quite and great strength, humility, wisdom
and faith... And we realized that it is because these people are fully aware
early on, that their lives, their strength, their skills and capabilities are
from God, so that He deserves the best they can give... And so we learn too,
the perfect illustration and model when the Word says, "love the Lord your
God with all your strength..." (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37)... We will
remember forever the porters, they for whom King David said, "the Lord is
my strength..." (Exodus 15:2; 1 Chronicles 16:11; Nehemiah 8:10; Psalm
27:1, 29:11, 46:1-3, 73:26, & 121:1-2; Isaiah 12:2, 40:29-31, & 41:10;
Habakkuk 3:19; Philippians 4:13)... May we always find strength in Him, and in
the porters' example in faith...
No prima donnas in the
house of God... When those families especially gifted in music and songs (v. 7)
were carefully assigned their courses corresponding to that of the priests...
It shows us that talent and spiritual convictions run in families, particularly
when properly and responsibly led by God-fearing parents (v. 2, 3, 6)... We go
back here to the heart of worship, that its purpose is both praise to God, and
prophesy to the people, particularly with the harps (v. 1, 3)... And we realize
that musical talents are fine, particularly as it makes one famous, when it
becomes a career and one is able to support family and worthy causes, and one
prosper from it both professionally and economically... But it derives its
ultimate realization when done to praise God, and when with it, one
'prophesies', or gets to impart upon its listeners, knowledge of God's Word and
will, and life's meaning and substance... May we, musicians, singers or the
greater majority who are not, have the humility and faith, courage,
faithfulness, love and wisdom, so that everything we do be pleasing to our
Maker, a beautiful song, a testament to Him and to the world, of His grace and
goodness in our lives...
In the passage today,
the Chronicler details the courses of the Aaronic priests, and their Levite
assistants... We are again reminded that our God is a God of order, careful
administration, and peace; and we would do well to emulate that, when we are
given the chance to lead others and administer people, activities, groups and
organizations... We also get to read again the assignment of Abijah, to the
eighth course (v. 10), a week long service that would have occurred twice in a
lunar year... And we fast forward to Abijah's descendant, Zechariah, father of
John the Baptist, and husband of Elizabeth, the latter of whom was the cousin
of Mary, mother of Jesus (Luke 1:5-6, 13, 36)... We realize that God has
planned His work in their lives throughout all their generations, for, because
of Abijah's obedience and faithfulness in fulfilling his assignment, Zechariah
and Elizabeth continued to obey even after hundreds of years have passed, and
were considered righteous before God, worthy parents to John who was the second
Elijah, who baptized Jesus, preparing the latter for ministry and His ultimate
sacrifice for all of humanity... In like manner John the Baptist gave his life
too, in exposing sin and corruption, declaring God's coming kingdom, and
baptizing all who would repent of their ways, getting them ready for God's hand
to work in their lives... This is too big and too eternal for me to wrap my
simple mind around, but may we all take away from it the great lesson: that it
takes humility and faithfulness to be obedient to God's call to abandon our
sinful ways, to come to Him in repentance, and to welcome Him into our lives...
He has done His part, He has made use of the best and most worthy people in
history and faith, by His standards and high calling, in order that we may be
led to the abundant life He wants us to have (John 10:10), and to the eternity
He wants to share (John 3:16)... Make way for Him then, now (Isaiah 40:1-11,
Mark 1:1-8, 2 Corinthians 6:2, Isaiah 49:8)...
In this passage, the
Chronicler gave us more details on the assignments of the Levites and priests,
under the reign of King David, including the fact that the age requirement has
been lowered from 30 to 20, since more workers are required, not only in the
then-present tabernacle, but also in the future temple... We learned too, that
aside from work in the house of God, about 6,000 were also appointed as
officers and judges of the people... Only the descendants of Aaron indeed are
appointed priests, while the rest of the Levites had triple duty to serve the
priests and in the Tabernacle and in the house of God, be government and civil
administrators, and to 'day and night', give thanks and praise to God...
Although in the Word today such is a command to the Levites, but only because
they must lead in such activity, but it is a command for all of us too (Psalm
148)... And no matter who we are, what kind of work we do, we must do our best
to fulfill these tasks daily... For when we start, end, and inject into the
rest of our day, moments to thank and praise God in and from our hearts, there
is meaning and relevance to our existence, there is significance to our lives,
maybe not in the eyes of our fellow human being, but definitely, in the sight
of God... So, as we thank and praise our God today and everyday, we also
appreciate a new day and new month, as we say...
Image from : www.axnent.com
The best legacy any
parent can leave their children, is to give them a mission that will glorify
God, and prepare them, if not with material resources, but especially more in
faith, character and attitude, to do the work well... For far too many parents
today, the stresses and challenges of daily life leave them exhausted and
unable to spend more time imparting faith and wisdom to their children, but
that is actually the ultimate duty of a parent, guardian or mentor... So that
more than words, the next generation will see how we have lived with such
convictions, will perceive more credibility in us, there will be more substance
and weight in what we say, and it will be more memorable when we declare unto
them, "Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the
decrees and laws that the Lord gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid or discouraged." (v. 13)... Still...
When a leader starts
to let the glory and acclaim get into his head, the people suffer... And such
is what happened to the people, as retold to us by the Chronicler, whom God
struck with pestilence, when the king decided to take a census, probably to
affirm to himself how great his nation had grown by the wars he waged,
forgetting for a moment that it is God that blessed him, and that he should
just trust God that the people that have now grown in number be made secure in
his domain... Fortunately, King David is a humble man by nature, who realizes
the error of his ways, expresses remorse, repents, and corrects himself,
particularly giving praise to and worshipping God for His mercy and
compassion... Unfortunately, many leaders of our times are not so, being
stubborn and proud, stiff-necked, corrupt, selfish, greedy and overconfident,
not recognizing that these are the primary reasons why the people suffer...
However, hope remains in that there will be a time when even the pestilence,
plagues and pandemics we are experiencing now will have its run, God will yet
appoint a day for our deliverance, and He will yet appoint unto us leaders and
shepherds who will do His will (Jeremiah 30:21)... May we pray for that, and
keep that in our hearts each time we get a chance to choose any of them
(Deuteronomy 1:13, Psalm 2:10-12), up until He returns to ultimately rule over
all (Psalm 2:7-9, Revelation 2:27)... Until then...
The David and Goliath
vendetta... In just a short chapter, the Chronicler reminds us again how the
saga of David and Goliath ended... Because Goliath's Philistine descendants
clearly went out and warred against the Israelites for vengeance and
retaliation, and were virtually defeated and significantly decimated in
return... In real life, war and conflict, of whatever kind, is tragic, and its
participants always pay a terrible price - - their lives and that of their
loved ones... Although the story of David and Goliath came to symbolize in our
time today, the seemingly eternal conflict between the underdog and the one
with the upper hand, let us not forget that the bigger issue is one physically
strong character who depends on his own might, against a strong-hearted person
who depends on the might of God... And no matter how we wrestle with its
effects, if we do not accept in humility that our strength and skill are
nothing when face to face with God's power, we will always lose, we will always
be desperate, and we will only bring misery to the people we care about... But
when we trust in God and hope in Him, He will renew our strength, and make us
soar like eagles, king of the air, and in our case, letting Him rule our lives
and subduing our baser nature with His mercy and grace...
Bullies and spoiled
brats have no place in leadership... Like Hanun, the son of Nahash, king of the
Ammonites, who, instead of showing hospitality, shamed King David's men, who
came to express the King's condolences... Because of his immature act, battles
were fought, and many brave warriors and strong men died... Unfortunately, we
have many like these today too, people who have been placed in positions of
authority, not by their own skill or effort, but by connections and dynastic
entitlements, with many a result of autocratic governance... And with such,
what usually happen are precious lives are lost, fortunes squandered, good
names and reputations besmirched, and bright futures wasted... May we, parents
and communities, learn these lessons, so that we bring up and mold our children
and the future generation to grow up with God's wisdom, with humility, kindness
and love, and great respect for human life and all of God's creation...
Some modern day
doubters of the Word question the morality of King David's military campaigns
against other nations and peoples, in defeating them, subduing them, enslaving
them, and taking their spoils to add to Israel's bounty... But we knew, since
this passage is just a retelling, that the same were also taken away by
conquering empires when Israel in turn was defeated and captured, and its
people taken in exile... The greater truth though, should not be lost to us...
That where the Word elsewhere declares that God found King David a man after
His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), in faith we have to trust the words of the
Chronicler that also said, "David reigned over all Israel, doing what was
just and right for all his people," (v. 14); so that in the same passage
where it states that conquered peoples became slaves (v. 6, 13), the good
shepherd that he is would have driven King David to also treat them with
respect and honor, and afford them equal justice and human rights as that of
the free people of his domain... Because such is the nature of our God, as our
Lord Jesus Christ declared in Matthew 5:44-45, "But I say to you, Love
your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of
your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the
good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."... God has no color
preference or political affiliation, and His mercies that are "new every
morning" (Lamentations 3:23), and His great love, are freely available to
each and everyone who makes the choice to come to Him in repentance: for His
grace, salvation, true fellowship, and eternal life (John 3:16)... May we make
the wiser choice today, and always...
Here the Chronicler
reminds us again of King David's desire to build God a house, and God's
response that it is a task to be given to His descendant... Too often we too
would like to put God in a box in our lives, where we could conveniently call
Him just when we need Him... But as He said, He is Creator of all, and no human
edifice could contain Him... Day and night, His power and glory never ceases to
work in all of His creation, here on earth and beyond... And so, we can only
trust that even if our little minds could not perceive how He does things, as
we go about our business, toiling and working everyday to survive, He greatly
works behind the surface that we can see, putting everything in order, so that
our lives, and the circumstances we encounter each day, would display and
declare His glory... Yes, in the grand measure of all creation, we are
infinitessimally small, yet every little thing we go through--joy and pain,
triumphs and setbacks, all matter to Him; who promised to bless King David's
descendants forever with power and authority (as fulfilled by Jesus Christ), and
to us who believe and live His will, with everlasting mercy, goodness and
grace...
A God of order and
abandon... The Chronicler reminds us again when King David formalised the
assignment of the porters of the Ark, (to prevent such incidents as the death
of Uzza to happen again), as well as the assignments of the priest and Levites,
even the singers and musicians, and the doorkeepers, (which naturally include
Obededom, who kept the Ark after Uzza died, which we have to believe that God
continued blessing him and his family more, and prompting King David to declare
that he "would rather be a doorkeeper in the hoThe heart of worship... The
Chronicler reminds us again that King David sang this psalm, and Asaph and the
musicians and singers accompanied it, and that it was documented, to lead the
people in praising and worshipping God for all He has done for them: in giving
them life, sustenance and provision, freedom and deliverance, and supernatural
guidance... And it ends with something unconditional for all generations...
Yes, those of us called by name to His church all acknowledge that He saved us,
He listens to us, protects us, guides us and answers our prayers... And even if
we don't understand His Word, His response, His will and way, like King David
said, there should be no end or no break in our gratitude to Him, and our
praise and worship; because absent or even if we have been sometimes blinded by
trials, and we cannot see and feel the tangible and material things by which we
measure His work in our lives, still we must, "Give thanks to the Lord,
for He is good; His love endures forever." (v. 34)... Forever He remains
faithful, and so forever will we give thanks and praise...
use of God"
(Psalm 84:10))... And with such assignments in order, the Chronicler reminds us
again how king David became our ultimate example of how it is to worship
God--with all our hearts, soul, mind, and strength--with abandon, not
considering our status in life, but giving Him all the best that we have, all
our energy, at any time... And such irony is something Michal, daughter of King
Saul, forcibly taken from her new husband to be returned to King David, could
not understand too... So is it in the world today, because a Jewish Rabbi said
that we relate to God based on our need... And when we have been witness and
directly experienced God's hands of mercy, grace, guidance and provision in our
lives, we can trust that no matter how life turns out to be, He will be there
for us; so that we can truly love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and
strength, and we can give to Him alone all our praise and worship, and
emotionally set ourselves free, we can worship Him unfettered, because we trust
He holds us firmly in His hands...
King David was indeed
a man after God's own heart, in that he had great zeal and passion to protect
his people and advance the young Israelite nation... On the downside however,
as proof that he is not a fictional character as some modern day doubters of
the Word declare, he is very much human in that like many kings and people of authority
and power even until our time, he sought to establish good political relations
with other powerful nations and families by marrying many wives and
accumulating many concubines, in direct disobedience to what God told Moses in
Deuteronomy 17:17, to remind the people when He has set up a king over them,
that the king should not accumulate wives, so his heart will not be turned away
from God... As a hero and one of the next generation founders of the faith, we
learn from both King David's righteousness in serving God, and his weaknesses
from his humanity... He is our example of extravagant worship, yet we learn
that such should become a legacy too, and one that reflects on our day to day
existence... We cannot claim to worship God, yet many other things in life
distract us from loving Him alone with all our hearts, mind, and strength... Of
course, for the married and those with kids, we love them too, but our love for
God should be higher and deeper, because as humans we all die, we must spend
our last breath alone, and it is only God who will be there for us, which is
why Jesus Christ told us to "hate" in Matthew 10:37 and Luke 14:26 -
- not in anger or resentment, but more like a spiritual detachment borne of the
knowledge that each of us is accountable to Him who created and saved us; and
that the best and most meaningful thing we can do for our loved ones is to lead
them to Jesus Christ, so they too can partake of His grace, mercy and salvation
(John 3:16); and that in equal measure that we take care of ourselves, our
needs and issues, we also do to these to them (Matthew 22:39, Mark 12:31)...
God blesses those who
call unto Him... And that is the main message in this retelling of King David
bringing back the Ark of the Covenant... But in it we again learn that such
becomes possible with godly leadership who unites his people to a common good
cause, who assembles them to do historic and praise-worthy endeavors, and who
leads them in great respect of what God has to say, and what God will do in
their lives... Uzza's death was indeed unfortunate, but we will never forget
the lesson that invoking God us a serious matter, not to be trifled with, not
to be bragged about or used in political machinations... because God is
Almighty, all-powerful, omniscient, omnipotent; and our lives are in His
hands... We can make all the plans, we can prepare for the future as much as we
can, with all the resources we can muster, and with all the connections we can
establish, but He is Lord of all creation... He alone determines when is it
time for us to go, in sickness, in accidents, even in unfortunate
circumstances... And all we have to do is pay deep respect to Him and His Word,
worship Him unadulterated with pride, envy and selfishness, and live His truth
daily, so that like the "house of Obed-edom, (we will also) be blessed,
and all that we have" (v. 14)...
Ambidextrous war
experts with one heart... Such are the kinds of men who rallied around and
became loyal to king David, whom they ascertained as anointed, brave and
courageous, yet merciful and humble... And such usually are the qualities of
people today who support a leader whom they believe and see to be humble and
true, honest and kind, yet passionate for the work the team is tasked to do:
people who use both sides of the hands and brains, all their talents and
resources, to render good service; people who strive to refine and perfect the
quality of their work to give honor to their leader who will always encourage
and build them up, and to fellow group mates who respect the leader and each
other too... May we strive to be these kinds of people, who blesses their
leader with peace (v. 18), and no matter the difficulties, will always be full
of great joy (v. 40)...
Fan-chronicling... We're not sure of
the Chronicler's gender, but we can observe that the Chronicler really held
King David and his mighty men in high regard, because each of them are
mentioned by name here, and where they are from... We realize that the
successful leader indeed become such if surrounded by people who fully support
him, noble in character, and as a team, treating each other as equals,
strengthened themselves together with their leader, so that they are able to
accomplish more and greater things... We also learned of their diversity, and
of how, even as God said to King David, that the latter is a man of war, yet he
is actually a peacemaker and first diplomat and ambassador, for his strong men
were not all Israelites, but many came from the peoples of surrounding kingdoms
and nations, whose admiration and loyalty he gained that they would be willing
to die for him... One example (though later tragic and pitiful) was Uriah the
Hittite, from an ancient people who lived in Canaan and North of it in today's
Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and even Cyprus near Greece, or the ancient Hatti in
Anatolia... May we realize that like King David who aligned his heart with God,
if we worship and serve God like him, this same God who rules over our lives
today will also help and enable us to accomplish greater things, as what the
Chronicler said in verse 9, "And David became more and more powerful,
because the Lord Almighty was with him."...
The tragic end of King Saul's
impatience and idolatry... The Chronicler reminds us once again, how terrible
were the deaths of King Saul and his sons at the hands of the Philistines...
And so should we learn that insecurities and jealousy of others whom we see and
think that God has blessed more; and taking matters into our own hands in order
to save face, to show to the world, no matter how difficult and desperate it
is, that we are doing better than them; and resorting to measures and
principles, convictions and beliefs that we want to think are God-inspired when
they really are not, could have tragic consequences not only to our physical
bodies, but our souls too... As a theology professor and pastor said, may we
spend more time to think and discern things, decide and make choices according
to the metric of Proverbs 14:25, whether what we do and say brings life,
physical and spiritual; and whether such acts and convictions are based on
truth and reality, realization and fulfillment, like God's very own standard
for prophecy and revelation in Deuteronomy 18:22...
Priests, porters, temple servants
(the Nethinim), and a king... Here the Chronicler proceeds to record and
recount the first settlers of the Israelites, who first came to their
possession--the priests and the Levites, the temple servants who did menial
work, which in the book of Joshua referred also to the Gibeonites, and the
family of King Saul, which actually lived in Gibeon before he became king... In
previous books, Joshua was deceived by the Gibeonites, and so cursed them to
woodwork and water carrying (Joshua 9:3-7), King Saul pursued and persecuted
them (2 Samuel 21:2), and yet the Gibeonites continued to worship at the
Tabernacle (1 Chronicles 16:39) even when the Temple was already finished... We
realize that in the lives of God's people, it is worship that is the first
order of business... And for such, God enables that His people and servants be
"very able men for the work of the service of the house of God" (v.
13b), and as fruit thereof, to become like Phinehas, son of Eleazar, who is
said to have "the Lord was with him" (v. 20b)... May we learn and
accept and be fruitful in the work our God has assigned us to do, no matter the
position, even in the limelight and the fringes, for of such He will bless, He
will enable, and He will always be there for us...
In this passage of the Word, the
Chronicler records for us the different heads and personalities of the tribe of
Benjamin, Jacob's youngest son, from which belongs the nation's first king,
King Saul... There are names of the lands where they dwelt and settled in, even
including some removed or sent away; which a bible commentary said that maybe
due to divorce, and the children came to live with their mother in her own
people (v. 6-8)... We see that God recognizes them too, as part of His people,
with the children not stripped of their right in the family registry, since
they are still accounted under the tribe... We also learned of the sons of
Ulam, mighty men of valor, fine archers, who numbered 150, formidable warriors
in God's army... Another commentary contradicted most people's view that
nothing can be learned here, because truly, we get to know more about God's
people, and with the exception of modern life and electronic technology, how
they go through the same issues as us today, particularly in familial relations
and child rearing... Like Jonathan and the sons of Ulam, they were probably
brought up to be fierce warriors, since being archers they would have good
visions and upper body strength... Unfortunately, as what we learned from the
life of King Saul, the Benjamite's heart is like many, weak and often misled,
or driven to impatience... May we learn to realign our visions, so that we do
not lose our focus on God's plan and purpose for us, and to wait patiently,
while striving to live for Him with zeal and passion, ready and willing to
receive His promises and blessings at the right time...
The Chonicler is now moving on to
record six of the tribes--Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali, Ephraim, Manasseh,
Asher--how they were a greatly diversified group, but many of them valiant men
of War... We learn of Tola, whose name means a worm, a weakling in birth and
childhood, but was blessed with brave descendants... We also hear again of the
daughters of Zelophehad, who received inheritance because they did not have
brothers... We also learn of the tragedy of Ephraim, whose sons died when the Philistine
people of Gath killed them to rob and take away their cattle, and of how
Ephraim mourned, but was again blessed with another son Beriah, the son of his
evil days... We realize that God works mightily in His people, even through
their inadequacies, tragedies and triumphs... And so will He still work in our
lives today too, amidst all our stubbornness, our pride in the little that we
know, and our laziness in learning more about Him, and His will and plan for us
as written in His Word... May we have the humility and hunger to learn more
about our God, about His work, and not get distracted with heresies, hearsays,
and conspiracy rumors that seek to belittle our faith, scare us, profit from
us, and separate us from Him...
The Chronicler now turns on a record
of the Levites, the priestly group, who are in charge of the services in God's
house, and of leading the worship of the people... The passage also assigns
their share among the lands, given by the tribes, because they have no land
inheritance but God Himself... And their assignment and designation show us
that regardless of who we are and what we do, we emulate His model in the
Israelite nation, by making Him the center of all that we do, in worship,
praise and dedication... And though we are not physically part of the 4% of
Jews with the Levitical haplogroup gene, yet we follow the order of our High
Priest, Jesus Christ (Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 4:15); and our lives now open books
for all to see, so that by the lives we live, we make people see the grace,
goodness, and glory of God (1 Peter 2:9), and to come to Him in repentance,
salvation, praise and worship (Acts 4:12)...
The Chronicler now moves on to
record what happened to the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh... Reuben's one
time sin of usurping his father Jacob's authority and damaging the family's
unity by engaging into sexual relations with his stepmother will forever mark
his name, and the eternal reason why though he has the right of the firstborn,
yet the blessing of such was given to the second youngest brother, Joseph and
his sons, while the national leadership was given to Judah, Reuben's very own
younger brother... It may just be a family matter, but it is a strong timeless
lesson too, that those who usurp authority that is not theirs, and before it is
earned, will forever reap the consequences... Yet God is merciful; when the
tribes went to battle against their enemies, trusting in His help and victory,
He blessed them and helped them win... We are not called today to grab lands
and take other people's possessions, but as believers, everyday we experience
our own battles--against the works and forces of the unseen enemy, against the
pulls of our sinful nature... Yet the lesson and the blessing is ours too, when
we decided to have the Lord be the true ruler of our lives... When we trust Him
and call unto Him, He will hear and help us, "... because they cried out
to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in
him." (v. 20b)... May we find hope and strength from this...
The chapter in the Word today
continues with the narration on the genealogy of the tribe of Judah, and their
resettlement after coming back from their Babylonian exile... However, the
lynchpin had been planted and set, for the land of milk and honey is not a bed
of roses, nor its taking as smooth as butter, for there were already people
living there, whose lands were grabbed; an event, like what the smaller
Simeonite tribe who settled along with the tribe of Judah did to the Amalekites
of the land, that is fuel to thousands of years of conflict since then, in the
Holy Land, the most recent of which occurred in our times, last month... And
herein lies the bone of contention, for many of those who do not share the
faith, question a merciful God who sanctions land-grabbing, unlawful eviction,
merciless killing and deprivation of others in order to settle a people who
claim to be special in His eyes... This maybe the reason why at the first part
of the chapter, the Chronicler recorded for us the Prayer of Jabez: he whose mother
had a hard time in labor (his name means, "he who makes others grieve or
be sorrowful" v. 9), as the most honorable man in his generation, for he
appeals to God in praying, "'Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my
territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be
free from pain.' And God granted his request." (v. 10)... other
translations rendered Jabez' prayer as, "that I may not cause grief or
pain"... And such is what the Word teaches us in this passage... If we ask
God for blessings and favor, He hears and answers when our intentions do not
run counter, or do not encroach upon, or do not deprive others from what is
rightfully theirs... Yes, even the adversary blesses those who are hypocritical
enough to believe yet act differently; and by this we know if the blessing or
favor or opportunity we have received or is about to be given to us did really
come from God's bounty, if we look at it from His point of view, from the lens
of a heart like Jabez, when we realize and declare "The blessing of the
Lord makes one rich,
And He adds no sorrow (or trouble)
with it." (Proverbs 10:22)...
The third chapter of the first book
of Chronicles lists the names of the descendants of King David, up until their
return from exile... Here, a Bible commentary teaches us that it was
specifically documented so that if ever the Davidic monarchy be restored,
people will know who is the rightful heir and next in line... Sometimes, the
life of the believer takes such turns too... Life's many troubles and hardships
often preoccupy most of our time and energy, they stress us out, so that we
forget why we are here on earth, and what is the purpose of our existence...
But like the Chronicler, our God has preserved His Word so that we may remember
our reason for being... That, as also stated in a Biologos article, we were
made in His image (Genesis 1:26-28), that each of us, faults and all, are
equally valuable in His eyes (Genesis 9:5-6), that we must care for His
creation (Genesis 1:22, 2:15), that we must worship Him (Isaiah 43:7 & 21),
and live our lives seeking and striving daily to become inwardly, His true
image in Christ (Ephesians 4:23)...
Here is another so-called 'boring'
chapter in the Chronicles... But to us who believe, we understand that the
Chronicler is now focusing on God's work on the tribe which has returned from
exile and started rebuilding the land: the descendants of Judah, and their
relatives by extension and marriage... We see important details about
marriages, paternities, genealogies, descendants or none, and the orders of
succession in the families... And so is it in the life of the believer too...
When we decide to accept the Lord Jesus as our personal Savior and Master, we
become alienated from the world, often uprooted from the religious, emotional
and psychological comfort zones that have shaped our lives so far, into lives
that are seen and lived from a higher view, vertically aligned and horizontally
connected; because most often, as we grow in the faith, we realize that we may
physically belong to one household, but our true family, the family of God
whose firstborn was the author and perfecter of our faith, Jesus Christ, is
actually much bigger, has a history spanning thousands of years past and into
the future, and more globally spread out than we know... And so life takes on a
deeper meaning, and more eternal substance; when we learn that yes, life's
trials and tribulations may isolate us, but like God's people thousands of
years ago, if we remain faithful and not lose hope, we will be among the
remnant of those who will return; and will ultimately find our appointed place
in His family, to do our part in His Kingdom's work here on earth... May this
give strength and restoration to our battle-weary hearts; for truly, only in
God's presence and grace will there be rest and replenishment for our souls...
Adam, Seth, Enosh... And so begins
the first chapter of the first book of Chronicles, one which I read somewhere
that somebody commented to be boring... But if we read in verses 19-20 in the
second chapter of Genesis, God brought every living creature to Adam, to see
what he would call and name them. Naming indeed is humanity's first
responsibility, our first task like that given to our first ancestor, the first
use of our free will and judgement... And these days, in a globalised woke
world, the names and labels many of us have gotten used to for the past history
of mankind, have had to be evaluated and re-calibrated; because belatedly for
most of humanity, we realized, that what we name and call anybody becomes them;
what we are named, how we are called, are often the gateways, become the
license to how people should treat us, and often determines how our lives turn
out to be... And so it is significant that the history of biblically-
documented humanity started with Adam--"son of the red earth", a land
rich in minerals; a son of that land holds promise of abundance and wealth from
God's creation; Seth--"placed or anointed", we are placed on God's
green earth with a mission, an appointment, a task to be its responsible
stewards; but there is a united destiny for all of us too, and that is;
"Enosh" - - man, person, mortal, we are humans, unique and distinct
from all other creatures because of our humanity and personhood; we are created
in God's own image (Genesis 1:26-27) to think and feel like Him, to choose, to
decide, to plan, to act, to change and do better when our choices did not bring
about the good we would have wanted them to be; and after living our appointed
times, we are mere mortals who have to leave this physical life, and embrace
what comes after, be it to eternal damnation, or eternal bliss (Hebrews
9:27)... May these names and what they stand for, make us learn from life and
history, and enable us to have a deeper appreciation and understanding of how
we want our lives to turn out to be... Adam--to realize our full potential with
God's promises, Seth--to live out our proper appointment and placement in His
Kingdom here on earth, and Enosh--to always remember that our mortality should
make us humble, but His salvation and the eternal life He brings should give us
hope...
The end of the Judaean monarchy...
Is something tragic and traumatic for God's people, but a promise of hope
too... Unfortunately like then, and even until now, there are people like
Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, grandson of Elishama, and their allies, who cannot
accept that the times have changed, who expressed this frustration quite
violently and mercilessly (v. 25-26), and it requires humility in accepting
that their own rulers have failed both God and them, and their captivity by the
Chaldeans is God's way of molding their characters more, like what happened to
King Jehoiachin (v. 27-30), by putting them on the global stage, the crossroads
of history and civilization, in the land of Babylon, of the Chaldees...
Sometimes, many of us today are too comfortable in our own little world, that
we think that it is all there is, that we are the only ones who are right, that
we have fulfilled our life's mission by going around our neighborhood, our
usual circle of friends, familiar faces and family, and that any drastic
change, particularly if we are pulled or rooted out from that, is something to
be vehemently resisted against, and that we must do all we can to preserve our
ways of living and relating as it is... But as always, God has greater plans
for us... We are not only meant for our little circles but to be exposed for
all the world to see, as cities shining on a hill (Matthew 5:13-16), as salt of
the earth--not meant only for one dish but many... And so our lives are to be
like that too... The moment we surrender ourselves to God, we give up who we
are, all our claims to fame and fortune and selfish glory, in exchange for a
life that is an open book; so that all the people may know that His Word is
made alive in us, that we live it daily, not just on Sunday, nor on weekday
prayer meetings and services, or on fellowships with brethren in our little
cliques and congregations, but that each day, each moment, our lives are lived
for Him, and reflect His goodness, His grace, His mercy and love... May we not
let our lights dim, may we not lose our saltiness, may each moment that we
take, be dedicated for Him and His alone...
God avenges for the innocent
blood... In our generation today, where violence and oppression persist, we can
learn a lot and get hope from the passage in today's Word... Yes, indeed, God
promised that until the end of time, Judah will have a man on the throne, and
that will be ultimately fulfilled by our soon-coming Lord Jesus Christ
(Revelation 22:16), but in the succession of kings narrated in the Word, He had
Judah invaded and taken by more powerful kingdoms, even their rich and talented
people taken captives (v. 14), because of the evil the Kings have done, in
worshipping gods and idols they have made, in causing the people to follow
them, in tolerating the people to continue doing so, but more significantly, in
shedding innocent blood, which we have to believe are those faithful to God who
resist such institutionalization of idolatry and tyranny, and who speak out
against such evil, like what the prophets and other citizens filled with God's
spirit, His wisdom and His zeal would have done... How strangely familiar this
is even in our times, where those who express dissent of the wrongdoings of
people in authority and power are labelled evil and criminals, and even those
who reprimand people for their errors are slandered, especially online too...
But then again the Word says that this is the time (2 Timothy 3:1-9), and we
can only hope and pray that the same perfectly just God will preserve or avenge
those who have been victimized, suppressed and repressed in our times too,
because He will not pardon the shedding of innocent blood (v. 4), and may we
strive to do what is right that unlike Judah (v. 3), He may not remove us from
His sight... Still...
King Josiah burned with passion for
GOD, to restore the people's relationship with Him, and waged a holy war
against everything and everyone that turned the people's heart away... And
reading and pondering on the whole chapter that talked about his entire
campaign and reign, it felt like watching an epic saga of one King's lifetime
battle against human frailties and propensity to ascribe to and create their
own gods, so that one is left almost breathless... Even though King Josiah did
not prove as adept in earthly warfare, human diplomacy and international
relations, so that he was killed by Pharaohnechoh, king of Egypt, and as God
declared, the kingdom was taken away during the time of his descendants, still
we learn from him how it is to truly live our faith fearlessly and with passion
and zeal... And we know that with such, our God is pleased, for as the Word
says, "Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned
to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his
strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses" (v. 25; and as
reiterated by our Lord Jesus Christ, in Luke 10:27, thus, "He answered,
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”)
A tender-hearted King earns his
peace... And so goes the Word regarding the reign of King Josiah, who learned
much from and not to repeat the evil deeds of his ancestors, his grandfather
Manasseh, and father Amon, the latter who was assassinated in a conspiracy by
his servants, but which the people avenged by killing all those who conspired
against and installing his young boy, Josiah as king... This indeed sounds like
the early beginnings of a democratic monarchy, because even under a dynasty, it
was the people who chose who to install as their leader, an eight year old boy,
who might have other brothers and sisters who can rule the land... And I say
sisters because the people had also been used to and had respect or fear of
women rulers, like Deborah, the pre-monarchic judge, the former evil Queen
Athaliah, to name a few, and in this generation, the respected prophetess Huldah...
This is a period of renewal and revival for Judah, when they found and read
again the book of the law, where the priests and men entrusted to repair God's
house need not be audited because of their faithfulness, and where the king
himself expressed remorse and mourned for theirs and their ancestors'
disobedience against God... And so we understand how an abundant and successful
life is truly achieved, and what one of the faces of true leadership looks
like: there is obedience and holy fear of God, respect for His anointed rulers
and leaders regardless of gender and age, faithfulness in His blessings, a
tender heart for His people, and a passion for His work in our lives... And it
is not happiness as the world defines and seeks for that He gives, but precious
peace (v. 19-20)... May we learn our lessons here, and apply them in our lives
and works today too...
Unholy provocation... King
Hezekiah's son, Manasseh, reigned almost twice as long as him, yet in one
lifetime, he completely undid all the good that his father had done, and
totally turned the opposite way from serving God, to serving idols, demons and
familiar spirits, and even worshipping heavenly bodies... There is nothing more
miserable than children who fail to learn good life lessons from their
parents... And such is human nature, for even until now, in whatever walk of
life, we see children being stubborn and ignoring their parent's admonition,
but do things their way because they think that with advances in technology,
innovation, civilization and education, they know better than their elders...
They couldn't be more wrong though, for God's word is timeless; what was wrong
before is still basically wrong today... And God's reckoning was swift and
tragic too, for unlike King Manasseh who did so much evil for more than half a
century, his son and heir, Amon, only reigned two years because he was
assassinated by his men... May we prove ourselves different, so that instead of
becoming burdensome meddlers in the twilight of our years, we can leave this
world a better place for our children...
A king of meekness... The passage
today shows us the stuff King Hezekiah was made of, and how is it that the Word
only has good comments of him... In the time of sickness and imminent death, no
doubt the kingdom had able physicians at that time, for the Mosaic law was
extensive in instructions how to diagnose and treat boils; yet, he cried out
humbly unto God, who had compassion and gave him mercy, allowing him to live 15
years more... And what's more, when he asked for a sign, God showed him that He
is master of creation by making the shadow on the sundial go back ten degrees,
signifying that only God can turn back time itself, and no other... Probably
his naivete and a tinge of pride in what God has blessed the kingdom with, that
made him show the treasures to the Prince of Babylon who sent him gifts and
well-wishes upon his sickness, but that was a foreboding that the same will be
taken away after he is gone, and his heir will reign on the throne after him...
But it cannot be denied that God indeed loved King Hezekiah so much he even
extended his life, and made time in a part of a day to turn back for him... May
we learn from this too, as we realize that God is not impressed with rhetoric
and philosophies, but with a humble heart that recognizes that He is Maker and
therefore in control of everything... And though we may do our part to keep
ourselves healthy and well, to do good, to obey His commands and heed His
admonitions, still the most important thing is that when no one else is
looking, or absent the presence of others whom we want to impress, we pour
ourselves into Him, and let Him have dominion over our lives...
A tyrant's great fall... Because God
is a God of Justice, "Elohei mishpat", He laughs at those who mock
Him (v. 21-24), declaring His power and mighty deeds since the beginning of
time and even until now (v. 26-27), proclaiming terrible judgment on those who
oppress other people because of their greed and lust for power and wealth (v.
28), while strengthening the hearts of His own people who have been victimised
and abused (v. 6), and acknowledging their prayers and supplications (v. 20)...
And what's even sadder and more tragic is that the tyrant, King Sennacherib of
Assyria in this case, even if he worships and appeals to his idol or false god,
this will not save him, for even the very people he trusts will betray and
destroy, or even murder, him--be they family, friends, colleagues, party mates
(v. 37)... Sounds strangely familiar to some of our modern leaders... And just
as each generation will always have to contend with tyrants during their times,
giving up their energy, time, resources and wit, to rise up in protest even at
the cost of their liberty and lives, so we believe that God's Words of
affirmation and comfort, and His perfect justice will always win... May we find
hope in this, and learn our lessons too...
The Word says it plainly, what it
takes to be truly successful in life... Hands down, no more worthy comments can
be added, and it is as firm a declaration as can be, one that timelessly stands
as our example on how to truly live a full and meaningful life, thus...
"Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like
him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast
to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had
given Moses. And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he
undertook. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him."
(v. 5-7)
A dangerous plurality... The passage
in the Word today may sound like a condemnation of God's people who indeed fear
Him, yet who also served many gods and idols, like the gods and idols of the
nations and people around them... And God has always declared Himself to be a
Jealous God, so that the chapter had a strong undercurrent of regret, that the
people were not able to keep their end of the noble covenant with God, and fell
short of loving and worshipping Him only... It is like this even until today
too, for far too many people deem it a mark of freedom if they can choose what
they want in life, unbounded by laws, rules and regulations, both human and
divine... But personally I believe that freedom and free will are not
boundless; they are limited at the point where other people's rights are
abused... And so, one can never claim to be a child of God if he or she
exhibits this kind of plurality too; because not all lifestyles are the same,
and as a pastor said over the weekend, there are not many roads that lead to
God, and to a blessed life ever after, but only through Jesus Christ, and only
by living the life God designed for us, as revealed in His Word, with
illustrative models and lessons in the Old Covenant, and perfected by the
sacrifice and salvation given to us by His Son in the New... May we have one
heart to offer to our Maker, the One who perfectly and wonderfully made us, Who
desires all our praise and worship, and as we live the rest of our days in Holy
fear of Him, Who deserves our love with all our heart, mind and strength...
In cultural and spiritual
appropriation, King Ahaz, son and heir of King Jotham, decided for himself to
copy an altar he saw in Damascus, and built an altar for himself, where he
could conveniently make offerings and inquire of God, or so he plans to... He's
not actually unlike the rest of humanity, even until today, especially in the
age of social media and a highly globalised world, where many subscribe to the
lifestyles and beliefs of other nations they see as intellectually or culturally
superior, or more socially sophisticated, to the detriment of their own values,
and walk with God... One article explains that absent the standard
fact-checking and verification of standard journalism and publication, anybody
with the funds, who is loud and persistent enough can actually export their
beliefs, no matter how false, to the rest of the world to copy... We see this
in conspiracy theories, pseudo-scientific and pseudo-religious, pretense
philosophical people, who claim mastery or even expertise with science,
medicine, and the Word, but which are actually the false teachers and prophets
the very Word they sought to misappropriate says about, particularly as stated
by our Lord Jesus in Matthew 7:15... These people pretend to propagate canons,
principles and rules that are actually unbiblical, and the very ones the
apostle Paul talked about in 2 Timothy 3:1-5... They even masquerade as godly,
but are only in it for the money; and one can know them because instead of
promoting life, they encourage undue suffering and even death; and instead of
bringing peace, as what true children of God are called out to be in Matthew
5:9, they promote chaos and misunderstanding too; much like the old Pharisees
who burden people with extra-biblical regulations so they can keep their hold
on power, wealth and social status, according to the word of our Lord in
Matthew 23... May we have the godly wisdom and discernment, so that unlike King
Ahaz, we can keep away from their influence, and remain steadfast in our faith
and calling...
The Word today shows us how God
deals with people who are truly obedient to Him, in spite of life's seemingly
unmovable challenges, and who rule and administer all that are entrusted to
them with His leading; against those who remain stubborn and disobey Him, and
who do evil... The northern Kings who do the latter were mostly killed
violently, their reigns cut short tragically, their kingdoms plundered and
destroyed by their enemies... But king Azariah and his heir, later king Jotham,
spent their twilight years in relative peace, living the last moments of this
earthly life either in sickness or health, but ending it by just going on
permanent sleep... This makes us wonder about life, sickness and death... Where
many are actually scared to get sick or to remain sick, so that--no offense,
some so-called religious or spiritual ones actually batter heaven's doors open
with loud, incessant, wordy and lengthy prayers in their strong conviction that
because God will always hear, that it follows that He will always heal and
protect from sickness too... I guess it's time we re-evaluate such thinking,
for like King Azariah, when he became a leper and was isolated in a several
('sever--ties with the community') house, it would seem to be a blessing in
disguise, for, far away from the politics and stress of palace life, he
actually got to spend the rest of his days in peaceful companionship and more
than enough quite times with God, while the kingdom was now run by his son,
who, even when he was still a prince, proved himself more than capable for the
job... King Jotham too, was written as having slept, or what we call, 'died in
his sleep' in their twilight years... Indeed, contrary to our modern belief
that sickness is a punitive judgment from God, king Azariah proved that it was
actually God's way of having us all to Himself.... And in the last moments of
our lives, if we have proven ourselves faithful and true to Him, all the world
will know, and we ourselves will have that assurance in our last breath, that
He Who gives us peace throughout our days, in spite of all our sickness and
pain, regardless of we get healed or not, will grant us eternal peace too...
Both good and bad... Such is the
character of the succession of kings in Judah and Israel, like Amaziah who followed
God yet not fully, and Jehoash, and Jeroboam 2, who mostly did not... Their
common weakness, no matter how great their deeds, is an inability to put a stop
to the people's alternate worship of God, and in informally institutionalizing
the concept that people can choose to worship God by their own terms and
systems, and add in beliefs and practices that are more convenient to them,
that ingrain their own prejudices and misinterpretations, and affirm their own
feelings of superiority over others because they think they alone know what is
right and best apart from God's explicit commands, even if it glosses over His
heart of mercy and stewardship for His people... Unfortunately even until
today, many people are like this too, be they ordinary man, or those in
leadership positions--even secular and spiritual... Yes, we all believe in a
loving, wonder-working God, but how many of us remember that this same God says
'Timshel' or 'Timshol' in Genesis 4:7, where God says to our first brethren
Cain to, 'you may' or 'you should' rule over sin, and the baser part of our
human nature--even pride, ingrained prejudices, inherited feelings of false
security and confidence in man-made philosophies and doctrines... Our God calls
us out to have the humility, wisdom and discernment, courage and strength to
overcome what is bad in our nature, our thinking and feeling, in order that we
may live for Him, and live our lives more fully, dwelling in His grace and
presence...
The death of Elisha, who inherited a
double portion of the spirit from his predecessor Elijah, was from sickness...
This shows us that God calls each person back home to Him, but not in the same
manner... Some die in their sleep, some in accidents, and some suffer in
sickness... Yet what Elisha wanted King Joash, and us until today, to have
learned was that the true strength of God's people is not wealth or military
prowess or political alliances, but Him, with his legions of unseen hosts,
heavenly chariots and horsemen... And when we get shortsighted with God, and
like the northern Kings who developed their own ways to worship Him, their own
interpretations of how He wanted them to relate with Him, that are different
from what He revealed to us in His Word, we too fall under the same sin as
Jeroboam... May we learn to always take God at His Word, and unlike King Joash,
exploit to the fullest, every opportunity He gives us to live for Him, with no
compromise, no doubt, uninfluenced by hearsay, old wives' tales, unfounded and
misleading conspiracy theories and prophetic misinterpretations, and unbounded
by fear and ignorance of His Word and will...
To all my FB friends and
acquaintances:
I apologize because I am going to
offend many, and cause divisions; but I have seen and received countless
misinformation messages, even some from well-meaning people of the faith and a
few spiritual leaders, and so felt compelled to address this issue...
Here in the Philippines, vaccination
is voluntary, and a matter of conscience and yes, faith, and living it daily,
and so, I say this:
"Ug siguro daghan na gipul-an
ni pres Duterte, maski ako nga ni vote niya pag 2016, dili na.siguro ko mo vote
niya next year, para makapahulay na siya, pero mentras siya pa ang presidente,
motuman lang pud tingali ko sa iyang pahimangno, para akong I kinabuhi ang
Romans 13:1-2.
Bitaw, Happy Sunday. Keep safe and
healthy always 
"
(I Support The Government, But I'm
Not DDS Or Dilawan, Just Translating My Faith And Obedience From My Heavenly
Citizenship To My Current Earthly Journey)
https://www.philstar.com/.../duterte-pinoys-emulate...
The right people in the right
places... The 40 year reign of King Joash began well but ended tragically; and
in this passage we learn that only when the right people are placed in the
right places, doing and performing their tasks faithfully, that success and
blessings can be truly achieved: the priests from whom the project of repairing
the temple (which took too long probably because of mismanagement) was taken
and given to able workmen, while the priests collected the money in the temple
treasury, and Joash's reign himself, all the while he followed God while uncle
Jehoiada was still alive... Yet troubles came when the good uncle-advisor was
no more, and the king may have been too dependent on his wisdom, so that like
his ancestors, he failed to remove the people's custom to worship in the high
places, he got wounded in the attack of the Syrian army, and worse, his own
servants assassinated him, probably due to disillusionment at the twilight of
his reign... Many people even today are like this too, especially if they have
become too complacent and dependent, and they have not made the conscious
effort to grow and strengthen their characters and faith, absent of undergoing
hardship and difficulties, or maybe experiencing them, but not learning their
lessons... May we be different, and learn whatever lessons our God teaches us
in whatever areas of life, for these will give us wisdom and fortitude; and
when it comes to our reckoning, we will surely be among those who endure, who
persevere, and the last people standing for our God and His cause...
The Lord saves a good remnant... In
spite of the horrible massacre of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel's daughter,
Athaliah, on the sons and daughters of her husband, Judah's King Ahaziah, after
his death, one Princess, Jehosheba, King Ahaziah's sister by another mother,
and wife to Jehoiada the High priest, hid her baby nephew Joash or Jehoash,
raised him up in low profile in the house of God, whom his uncle Jehoiada would
later proclaim as true King of Judah, and entrust into him the people's written
covenant with God... Later, during his reign, Joash and uncle Jehoiada would
cleanse the land of Baal worship, and institute a grand national revival, and a
renewal of the people's covenant with God... A Bible commentary said that this
shows that in spite of the work of the enemy to try to eradicate God's people
and to destroy the people's relationship with and faith in God, He will always
preserve a remnant who will passionately defend the faith, and persist in
living for Him, and in proclaiming the same to the rest of a broken and darkened
world... May we find strength in this truth, as we continue to struggle to live
His will in our lives each day...
Jehu's holy war and ethnic
cleansing... Is something right and great as written in the Word, because He
completely wiped out Baal worship in Israel, and the pernicious effects of Ahab
and Jezebel's legacy, and with Jehonadab, leader of the Rechabites, a semitic
nomadic patriot for GOD and His cause and lifestyle, institutionalized a
culture of modest and humble, raw living for the faith, instead of the
luxurious hypocrisy of Palace life, and its attendant social and political
climbers... Yet, his heart was not whole too, because he tolerated the
alternate worship of God with the golden calves... His reign indeed was called
the best of the bad, because like many rulers of our time, he had done more
good to the people, and followed God's instructions passionately, but only up
to the point where it is profitable to him, as mentioned in an enduring word
commentary; like many rulers even until today, he tolerated the people's
idolatry, when he saw there is no political gain in stopping it... Leadership
indeed, has always been a challenge in duality... Since it is mostly manifested
to those who are entrusted to the leader's oversight, a leader can be the best
and perfect in that sense; but far too many even in our time, have fallen short
of the degree of character needed in their personal lives... May we learn our
lessons here, as we strive to become the person our God wants us to be, not
just in other people's eyes, but especially in the inner person whom only us
and God know about...
As a person lives, so he dies... And
that is what happened to Ahaziah and his grandmother Jezebel, in what became
God's judgment and vengeance through the hands of Jehu, for his parents' murder
of Naboth and his family, and their greater evil done against God... And so may
we learn to conduct ourselves rightly, that unlike them, we may live our lives
with good, and experience the goodness of the Lord...
Many times, life's lessons are lost
on the third generation, so that the very entitled continue to perpetuate the
sins and stubbornness of the fathers, and worse... That is why the true legacy
any parent or person in authority can leave to the next generation is not
wealth, but the example of a godly life, one that listens to wisdom and good
advice, one that seeks to keep the peace, protect lives and souls, one that
strives to strengthen its faith and trust on the One True God, who does his
best to walk through life with the One that holds life and eternity in His
hands...
The saddest life is the one taken in
unbelief... Like the nobleman on whose hand the king of Israel leans on (maybe
for comfort, counsel, or companionship--but probably short of, and we're not
implying intimacy or LGBT romance here), who did not believe in Elisha's words
of a windfall to solve the crisis brought about by the famine, and who died in
the stampede without benefitting even a morsel of what the people gained from
what the Syrians left behind, when the latter confusedly ran away from what
they believed to be but was actually a non-existent invasion of a powerful
military alliance... Unfortunately, even until today, there are many people
like the nobleman, who may be physically alive yet spiritually dead, because they
do not believe God's Word; doubt the testimonies of those who, like the lepers,
were firsthand recipients and witnesses of His mercy and grace; and refuse to
put their trust and faith in His promises... May we open up our hearts to these
truths, in order that we may face with confidence, whatever negatives life
throws our way...
God is at work especially beyond the
things we can see... And this was dramatically illustrated in both the
anti-gravity event of having the borrowed axe-head float in the river, and when
He opened the eyes of Elisha's servants to see the horses and chariots of fire
around Elisha in the mountain... So then, even if life becomes too terrible,
miserable and desperate, like the famine and cannibalism (because of the seige
done by the Syrian King Ben-Hadad) the king of Israel was told about, if we
keep in mind how God has been faithful in His promises and provisions, we can
have more faith, be patient and wait, for like what Elisha said, the Lord will
always turn things out for good, and will reveal even some of His thoughts and
plans, so we can understand His will and desire for us...
Because God's business is the free
gift of salvation, out of His boundless grace and love; it is not for profit,
but it does give the best profit of all to those who accept it into their
lives--the chance to spend eternity with God in His kingdom and dominion...
While those who, like Gehazi, seek to enrich themselves out of it, for their
own greed and selfish ends, will soon reap the curses and misery the abuse and
mockery of God's work on earth entails... May we examine our hearts always, so
that we may be careful not to walk astray from the right path...
A more vibrant faith, appropriate
for a double portion of Spirit... The same kind of miracles that Elijah did
(the never-ending supply of oil and meal to a widow, the bringing back to life
of the dead son) was done by Elisha, but this time to two different women from
two different families; an apt demonstration of God's power, whose Spirit
Elisha has inherited a double portion... This shows us that Elisha's God, our
God, is vibrant and dynamic, doing more and engaging the people more--in faith
and in obedience--because like then and now, times are changing... And we see
the brand of leadership that Elisha has: whereas Elijah showed God's power
against the impotency of idols to an idolatrous king and queen, this time
Elisha also showed that the same powerful God is concerned with the health and
wellness of His people, in removing the poison from the food in the pot, and in
Elisha telling the one who brought offerings to him, to share the food with the
people... Such should be our leadership models too, whether in the spiritual or
secular world: leaders who are not only filled with wisdom and godly character,
but leaders who are gracious, magnanimous, and who care a lot for the welfare
of the people; leaders who are not in it for the authority, wealth, fame and
political posturing, but leaders who are humble, who truly work hard in
sincerity and honesty, and truly accountable too... Something to think about...
The real three kings... are not Magi
from the east, but ones who fought a battle with the king of Moab, who rebelled
from the excessive taxation imposed by the king of Israel... Yes, they were
victorious in quashing down the revolt, but it was a hollow victory, since in
desperation, the King of Moab burnt his heir and crown prince upon the wall as
human sacrifice, turning the hearts of Israel's neighbors further into hatred
of them... A bible commentary stated--and Wikipedia had an entry--of the Mesha
Stele, the tablet inscription by the Moabite King Mesha, who was the one
mentioned in this passage of the Word, and it is now in the Louvre, after
discovery in Jordan in the 1860s... We can understand his deep misery and guilt
as a father and leader, especially when we put ourselves in his shoes: his land
became almost impoverished, and his resources were near-plundered by the
succession of cruel Israelite kings, especially Ahab, and now that he has
broken himself free from their yoke, his land and people were massacred, the
natural resources of his land damaged and taken as spoil again, reducing his
kingdom further to poverty... In deep humiliation and great despair probably,
that he cannot anymore leave a better kingdom to his heir, he killed him
himself, and wrote down in his stele, for all of future generations to hear his
side of the story, while he downplays the oppression, defeat and humiliation
his people have gone through... The stele mentioned that it was his pagan god,
Chemosh, who was displeased with their people, and brought ruin upon them,
instead of mentioning Israel and Yahweh... Sometimes, such passages as these
make it difficult for unbelievers to accept God as merciful, for He brought
victory to Israel, Judah and Edom, yet great tragedy and misery to Moab, when
they all belong to the same family--from Terah, father of Abraham... Yet, one
must understand that the Bible is a library of books that shows the
relationship between God and Israel then, and God and the world until this
day... And He is a jealous God, so that it might seem unfair, yet, when one
chooses to live apart from Him and His Word, and choose for themselves to serve
and worship idols, other gods, saints, relics, even demons and the forces of nature,
they actually reap the ignorance, misery and tragedy these things bring... And
God is just: there will also be a comeuppance and punishment especially for
those who say they worship Him, who belong to His family and church nominally,
yet their actions are disobedient, oppressive, abusive, corrupt, and overall
contrary to the lifestyle God commands... May we realize that we are clay, and
He is the Potter... We cannot choose how our lives should turn out to be,
because the future is in His hands, and all we can do is yield ourselves to His
molding, in order that He may bring out the best in us; otherwise, like poor
quality, poorly baked clay that a Potter throws away, the God we profess to
believe in will discard us too... May it not happen, as we strive every day to
follow His leading... Something to think about...
A
dramatic turnover and an amazing display of God's power... That is what
happened to the end of Elijah's ministry, when he was taken up to heaven in a
whirlwind by a chariot of fire, in full view of his loyal mentee Elisha and
fifty of the sons of the prophets who remained faithful to God... This
remarkable and unique event in the Word also showed that God has power over
death and life, as like Enoch in the olden times, Elijah did not die but
immediately taken up to heaven... And God was gracious to his junior too, in
granting his request of a double portion of the Spirit that Elisha would
inherit, enabling him to make miracles like his mentor, and using his mantle...
Though the event with the youths who mocked Elisha was tragic, we realize that
their mockery is actually a disrespect to God, and them ganging up on Elisha,
definitely numbering more than the 42 mauled by the she-bears, is a threat on
his life and ministry, which God zealously defended and forcefully preserved...
This is a strange, surreal chapter, almost fanciful and fantastic even, yet the
lesson must not get lost to us: that spiritual (and even secular) leaders like
Elijah and Elisha, who uphold God's truth and righteousness, must be respected
and their words heeded; and that such leaders must continue to abide by God's
Words and testimony, and live them daily, so that like these two prophets, God
will continue to work mightily in them, and they will continue to bless the people
of the land and bring healing and restoration on it...
The Spirit and power in Elijah illustrates for
us in the Word today, how one should not trifle with or disrespect God's
anointed messengers... One lesson King Ahaziah sadly learned, when, as Elijah
relayed from the message given to him by the angel of God, he would die from
the injuries of his fall, even though these were not exactly fatal, since the
king was fully awake and in control of his mind and reason, and still able to
order his men to inquire of the idol of Ekron, Baalzebub, and another 100
soldiers, each 50 with their captains, to go after Elijah; and more tragically
and sadly, learned by those 102 when fire came down from heaven, as Elijah
again declared, and consumed them... The best attitude we can learn from is the
third captain, who humbled himself before Elijah, and pleaded with him to spare
the lives of his men... This shows us what true leadership is like: in the face
of danger, sickness and death, the good leader always makes sure that his people
are safe and well, and do not blame them for any misfortune, or summarily
punish them just so the leader could pretend to teach a lesson, or make a
point, or curtail their rights and freedoms in the interest of so-called,
'community safety and national security'... And God is always just. Like what
He did to King Ahaziah, cruel leaders will meet their downfall too; while the
better leaders like the third captain, will always live to see another day, and
be given still more opportunities to display their brand of leadership, and to
continue doing good, and performing well... May we have the eyes to see, the
ears to hear, and the hearts to obey...
King Ahab's downfall was his pride
and vanity... Particularly when he set his heart to attack the much stronger
and better prepared Syrian king, using only as excuse the lying words of his
false prophets, in order to give pretense to King Jehoshaphat of Judah that
they had God's blessing... And as written in Mosaic law, the words of Micaiah,
as a true prophet, all came true... Obviously, King Jehoshaphat was the better
man, as written that he obeyed the words of God, and was saved even when
cornered by the enemies... And in their final days, we read of what happens to
people who live in obedience to God's will and those who do not: wicked King
Ahab was killed cruelly, and even gruesomely, the washed blood on the chariot
where he died was licked by dogs, unlike that of King Jehoshaphat, who was
mentioned as just having slept--maybe of natural causes, at death... May we
learn their lessons and remember that like King Ahab, no matter how great we
are in life, how many amazing things we have done or built, we bring nothing
with us at death, and the only legacy that lasts beyond our lifetimes, is how
we have walked with God while yet alive, like that of King Jehoshaphat...
Something to think about...
Cowards die a thousand deaths... And
so is this more clearly illustrated in the life of King Ahab, who was not
confident in the God of his ancestors, afraid of more powerful kings, and
entered into disadvantageous alliances; who was also insecure, afraid of his
undoubtedly smarter wife, easily fooled, blinded and influenced, and always
followed her instigation, even into idolatry and evil deeds; who was clueless
and insensitive to his own misdeeds and offenses to other people, and its
consequent suffering on their families, and became fearful for himself only
when God declared judgment for his murder of Naboth, and land-grabbing of the
latter's property... This is not to say that all God's people do not feel
afraid though, because fear is a natural emotion, as part of human instinct at
self-preservation... But what defines humanity is that in the face of fear,
inadequacy, and uncertainty, the better person, the one most likely to obey
God's leading and live a righteous life, and the one who can keep his or her
character clean, honor and integrity intact, is that such person humbly yet
strongly faces the source of their fears and insecurities head on, while
trusting God to enable and strengthen them, and see them through... May we
learn our lessons here, and have the hearts to set ourselves right, in living
rightly, and in finishing life's course well...
Friends from the wrong places...
Both King Ahab of Israel and King Ben-hadad of Syria are idolatrous, cruel, and
evil kings; they go to war with each other, using and abusing their young and
valiant soldiers, while they save their own skin, negotiate, and deceive each
other in order to serve their own selfish interests... Both are unrepentant
too: Ben-hadad for his mockery of God and His people, went away scot-free, to
plot more harassment and terror to God's people, and Ahab, only displeased but
unrepentant of his unfaithfulness, even willing to give up all that God had
blessed him with to a pagan friend, with whom he wants to be allied to, for
fear (as a bible commentary says), against the stronger Assyrian army... Both
men underestimate who God is, particularly when Ben-hadad and his men believed
that God is only a local deity of the hills, and not the valleys, and Ahab,
wanting to put more trust in political alliances rather than in God, in spite
of His miracles and supernatural help in their fight against the Syrian army...
How strangely familiar for today's times, especially when we experience being
led by people who mistakenly put their alliances in other political leaders and
connections, which are blatantly lying to them and using them to further their
own greed... And what hard lesson we must be taught with, that reliance on wealth,
connections, and human political alliances are meaningless; but what counts the
most, and what truly preserves our lives and legacies, is our faith in the One
True Living God, bearing fruit as we experience His work in our lives...
Ben-hadad may have some selfish ends in humbling himself, yet it was a right
move, so Ahab will not kill him... How much more so, if we abandon our pride in
what we have and what we can do, which are all actually useless, and humble
ourselves and surrender our lives to the God who made us, and who alone should
have the glory and authority?... Something to think about, and act upon...
An amazing and hugely impressive God
who communes with the settled soul... Jewish tradition believes that prayer is
a conversation between the child of God and Him... And in conversations, both
parties talk... Hence, when you invoke God, utter some words of praise, and
narrate a litany of your requests, but do not give Him time to respond, and
just go about your busy way, that is a monologue to an invisible force, not a
prayer... And one might be tempted to warn such to be careful, for somebody or
something else unseen may hear, and you may not get what you wished for... It
bears emphasizing then, that when we seek to converse with God in prayer, we
quiet our souls and listen to His response, for He does talk back... Not with
strong thunder, not with great and high winds, not in lightning or earthquake,
but as what Elijah experienced, in a still, small, but vividly clear voice...
And so when we pray, we need to let go and rest our cares on Him, because if we
still worry and feel anxious, we might not actually hear Him (Because fear,
anger and pride actually make one spiritually deaf)... Try giving time to
listen to God's voice, not just from reading His Word, but what He can say to
whatever circumstance you may be in... It's the best and most priceless life
experience one can ever have... And it is emotionally and spiritually
strengthening too, so that no matter the persecution, the uncertainties, doubts
and despair, the hardship and trouble, the misery and pain, when God talks back
to you, you feel that life is worth living for, that you begin to see that life
has meaning, that each creature and person matters and are precious, you become
less greedy and selfish, and you begin to understand your role in His great
scheme, and your responsibility toward His creation and to your fellowman...
(which means that if you claim God speaks to you but are still clueless about
these things, and are still greedy, proud and selfish, both your credibility
and sanity are questionable, actually)... Still...
One for the movies... This is one of
the Word's most dramatic showdowns between God (through His remaining 102
prophets--Elijah, Obadiah, and the 100 whom Obadiah hid in two caves) and the
prophets of the idol Baal (450) and the groves/nature-worshippers (400)... It
is rather trivial and childish, yet God did not waste the opportunity to
participate in Elijah's show in order to demonstrate to King Ahab and Queen
Jezebel that He is the One True God, and that He has ultimate authority and
power over all the forces of nature... And though it is rather brutal, yet
Elijah did not fail in exacting vengeance upon Queen Jezebel, when he killed
all of her and King Ahab's false prophets... There are some hard truths to
learn from today's passage, and we reiterate last night's lesson, that God is
always in control of the weather, no matter how it manifests itself in our
personal day to day existence; that God will always save and preserve those
people who are obedient to Him (the hidden 100); that though He is far higher
than us, His thoughts and ways beyond what we can understand (Isaiah 55:8-9),
yet He is always concerned for our daily needs, our safety, and our faith and
obedience, as compared with wicked rulers like King Ahab who is only concerned
with water for his animals, instead of the people (v. 5)... And so, may we
always humble ourselves to seek Him at all times, to forsake or abandon our
wicked ways, evil thoughts, selfishness and greed, and live the rest of our
lives in obedience to Him, for then He will be merciful, and He will restore
our lives and the environment to peace, health and abundance (Isaiah
55:1-13)...
God's miracles through Elijah...
Elijah was undoubtedly one of the most famous Old Testament prophets, for no
less than Jesus Christ declared that John the Baptist was the Elijah that was
to come (Matthew 11:7-14, Malachi 4:5)... And in this chapter we begin to know
why... It is because Elijah was fully obedient to God's command to prophesy,
and to totally depend on Him, as He uses nature (the brook, the birds, a poor
and destitute widow with a young son, whose barrel of meal or flour never
expired or wasted, and whose cruse or jar of oil never ran dry), for
sustenance... God even brought back to life the widow's son, after Elijah
prayed for it, and stretched himself upon the child three times... In Elijah's
obedience and fulfillment of his mission, he showed cruel King Ahab and Queen
Jezebel that God is true, He is Creator and Master of all, and He controls
nature and life... And this is a very dangerous thing to kings and rulers such
as Ahab, who institutionalize idolatry and condone rampant lawlessness and
corruption, for their impotence and true powerlessness is exposed, when the One
True God acts and interferes directly in human affairs... And this should be
what we must hold on to today... Yes, there is global warming and climate
change (2 Peter 3:10), but it is nothing new, nothing to be scared of, and
nothing to fear... There has been, and there will always be droughts, floods,
storms, tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanoes will erupt, and there will always be
the resultant devastation, physical and economic displacements, loss of
properties and livelihood, and loss of lives (Romans 8:18-23)... But these are
not reasons for despair or depression, because the God we worship and serve is
Master of them all (Psalm 19:1-6), and nothing, not even physical death itself,
can separate us from His love (Romans 8:31-39)... Let this truth be what we
should base our hope on, and something to forever be thankful for...
Primed up for showdowns... The
succession of Northern kingdoms, as written in the Word today, shows us each
rule's infightings, treachery, corruptions and idolatry, with the chapter
ending on the mention of two of the Old Testament's most maligned villains:
Ahab and Jezebel... A bible history and archaeology article says that these two
are particularly mentioned because during their reign, they led the Kingdom's
total breakaway from the faith the people have in God, to the worship of Baal
and its human-and child-sacrifice and other evil practices... However, they may
not have been too successful as even until during Jesus Christ's time, the
Samaritan woman mentioned who spoke to Jesus at the well still worshipped and
believed in the same God as the Jews... This holds a powerful lesson even for
us today too, where many of our brethren are being persecuted and oppressed by
repressive rulers around the world... Yes, we in our humanity, failures, lack
of proper perspective on things, may inadvertently subject ourselves to
authorities that will only use and abuse us for their selfish, evil purposes,
but it is not reason enough to let go of our hope and faith, that someday, our
God will deliver us, and that someday, the reign of such people will come to an
end, and that He will return to fulfill the prophecy that 'the government shall
be upon His shoulders' (Isaiah 9:6)... We may be oppressed today, our freedoms
curtailed, our rights trampled upon, but may we always have hope that this is
not the end of our journey, and that even the abuses and harassments we receive
daily are still part of our good days, and the better and best days that are
still to come...
In the tale of the two kingdoms, as
what the Word tells us today, though many rulers continue to grow more corrupt
with each reign or administration, yet there are a select few whose hearts are
in the right places, who lead and live according to God's wisdom and will in
their lives... And such was King Asa of Judah, who though weak politically,
yet, was wise enough to make strategic alliances that enabled him to stop King
Baasha of the northern 10 tribes, from completely building the city of Ramah as
a blockade to Jerusalem... This is a lesson for us today too, that no matter
how strong, wicked or sly be the enemy that harass and oppress us, though they
may at times inflict pain and damage, yet if we guard our hearts and minds
well, and attune it to His leading, our God will not leave us alone, nor will
He fail to send someone to help us, comfort us, and strengthen us... May we
firm up our conviction and resolve, and strengthen our faith, as we continue to
trust that no matter how desperate or miserable life may become, our God will
always meet with us, and shower us to overflowing, with His mercy and grace...
What
happened to the son of King Jeroboam is sad and tragic, yet maybe this is God's
wisdom, since, before his father could even consider putting him on the throne,
he got sick and died... Abijah must be a precious child, because Jeroboam had
his wife (in disguise) approach Ahijah the prophet, whose vision had now
weakened with age, whom Jeroboam said declared his kingship, to hear God's
declaration on the matter, instead of the priests of their state religion...
The fact that he had his wife disguise herself attests to the pride of King
Jeroboam, in not wanting to appear to have returned to the faith and religion
of Judah; and the death of his son is a testament to God's judgment on his pride
and idolatry... God is a healer, but more than physical healing, He is
concerned with the healing of our souls too... Jeroboam's heartbreak at the
death of his son was the consequence of him not attuning his heart to God,
because of his pride and insecurities... May we learn that God does not delight
in the death of innocents, but rather the tragedies that befall them and other
people we care about, are consequences of our own disobedience... May we
realize, what a terrible thing it is to disobey God, not to acknowledge His
rule over lives, and to choose to live our own lifestyles, without considering
His will and plan for us... Something to ponder on..
Another dark chapter in the Word,
where an unknown prophet delivers God's message of judgment on Jeroboam's
reign, and its realization began right away, yet the man of God fell short of
fully obeying God's instruction out of exhaustion and hunger... This story has
lots of hard lessons for us until today too... In the case of Jeroboam, he had
been granted a great blessing and favor from God, that he was able to rule 10
of the 12 tribes, yet his insecurity and fear that the people might go back
under the tribe of Judah caused him to institutionalize idolatry, and even
appointed himself later as one of its priests... When a leader blurs the
division of church and state, and controls for himself and his selfish
interests, what some ministers refer to as God's business - - influencing,
belittling, mocking, distorting and even misappropriating the faith they have,
in order that the leader may amass more power, that negates all the favor and
divine manifest authority that God may have given to that leader at the start
of his reign... And we learn from the sad and tragic life of the unknown man of
God too, how, even giving an inch to temptation, not asking from God for and
having discernment to tell truth from lies, would make us pay dearly with our
lives, and even our souls... For indeed, our faith in God is not a costume we
put on to impress people; it is the greatest journey of our lives; because
whatever we do, wherever we go, the only thing that keeps us sane and grounded,
directed towards the ultimate goal of our existence, and that gives us comfort
and confidence beyond the physical grave, is the faith we have, how we live it
daily, and how big is its influence on our persons and relations... Something
to seriously think about...
The troubles of a dynasty... It is
from the Lord indeed, yet one cannot deny that between the lines, King Rehoboam
who ruled after King Solomon his father, indeed had some attitude problems of
his own... Disobeying God's commands to serve Him and the people well, of which
I believe he is fully aware growing up as a child in the palace, and instead of
following in his ancestor's footsteps to pray and ask God for guidance in
making decisions, he asked his human counselors what to do... And instead of
listening to the wise words of his elders, he followed the advice of his young
counselors, who like him, want to depart from the norm because they believe in
'change' - - not the kind that brings better and more prosperous and blessed
living, but just in direct opposition to whatever that was, even God's counsel,
whom they might have viewed as archaic, obsolete and outdated, and at the
expense of the people's lives and livelihood... This passage once again proved
its timelessness as it still speaks to us today... When the people of God said
'change', they are hoping and praying for a better life; unfortunately, exactly
like King Rehoboam, many leaders of today understand it to mean overturning all
the good that prior generations of leadership have done, even if it lacks
wisdom, even if it is prejudicial to the interest and future viability of the
group, the organization, or the country, just so it can be said they did
something different... Like King Rehoboam, many leaders actually fail to call
on God, or to learn the wisdom of history and experience, and just do whatever
they want, thinking that their position qualifies them alone to know the best,
and everything they do must be perfect... Unfortunately, even just saying one
believes in God, or declaring to all about one's faith and religious
observances fall flat when in the day-to-day affairs, His presence, His
influence, His mercy and grace is not seen in a leader's life and
administration... We have nothing against children taking leadership roles
after their parents, because that is natural in life, and it is also what the
natural environment follows, but in free and democratic societies such as ours,
we can decide based on what we saw, what we experienced, what we learned,
whether such new generations of leadership can be trusted to lead us to a
better future, not to a so-called 'changed' world, that is merely the undoing
of all the values, institutions and good principles our ancestors worked so
hard for... Something to think about...
The diversity of King Solomon's own
harem, when he compromised his faith and values in order to appease his wives
and their families and nations, became his downfall... And just as the kingdom
was rent by the prophet Samuel from the hands of the former King Saul, so too,
10 of the 12 tribes were symbolically rent and given to his servant,
Jeroboam... Strange how the Word is so timeless so as to still speak to us
today... Because as always, leadership is a relationship, between the one who
rules or administers, and the one who put them there--by God's anointing, and
by the people's acceptance... And such relationship requires obedience to God's
laws and ways of life, and equitable, fair, genuine care and concern of the
people below... Should any one of these be breached or found lacking, just as
God sent oppositions and harassers, usurpers and competitors to Solomon's rule,
a power that is in decline and a reign that is sure to end as a failure and
tragedy will always be marked by infighting, betrayal of trusted people, strong
and better-able and more convincing oppositions, until the leader realizes that
because he has been brain-fogged with power, flattery and appeasement without
commensurate honesty and accountability, no one else will be there for him in
his hour of most need, or to celebrate his legacy after... May our leaders
today learn the lessons of history and the Word, because obviously King
Solomon's regime was not the first and last that started out in glory, but
ended up in uncertainty... Because ultimately, we will all give an accounting
to our Maker, as to what we have done with our 'talents' (Matthew 25:14-30) - -
skills, opportunities, positions, wealth and blessings, power, influence,
ministries, relationships, gifts - - that have been entrusted to our care,
administration, and dispensation... When we face the ultimate Judge, may we be
found worthy to hear from Him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have
been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come
and share your master’s happiness!’ (v. 21 & 23)... Something to think
about...
This chapter in the Word is one of
its most controversial and enigmatic, for historical and archaeological records
say that there is no physical evidence that a queen from Saba, or present-day
Yemen, also contested to be in Ethiopia, existed at the time of King Solomon...
However, such did not stop this story from being appropriated and embelished by
Jewish, Muslim, and even Ethiopian traditions as part of their religious and
cultural heritage... What is important though is that it seeks to establish
that with King Solomon's wisdom, his fame reached to other nations, and they
too were blessed with his understanding of many things, while they both bless
him and are blessed with material wealth in return, through tributes and
trade... Here is a lesson to those of us who seek to have wealth and power,
because though we can have it with connections and influence, but it is not the
manifold blessings that it masquerades itself to be without godly influence
lived amidst life's daily realities, nor can it result to good leadership and
administration, as what greedy and corrupt people promise to give those who
would vote or choose them for positions of power and authority... To truly
lead, to truly reign, and to truly have lasting impact and influence, one needs
the wisdom from God, His power and presence, His generosity and magnanimity...
May our minds and hearts be as open as the Queen of Sheba and accept that whom
God grants and appoints to positions of authority and leadership are truly
anointed if they lead in wisdom, exhibit proper noble behavior, transparency,
accountability, consistency, kindness and generosity...
Image from: mycalendarlabs.com
Some people say that
these passages are an example that God is selfish, because His blessings are
conditional (v. 3-9)... Yet, they forget that God is a person too, and like you
and me, He gets offended when people ignore Him or disregard His words, and
worse, attribute words and philosophies to Him that are not true, just so they can
protect their ego and claim supremacy over others... Yes, He is Merciful,
patient and kind (Exodus 34:6), but He is also just, and even simply by the
natural order of things, He makes the children suffer and learn the
consequences of their ancestors' wrongdoings (Exodus 34:7)... May we realize
that we could not get away with being hard-hearted and stubborn when He tells
us to listen to Him, and live the lifestyle He wants us to follow, yet expect
Him to grant our wishes when we grovel back to Him for favors... For those of
us who claim to be called by the faith that Jesus Christ established, may we
learn to conduct ourselves rightly, so that we may forever enjoy His peace,
presence and grace, no matter the difficulties and tragedies of life...
In a world that is
increasingly becoming godless and faithless, when more and more people believe
in their own knowledge and righteousness rather than the wisdom from God and
living according to His Word and will, when more and more think that by their
good deeds alone they are worthy and great, in a daily reality where the works
of darkness increase in severity around the world, we who believe and profess
to have the faith by which our God is named need not fear, for even in deep
darkness, He is there (12)... And may we not be remiss in the Great Commission
given us in Matthew 28:19-20, for this is our righteousness, our rightness with
our God, and the ultimate fulfillment of King Solomon's reminders in verses
60-61, thus, "so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord
is God and that there is no other. And may your hearts be fully committed to
the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this
time.”...
The chapter from the
Word today started out as a little bit of a rebuke, since King Solomon built
God's house in 7 years, but his palace for 13... Yet, it did not lack a
memorial to both his ancestors and to the God who promised to secure their
lineage... 'Jachin' and 'Boaz', two free-standing pillars present in almost all
Abrahamic religions' houses of worship, even in mysticism and masonry,
according to Wikipedia... These mean, "Jachin--God will establish, and
Boaz--in God is strength"... According to the same Wikipedia article, the
original J&B pillars were taken by the Chaldeans who later invaded
Jerusalem, and were never returned, nor were they replaced with new ones in the
rebuilding of the second temple... This shows us that far from being a physical
monument, the fact that God has not allowed any authority or power on earth to
return them in place, means that what they stood for should remain in our
psyche, in our hearts and minds forever... If we surrender our lives to Him,
worship Him in Spirit and Truth, and live each day doing our best to obey His
Word and will, He will establish and strengthen us... May we learn the lessons
from Israel's history, and be able to make better and wiser decisions in our
generation today...
A golden house, for
the One who owns everything (Haggai 2:8)... King Solomon built God's house or
temple with much gold, and one can only imagine (since we can no more see it
live and standing now) how beautiful and dazzling it must have been... Yet, God
reminded him what is the most important thing in life: "The word of the
Lord came to Solomon: “As for this temple you are building, if you follow my
decrees, observe my laws and keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfill
through you the promise I gave to David your father. And I will live among the
Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel."" (v. 11-13)...
Unfortunately he, to some extent, and particularly many of his descendants,
failed to fulfill this and experienced the reverse of what God promised... One
hard and painful, yet profound and eternal truth that we can learn from this is
that God will appreciate all that we do to promote His Name in the world, and
He would even appreciate whatever we can make do with establishing a house for
His Name, but He wants our personal obedience and fellowship with Him...
Because yes, he who worships and communes with God in a simple house is on
equal standing with him who worships in an air-conditioned grand cathedral...
Because it is not the physical building that gives glory to His Name, but the
living temple that is us... And especially when such physical buildings only
give glory to the material wealth or name of a certain religion, church group
or denomination, all the more that He does not consider having His Spirit dwell
in there, but on the person individually who humbly lives according to His Word
and will...
Church, let us heed
the call, go out of our homes even for a few hours today, and spend time with
like-spirited brethren in worshipping God, celebrating and listening to His
Word, and giving to Him His due out of the fruits of our efforts and labors...
When King Solomon
built God's temple, it wasn't made like the temples and shrines of pagan gods,
because the One True Living God is Creator and Master of the universe, and no
man-made edifice can contain Him, but it was made as a memorial to His Name
only... The king wisely chose the best materials by engaging into legal,
commensurate and equitable trade and production agreements with Hiram, king of
Tyre... He also made sure to hire the best and most talented artisans and
supervisors, conscripted his people properly, assigned them to work in shifts,
and compensated them well, so that they could do their best, and not suffer
physically and mentally by being away from their families for too long... If he
could do as much for the temple of God, and if we who believe accept the fact
that our bodies are living temples of the same Living God (1 Corinthians 3:16),
how much more can we give, how much greater can we do and sacrifice for, and up
to what extent can we responsibly and faithfully administer our lives, our
families, our fellowships, our ministries and our communities, to make sure
that these reflect His glory, and His Spirit that dwells in us? Something to
think about...
King Solomon showed
true wisdom in his rule and administration... He appointed as his princes,
officers and men, mostly the sons of his late father's great and loyal men,
therefore ensuring a council and leadership of people who are like him in
talents and mind, who have obviously learned from their father's values, deeds
and mistakes... He organized abundant provision for his kingdom, all its
people, and even all the people who will come to visit, and ensuring that those
tasked with it are people located in key strategic areas and scattered
throughout his domain, so they will always have plenty of supply of what the
best the land and its specific regions can offer... He started and maintained
strategic alliances with the nations around him, rallying under the banner of
peace and understanding... And he understood nature, and even its most minute
and intricate workings... All of his knowledge and understanding in these areas
made him one of the greatest and most-renowned contributors to the arts and
letters with his Proverbs, Preachings (Ecclesiastes), and Songs, in all the
world until today, and as what the Word recorded and archaeological findings
have certified in modern times, in architecture too... Indeed as God said, no
man shall be like King Solomon in all of human history (1 Kings 3:12)... Though
the world may experience from time to time, geniuses like the renaissance man
Leonardo da Vinci, yet even they lack the width and depth of wisdom, knowledge
and understanding of King Solomon.... And yet, to consider that King Solomon is
just human, born from what started as an illicit relationship, but to a father
who remains humble until his deathbed... No wonder in all of King Solomon's
genius and wisdom, he equipped himself with the right heart and character:
humility and overflowing generosity... And these attributes of King Solomon are
just tiny reflections of the nature of our God... May we have like hearts to
understand and take these things to heart, so that we may spend the rest of our
days in wisdom, humility, understanding, peace, and deep contentment of all
that our God is, and of everything He has done and will continue to do for us
in the future...
King Solomon indeed,
had the best in life... The best mother, who though committed adultery, yet was
quick-thinking in securing his anointing from his dying father... The best
father, who though imperfect, but was humble and strong in faith; Likewise,
Solomon inherited his humility and grand faith too... The best teachers,
because he learned from the choices and deeds of those who are older, and those
who have gone before him, so he is fully aware what to do to avoid the same
tragic fates... The best focus in life, because his concern was not that he
should have a peaceful and unchallenged reign, but in humility, thinking of the
people he is to rule, he asked God that he may be given wisdom, so that he can
properly discern what is right and wrong; as a result, God gave him deep wisdom
and more--riches and peace... May we learn from and follow his example, and
always remember his words in Proverbs 4:7, "Wisdom is the principal thing;
therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding."...
The young King Solomon
started his reign administering justice and mercy to those people who rightly
deserved it... And as one of King David's children, who took after his
handsomeness and physical beauty, he might very well be a good looking person
too, but in the Word, and even in archaeological records, he proved to be
somebody who has more substance behind the pretty boy face... At this early,
one can observe between the lines that King Solomon humbly took note of all that
his father said at his deathbed, and obeyed them well... This is the key, the
one that leads and opens, to a successful life... Like King Solomon, may we
listen to the Words of our God, and the words of our elders, for both can teach
us lessons they have gained through experience, and how to go about things that
are still coming our way...
In the twilight of
King David's reign, his fourth son Adonijah presumed to usurp the throne, yet
was unsuccesful, because the king just formalized instead, God's will that the
throne would be passed down to Solomon, the youngest, and the son of what
started as an adulterous relationship... Unfortunately, there are many
Adonijahs in modern times, who believe that they can govern their lives by
their own, and do as they wish, conforming to the world's standards and
timetables, without considering if it is God's will for them, or not even
bothering to listen to (read and ponder on) His Word, when in fact the God who
created us knows best, and that He always has better plans... May we learn the
lesson of Adonijah before our pride, ignorance, selfishness and greed gets the
better of us, and bring us down to shame, hopelessness, and shattered dreams...
Something to seriously think about...
A bible commentary
said that elsewhere in the Word (1 Chronicles 21), it was actually Satan who
asked God's permission to tempt King David to take a census of the people, and
David gave in, probably to feel glorified in himself that he had grown and
strengthened the nation... Joab who understood his motive, tried to stop him,
but the king prevailed, and so God sent the people a plague, and killed many
(70,000 in 3 days) to teach David some more humility... The story seems
strangely familiar to modern times, where there are leaders who congratulate
themselves for thinking that with their own greatness, they have brought
prosperity and 'change' upon the people, but as always, God has other plans...
A crisis, a plague, a pandemic to bring the nation to its knees, and show these
proud leaders who's boss... May we all learn these lessons and unlike King
David, remain humble and repentant, and draw near to God in worship and
fellowship, before our pride and greed destroy those that matter to us, even
our very lives...
The reign of King
David is one of our ultimate ideals of true leadership; and that of his men
too--all brave and valiant like their king, and like him, equally humble,
unassuming, fair and closely knitted in truth, faith, honesty and loyalty with
their brethren... We hope that many leaders of today could become like them,
for then no crisis would be too hard to overcome... With leaders like these,
the people would truly be blessed and prosperous... And King David himself
declared how to achieve this, in his immortal words, thus, "The God of
Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: ‘When one rules over people in
righteousness (and justice), when he rules in the fear of God, he is like the
light of morning, at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after
rain that brings grass from the earth.’"(v. 3-4)... May we have the eyes
to see, the ears to hear, and the hearts to humbly obey...
Not his bragging, but
King David's song teaches us God's perfect rightness, and the extent and
magnitude of His blessings and favors, if we make ourselves one and right with
Him... Indeed, this is a pattern for when we worship Him alone truly and
purely, trust Him with all that we have, dedicate to Him all that we do, and
love Him above all... And like King David, may we live and breathe these words
all of our days, "And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and
my deliverer; The God of my rock; in Him will I trust: He is my shield, and the
horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; you save me
from violence. I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I
be saved from my enemies." (v. 2-4)...
Since the time of King
David and until now, Israel had been involved in series upon series of wars
with the Philistines (which some Anthropologists say are the ancestors of
today's Palestinians) and other inhabitants of Canaan... What many fail to
understand though, especially when all they see are the dead and wounded
casualties of such clashes, and the broken down buildings, is that this is
primarily a great eternal war of culture and faith, with human, economic and
environmental collateral damages, and therefore no amount of truce or peace
talks would stop it, says one political analyst who calls it, 'Israel's forever
war'... Here is Israel, a people set free by God from slavery and fiefdom, to
form a kingdom that recognizes territorial divisions and property rights,
head-to-head against groups of people who have lived in the Levant (or
MENA--Middle East and North Africa) since the dawn of civilization, who though
they might have formal kingdoms and palaces too, yet essentially are nomadic in
spirit and psyche--that believes like Cain and Edom, and their Arabic Bedouin
descendants--in the life of the caravan, and that all lands they step into are
theirs by right and heavenly mandate, therefore not subject to written laws,
decrees or titles... With such strong convictions that gets passed down through
generations, and the greed and ignorance of fallible human rulers, it is only
God Himself then, who can ordain a reign of peace and a golden age, like that of
King David's son, Solomon... After Him, not even Pax Romana of the Roman Empire
or the Hellenistic Age, and especially with our civilizations now, will there
ever be peace, unless each of us recognizes the truths of who we are and the
inherited traits and ways of thinking that we have... However, all is not lost,
because for those who believe, there will be a time yet in the future, and so
near in coming too, when the One True Prince of Peace will come (Isaiah 9:6),
whose promises we would do well to hold on to, because life and what comes
after hinge on how strong is our faith, and how much we can endure and
persevere through all of life's troubles, until we see and meet Him (1
Thessalonians 4:17), and hear Him declare He is Alpha and Omega, the Beginning
and End (Revelation 22:13), the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright Morning
Star (Revelation 22:16)... May these give us hope and courage, and increase our
faith...
More rebellion and a
brewing civil war... This chapter shows us that even in King David's time, when
the kingdom was restored to him, there will always be people like Sheba, who
will not acknowledge King David's leadership because they want to be ruled by
someone else with whom they can gain more favors and sympathies... This reminds
us of those people in this day and age, who lobby and manipulate for favors
with the ruling authorities, to the extent of putting down others, and
manipulating situations and circumstances so they can have more and more...
Then, there are people like Amasa who switch allegiance as easily to whomever
has the upper hand in things... They are the exact definition of traitors, and
though Joab again committed murder in killing him, yet, such is the severity of
the sin of those who betray King and country--both leadership and citizenry
demand loyalty from those tasked to serve and protect them... May we learn from
the lessons their lives showed us, so that we may able to conduct our words and
affairs with more wisdom and prudence, and be able to maintain peace, justice,
integrity and the good future of our families, institutions, and country....
After tragedies and
calamities, King David and his men showed maturity in moving on from their
grief, and in trying to unite to heal and restore, despite their different
personalities and interests... This is true leadership and teamwork, not
attacking critics and oppositions because they are accused of slowing down
programs or projects (they actually slow down the siphoning and malversation to
those favored in the moment too
)... A true leader unites and
inspires, and influences people to rally behind what is wise, fair, just and
good, minus all the flattery, lies, deceit and smokescreens... Something to
think about...
Absalom's tragic end
with Joab's presumptuous murder... This is one of the really dark chapters of
the Word, but one that shows us that he who lives with violence and murder will
likewise meet the same end... Yet for all Absalom's sins in rebelling against
and persecuting his father, King David still loved him deeply, accepting his
own inadequacies as a father... A Bible commentator said that this also shows
us the kind of love that our God has for us... He provides for us with
everything we need and more, with free will and freedom, with His abundance in
nature, yet, in our selfishness and greed, and a lack of wisdom, we think that
we deserve more, that it is okay to abuse and put others down to promote our
own interests, that for those who have been victimized or who have suffered its
consequences, we think life is unfair, that God is not listening, or worse, He
is dead or He doesn't exist... But all our sins and failures do not negate the
existence of God, His power, wisdom and love... Unlike our prideful principle
that to see is to believe, with God, our Maker, Savior, Father and Lord, we
need to believe in order to see that He is, that He is always there for us, and
that He waits for us to come to Him in repentance, praise and worship... Before
the consequences of our wrongdoings catch up with us and destroy all those we
hold dear, and even take away our lives, may we have the wisdom and humility to
return to our Father's fold and settle back home in His presence, leading and
provision...
This chapter in the
Word reads like a spy novel, proving to us once again that the Holy Bible is a
library, full of different kinds of books with different stories, messages,
songs, prophecies and lessons that we can use and will guide us through the
whole of our lives... In here we learn that people with pride often lack
wisdom, take their lives lightly and less than their reputation and the fickle
trust of those whom they serve, so that any form of disregard is taken as an
insult that merits even taking their lives, and so they meet a tragic end... We
also learn the timeless saying that nobody can put a good person down
forever... We see this in King David, who though he wasn't perfect, is
transparent with the people in the way he humbled himself to God's judgement
and mercy, in repentance, and in going on with the rest of life still showing
his love and loyalty to God and the people, so that the people pays him back
with protection, care and provision in return... It is also a lesson for us, that
even though bad people may hurt us, steal from us, slander us, persecute us, or
even take away what is rightfully ours, and even our chances and opportunities,
yet, if we remain humble and patient, we will see and experience the goodness
in humanity, and the support and encouragement of better people that God will
send our way... May we have the wisdom to know who these are, so that we might
be better judges of character...
It has often been said, as elsewhere
in the Word too (Proverbs 19:4), that when one is rich and in power, that
person has many friends, but in that person's downfall, even those closest to
him will abandon him, like in the case of Mephibosheth, whom King David treated
like a son, but who left him to go back to Jerusalem in the hopes that with the
kingdom now taken away from him, he will be restored to his father's (former
King Saul) place... Yet, his servant Ziba proved faithful to King David and
provided food and drink for him and his weary, persecuted household and men...
And also, as what King David himself said in Psalm 22:7 (the very same words
echoed by Jesus Christ in His passion and suffering), there will always be
people like Shimei, a relative of King Saul, who will curse, mock and ridicule
others in their misfortune and calamity... But King David showed extreme
patience and humility in not getting back at him, and willingly received
whatever curses, insult, hurt or attack he hurled, because in his heart, he
knows that he deserved his downfall for not being a better father... However,
this is not the end of King David's story, and the story of all those
throughout the ages who were trampled upon and abused in their weakest moments,
for as what the future King Solomon would immortalize later in Proverbs 3:34,
"Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives
favor."... God will still bless and favor the humble and patient, even
after all the injustices they receive, and reserve scorn and punishment on
those who will abuse, attack, ridicule or insult them... May we learn our
lessons here today...
The coup d'etat...
King David's comeuppance came at the hands of his beautiful son, Absalom, whom
he wasn't able to lead well and give rightful justice to, and who, in turn,
stole the hearts of the people, which is actually the essence of rebellion...
Yet, even in his grief and despair, and even when he run away for his life--
together with his loyal men, the deposed king did not fail to leave behind in
the Palace, men who are also loyal to him, to spy on Absalom and try to
manipulate and contradict the bad advice and influence of Absalom's own
counselors... Even until today, nothing is quite as tragic and disappointing as
children who hurt, disrespect, abuse, and even persecute their own parents...
And when the Word says, "Honor your father and your mother, so that you
may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you." (Exodus
20:12), we can know and feel for sure that the child who does otherwise, in
this case, Absalom, can only meet one tragic end... May we ponder these things
and keep them in our hearts, that we may be reminded always of what our God has
commanded and promised us, in order that we may always be respectful and give
honor and care to our parents and elders...
Even though King David
had been restored unto God's grace with his repentance of his sins, one of its
hardest consequence seems to be, that unlike his leadership of the people, he
has lost leadership of his sons... He failed to punish Amnon for his crime of
abusing, raping, and abandoning his sister, so that it led to his brother
Absalom's murdering him, Absalom's banishment, and later rebellion... As a
result, Absalom became more proud and hardened, particularly with his good
looks, charisma and influence with the people... Often, we see this in modern
life too... Unless there is real repentance and humility, and each person
receives just punishment for the wrong that they have committed, or justice and
commensurate compensation for the hurts and damages they have received, the one
who should have acted on it--a father, a father-figure, an organizational or
political leader--often loses moral ascendancy and authority, and the respect
and obedience of those who mattered most... David, with his sons, and like many
weakened leaders of our time, chose to ignore the wrongdoings of some
favorites, yet harsh and brutal with some who rightfully stood up to fight for
their rights and seek redress for wrongs... May we learn deeply from his
family's example, so that we can be better stewards of the family, careers,
organizations and citizens whose wise and proper rule and administration have
been entrusted to our care, providence and judgment...
The tragedy that
befell King David's children may have been a part of the consequences of his
sin with Bathsheba, but it cannot be denied that without the malicious
instigation and manipulation of a trusted friend and cousin, it wouldn't have
happened... Strangely, even modern life shows us many people who are like
Jonadab... May we have the wisdom, courage and self-control necessary to resist
their attacks, and so keep our dignity, and the sanctity of our faith and
family... Something to seriously take into consideration every time...
Even King David, the man after God's
own heart, was not spared the punishment for his multiple sins--his love child
with Bathsheba, legitimated now with her becoming his wife upon widowhood--was
struck with sickness, and died... Yet David showed the right attitude when
strongly reminded of his sins: he humbly asked forgiveness from God, fasted and
prayed earnestly that the child be healed, but when his prayer wasn't granted,
still more humbly accepted it, and worshipped God, accepting God's declaration
of the life-long (and even beyond, in his descendants') consequences of his
sins, and went on with life, increasing his faith to God, and his affection for
his wife and family... It is a rare sight in the history of humanity, to see
such person whose heart, mind and soul are in the right place... And may we
learn the many lessons this chapter teaches us: no matter who we are, the
things we do to displease God and offend or hurt other people will always have
tragic consequences; that we must not lose faith because our God is a Healing
God, yet, even if He does not grant it physically, we can know for sure that He
did it to our souls and spirits--ones that are far more eternally important for
us; that when we repent of the evil that we did and do, and humbly submit to
Him in obedience, He is ready and willing to embrace us back to His family, and
love us again, just as He loved Solomon (v. 24--whose name means, 'a Man of
Peace'), also otherwise called, 'Jedidiah' (v. 25, meaning, 'beloved of the
Lord)... How great is this love, for us to exchange it with fickle human
affection, and fail to give it pre-eminence over the loves and relationships we
have with other people... When we repent and turn from our wicked ways, humbly
submit to Him and obey, God will heal us, He will love us (Jedidiah), and He
will grant us peace (Solomon)...
The Word here is being
brutally honest about King David's sin and fall... And in fact such things as
these--viewing a naked woman, coveting and committing adultery with her who was
married, trying to cover up the consequence (her pregnancy) through conspiracy,
lies and even murder--are still happening to many people around the world and
throughout history... But this oppressive, chauvinistic culture and
objectification will always have its reckoning... And we can know for sure, for
this "... thing that David had done displeased the Lord." (v. 27)...
Such displeasure by no means is light, for it is grievous and heinous in the
eyes of God, and as we will learn in the later chapters, will haunt and destroy
the good relationship and rule of David's descendants, be a scourge of humanity
up to the present, until David's Root and Offspring will return and take His
rightful rule over all people... May we be careful of committing such as these,
watch over our eyes, guard our hearts and minds, and be more careful still of
being our brethren's keeper, lest we participate in tempting or inciting them
or giving chance and opportunity to or condone anybody who might commit it...
Still...
The same country
names, the same kind of personalities... Since King David's time, and even
until today, there are personal, local and international bullies who harass and
oppress God's people... They think they are too smart, they even enlist and
solicit allies, but when faced head on, their immaturity and insecurity is
exposed... Such occurrences even happen on micro levels in the personal life of
the believer... Yet, may we follow the example of strong and valiant men, Joab
and Abishai, in fighting and defending with wisdom and good strategies, and
remember Joab's words: "Be of good courage, and let us play the men for
our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord do that which seemeth
Him good."... Bullies are immature and childish people who pull pranks and
harass others to feel good about themselves; people of God should meet them
head on, and "play the game" like adults, or deal with these matters
in a mature way, because God will surely do what's right and proper: defeat and
humiliate the bully; and no matter how many 'rockets', 'militia vessels', or
'abusive and offensive propaganda' the bully sends our way, he or she will
surely be ashamed, his or her ego deflated... Still...
A reversal of
fortune... This is when King David fulfilled his promise, and showed kindness
to former King Saul's descendant--Mephibosheth, who now grew up in hiding and
in poverty in the house of Machir, his benefactor... Mephibosheth became lame
at the time his grandfather King Saul and his children died, yet he even got
married and had a family of his own, but his existence was unknown to many,
were it not for their former servant Ziba (who now became rich and a master too)
who divulged the secret to King David... A Bible commentary said that
Mephibosheth was still blessed because his benefactor Machir was loyal to King
David, yet the death and misfortune he feared would befall him, like what
happened to his ancestors, did not happen... Instead, when he revealed himself
to King David, he was shown great mercy and favor, being restored to his
family's inheritance, having Ziba their former-servant-turned-master now become
his servant again, with part of their harvest to be provided to Mephibosheth's
family, while Mephibosheth himself will now be eating at the table of the King
and be treated like his son forever... The bible commentary says we are like
Mephibosheth too... Without understanding God's will for us, without knowing what
great potentials, gifts and talents He has given us, we hide from Him, trying
to live our own so-called independent ways... Yet, no matter our effort, we
will find no true satisfaction and contentment unless we go back to His
presence and companionship, and humbly submit to His mercy and grace... It
often takes well-meaning people like Ziba and Machir to lead us again to the
right path, for us to realize that we are nothing without God, and life, no
matter what we fill it with--material things, food, achievements, adventures,
relationships and connections with different kinds of people (intimate or
intellectual)--will have no meaning unless we live for Him who gave this to us,
and we do our part to promote and advance His kingdom here on earth... May we
have the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the hearts to humbly obey...
Some of King David's
actions to subdue Israel's enemies may have been too ruthless and inhumane when
considered against our modern, enlightened, "woke" worldview, but we
have to trust the Word when it says, "And David reigned over all Israel;
and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people." (v. 15)...
For, a leader could not possibly please everyone, and there will always be
competing claims by different people, but we have to consider the same Spirit
at work then, that still speaks to us now: at its core, leadership is not
flattering people, but then using them later to promote the leader's ego; it is
putting the right people in the right places, upholding their freedoms and
rights, influencing them to fulfill their obligations to their families and the
community, and disciplining them not to muscle-flex, or to instill fear, but to
build them up to be responsible, trustworthy people, who works hard and
diligently for theirs and their family's future... And lastly, leadership is
not imposing or commanding people to respect the leader, but after all that the
leader has said and done, that the people will see the leader's good
intentions, and then the leader will earn their respect... Something to think
about...
When God has better
plans... It has often been said, but always worth repeating; that sometimes,
God does not grant our request at the moment when we want it, not because He
doesn't want to (Matthew 7:9-11), but because He actually has something greater
in store (Ephesians 3:20)... And whatever we ask for, whether it be something
big and noble like King David's (an earthly temple or grand ministry), or
something mundane (like the few physical and material things we want for our loved
ones and ourselves), He is preparing something for which we become worthy not
because we are 'not-naughty-but-nice', but something that would grow and
strengthen our faith, build up our characters, deepen our wisdom and love, and
increase our hope and endurance... And like His promise to King David not to
grant the privilege of having him build a temple, but to establish David's
house forever, so that until the very end of time, when all of us who are
called out, who believed, and who profess to have the faith by which we are
named, will meet our 'soon-returning-in-the-flesh' Savior and Lord who said,
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am
the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” (Revelation
22:16); so too we can have hope that whatever our petitions and deepest desires
will be, He will make sure to keep His promise in granting it and more, by
ensuring that we get to enjoy it unburdened, and bless our descendants forever
too... What great assurance this should be for us, one that shouldn't cause us
to boast of our goodness and His favors, but to live humbly and with wisdom, in
acknowledgement and gratefulness of His mercy and grace, so that may we declare
unto Him, "Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may
continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with
your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.” (v. 29)...
Life's flow of
blessings are breached or interrupted or get broken when we measure its
progress by our own standards... This happened both, tragically for Uzzah, and
less tragically for Michal, in this chapter... It was inappropriate for Uzzah
to reach his hand to touch and steady the Ark, as only the Levite priests were
allowed to do it, and God struck him dead... Maybe he had gotten familiar with
it, since though it had become like a national treasure, yet he was among those
who recovered it from the Philistines, and may have felt protective... Yet, his
death was a strong illustration that there will always be proper ways to
worship God and handling the things pertaining to it, to maintain its
holiness... As for Michal, though she was David's first wife, yet her father
Saul gave her to another man, with whom she had obviously fallen deeply in love
with, and from whom she was forcibly taken when David assumed authority of the
kingdom... Her inability to bear children after ridiculing King David for
inappropriate conduct was not a curse, but merely a statement that David's love
for her has gone, and he did not have intimate relations with her anymore...
May we learn from their examples that life is actually beyond our control, and
whatever happens, we can only pray, trust God, and as they say, we have to
"let go, and let God"...
This early in King
David's reign, we learn that one of the requirements of leadership is that a
leader must be true to his word... He must be sensitive and discerning,
especially to God's Word, so he will have proper guidance, make decisions and
decrees with wisdom, promote truth, uphold justice and fairness, and so avoid
becoming biased, or a pushover, or a tyrant... May we have eyes to see, ears to
hear, and the hearts to humbly obey and live this every day...
King David showed that
his heart was in the right place, when he gave the appropriate punishment to
those who unjustly killed Ishbosheth, King Saul's son and heir, who must have
been doubly traumatized by the death in battle of his biological father before,
and the death by treachery and revenge of his father-figure Abner later... This
event shows that even if like until now, there will always be people who hurt,
oppress and abuse others, thinking that with such actions they might gain the
favors of mighty persons of power, for the leadership that is truly just, whose
rule is founded on godly wisdom, justice will be swift and sure... David's
leadership is starting out to be one that we should model today, one that does
not allow oppression and abuse to go unpunished, and one that protects freedom,
life, equality and fairness... Something to think about...
It is an ordinary human trait to get
back at someone who have hurt us, especially one as tragic as the taking of the
life of our loved ones; and that is what Joab and his brethren and men did to
Abner, for the life of their young brother Asahel... David too, should have
been a little wary of Abner the turncoat, who was loyal to King Saul to the
very end, and only switched allegiance to King David, due to a misunderstanding
with Ishbosheth, King Saul's son and heir... Indeed, such prideful people as
Abner hold themselves in high regard, and would not hesitate to do what they
can to remain in power, and to keep their reputation... But to the extent of
killing him, it's simply too much, because as people of God, we are now no more
ordinary mortals... He Himself has repeatedly assured us in His Word that,
"It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip;
their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them."
(Deuteronomy 32:35)... When we take matters into our own hands, we start a
vendetta that doesn't end, and only binds us and our loved ones and descendants
in endless misery..."May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his evil
deeds!” (2 Samuel 3:39b)... May we learn to forgive as He has forgiven us; and
learn to be humble, as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was, who gave Himself
up for us...
This chapter is a
lesson for this generation, since it is happening even until now around the
world, (even in a neighboring country) where there is one new leader whom God
anointed, and actually many more people acknowledged, yet those who have once
been in power deny and do not want to accept, and instead appoint one who is
favorable with them, and who they can actually use as a puppet ruler... The
Word, and even history, has shown us that such presumptuous acts can only lead
to rebellion and civil war... For the essence of community, institutions,
organisations and nationhood is trust and faith. Should the people lose that
over those who rule over them, it is wisdom to step aside, and to let others
who might be more trusted and trustworthy to perform better service, to take
the reins. For indeed, those who are in leadership may be masters, experts, and
perfectly qualified for the job. Yet, the ones who are ruled, the members of
the group, the community, the citizens, will ultimately determine the success
of its endeavors. The leader can only do so much leading and influencing, but
it is the people who must live life's daily realities, and who must acknowledge
and accept the decisions regarding its future. Leadership is a calling, but its
fulfillment is a responsibility of both the leader and follower: "When a
country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a ruler with discernment and
knowledge maintains order." (Proverbs 28:2)... Something to think about...
Even when he was
grieving for the death of King Saul and his sons, particularly his best friend
Jonathan, David did not forget to bring them justice by having the man who
falsely and maliciously claimed credit for their deaths killed by one of his
young soldiers... Even until today, many people pridefully take credit for
something which they did not really put effort into, or they may have just been
the last person to be associated with it (by position or by their own
insistence)... And too often, because the leader or ruler lacks godly wisdom,
these impostors and plagiarizers succeed and even get promoted ahead of those
who did the dirty work... They not only steal other people's chance to get
ahead, too often they even block and put down that person to make sure their
fraud is covered up... But as our Lord Jesus Christ said, "For there is
nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not
be known or brought out into the open." (Luke 8:17)... These people's
deeds will always be found out. And they not only will lose face and
credibility, they will reap the stress it brings, and even their lives may be
put in danger too... May we learn to live honestly, fairly and with justice.
For with these, even if life becomes too difficult for us, even when we get
weak and discouraged that we haven't yet received what is rightly due for us,
we can have peace and confidence, our conscience will not be bothering us, and
we live out these words: "When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when
you lie down, your sleep will be sweet." (Proverbs 3:24)...
The death of King Saul
and his sons was one of the most tragic and cruel as unabashedly recorded in
the Word... We realize then that no matter who we are in life, and whether at
death we are buried in beautiful tombs, or our bodies lie mutilated and
abandoned somewhere, in this short life, we all go to the same place... And so,
what remains for us is to conduct our affairs well while still alive: have we made
our peace with God, strengthened our connection with Him and with His people;
in our daily existence, are we clinging on to things that we will not be able
to bring with us beyond the grave; have we remained humble and recognized that
life is a gift, and good relationship with others are our ultimate soul support
on earth; have we realized that salvation is a precious treasure, and the hope
of eternal life with our Maker the only one that can give us true satisfication
now, and the one that might be our lifeline someday when we are woken up to
receive our just due and proper judgment from Him?... Something to think
about...
When David and his men
went to battle against the Amalekites and recovered his wives, their children
and families, and the rest of those taken captive and even the spoils, he
showed true leadership when both those who went to the frontlines of battle and
those who stayed behind to guard the fort and the supplies each received an
equal share... This is one instance that showed why he is a man after God's
heart, for in his eyes, all of his men are equal--those who are in front and
those behind the scenes... The brave warrior is on equal footing with the
trustworthy and faithful guard, or housekeeper and bean-counter... So it is in
life too... May we learn that God puts a premium on each one of us, not only
those who are on stage, in front of the public eye, or those whose voices are
heard the loudest, or those whose words solicit the most like and approval of
many, but also those who are quietly working behind the scenes, those who are
often neglected or ignored when opportunities to step up or favors and
recognitions are handed around, who also deserve respect and support... And
this is the model exemplified by Jesus Christ, for it is He who said both, "Blessed
are the meek (humble, unassuming) for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew
5:5)," and "Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little
child (with pure joy, in innocence, often has no sense of the material or
monetary value of things) the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven,"
(Matthew 18:4)... One needs to receive the Word and serve God with pure joy and
gladness like little children, happy and content with whatever little thing one
can do to promote His kingdom and Truth, free from the burden of feeling like
an adult, who thinks himself entitled to recognition and remuneration for every
ounce of effort done...
Even though Prince Achish would have wanted to prove David's
loyalty and greatness by having him fight in their battles, when the princes of
the Philistines refused him, saying that they doubt that David might betray
them, it was a blessing in disguise, for David may have to fight against his
own people... A fitting lesson for many today, especially in the sane land,
where for greedy and selfish political ends, some do not hesitate to have their
very own people killed in order to make false claims and propaganda to appeal
to the world's sympathy and support... And on the individual level, this
turning point holds a lot of lessons for us too... Not all battles need to be
fought, we need to choose wisely; not every opportunity needs to be exploited;
we need to determine which fits our skills and capacities well, especially
considering what we might have to sacrifice in return--good health, quality
time with God and with our loved ones, money that should be saved for the
future, our values and characters... For it might be that when we forego today
what the rest of the world thinks they should have now and in the moment if
they were in our place, we are actually opening and freeing ourselves up to
receiving from God something better and more worthwhile in the future...
Patience, wisdom and foresight are the keys...
Even to the last days of
his reign, Saul displayed his pride, impatience, insecurities and denial that
God had left him and would not answer his prayers and supplications... A Bible
commentary said that we should all learn from this, especially to those who do
not accept God's Word, and the truth, salvation and transformation it brings...
When we reject His Word, we reject God and His authority over our lives. And we
soon realize that though we may be materially rich, yet deep inside we know
that He will not hear us anymore, nor answer our prayers, nor grant us success
and peace... God forbid that such tragedy should happen to us, to whom have now
been given awareness and knowledge of His Words and will...
Sometimes, even the
friends you thought you have and you believed to support you, actually have an
ulterior, cruel motive, like Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath... Maybe he
befriended David out of fear, but still harbored hatred because David killed
the mighty warrior of their kingdom, Goliath, so that outwardly he may have
approved of David's actions and even gave him the town of Ziklag, (which a team
of international and Israeli archaeologists started to excavate in 2015 up to
this day, in Khirbet a-Ra‘i opposite Ashkelon), yet he plans to subdue and
enslave David later, when he is all alone and helpless, separated from his people...
But David showed cunning in making him believe he is going against his own
people when in fact he was raiding and pillaging old Canaanite towns, towards
Egypt instead of in the southern part of Judah... So must also we today, be
careful whom we befriend and ask God for wisdom to choose, because even if we
think that we have gotten close to another, that we have their trust, they
might actually just be using us for their own selfish ends... We need God's
guidance, and we need to listen to our loved ones and the people who care about
us, because they too can see and assess our friends from another point of view,
and they may know something better or see something we haven't seen or observed
in our friends yet, but which shows their true character... Something to think
about...
In life, there will always be people who cloud
the judgement of others by their lies and intrigues... As people of God, we
must not be like the Ziphites who instigated Saul to continue persecuting
David, but instead follow after David, who did not take revenge even if the
situation is favorable to him... Instead of being flatterers, rumor-mongers and
gossips, we must mind our own business; and that is the business of making the
world know and remind them of God's Word and Truth; to be peacekeepers and
encouragers, uphold goodness and righteousness, be honest and fair, be humble
and industrious, be a blessing to others, and be generous with what we have and
with our time... For after all is said and done, we will receive our due, as
David has said, "The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and
faithfulness." (v. 23a)...
One of the lesser
known heroines of the Bible is Abigail, a woman of wisdom and humility, who was
first married to a selfish, wealthy man Nabal, who, upon his death (from
stroke, when he learned that David and his men planned to destroy him for
ungratefulness and wickedness in refusing help, despite his own people having
good relations with David and his men, and how his wife interceded and pacified
David with imploring and humble words and with gifts of provisions), actually
became one of David's wives, since his former one, Michal, abandoned him and
was given by King Saul her father, to another man... Abigail's role in the
nation of Israel and in the church are often left unexplored, yet we learn that
it is through women like her even then and throughout the ages that history
makes significant turning points... She had a son with David named Chileab, the
second son, who also was not explored well in the Word, but Jewish traditions
say that he did not contend and competed with his brothers for the throne of
their father even after his other brothers died, and the throne was given to
the youngest son, Solomon... Jewish Rabbinic traditions believed he died before
his father, but remained kind and humble like both, and so was believed sinless
in their teachings like Benjamin (youngest son of Jacob), Jesse (father of
David), and Amram (father of Moses)... Here we learn that God doesn't always
work with the greats and the famous heroes, but often delivers His mercy and
grace through the people behind the scenes, who remain anonymous and whose
lives are private and unpublished... Yet, they are the keys to a perfect
relationship with Him, as reminded unto us by the meaning of Chileab's name,
'perfection of the father', because he looked exactly like David, according to
Rabbinic tradition, and like his father, he was a man who inherited the
character of being a man after God's own heart... May we then examine ourselves
how we have fared in our walk with God... Are we building the foundation of
faith and humility and wisdom like Abigail, and have we molded our children to
be like Chileab--unassuming and kind, one that encourages us to be more and
more like Our Heavenly Father--full of grace, mercy and truth...
Returning good for evil is the
ultimate definition of being kind... Because contrary to King Saul's cronies
and advisors who constantly instigate him to persecute David, and so might only
be acting nice to him and flattering him to curry favors, and have him cater to
their envy and pride, David showed God's love and mercy when he did not take
revenge on Saul, even in the name of justice for those innocents whom Saul
killed in his frustration that he was not able to catch David in his pursuit...
This trait and attitude of David, considered the greatest king of Israel, as
even recorded in historical and archaeological manuscripts, should teach us a
lot too... In modern times, this is termed soft power. For while a leader may
have authority to impose laws and ordinances to ensure that a group, an
organization, a country is safe and secure, kindness is the soft power needed
to ensure a free, healthy, happy, educated, sane, enlightened, encouraged and
empowered populace, who will support the leader's visions and goals for the
betterment of the group... The Word today emphasizes, affirms and illustrates
well what we learn in the Harvard Business Review management article which
says, 'Don't underestimate the power of kindness at work'; for kindness is a gift
of God, a fruit of His Holy Spirit at work in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23),
and as such it has power to melt the hardest of hearts, to convict and convert
the most hardened sinners, and make them a totally new person, to whom and
through whom God's love and abundant grace flows...
Just like what God
revealed to David that the men of Keilah would do, in betraying him to Saul
even if he saved them from the Philistines (v. 5), there will always be
ungrateful people (like the Israelites in Numbers 14:27) who will return
evil--even badmouthing, forgetting the help given, and worse, betraying and
abusing--those who have supported them... Yet, God will always extend mercy to
them too (Luke 6:35)... However, these are situations for which the rocks and
cliffs at Sela-hammahlekoth (rocks of escape and separation, cliffs of
division) bore witness too: there will be peace and quiteness on the heart and
soul of those who have been generous with the love and support, the one who was
betrayed, before a change in the rhythm and manner of the relationship and life
situation (Selah), where God will bring that person salvation and deliverance
(Psalm 50:23), while the ungrateful will never learn and never come to the
knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 3:2&7)... May we conduct ourselves
rightly, and always act with faithfulness, fairness and justice, for that is
the true key to a more blessed life...
Today's reading feels more like the
current news headlines... History has proven, as even here recorded in the
Word, that in times of crisis, when people are in despair, in great need, and
in distress, yet the leader is only concerned with keeping his position and
hold on power, even to the point of uselessly and unreasonably taking the lives
of those whom he erroneously thought to have disobeyed or betrayed him but are
actually innocent, even though at first he may have been duly established to be
so with God's blessing and the people's affirmation (Romans 13:1; 1 Samuel
11:15); then God's Spirit and authority will actually depart from that person
(1 Samuel 16:14), and an evil spirit will harass him, cloud his judgment and
cause him to continuously worsen in his words, actions and administrations...
And history and the Word has shown us too, that in these situations God will
raise up new rulers who will challenge and defeat the old one, a new generation
and breed of leader or leaders that will become his instruments in the
fulfillment of His promise of a better future (1 Samuel 13:14), and a better
government, which is a prelude to His own (Isaiah 9:6-7)... Therefore we who
believe must continue to have faith and do what is just and fair and right, for
God never changes; as He was then, so will He bring deliverance now, and in the
future (Hebrews 10:23, 36)...
When David was on the run for his life,
for fear of King Saul, he was alone, and often turned away in hostility... Yet,
Ahimelech the priest obliged in fear in giving him nourishment with the
showbread, one of twelve unleavened breads placed at the temple, and eaten by
the Levite priests in the presence of God, at the end of each week... In the
New Testament, Jesus Christ cited this incident to point out that the Pharisees
were inconsistent in judging Him and His disciples for plucking ears of grain
on the Sabbath--when they were hungry--as being sin, when what David did in
eating bread was also a sin by Levitical law since only the priests are allowed
to eat it, yet, was not judged harshly... What the Word seems to point out was
that especially if people are innocent, yet their lives are threatened and in
danger because of persecution from tyrannical forces, it is the duty of God's
people to provide help and support... A very Christian thing, which seemed to
have become the basis for modern asylum laws, and even popularised by a movie
from our end, titled 'Quezon's Game'... Something to consider then, for those
of us today, who are struggling everyday, same as everyone, when we consider
that there might be more people who must not be judged quickly, for they may be
truly innocent, as opposed to how they are painted to be by rumor or social or
mass media, and it is the height of Christian mercy and sacrifice to welcome
them into our homes, and into the family of God...
Some people, who
question the Bible's commands against sexual immorality, often cite this chapter
as proof of homosexual relationship between David and Jonathan... Yet, many
Bible scholars say that it is absent of the Bible's own clear mentions of
intimate relationships, as explored with deep feelings and passionate wordings
in the Song of Songs, and with clear, emotionless wording in many other books
starting with Genesis until Revelation... Even the kissing part is actually
still being practiced in Middle Eastern cultures up to this day, as a form of
greeting among men... What is clear though is that the moment Jonathan first
laid eyes on David, particularly since the latter is good-looking and already
famous for his bravery, kindness, and talents, was a kind of love at first
sight, absent of sexual attraction... And both men are actually married at this
time, David to Michal, and Jonathan too, who even had children (one of whom was
Mephibosheth, who became crippled later when his nurse dropped him when running
for their lives, and whom David treated like his own son upon Jonathan's death,
and cared for the rest of his life)... Their friendship, though always the
subject for debate, particularly for those fighting for acceptance of the LGBT
community and the recognition of their rights and leadership within
Christianity, must then be understood as a soulful, yet non-sexual union... And
we who believe that the Bible is the consistent, enlightened, inerrant Word of
God, and which said that sexual immorality is sin, and same-sex relations like
in Sodom and Gomorrah are forbidden, must believe that the same Spirit speaks
here... Yes, the Word sanctions really close friendships between people of the
same sex, so that they may help each other, particularly in things only people
of the same sex can understand, the kind we normally classify as girl-talk or boy-talk,
as Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, "Two are better than one, because they have a
good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the
other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up."...
And, in a familial setting such as God's church or the body of Christ, it is
necessary that there be at least one person each of us can confide our deepest
issues and concerns with, for even David himself said, in Proverbs 18:24,
"One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend
who sticks closer than a brother."... We all need at least one friend, a
soul-mate, with whom our souls must be united in service, worship and praise to
our Almighty God, and with whom we can share the rest of our journey under His leading
and guidance...
Despite all of David's loyalty and
faithfulness to Saul, the insecure king still attempted to murder him many
times... Yet, the care and support of those who loved David saved his life each
time... Too often, the enemies of God's children are like this... They cannot
accept the fact that God's Spirit dwells in, prospers, fills to overflowing and
enriches the lives of those who are obedient to Him and His way of life, and
they do everything they can to destroy them--by intrigues, fake news,
harassment, insults, abuses... Yet, like our spiritual father David, if we
trust in God, worship and serve Him faithfully, and do all we can to live and
abide by His Word in righteousness, God will always deliver us, and even send
people our way--be they family, friends, brethren in the faith, and even total
strangers--to support and help us... May we increase our faith, and live it
with our words and works daily...
A decade ago, the Harvard Business
Review called similar situations as what King Saul did to David, 'setting up to
fail', in which an insecure leader or boss plots and does all he or she can in
order to destroy the career path, the reputation and credibility, and the
self-esteem and confidence of those they think are fast catching up to or
getting equal to them in rank and position, or whom they perceive are actually
performing better than them at work... And my generation and the succeeding
ones after, the Millennials and Digital Natives, still fall victim to these--at
school, in the community, and most especially at work... Especially in these
times of crisis, nowhere has it been more pronounced that those who have come
before, are doing all they can to block the ideas and initiatives of the new
generation who can do better and more efficiently, even harassing, name-calling
and tagging them, in order to remove them out of the way, since they perceive
them as challenging their hold on power and entitlements... Yet, like David,
nobody can stop the rise of those whom God has blessed to lead His people into
a new and better future... Nobody can stop initiatives and movements which the
times call to lead humanity to a more equitable, just, fair, abundant and
sustainable existence... And so, to those who fall victims to these abuses,
harassments and oppression, may we take heart, and be encouraged by the Apostle
Paul's words in Galatians 6:9, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for
at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up"... And to
those who maliciously and cruelly set up perceived challengers to fail, may we
have the humility to be convicted and change our ways, and instead be
encouragers and willing supporters to those whom we must leave a good legacy,
because in the end, all our machinations will fail, as what Joseph the dreamer who
became Governor of Egypt, said best, in Genesis 50:20, "You intended to
harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the
saving of many lives."... And so...
One of the greatest acts of heroism
in the Old Testament, and something that resonates to all people of whatever
faith and nationality, throughout all ages and generations, is the story of
David killing Goliath with a sling and stone (a pre-historic hunting weapon,
according to anthropologists, used widely across Africa and Eurasia along with
stone tools, and even before the invention of metallic implements like knives,
swords and axes), and cutting the giant's head off with his own sword... May we
realize that all the troubles we encounter in life--be they problems, situations,
difficulties, illnesses, pain and suffering, insults and persecutions,
bully/cruel/mean/wicked people (who seek to destroy our faith, relationships
and self-esteem), and oppressive nations (who desire to conquer and steal our
resources, land and seas)--are 'Goliaths', which with God's spirit and power,
we will defeat, overcome and conquer... And so may we have the faith of the
'then' - boy-soldier David, as we say, "The Lord who rescued me from the
paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this
Philistine... You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come
against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of
Israel... This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you
down and cut off your head... All those gathered here will know that it is not
by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he
will give all of you into our hands.” (v. 37, 45-47)...
When God chose David as King, He
aptly selected somebody who was trained as a responsible shepherd, a talented
musician, a protector and keeper, a valiant or courageous man, and prudent with
(most probably financial and material) things; and more, because he was
good-looking too, not refined and fair-skinned, because he is ruddy or
reddish-skinned (or pinkish-brown in our terms today), from being out in the
fields all day, tending to his father's sheep... And even Jesus Christ
elsewhere in the Word, testified that He is like David (who was his biological
ancestor) in being a good shepherd... David too, would later pen the Psalms,
the largest collection in the Word of praise and prayer songs to God... The
rest of the book and the others after it narrates in great length about his
life and rule, but for now, so much can be learned already, such as: God chose
a leader who has a true heart for those under his care; somebody who has full
trust and confidence in Him, giving him courage to fight (lions, and later,
giants), as testified by Saul's servant; but with a gentle heart to care for
sheep, and talent put to good use in playing music to soothe his soul, and
bring healing to the bothered, harassed and burdened spirits of those around
him; and somebody who is financially and materially prudent (as again testified
by the servant), because later on in the Word, we will learn that in old age,
he is able to honestly and faithfully amass and save more than enough resources
for God's people to build Him a glorious temple, with in fact so much more left
over for his later son and heir to also build a glorious Palace too... Such
should be our model of leaders today, whether in the spiritual, secular or
political spheres--people who have their hearts and minds in the right place,
for these they have aligned to the will of God, and with humility to obey Him,
to attribute glory to Him alone, and not let themselves get puffed up with
pride and greed... May we not be misled by what we see now, by the trappings of
the world, and the difficulties we face, in failing to see and hear what we
must learn, because, "... the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his
appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at
the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord
looks at the heart.'" (v. 7)... We can pray for God to give us these kinds
of leaders, or we can submit ourselves to Him so He will mold us to become this
kind too, for we are all leaders--to our families and friends, to our school,
workplaces, neighborhood and communities, and as such, tasked with the
challenging yet rewarding duty to influence people for good, and leading them
to do what is right...
Far be it that God
should order anybody to commit genocide, but His command to King Saul to
destroy the Amalekites was a test of faith, for which the king failed yet
again, showing that he desired and lusted after the spoils, the material
things, and the people whom he may have been thinking to add to his slaves and
subjects... No matter if he offered sacrifices unto God, which God was very
much aware to be just tokens, not wholehearted worship... For these words
remain timeless even now and throughout eternity, thus, "But Samuel
replied: 'Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in
obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than
the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance
like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he
has rejected you as king.' " (v. 22-23)... And so may we learn today that
no matter the size of our offering, no matter how much we give to charity, if
we do not live according to His will and plan for us, if we disobey His
commandments, then we are rejecting Him and His authority over our lives; and the
worst and ultimate misfortune will happen to us, because unless we repent and
reform, He will reject us too... And no matter what we do, even if we become so
rich and successful, our lives will still amount to nothing in His eyes... Such
terrible judgment indeed, so that may we learn the lesson and choose what is
truly right and good, according to Him who knows us best...
There is so much to
learn about the leadership of King Saul... He was fierce, mighty, even ruthless
against the enemies, so that he was able to start building the independent
kingdom of Israel at that time... Fitting attributes for a leader which the
times call for... And yet, at certain key moments, he exposes his flaws... He
delayed attacking, yet at the instance when he wanted to, he initiated building
an altar to call on God and seek an answer to his current predicament...
Predictably, God did not answer, because his offering was not done respectfully
in the proper manner, and by the right people... He issues decrees without
first considering the situation of his people if they might be hungry or
exhausted; and the people seemed to start disobeying him, so much so that when
Jonathan led the way and was about to be punished, the people defended him...
Often, even in people of position and authority today, insensitivity can make a
leader lose the proper timing and opportunity to bring the group or
organization to success and security; and failures in judgment could never be
rectified by quick fix solutions; because at its core, these issues must be addressed
on the heart and attitude of the leader, and his ability to consider his
people, to be inclusive of their personalities, contributions and ideas, and to
do all he can to develop their potential, yet giving them commensurate
resources, compensation, and rest in return, uphold their rights, and promote
their well being... These goals can only come if the leader has humility and
wisdom, a heart to care for and protect his people, and a full awareness that
in any endeavor, it is not the numbers that matter, but the people... The
people are the means by which a leader exhibits leadership and stewardship; and
no matter how lofty the goals may be, or how astounding the success of the task
may have become, but if the people are ignored, abused and disrespected, there
will be an erosion of their respect and support on the leader too... Still...
The start of King Saul's downfall was his impatience in seeking
God's favor of granting them victory against their enemy... Or it could be that
the Prophet Samuel purposely took his time coming because he wants to test
Saul's faith... But what we learned early on in Saul's life when he sought
Samuel as a seer then, to help find their missing animals, was sadly, he did
not change from a man who only considers what is in front of him and not what
lies ahead... He did not equip his people and army with proper weapons, not
ensuring they have proper forges and skillful smiths for their tools and
implements... Sadly, in many areas of life even today, there are only too few
people who grow into the kind of person their position or station in life calls
for... We see people who grew up spoiled, lazy and indulgent, coming into
positions of leadership and authority, and they still continue to exhibit the
traits they grew up with... And on a personal note, this is one trait talked
about elsewhere by Benjamin Franklin, when he said that many people
overestimate the value of things and overestimate people... for the baser part
of human nature is that people don't really change old habits, unless something
drastic happens to them... And so, unless we learn the lesson from King Saul's
life that rising to the occasion of what life has called us to take
responsibility for needs for us to abandon our old habits and beliefs and
become new people--humble, teachable, obedient and empathetic--God will not be
able to successfully grant us wisdom, courage and strength to face today's
challenges and tomorrow's too... Still...
Samuel's valedictory
address is something we all can learn from even today... No self-promotion but
a clear accounting of who he is, what was his calling, and what he has done...
And unlike many present-day leaders who can't seem to let go of the power,
privilege and position (even if the people they are ruling do not have trust
and confidence in them anymore), since he was born for it, he lived for it, and
he will continue to be a prophet for God's people; and be their faithful
intercessor and prayer-warrior; since he is one whom God calls, hears and talks
with face to face... And though in their time, the people are rejecting God's
monarchy in exchange for human monarchy, the ball now falls in the hands of the
people and in the hand of the King or ruler they have chosen; as what Samuel
reminded, "As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord
by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and
right. But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your
heart;consider what great things he has done for you. Yet if you persist in
doing evil, both you and your king will perish.”(v. 23-25)...the spiritual
leader never stops praying for the people for the rest of his life; the people
to never forget God's goodness to them, and continue to faithfully obey Him;
and the ruler too, as one and equal with the people and their prime
example--with no excuse in being unique and never should be entitled to bad
thoughts, words and behavior--as a community and individually, live a life that
shows God's anointing, wisdom and guidance... May we all fulfill the roles we
have all been called to do today and the rest of our days...
No grudges... Which we all should learn from
in the pages of King Saul's book as he was beginning to reign, despite him
saving the people from their enemy--Nahash and his Ammonite army--among those
he saved of which were the ones who doubted his qualification and credibility
as king... This lesson is something really apt for these times, as many
political analysts and social scientists say that the pandemic has eroded
democracy and human rights, so that any critic of autocratic and even so-called
democratic governments are attacked and even killed, in order to maintain the
legitimacy of repressive regimes... If a nation, which God established to be a
beacon in the holy land during its time, could have a leader who upholds that
(no matter if he has a bad rap throughout Christian history for his later
attacks against a young challenger who respected and loved him so much not to
even lift a finger against him), we who are alive today in seemingly more
enlightened times should learn not to slide back to inhumane, foolish,
ignorant, childish ways of hitting back and taking revenge on critics... For
not all criticism is bad, many are only seeking to improve us and have us prove
we can do more... May we have the eyes to see, the ears to hear, the hearts to
humbly take heed and obey, no matter our gender, no matter our status, no
matter our age...
The Word has an
illustration for us on how it is when God's Spirit dwells in a person, just
like what happened to Saul after Samuel anointed him king: the person is molded
in character, equipped to fulfill his tasks in the work of God's kingdom on
earth, and enabled to prophesy or declare to all about God's Word and work, His
power and glory, His will and truth... And there will always be the so-called
sons of 'Belial' - - the adversary or the evil one, which in Hebrew actually
means, 'wicked and worthless' - - to criticize, ridicule, sow doubt and
confusion, do not believe, and cause others to stumble and do not believe
too... Yet, we learn from the then response of the future King Saul, who 'kept
his peace'... Indeed, the human mind is wired to get back at attackers, even
verbal ones, as a matter of preservation, yet, it is a worthwhile attitude to
most often let these things go, for if we truly consider ourselves as children
of God, children of the one true King, then it is a virtue worth pursuing, to
overlook an offense (Proverbs 19:11), and ignore criticisms and attacks,
especially if what one is doing is right by God's standards as revealed in His
Word... For the moment when one is confrontational, that takes away from the
inner peace we all receive from the Prince of Peace when we accepted Him as
Lord and Master of our lives... And it often takes a lifetime for many of us to
grow into this, with many more lapses and mistakes along the way, but every
little step we take to control our pride and temper takes us closer and closer
to being like Him, in whose image we were made...
An introductory
profile of Israel's first king... Here we are given a short background of the
future King Saul, how he was a very tall, good looking person, who came from a
family of wealth and recognition, his father being known as a mighty man of
power... After looking for the family's animals and unsuccessfully finding them
even though accompanied by a family servant, he was induced to ask of such
things from a Seer, or a Prophet... And after meeting and getting to know
Samuel, and being told that God has something great, a leadership position, in
store for him, brought up that he considered his tribe and family the least and
smallest... Here we realize that though physically, Saul has the bearing of a
leader, yet mentally, he still has some insecurities. Also, a leader is someone
who sees the bigger picture, yet his purpose in looking for the seer was to
inquire about his animals, and not to ask God's guidance, so we get to know a
bit that he is more concerned with what's in front of him, rather more than
what's ahead... Although that could prove his care and concern for the family's
possessions and livelihood... The Bible is silent what Samuel communed with him
on the top of the house, but it may have been Saul's heart-to-heart
interview... It is still too early in the story to say, yet even for us today,
may we learn that everything in life actually has long-lasting and even eternal
implications. May we set our hearts to see the bigger picture, to look at
what's far ahead, so that we will be guided to make the right decisions today,
so we will be encouraged to have a wider and clearer view of things, and be
mindful of the consequences of our words, our choices and our actions..
Words written so long
ago are still being proven true today: when people reject God's Word and His
authority over their lives, at the outset they might think they are free, but
soon they realize that the alternative has become their reality--being enslaved
by ruthless and tyrannical masters... For sin, corruption, immorality, anarchy,
and lawlessness are the moral and political consequences of greed, selfishness,
lust and pride... and these are the cruelest masters of all, for they do not
only take life, they destroy the soul and spirit, and break down relationships,
communities and institutions too... May we learn from the lessons of ancient
Israel, repent and turn back to God; for He is Merciful... Either way, He
delivers, and when like Jesus, our cups of suffering must be borne, His will is
always done, and He will always strengthen and enable us to endure and fulfill
His plan humbly, gracefully, gloriously, and well, like His good servants...
When the Israelites
humbled themselves, repented of their stubbornness, put away their idolatry,
and went back to serving God under the leadership of Samuel, true to His
promise as stated in Samuel's name, He heard them, gave them victory over their
enemies, and even restored their cities, which the Philistines have taken...
And Samuel, ever mindful that for a people with a history of pride and
stubbornness, a visual reminder is a proper thing for them, to always remember
these truths, set up a stone, Ebenezer, the stone of help... So the people
might not forget that it is not by their strength or power or uniqueness and
skill, but God alone who helped them... So may we also in this time today, always
remember, that unless we humble ourselves before Him, listen to godly advice
and wisdom, repent of our idolatry and stubbornness, and live faithfully and
diligently for Him, dedicating our efforts and the fruits of our labor to Him
in pure worship, though it is His promise to bless us, God may not be able to
bless and help us... For after all, the humble and obedient heart is the only
one open for His grace and presence, while the heart puffed up in pride and
self-centeredness is far from His goodness and mercy... May we make the wiser
choice everyday, before we run out of time and chances...
We read today that
even if the Philistines returned the Ark, offering along with it golden images
representing the plagues and pestilence its hostage brought upon their people, still
when some people in Beth-shemesh looked down on it (out of curiosity most
assuredly, or misplaced desire on the gold things the Philistines placed along
with it), God struck many of them dead... We realize then that our relationship
with God may have arisen out of our need for Him in our lives, but going about
it is dependent on our deep respect for Him, and obedience in how He wants us
to act... Yes, we can be perfect and righteous in front of others; we can have
perfect families, careers, talents, adventures, be eloquent at speaking,
especially at expounding His Word or preaching it, but without His presence in
us, leading us to live the way He wants us to, we are still lost souls... Yes,
indeed, no matter all possessions and wealth we may have, but just one missed
breath, in the twinkling of an eye, by accident, or freak circumstance, our
lives can be taken away, and what do we have to really show for it?... And
those of us who have faith in a life after death, how have we prepared for it?
Are we sure about our relationship with Him, and with the people He sends our
way?... He doesn't need our gold to make sure we get healed or to bless us: He
wants our hearts in humility, and our lives in faithful obedience, so that
instead of spiritual death, we may live with Him forever in His kingdom,
wherever that may be, or how long may its actualization be in coming...
Nobody takes God's
Name and His work in vain... Sadly, too often since the time of the prophet
Samuel and even until now, some of us who claim to be known by His Name think
that if we just brandish about to the world how we are doing good by the work
He has assigned us to do, without bothering to settle ourselves inwardly and
making sure that we walk the talk, we think we are already successful in it...
To put it plainly, some call themselves Christians, and claim to be doing His
work but without actually being convicted and subjecting themselves to the
transforming power of His Word and presence... Worse, there have been some who
think they can justify impertinence, rudeness, fraud and abuse by using His
Name, and claim to have His authority in manipulating others to do their
selfish whims... As what the Philistines learned too horribly, God will always
have the whole upper hand with His blasphemers and false disciples... That is
why though suffering is something that all of us sometimes go through, it is
worthwhile to examine ourselves if we have not offended Him in any way, or made
light of His gift of salvation, and the work of His ministry which He has
assigned to us... For only by being at peace with God, can we truly be at one
with Him, and in fellowship with the brethren around the world...
God is not an ATM for
blessings, favors, victories, and grace... He is not at our beck-and-call. We
cannot dictate to Him what to do for us, nor can we deafen Him to approval and
granting what we want by repeating our memorized prayers over and over in one
or two sittings, or twist His arm so that we can be sure He gives us what we
ask for... Like what the Israelites learned too tragically and painfully during
Eli and Samuel's time and as what the Word says over and over, we must listen
to Him, humbly pray and present our petitions before Him, and obey His commands
not so we can gain His favor, but because we love Him and are thankful for His
salvation and mercy. We must live our lives according to His will, because even
though He is a miracle-working God, all too often the answers to our prayers
happen not when we receive what we want, but it is when we let Him transform our
lives first, and mold our characters to be like Him, we realize that He had
been granting us our requests the whole time, and so much more...
How blessed it would
be, for people like Samuel, whom God calls, talks to, and reveals His plans,
even when they were still children... And yet, we can always make the choice
now, to follow suit, to talk to Him always in prayer, to read what He has said
to us before through His Word, and to give Him quite times today to hear what
He wants to say to us now... And may we have the humble attitude of Eli, who,
in spite of whatever our God may have in store for us and for our
future--whether good or painful, told Samuel, "He is the Lord: let Him do
what seems good to Him." (v. 18)
Image from: www.axnent.com
MAY
TO AUGUST 2021
Image from: www.abc.net.au
(Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
(COVERING THE BOOKS OF 1 SAMUEL, CHAPTER 3, TO
PSALMS, CHAPTER 7 - KJV)
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