Brian Miller Group Blog

In the second Book of Kings, as witnessed by the prophet Jeremiah, the divided nation of Israel and Judah under the leadership of faithless kings continue to suffer for their failure to repent and humble themselves before the One Living God, YHWH.

2 KIngs 17: 7-8 "All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods and followed the practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced."

Prophets repeatedly warned the people that the judgment of God was at hand, but they would not see the truth before them despite the nation's steep decline as they were overrun by the evil practices and idols of alien nations. God allowed the evil Assyrians (Modern day Iran) and Babylonians (Modern day Iraq) to overtake both Israel (In the north) and Judah (In the south).

Despite God's just punishment on his chosen people, he still loved them and assured them in, 2 Kings 8:19 “Nevertheless, for the sake of his servant David, the LORD was not willing to destroy Judah. He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever.”  This was the promise of Christ Jesus' first coming.

Many people, including some believers, can not understand justice to mean severe punishment, suffering, and death for their sins under a loving God. God's holiness demands justice. We, as humans, choose our relationship with God and whether or not to obey Him. God chose to send His Only Son Jesus to face severe punishment, suffering, and death for three days to justly pay for our sins. What joy we can taste when we see how much love we have in Jesus and our Holy Father for this act...  

Master and slave alike: he who has ears let him hear and he who has eyes let him see... 

Acts 17:30,31  "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."  -Amen

As did David, Solomon shadowed his father's deadly weakness for women that ultimately sowed seeds of idolatry within the kingdom as it was written in 1 Kings. David's affair with Bathsheba led to the murder of her first husband, the sacrifice of their first-born son, ongoing battles, and relinquishment of the the first Temple construction to his son, Solomon.

Because of God's loving covenant and mercy, King Solomon constructed the first Temple and reigned over the united nation of Israel. However,  Solomon's love for his royal concubines outgrew his love for the Lord. King Solomon welcomed foreign idols out of love for his ever-growing number of wives from foreign lands. In his God-blessed wisdom, Solomon reigned over a  prosperous kingdom and witnessed the successful completion of the Temple within seven years, Unfortunately, Solomon also yielded to worldly passions and built his own house that was costly and took 13 years to finish.  In this time, the nation suffered from the wrong associations of people through marriage and friendships that led to evil before the Holy eyes of the Lord. The kingdom eventually fractured into opposing houses of Judah and Israel. Kings arose after Solomon who were increasingly idolatrous and evil. The adulterous Jezebel led many Israelites to turn away from God and worship Baal. The great and faithful prophet, Elijah, arose during the increasingly impoverished and drought-stricken times of the broken nation. He called the spiritually-dry Israelites to turn back to the one and living God. Many believers followed Elijah to Mount Carmel to witness the Glory of God in great fire and rain that ultimately led Jezebel into the wilderness to die.

As believers in Christ, we must, "... not be misled by bad company that corrupts good character" (I Corinthians 15:33).

Also, despite Elijah’s faith and victorious trial on Mount Carmel,  joy turned to sorrow when he was tormented by the condemned Jezebel- leading him to flee for His Life. We as believers in Christ Jesus must always vigilantly guard against the onslaught of discouragement and depression by the enemy. We must continue to pray for our Holy Father's strength in the darker experiences of this Christian Life.    

Be forever encouraged: "... we have this treasure (the truth of the Gospel) in earthen vessels (our bodies) , that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. Troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus might also be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus might also be made manifest in our mortal flesh."  (Corinthians 4:7-11)   - Amen.

At the end of the times of the judges, in the land of Canaan, the Israelites failed to see God as their true King- the only King they would ever need. Instead, they asked the prophet and last judge, Samuel, to  find a man who would uphold the nation of Israel. Although this displeased God, he loved the Israelites so much that he raised up Saul and ultimately David as their leaders.

 “But when they said, ‘Give us a king to lead us,’ this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him: ‘Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king’” (1 Samuel 8: 6-7).

The rejection of the one living King, YHWH, patterned the sinful blindness and behavior that would lead to the rejection and crucifixion of Christ Jesus for our salvation. 

The inherent flaws of mankind, rebellion and pride, eventually lead Saul to destruction. The righteous characteristics of humility, faith, and worship lead David to prepare for the building of the Holy Temple with God's blessings, Because David was,"... a man after God's own heart"   (1 Samuel 13:14).

Overcoming the rebellion of our flesh and seeking to please God through repentance and obediance ensures that we are following  the One True King and will Live Eternally in the KIngdom of Heaven.  

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. " Revelation 22: 14 -Amen

 

In the Book of Ruth, you can see how God's sovereign plan unfolds to bring a woman out of an idolatrous land, Moab, to Bethlehem, the future place of Jesus' Holy birth. Sin and famine cause Ruth to seek a new home and a new life through the help of a kinsman-redeemer named Boaz, who is faithful to God and just in his care of his family. (The pattern of Christ with those who believe in him.) 

Ruth increasingly devoted to the Israelite faith of her mother-in-law, Naomi, trusted God wholeheartedly to guide and provide for them for a greater purpose. (The eventual lineage of King David and ultimately, Christ Jesus. Matthew 1:5) The key to Ruth's success was her noble living and hard work to obey God.

We, as the body of Christ, should aspire to be as honorable as Ruth- to act faithfully and have peace in knowing our Holy Father has a plan for us that is greater than anything we can see or imagine despite our present worldly circumstances- Amen.            

Judges 21:25  “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.”

In the Book of Judges, the good works of our holy God during the time of Joshua were forgotten. The Israelites disobeyed and committed idolatry.  Their sins led to many failures. In God's eternal love and faithfulness, the Israelites were never forsaken as long as they repented for their evil. God always kept his promise to Abraham to protect and bless his children.

God did allow the Israelites to suffer the consequences of their idolatrous  behavior. The people of God would cry out to Him for help. The Judges (Such as Samson), as selected by God, lead those who repented in righteous living although many often turned back to idolatry over and over. God remained faithful to them for almost 500 years. 

God’s compassion despite their sin was a foreshadow of  Jesus on the cross. Christ died to save His people-the believers. 

1 Corinthians 1:8-9  “He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.”

In the Book of Joshua, Joshua believed God's promises and successfully led nearly one million Israelites into the Promised Land. God warned His Children to totally destroy the Enemy as to prevent leaving "roots" and "seed" for future rebellion and destruction. The twelve tribes became distracted by pleasing themselves first over obediance to God. They also tolerated the Canaanites and their evil ways in the land.

Joshua recognized the danger of their liberal approach to the Canaanites. God's people were tempted to put the LIving God second and serve the Canaanite idols of  Baal (god of pleasure), Molech (god of sex), and Mammon (god of money)

Joshua confronted the Israelites in Joshua 24:15, Choose you this day whom you will serve,...but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord." To  serve God first, we manifest his World of enduring Joy and prosperity. 

Jesus also reminds us of this lesson from Joshua in Matthew 6:33, Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. -Amen

In Deuteronomy 3:21 Moses shares his final word as directed by our Holy Father on the future leadership of the Israelites as they approach their Promised Land . Moses encouraged his leading general, Joshua.  The young leader was reminded (similar to how the Book of Deuteronomy reminds us today) how God fights for his children. The Lord was also going ahead of them to fight and secure their destiny. “‘Do not fear them (the enemy), for the LORD your God is the one fighting for you.’” (Deuteronomy 3:22). Joshua and each of us are to always live by faith rather than fear.

The Book of Deuteronomy demonstrates how God has shared in our past struggles and ultimate victories reminding us of his great strength. Just as the aged Moses was ordered to yield his increasingly feeble authority to the younger Joshua, we must humble ourselves before our Holy Father and give our battles to Him who endures through the ages.

1 Peter 5:6-7   "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."
 -Amen