During the drought, Elijah had been instructed by God to stay by a stream where he was miraculously cared for. When the stream dried up, the Lord told him to move on, this time to the village of Zarephath where he was led to the home of a widow. Because the woman trusted in God’s provision in first serving Elijah from the last of her food supply, He caused her containers of flour and oil to last and last. Elijah delivered the Lord’s message to her: “There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!” (I Kings 17:14b, NLT).
But then her son became sick and then died. The widow immediately blamed herself: “O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to point out my sins and kill my son?” (I Kings 17:18b). The enemy wanted this poor widow to believe that her sins had caused her son’s death.
But, as Jesus told the disciples when they asked why the man was born blind, “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him” (John 9:3b).
Elijah turned to the tormented widow and said, “‘Give me your son.’ And he took the child’s body from her arms, carried him up the stairs to the room where he was staying, and laid the body on his bed. Then Elijah cried out to the Lord, ‘O Lord my God, why have you brought tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?’” (I Kings 17:19-20).
“And he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the Lord, ‘O Lord my God, please let this child’s life return to him.’ The Lord heard Elijah’s prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived! Then Elijah brought him down from the upper room and gave him to his mother” (I Kings 17:21-23a).
What began as a horrible tragedy ended as a time of rejoicing. Had the child not died, Elijah would never have called on the Lord to restore him to life. Had the child never been restored to life, the widow and all those living around her would never have seen this mighty act of God. There is purpose even in those things we find impossible to understand.
“It is not a question of God allowing or not allowing things to happen. It is part of living. Some things we do to ourselves, other things we do to each other. Our Father knows about every bird which falls to the ground, but He does not always prevent it from falling. What are we to learn from this? That our response to what happens is more important than what happens. Here is a mystery: one man’s experience drives him to curse God, while another man’s identical experience drives him to bless God. Your response to what happens is more important than what happens.” (Chip Brodgen)
“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern.” (Elisabeth Kübler-Ross)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
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Monday, December 30, 2013
MONDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Asa was still ruling Judah when Ahab became king of Israel. Remember, Ahab “married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and he began to bow down in worship of Baal” (I Kings 16:31b, NLT).
The prophet Elijah had the task of warning Ahab and the people of Israel of God’s impending judgment against them. One of the warning signs was a drought. “Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, ‘As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives – the God I serve – there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!’” (I Kings 17:1). The people of Israel may have turned away from God, but they were still His possession and His demand for loyalty was never going to change.
After Elijah had delivered the Lord’s message to Ahab, “the Lord said to Elijah, ‘Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food’” (I Kings 17:2-4).
Elijah knew his words would anger the arrogant, godless king, but before he had even had time to consider his next act, God had already prepared a hiding place for him and even the provision of food and water. “So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook. But after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land” (I Kings 17:5-7).
Now was it time to panic? Nope. Don’t ever worry about God not being prepared for your next need – He’s so far ahead of you on provision planning, it could hurt your brain just to think about it! Just as with Elijah.
It was time to move on. There’s a word for somebody reading this. Don’t sit and mope when God already has a brand new blessing in place for you. Maybe not where you want it or when you want it, but absolutely perfect in His own time and will.
“Then the Lord said to Elijah, ‘Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.’ So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, ‘Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?’ As she was going to get it, he called to her, ‘Bring me a bite of bread, too’” (I Kings 17:8-11).
Elijah’s request may not sound like a tall order to us, but remember, a drought had been going on for some time now. No rain meant no crops; and no crops meant no food; and no food meant both humans and animals were starving.
Hearing Elijah’s request for bread, the widow told him, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die” (I Kings 17:12).
This woman wasn’t being pathetic. She was simply resigned to the fate that she realized was inevitable for her and her son. Ah, but God had a different plan just around the corner.
Beloved, God is the God of the Impossible. When things look the darkest, He is the Light. When your life’s without hope, He’s the Hope of the Hopeless. This precious widow was about to learn a great truth: when we see life falling apart, God sees things coming together. That’s a wonderful truth for all of us to hang onto.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
The prophet Elijah had the task of warning Ahab and the people of Israel of God’s impending judgment against them. One of the warning signs was a drought. “Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, ‘As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives – the God I serve – there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!’” (I Kings 17:1). The people of Israel may have turned away from God, but they were still His possession and His demand for loyalty was never going to change.
After Elijah had delivered the Lord’s message to Ahab, “the Lord said to Elijah, ‘Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food’” (I Kings 17:2-4).
Elijah knew his words would anger the arrogant, godless king, but before he had even had time to consider his next act, God had already prepared a hiding place for him and even the provision of food and water. “So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook. But after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land” (I Kings 17:5-7).
Now was it time to panic? Nope. Don’t ever worry about God not being prepared for your next need – He’s so far ahead of you on provision planning, it could hurt your brain just to think about it! Just as with Elijah.
It was time to move on. There’s a word for somebody reading this. Don’t sit and mope when God already has a brand new blessing in place for you. Maybe not where you want it or when you want it, but absolutely perfect in His own time and will.
“Then the Lord said to Elijah, ‘Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.’ So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, ‘Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?’ As she was going to get it, he called to her, ‘Bring me a bite of bread, too’” (I Kings 17:8-11).
Elijah’s request may not sound like a tall order to us, but remember, a drought had been going on for some time now. No rain meant no crops; and no crops meant no food; and no food meant both humans and animals were starving.
Hearing Elijah’s request for bread, the widow told him, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die” (I Kings 17:12).
This woman wasn’t being pathetic. She was simply resigned to the fate that she realized was inevitable for her and her son. Ah, but God had a different plan just around the corner.
Beloved, God is the God of the Impossible. When things look the darkest, He is the Light. When your life’s without hope, He’s the Hope of the Hopeless. This precious widow was about to learn a great truth: when we see life falling apart, God sees things coming together. That’s a wonderful truth for all of us to hang onto.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
BARGAINS OF THE DAY!
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Sunday, December 29, 2013
SUNDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Israel had become a nation of godless idolaters with a constantly changing series of disconnected rulers. Meanwhile, Asa of David’s lineage ruled “all the people of Judah and Benjamin, along with the people of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them. For many from Israel had moved to Judah during Asa’s reign when they saw that the Lord his God was with him” (II Chronicles 15:9b, NLT).
The one noteworthy thing about Omri’s time as king of Israel is that he “bought the hill now known as Samaria from its owner, Shemer, for 150 pounds of silver. He built a city on it and called the city Samaria in honor of Shemer” (I Kings 16:24), which explains how Israel’s capital changed from Tirzah to Samaria.
But things in Israel were going from bad to worse: “When Omri died, he was buried in Samaria. Then his son Ahab became the next king” (I Kings 16:28).
Talk about a way not to be remembered: “Ahab son of Omri began to rule over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twenty-two years. But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, even more than any of the kings before him. And as though it were not enough to follow the example of Jeroboam, he married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and he began to bow down in worship of Baal” (I Kings 16:29-31).
The king who “did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, even more than any of the kings before him” married the woman whose very name became synonymous with whoredom. In Ahab’s case, it certainly wasn’t an opposite that attracted him, but one who was very much like himself. Already on a path of evil, the addition of Jezebel into his life moved him farther and faster down the slippery slope.
“First Ahab built a temple and an altar for Baal in Samaria. Then he set up an Asherah pole. He did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him” (I Kings 16:32-33).
Stating Ahab “did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, even more than any of the kings before him” was not enough to describe the extent of this man’s sinfulness. The Bible adds a second descriptive paragraph. He not only did more evil than any other king, but “He did more to provoke the anger of the Lord.” It was as though Ahab’s actions were deliberate flaunts in the face of Almighty God.
“Then he set up an Asherah pole.” What had the Lord told His people? “When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are about to enter and occupy, He will clear away many nations ahead of you… When the Lord your God hands these nations over to you and you conquer them, you must completely destroy them. Make no treaties with them and show them no mercy. You must not intermarry with them. …for they will lead your children away from Me to worship other gods. Then the anger of the Lord will burn against you… This is what you must do. You must break down their pagan altars and shatter their sacred pillars. Cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols. For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 7:1a, 2, 3a, 4a, 5-6a).
It’s back to housecleaning, brothers and sisters. Whatever occupies your heart more than worshiping and serving the Lord – one of which can’t be done without the other – is an idol. Tear it down. Cut it out. Remove it from your heart, mind and sight.
“Idolatry is having any false god – any object, idea, philosophy, habit, occupation, sport, or whatever that has one’s primary concern and loyalty or that to any degree decreases one’s trust in and loyalty to the Lord.” (John MacArthur)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
The one noteworthy thing about Omri’s time as king of Israel is that he “bought the hill now known as Samaria from its owner, Shemer, for 150 pounds of silver. He built a city on it and called the city Samaria in honor of Shemer” (I Kings 16:24), which explains how Israel’s capital changed from Tirzah to Samaria.
But things in Israel were going from bad to worse: “When Omri died, he was buried in Samaria. Then his son Ahab became the next king” (I Kings 16:28).
Talk about a way not to be remembered: “Ahab son of Omri began to rule over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twenty-two years. But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, even more than any of the kings before him. And as though it were not enough to follow the example of Jeroboam, he married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and he began to bow down in worship of Baal” (I Kings 16:29-31).
The king who “did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, even more than any of the kings before him” married the woman whose very name became synonymous with whoredom. In Ahab’s case, it certainly wasn’t an opposite that attracted him, but one who was very much like himself. Already on a path of evil, the addition of Jezebel into his life moved him farther and faster down the slippery slope.
“First Ahab built a temple and an altar for Baal in Samaria. Then he set up an Asherah pole. He did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him” (I Kings 16:32-33).
Stating Ahab “did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, even more than any of the kings before him” was not enough to describe the extent of this man’s sinfulness. The Bible adds a second descriptive paragraph. He not only did more evil than any other king, but “He did more to provoke the anger of the Lord.” It was as though Ahab’s actions were deliberate flaunts in the face of Almighty God.
“Then he set up an Asherah pole.” What had the Lord told His people? “When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are about to enter and occupy, He will clear away many nations ahead of you… When the Lord your God hands these nations over to you and you conquer them, you must completely destroy them. Make no treaties with them and show them no mercy. You must not intermarry with them. …for they will lead your children away from Me to worship other gods. Then the anger of the Lord will burn against you… This is what you must do. You must break down their pagan altars and shatter their sacred pillars. Cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols. For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 7:1a, 2, 3a, 4a, 5-6a).
It’s back to housecleaning, brothers and sisters. Whatever occupies your heart more than worshiping and serving the Lord – one of which can’t be done without the other – is an idol. Tear it down. Cut it out. Remove it from your heart, mind and sight.
“Idolatry is having any false god – any object, idea, philosophy, habit, occupation, sport, or whatever that has one’s primary concern and loyalty or that to any degree decreases one’s trust in and loyalty to the Lord.” (John MacArthur)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Saturday, December 28, 2013
SATURDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Another quick recap: David’s son Solomon ruled all the tribes of Israel and was then succeeded by his son Rehoboam. Rehoboam’s arrogant attitude split the kingdom in fulfillment of God’s prophecy against Solomon’s idolatry. While Rehoboam ended up with kingship over two tribes – Judah and Benjamin, collectively known as Judah – Jeroboam was made king over the other ten tribes.
Rehoboam’s son Abijah (or Abijam) came next as king over Judah and then Abijah’s son Asa. He “began to rule over Judah in the twentieth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel. He reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. Asa did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, as his ancestor David had done” (I Kings 15:9-10a, 11, NLT). While David’s family continued to rule Judah, Israel’s kings were a different story.
Jeroboam died and his son Nadab became king; he was assassinated by Baasha. After Baasha died, his son Elah became king. While “Elah was getting drunk at the home of Arza, the supervisor of the palace. Zimri walked in and struck him down and killed him. Then Zimri became the next king” (I Kings 16:9b-10a, 10c).
“Zimri began to rule over Israel in the twenty-seventh year of King Asa’s reign in Judah, but his reign in Tirzah lasted only seven days. The army of Israel was then attacking the Philistine town of Gibbethon. When they heard that Zimri had committed treason and had assassinated the king, that very day they chose Omri, commander of the army, as the new king of Israel. So Omri led the entire army of Israel up from Gibbethon to attack Tirzah, Israel’s capital. When Zimri saw that the city had been taken, he went into the citadel of the palace and burned it down over himself and died in the flames” (I Kings 16:15-18).
So while Judah continued to live under the rule of Asa, Israel found itself with yet another new king, Omri. But the coronation of this king was anything but peaceful.
“But now the people of Israel were split into two factions. Half the people tried to make Tibni son of Ginath their king, while the other half supported Omri. But Omri’s supporters defeated the supporters of Tibni. So Tibni was killed, and Omri became the next king.
Omri began to rule over Israel in the thirty-first year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned twelve years in all, six of them in Tirzah. Then Omri bought the hill now known as Samaria from its owner, Shemer, for 150 pounds of silver. He built a city on it and called the city Samaria in honor of Shemer” (I Kings 16:21-24). And now you know how Samaria became the capital city of Israel instead of Tirzah. Jerusalem continued as capital of Judah.
“But Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, even more than any of the kings before him. He followed the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat in all the sins he had committed and led Israel to commit. The people provoked the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, with their worthless idols” (I Kings 16:25-26).
Things were going from bad to worse in Israel. But the worst was yet to come. “When Omri died, he was buried in Samaria. Then his son Ahab became the next king” (I Kings 16:28).
Israel had become a nation of godless idolaters. Asa ruled “all the people of Judah and Benjamin, along with the people of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them. For many from Israel had moved to Judah during Asa’s reign when they saw that the Lord his God was with him” (II Chronicles 15:9b).
“The Lord his God.” Asa was identified with the One True God. Folks, when you’re a genuine believer in Jesus Christ, you don’t need a bumper sticker or a t-shirt to say so. People see your life and know. Asa lived for the Lord and his genuineness drew others to him. Your sincere devotion to Christ will do likewise.
“For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing” (II Corinthians 2:15, NIV).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Rehoboam’s son Abijah (or Abijam) came next as king over Judah and then Abijah’s son Asa. He “began to rule over Judah in the twentieth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel. He reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. Asa did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, as his ancestor David had done” (I Kings 15:9-10a, 11, NLT). While David’s family continued to rule Judah, Israel’s kings were a different story.
Jeroboam died and his son Nadab became king; he was assassinated by Baasha. After Baasha died, his son Elah became king. While “Elah was getting drunk at the home of Arza, the supervisor of the palace. Zimri walked in and struck him down and killed him. Then Zimri became the next king” (I Kings 16:9b-10a, 10c).
“Zimri began to rule over Israel in the twenty-seventh year of King Asa’s reign in Judah, but his reign in Tirzah lasted only seven days. The army of Israel was then attacking the Philistine town of Gibbethon. When they heard that Zimri had committed treason and had assassinated the king, that very day they chose Omri, commander of the army, as the new king of Israel. So Omri led the entire army of Israel up from Gibbethon to attack Tirzah, Israel’s capital. When Zimri saw that the city had been taken, he went into the citadel of the palace and burned it down over himself and died in the flames” (I Kings 16:15-18).
So while Judah continued to live under the rule of Asa, Israel found itself with yet another new king, Omri. But the coronation of this king was anything but peaceful.
“But now the people of Israel were split into two factions. Half the people tried to make Tibni son of Ginath their king, while the other half supported Omri. But Omri’s supporters defeated the supporters of Tibni. So Tibni was killed, and Omri became the next king.
Omri began to rule over Israel in the thirty-first year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned twelve years in all, six of them in Tirzah. Then Omri bought the hill now known as Samaria from its owner, Shemer, for 150 pounds of silver. He built a city on it and called the city Samaria in honor of Shemer” (I Kings 16:21-24). And now you know how Samaria became the capital city of Israel instead of Tirzah. Jerusalem continued as capital of Judah.
“But Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, even more than any of the kings before him. He followed the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat in all the sins he had committed and led Israel to commit. The people provoked the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, with their worthless idols” (I Kings 16:25-26).
Things were going from bad to worse in Israel. But the worst was yet to come. “When Omri died, he was buried in Samaria. Then his son Ahab became the next king” (I Kings 16:28).
Israel had become a nation of godless idolaters. Asa ruled “all the people of Judah and Benjamin, along with the people of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them. For many from Israel had moved to Judah during Asa’s reign when they saw that the Lord his God was with him” (II Chronicles 15:9b).
“The Lord his God.” Asa was identified with the One True God. Folks, when you’re a genuine believer in Jesus Christ, you don’t need a bumper sticker or a t-shirt to say so. People see your life and know. Asa lived for the Lord and his genuineness drew others to him. Your sincere devotion to Christ will do likewise.
“For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing” (II Corinthians 2:15, NIV).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
BARGAINS OF THE DAY!
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Friday, December 27, 2013
FRIDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Asa’s rule over Judah was ticking right along. As God had promised David, David’s family was continuing to reign over God’s people, even though the kingdom had become divided and Asa’s reign was only over the Southern Kingdom of Judah, made up of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, plus those from other tribes who had deserted the tumultuous Northern Kingdom.
Meanwhile, the Northern Kingdom of Israel was going through leaders in a hurry. Jeroboam’s son Nadab was bumped off by Baasha. Baasha’s son Elah became king and then, while “Elah was getting drunk at the home of Arza, the supervisor of the palace. Zimri walked in and struck him down and killed him. Then Zimri became the next king” (I Kings 16:9b-10a, 10c, NLT).
“Zimri, who commanded half of the royal chariots” (I Kings 16:9a), wasn’t satisfied with his important position – he wanted the top spot, just as Jeroboam had. And to insure his job security once he’d gotten there, “Zimri immediately killed the entire royal family of Baasha” (I Kings 16:11a). In other words, Zimri had it made in the proverbial shade. Or did he?
“Zimri began to rule over Israel in the twenty-seventh year of King Asa’s reign in Judah, but his reign in Tirzah lasted only seven days. The army of Israel was then attacking the Philistine town of Gibbethon. When they heard that Zimri had committed treason and had assassinated the king, that very day they chose Omri, commander of the army, as the new king of Israel. So Omri led the entire army of Israel up from Gibbethon to attack Tirzah, Israel’s capital. When Zimri saw that the city had been taken, he went into the citadel of the palace and burned it down over himself and died in the flames” (I Kings 16:15-18).
Zimri had a great job, but he wanted a better one. And he wanted it badly enough to kill for it. He took the lives of countless members of Baasha’s family, just as Baasha had done to Jeroboam’s family. And for what? One miserable week as king.
Ambition can be a good thing or a bad thing. If your ambition encourages you to do your very best, that’s a good thing. But when ambition leads to envy, it’s unhealthy. Don’t be a criticizer; be an encourager.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly.” (Theodore Roosevelt)
“Many Christians estimate difficulties in the light of their own resources, and thus attempt little and often fail in the little they attempt. All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His power and presence with them.” (Hudson Taylor)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Meanwhile, the Northern Kingdom of Israel was going through leaders in a hurry. Jeroboam’s son Nadab was bumped off by Baasha. Baasha’s son Elah became king and then, while “Elah was getting drunk at the home of Arza, the supervisor of the palace. Zimri walked in and struck him down and killed him. Then Zimri became the next king” (I Kings 16:9b-10a, 10c, NLT).
“Zimri, who commanded half of the royal chariots” (I Kings 16:9a), wasn’t satisfied with his important position – he wanted the top spot, just as Jeroboam had. And to insure his job security once he’d gotten there, “Zimri immediately killed the entire royal family of Baasha” (I Kings 16:11a). In other words, Zimri had it made in the proverbial shade. Or did he?
“Zimri began to rule over Israel in the twenty-seventh year of King Asa’s reign in Judah, but his reign in Tirzah lasted only seven days. The army of Israel was then attacking the Philistine town of Gibbethon. When they heard that Zimri had committed treason and had assassinated the king, that very day they chose Omri, commander of the army, as the new king of Israel. So Omri led the entire army of Israel up from Gibbethon to attack Tirzah, Israel’s capital. When Zimri saw that the city had been taken, he went into the citadel of the palace and burned it down over himself and died in the flames” (I Kings 16:15-18).
Zimri had a great job, but he wanted a better one. And he wanted it badly enough to kill for it. He took the lives of countless members of Baasha’s family, just as Baasha had done to Jeroboam’s family. And for what? One miserable week as king.
Ambition can be a good thing or a bad thing. If your ambition encourages you to do your very best, that’s a good thing. But when ambition leads to envy, it’s unhealthy. Don’t be a criticizer; be an encourager.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly.” (Theodore Roosevelt)
“Many Christians estimate difficulties in the light of their own resources, and thus attempt little and often fail in the little they attempt. All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His power and presence with them.” (Hudson Taylor)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
BARGAINS OF THE DAY!
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Thursday, December 26, 2013
THURSDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
To summarize thus far, Solomon’s son Rehoboam succeeded him as king. Rehoboam arrogantly threatened the people with more labor and taxes when they asked if he would lighten their load. Ten of the tribes of Israel responded by pulling away from Rehoboam and choosing Jeroboam as their king, leaving Rehoboam with kingship only over Judah and Benjamin, collectively known as Judah, the Southern Kingdom, while Israel became the Northern Kingdom.
Rehoboam didn’t obey God and neither did his son Abijah (or Abiram) who succeeded him as king; but when Abijah’s son Asa became king, he made sweeping reforms and he and the people of Judah, plus all those who had deserted the Northern Kingdom and moved to Judah, “entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul” (II Chronicles 15:12, NLT). Asa ruled for 41 years, a record reached by few other kings of Judah or Israel.
Asa’s long reign over Judah stretched through the rule of a number of kings over Israel: Jeroboam, Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Tibni/Omri and Ahab. Eventually we’ll hit the highlights of all these rulers.
We know Jeroboam died; then Nadab and the rest of Jeroboam’s family were assassinated by Baasha. First Kings 15:33b-34 tells us that “Baasha reigned in Tirzah twenty-four years. But he did what was evil in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of Jeroboam, continuing the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit.” Not that the Lord didn’t try to get Baasha’s attention:
“This message from the Lord was delivered to King Baasha by the prophet Jehu son of Hanani: ‘I lifted you out of the dust to make you ruler of My people Israel, but you have followed the evil example of Jeroboam. You have provoked My anger by causing My people Israel to sin. So now I will destroy you and your family, just as I destroyed the descendants of Jeroboam son of Nebat. The members of Baasha’s family who die in the city will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the field will be eaten by vultures’” (I Kings 16:1-4).
Baasha lived out the rest of life waiting on God’s judgment to be fulfilled. He died and “his son Elah became the next king” (I Kings 16:6b).
“Elah son of Baasha began to rule over Israel in the twenty-sixth year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in the city of Tirzah for two years. Then Zimri, who commanded half of the royal chariots, made plans to kill him. One day in Tirzah, Elah was getting drunk at the home of Arza, the supervisor of the palace. Zimri walked in and struck him down and killed him. This happened in the twenty-seventh year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. Then Zimri became the next king.
Zimri immediately killed the entire royal family of Baasha, leaving him not even a single male child. He even destroyed distant relatives and friends. So Zimri destroyed the dynasty of Baasha as the Lord had promised through the prophet Jehu. This happened because of all the sins Baasha and his son Elah had committed, and because of the sins they led Israel to commit” (I Kings 16:8-13a).
Accountability. Each and every person who claims Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is setting an example, good or bad, for others to follow. And each and every one of us will be judged according to that example. Is your life drawing people to Jesus?
“And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak” (Jesus speaking, Matthew 12:36).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Rehoboam didn’t obey God and neither did his son Abijah (or Abiram) who succeeded him as king; but when Abijah’s son Asa became king, he made sweeping reforms and he and the people of Judah, plus all those who had deserted the Northern Kingdom and moved to Judah, “entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul” (II Chronicles 15:12, NLT). Asa ruled for 41 years, a record reached by few other kings of Judah or Israel.
Asa’s long reign over Judah stretched through the rule of a number of kings over Israel: Jeroboam, Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Tibni/Omri and Ahab. Eventually we’ll hit the highlights of all these rulers.
We know Jeroboam died; then Nadab and the rest of Jeroboam’s family were assassinated by Baasha. First Kings 15:33b-34 tells us that “Baasha reigned in Tirzah twenty-four years. But he did what was evil in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of Jeroboam, continuing the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit.” Not that the Lord didn’t try to get Baasha’s attention:
“This message from the Lord was delivered to King Baasha by the prophet Jehu son of Hanani: ‘I lifted you out of the dust to make you ruler of My people Israel, but you have followed the evil example of Jeroboam. You have provoked My anger by causing My people Israel to sin. So now I will destroy you and your family, just as I destroyed the descendants of Jeroboam son of Nebat. The members of Baasha’s family who die in the city will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the field will be eaten by vultures’” (I Kings 16:1-4).
Baasha lived out the rest of life waiting on God’s judgment to be fulfilled. He died and “his son Elah became the next king” (I Kings 16:6b).
“Elah son of Baasha began to rule over Israel in the twenty-sixth year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in the city of Tirzah for two years. Then Zimri, who commanded half of the royal chariots, made plans to kill him. One day in Tirzah, Elah was getting drunk at the home of Arza, the supervisor of the palace. Zimri walked in and struck him down and killed him. This happened in the twenty-seventh year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. Then Zimri became the next king.
Zimri immediately killed the entire royal family of Baasha, leaving him not even a single male child. He even destroyed distant relatives and friends. So Zimri destroyed the dynasty of Baasha as the Lord had promised through the prophet Jehu. This happened because of all the sins Baasha and his son Elah had committed, and because of the sins they led Israel to commit” (I Kings 16:8-13a).
Accountability. Each and every person who claims Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is setting an example, good or bad, for others to follow. And each and every one of us will be judged according to that example. Is your life drawing people to Jesus?
“And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak” (Jesus speaking, Matthew 12:36).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
BARGAINS OF THE DAY!
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Wednesday, December 25, 2013
CHRISTMAS DAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Growing up with Abijam (also known as Abijah) as his father, how did Asa come to be such a godly king? Through the courage of one man named Azariah. After the Lord defeated the million-man Ethiopian army that had attacked Judah, “the Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded, and he went out to meet King Asa as he was returning from the battle. ‘Listen to me, Asa!’ he shouted. ‘Listen, all you people of Judah and Benjamin! The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with Him! Whenever you seek Him, you will find Him. But if you abandon Him, He will abandon you. For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach them, and without the Law to instruct them. But whenever they were in trouble and turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought Him out, they found Him.
During those dark times, it was not safe to travel. Problems troubled the people of every land. Nation fought against nation, and city against city, for God was troubling them with every kind of problem. But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.’
When Asa heard this message from Azariah the prophet, he took courage and removed all the detestable idols from the land of Judah and Benjamin and in the towns he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. And he repaired the altar of the Lord, which stood in front of the entry room of the Lord’s Temple.
Then Asa called together all the people of Judah and Benjamin, along with the people of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them. For many from Israel had moved to Judah during Asa’s reign when they saw that the Lord his God was with him. The people gathered at Jerusalem in late spring, during the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign.
On that day they sacrificed to the Lord 700 cattle and 7,000 sheep and goats from the plunder they had taken in the battle. Then they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul. They agreed that anyone who refused to seek the Lord, the God of Israel, would be put to death – whether young or old, man or woman. They shouted out their oath of loyalty to the Lord with trumpets blaring and rams’ horns sounding. All in Judah were happy about this covenant, for they had entered into it with all their heart. They earnestly sought after God, and they found Him. And the Lord gave them rest from their enemies on every side” (II Chronicles 15:1-15), NLT).
Azariah wasn’t royalty, yet he courageously confronted the king of Judah, putting himself at great risk in the process. And because his courage came from the Lord, he was successful and his courage was contagious. When Asa heard the message the Lord sent him through Azariah, “he took courage.” He purged the land of idolatry and he and all the people “entered into a covenant to seek the Lord… with all their heart and soul.” Note that “heart and soul” is singular; the entire nation was as one in their repentance and reverence for Jehovah.
And because of this oneness of spirit, “They earnestly sought after God, and they found Him.” And the result? “The Lord gave them rest.”
“The inner peace given by God isn’t like the peace provided by the world… It isn’t peace that depends upon outward circumstances or inward rationalizations. Indeed, God’s peace often comes when events or reasons would provide just cause for worry. If you’ve never experienced this kind of peace, all of this talk can sound rather dreamy and unrealistic. But millions upon millions of Christians have known supernatural, inexplicable peace precisely in situations that would seem to demand fear and distress.” (Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
During those dark times, it was not safe to travel. Problems troubled the people of every land. Nation fought against nation, and city against city, for God was troubling them with every kind of problem. But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.’
When Asa heard this message from Azariah the prophet, he took courage and removed all the detestable idols from the land of Judah and Benjamin and in the towns he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. And he repaired the altar of the Lord, which stood in front of the entry room of the Lord’s Temple.
Then Asa called together all the people of Judah and Benjamin, along with the people of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them. For many from Israel had moved to Judah during Asa’s reign when they saw that the Lord his God was with him. The people gathered at Jerusalem in late spring, during the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign.
On that day they sacrificed to the Lord 700 cattle and 7,000 sheep and goats from the plunder they had taken in the battle. Then they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul. They agreed that anyone who refused to seek the Lord, the God of Israel, would be put to death – whether young or old, man or woman. They shouted out their oath of loyalty to the Lord with trumpets blaring and rams’ horns sounding. All in Judah were happy about this covenant, for they had entered into it with all their heart. They earnestly sought after God, and they found Him. And the Lord gave them rest from their enemies on every side” (II Chronicles 15:1-15), NLT).
Azariah wasn’t royalty, yet he courageously confronted the king of Judah, putting himself at great risk in the process. And because his courage came from the Lord, he was successful and his courage was contagious. When Asa heard the message the Lord sent him through Azariah, “he took courage.” He purged the land of idolatry and he and all the people “entered into a covenant to seek the Lord… with all their heart and soul.” Note that “heart and soul” is singular; the entire nation was as one in their repentance and reverence for Jehovah.
And because of this oneness of spirit, “They earnestly sought after God, and they found Him.” And the result? “The Lord gave them rest.”
“The inner peace given by God isn’t like the peace provided by the world… It isn’t peace that depends upon outward circumstances or inward rationalizations. Indeed, God’s peace often comes when events or reasons would provide just cause for worry. If you’ve never experienced this kind of peace, all of this talk can sound rather dreamy and unrealistic. But millions upon millions of Christians have known supernatural, inexplicable peace precisely in situations that would seem to demand fear and distress.” (Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
TUESDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Rehoboam’s son Abijam, or Abijah, left behind a sorry legacy. About all that is said of him is that “He reigned in Jerusalem three years. He committed the same sins as his father before him, and he was not faithful to the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had been” (I Kings 15:2a, 3, NLT).
But then comes Abijah’s son Asa. He “began to rule over Judah in the twentieth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel. He reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. Asa did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, as his ancestor David had done” (I Kings 15:9-10a, 11).
But as it is with our lives today, Asa’s life wasn’t problem-free even though “Asa’s heart remained completely faithful to the Lord throughout his life. There was constant war between King Asa of Judah and King Baasha of Israel” (I Kings 15:14b, 16). Remember, Baasha is the guy who killed Jeroboam’s son Nadab, wiped out Jeroboam’s entire family and then took over the throne as king of Israel.
And Baasha was hardly Asa’s only problem. “Once an Ethiopian named Zerah attacked Judah with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots. Then Asa cried out to the Lord his God, ‘O Lord, no one but You can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in You alone. It is in Your Name that we have come against this vast horde. O Lord, You are our God; do not let mere men prevail against You!’ So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians in the presence of Asa and the army of Judah, and the enemy fled” (II Chronicles 14:9a, 11-12).
Instead of stepping into the shoes and ways of his father, Asa chose to live differently. There's a word here for someone: don't let your past, be it your own or your family history, dictate your future. Asa chose to clean house. “He removed the foreign altars and the pagan shrines. He smashed the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles. He commanded the people of Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and to obey His law and His commands. Asa also removed the pagan shrines, as well as the incense altars from every one of Judah’s towns. So Asa’s kingdom enjoyed a period of peace” (II Chronicles 14:3-5).
Asa took over as ruler of a people devoted to idolatry and “he commanded the people of Judah to seek the Lord… and to obey His law and His commands.” But notice what Asa calls Him: “the God of their ancestors.” How could he call Jehovah their God when they were worshiping everything but Him?
Yet Asa’s efforts to turn the people to the Lord were successful. Judah even “enjoyed a period of peace.”
What’s the takeaway from all this? God is the majority. Don’t worry about pleasing people; please God.
At one point in his ministry, English evangelist George Whitefield (1714-1770) received a vicious letter accusing him of wrongdoing. This was his reply: “I thank you heartily for your letter. As for what you and my other enemies are saying against me, I know worse things about myself than you will ever say about me. With love in Christ, George Whitefield.” George Whitefield neither let this letter sidetrack him nor prompt him to defend himself. He kept his focus on pleasing the Lord. We’d do well to do likewise.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
But then comes Abijah’s son Asa. He “began to rule over Judah in the twentieth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel. He reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. Asa did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, as his ancestor David had done” (I Kings 15:9-10a, 11).
But as it is with our lives today, Asa’s life wasn’t problem-free even though “Asa’s heart remained completely faithful to the Lord throughout his life. There was constant war between King Asa of Judah and King Baasha of Israel” (I Kings 15:14b, 16). Remember, Baasha is the guy who killed Jeroboam’s son Nadab, wiped out Jeroboam’s entire family and then took over the throne as king of Israel.
And Baasha was hardly Asa’s only problem. “Once an Ethiopian named Zerah attacked Judah with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots. Then Asa cried out to the Lord his God, ‘O Lord, no one but You can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in You alone. It is in Your Name that we have come against this vast horde. O Lord, You are our God; do not let mere men prevail against You!’ So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians in the presence of Asa and the army of Judah, and the enemy fled” (II Chronicles 14:9a, 11-12).
Instead of stepping into the shoes and ways of his father, Asa chose to live differently. There's a word here for someone: don't let your past, be it your own or your family history, dictate your future. Asa chose to clean house. “He removed the foreign altars and the pagan shrines. He smashed the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles. He commanded the people of Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and to obey His law and His commands. Asa also removed the pagan shrines, as well as the incense altars from every one of Judah’s towns. So Asa’s kingdom enjoyed a period of peace” (II Chronicles 14:3-5).
Asa took over as ruler of a people devoted to idolatry and “he commanded the people of Judah to seek the Lord… and to obey His law and His commands.” But notice what Asa calls Him: “the God of their ancestors.” How could he call Jehovah their God when they were worshiping everything but Him?
Yet Asa’s efforts to turn the people to the Lord were successful. Judah even “enjoyed a period of peace.”
What’s the takeaway from all this? God is the majority. Don’t worry about pleasing people; please God.
At one point in his ministry, English evangelist George Whitefield (1714-1770) received a vicious letter accusing him of wrongdoing. This was his reply: “I thank you heartily for your letter. As for what you and my other enemies are saying against me, I know worse things about myself than you will ever say about me. With love in Christ, George Whitefield.” George Whitefield neither let this letter sidetrack him nor prompt him to defend himself. He kept his focus on pleasing the Lord. We’d do well to do likewise.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
BARGAINS OF THE DAY!
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Monday, December 23, 2013
MONDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
After the death of Rehoboam, his son “Abijam (also called Abijah) began to rule over Judah in the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel. He reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother was Maacah, the daughter of Absalom. He committed the same sins as his father before him, and he was not faithful to the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had been” (I Kings 15:1-3), NLT).
Next comes one of the wonderful “buts” of the Bible: “But for David’s sake, the Lord his God allowed his descendants to continue ruling, shining like a lamp, and He gave Abijam a son to rule after him in Jerusalem. For David had done what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and had obeyed the Lord’s commands throughout his life, except in the affair concerning Uriah the Hittite” (I Kings 15:4-5).
“Shining like a lamp.” Abijah’s behavior may not have shone, but David’s faithfulness was remembered by God and David’s faithfulness continued “shining like a lamp,” pointing his wayward son to the True Light.
If you’re praying for a wayward spouse, child, friend or other family member, keep it up. Shine the light and love of Jesus into that life at every opportunity. And remember, even if you’re taken from this world before that person ever changes, the light you've shone while you were here will keep shining, drawing him or her to the Savior.
I believe David’s faithfulness, continuing to shine “like a lamp,” touched the heart of Abijah’s son Asa. He “began to rule over Judah in the twentieth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel. He reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. Asa did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, as his ancestor David had done” (I Kings 15:9-10a, 11).
That should be every believer’s life goal – to be “pleasing in the Lord’s sight.” If you were asked right this minute to write down your top five goals, would this be among them?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Next comes one of the wonderful “buts” of the Bible: “But for David’s sake, the Lord his God allowed his descendants to continue ruling, shining like a lamp, and He gave Abijam a son to rule after him in Jerusalem. For David had done what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and had obeyed the Lord’s commands throughout his life, except in the affair concerning Uriah the Hittite” (I Kings 15:4-5).
“Shining like a lamp.” Abijah’s behavior may not have shone, but David’s faithfulness was remembered by God and David’s faithfulness continued “shining like a lamp,” pointing his wayward son to the True Light.
If you’re praying for a wayward spouse, child, friend or other family member, keep it up. Shine the light and love of Jesus into that life at every opportunity. And remember, even if you’re taken from this world before that person ever changes, the light you've shone while you were here will keep shining, drawing him or her to the Savior.
I believe David’s faithfulness, continuing to shine “like a lamp,” touched the heart of Abijah’s son Asa. He “began to rule over Judah in the twentieth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel. He reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. Asa did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, as his ancestor David had done” (I Kings 15:9-10a, 11).
That should be every believer’s life goal – to be “pleasing in the Lord’s sight.” If you were asked right this minute to write down your top five goals, would this be among them?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Sunday, December 22, 2013
SUNDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
A little refresher once more: Jeroboam ruled Israel throughout the reign of two kings of Judah, Rehoboam and Abijah, and on into the rule of Judah’s third king, Asa. Baasha was used by the Lord to render judgment against Jeroboam: (A) for his failure to follow the Lord and (B) for how his poor example also led the people of Israel into sin. After Jeroboam’s death, his son Nadab became king and Baasha killed him and took over the throne. He also wiped out all of Jeroboam’s remaining family members, “so that not one of the royal family was left, just as the Lord had promised” (I Kings 15:29b, NLT).
Covering the death of Jeroboam moved us past Rehoboam’s lifetime. Remember, Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, succeeded him and ended up ruling only over Judah, which consisted of the remaining two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, the other ten tribes having been taken away from Solomon’s lineage because of Solomon’s disobedience to God.
Rehoboam, obviously slow to learn from something as big as losing nearly all of his kingdom, still “abandoned the Law of the Lord” (II Chronicles 12:1a). Like Jeroboam in Israel, Rehoboam was leading the people away from God. And “Because they were unfaithful to the Lord, King Shishak of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year of King Rehoboam’s reign” (II Chronicles 12:2).
As the vast army of Egypt marched forward, Rehoboam and the rest of Judah’s leaders huddled in terror inside Jerusalem. Pharaoh Shishak had already “conquered Judah’s fortified towns” (II Chronicles 12:4b) and now he was preparing to assault the capital city. Who knows how many of Judah’s citizens had already been slaughtered.
That’s when, through the prophet Shemaiah, the Lord sent Rehoboam a message: "This is what the Lord says: You have abandoned Me, so I am abandoning you to Shishak” (II Chronicles 12:5b).
Can’t say that I blame God one bit. The nerve of these people! He’d given them opportunity after opportunity; miracle upon miracle. And what was the thanks He got? Unfaithfulness. Insult. Idolatrous worship. I’m sure glad we don’t act like that, aren’t you?
Fortunately the Lord has a whole lot more love and patience than we can even imagine – but it’s critical not to mistake his patience for inaction. In His own timing, He will always do exactly what He says He’ll do, including judgment.
The people knew they were in big trouble and what had gotten them there. “Then the leaders of Israel (Judah) and the king humbled themselves and said, ‘The Lord is right in doing this to us!’" (II Chronicles 12:6). Finally, these wayward leaders and people ‘fessed up. And can you believe it? The Lord showed them mercy.
“When the Lord saw their change of heart, he gave this message to Shemaiah: ‘Since the people have humbled themselves, I will not completely destroy them and will soon give them some relief. I will not use Shishak to pour out My anger on Jerusalem. But they will become his subjects, so they will know the difference between serving Me and serving earthly rulers.’
So King Shishak of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem. He ransacked the treasuries of the Lord’s Temple and the royal palace; he stole everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made. Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the Lord’s anger was turned away, and He did not destroy him completely. There were still some good things in the land of Judah” (II Chronicles 12:7-9, 12).
There are still some “good things in the land of” America. But brothers and sisters, we’re a long way from where we need to be in honoring the Lord Jesus. The only thing that repels darkness is light. “You are the light of the world,” Jesus told us in Matthew 5:14a. How’re you shining these days?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Covering the death of Jeroboam moved us past Rehoboam’s lifetime. Remember, Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, succeeded him and ended up ruling only over Judah, which consisted of the remaining two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, the other ten tribes having been taken away from Solomon’s lineage because of Solomon’s disobedience to God.
Rehoboam, obviously slow to learn from something as big as losing nearly all of his kingdom, still “abandoned the Law of the Lord” (II Chronicles 12:1a). Like Jeroboam in Israel, Rehoboam was leading the people away from God. And “Because they were unfaithful to the Lord, King Shishak of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year of King Rehoboam’s reign” (II Chronicles 12:2).
As the vast army of Egypt marched forward, Rehoboam and the rest of Judah’s leaders huddled in terror inside Jerusalem. Pharaoh Shishak had already “conquered Judah’s fortified towns” (II Chronicles 12:4b) and now he was preparing to assault the capital city. Who knows how many of Judah’s citizens had already been slaughtered.
That’s when, through the prophet Shemaiah, the Lord sent Rehoboam a message: "This is what the Lord says: You have abandoned Me, so I am abandoning you to Shishak” (II Chronicles 12:5b).
Can’t say that I blame God one bit. The nerve of these people! He’d given them opportunity after opportunity; miracle upon miracle. And what was the thanks He got? Unfaithfulness. Insult. Idolatrous worship. I’m sure glad we don’t act like that, aren’t you?
Fortunately the Lord has a whole lot more love and patience than we can even imagine – but it’s critical not to mistake his patience for inaction. In His own timing, He will always do exactly what He says He’ll do, including judgment.
The people knew they were in big trouble and what had gotten them there. “Then the leaders of Israel (Judah) and the king humbled themselves and said, ‘The Lord is right in doing this to us!’" (II Chronicles 12:6). Finally, these wayward leaders and people ‘fessed up. And can you believe it? The Lord showed them mercy.
“When the Lord saw their change of heart, he gave this message to Shemaiah: ‘Since the people have humbled themselves, I will not completely destroy them and will soon give them some relief. I will not use Shishak to pour out My anger on Jerusalem. But they will become his subjects, so they will know the difference between serving Me and serving earthly rulers.’
So King Shishak of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem. He ransacked the treasuries of the Lord’s Temple and the royal palace; he stole everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made. Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the Lord’s anger was turned away, and He did not destroy him completely. There were still some good things in the land of Judah” (II Chronicles 12:7-9, 12).
There are still some “good things in the land of” America. But brothers and sisters, we’re a long way from where we need to be in honoring the Lord Jesus. The only thing that repels darkness is light. “You are the light of the world,” Jesus told us in Matthew 5:14a. How’re you shining these days?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Saturday, December 21, 2013
SATURDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
“Jeroboam reigned in Israel twenty-two years. When Jeroboam died, his son Nadab became the next king. Meanwhile, Rehoboam son of Solomon was king in Judah. He reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord had chosen from among all the tribes of Israel as the place to honor His Name” (I Kings 14:20, 21b, NLT).
As we looked at yesterday, Jeroboam ruled Israel throughout the reign of two kings of Judah, Rehoboam and Abijah, and on into the rule of Judah’s third king, Asa. But God, as always true to His Word, carried out the sentence against Jeroboam’s lineage just as He said He would do. Jeroboam’s son Nadab succeeded him as king, but “Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of King Asa’s reign in Judah, and he became the next king of Israel” (I Kings 15:28).
Baasha’s next move was to kill all of Jeroboam’s remaining family members, “so that not one of the royal family was left, just as the Lord had promised concerning Jeroboam by the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh. This was done because Jeroboam had provoked the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, by the sins he had committed and the sins he had led Israel to commit” (I Kings 15:29b-30).
Covering the death of Jeroboam moved us well past Rehoboam’s lifetime. Remember, Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, succeeded him on the throne of Judah, which consisted of the remaining two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, the other ten tribes having been taken away from Solomon’s lineage because of Solomon’s disobedience to God.
Rehoboam had started off on the wrong foot, listening to bad advice and refusing to “be a servant” (I Kings 12:7b) to the people the Lord had entrusted him to rule. This was the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back and the time when the ten tribes sided with Jeroboam and refused to be subjects of Rehoboam. So how did Rehoboam fare as the leader of Judah?
“Rehoboam married his cousin Mahalath, the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Eliab son of Jesse. Later Rehoboam married another cousin, Maacah, the daughter of Absalom. Maacah gave birth to Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. Rehoboam appointed Maacah’s son Abijah as leader among the princes, making it clear that he would be the next king” (II Chronicles 11:18, 20, 22).
"But when Rehoboam was firmly established and strong, he abandoned the Law of the Lord, and all Israel followed him in this sin. Because they were unfaithful to the Lord, King Shishak of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year of King Rehoboam’s reign. He came with 1,200 chariots, 60,000 horses, and a countless army of foot soldiers, including Libyans, Sukkites, and Ethiopians. Shishak conquered Judah’s fortified towns and then advanced to attack Jerusalem.
The prophet Shemaiah then met with Rehoboam and Judah’s leaders, who had all fled to Jerusalem because of Shishak. Shemaiah told them, ‘This is what the Lord says: You have abandoned Me, so I am abandoning you to Shishak’” (II Chronicles 12:1-5).
God’s chosen people had been freed from slavery and given a land of their own. In return for God’s goodness, they had turned their back on everything He had commanded them. And when the Lord allows Judah to be attacked, who but the very people under whom Rehoboam’s people had lived as slaves were the ones to do it!
Folks, we have two choices in life: slavery to sin or devotion to Christ. Every moment of every day we choose one or the other. Consciously choose Jesus.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
As we looked at yesterday, Jeroboam ruled Israel throughout the reign of two kings of Judah, Rehoboam and Abijah, and on into the rule of Judah’s third king, Asa. But God, as always true to His Word, carried out the sentence against Jeroboam’s lineage just as He said He would do. Jeroboam’s son Nadab succeeded him as king, but “Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of King Asa’s reign in Judah, and he became the next king of Israel” (I Kings 15:28).
Baasha’s next move was to kill all of Jeroboam’s remaining family members, “so that not one of the royal family was left, just as the Lord had promised concerning Jeroboam by the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh. This was done because Jeroboam had provoked the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, by the sins he had committed and the sins he had led Israel to commit” (I Kings 15:29b-30).
Covering the death of Jeroboam moved us well past Rehoboam’s lifetime. Remember, Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, succeeded him on the throne of Judah, which consisted of the remaining two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, the other ten tribes having been taken away from Solomon’s lineage because of Solomon’s disobedience to God.
Rehoboam had started off on the wrong foot, listening to bad advice and refusing to “be a servant” (I Kings 12:7b) to the people the Lord had entrusted him to rule. This was the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back and the time when the ten tribes sided with Jeroboam and refused to be subjects of Rehoboam. So how did Rehoboam fare as the leader of Judah?
“Rehoboam married his cousin Mahalath, the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Eliab son of Jesse. Later Rehoboam married another cousin, Maacah, the daughter of Absalom. Maacah gave birth to Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. Rehoboam appointed Maacah’s son Abijah as leader among the princes, making it clear that he would be the next king” (II Chronicles 11:18, 20, 22).
"But when Rehoboam was firmly established and strong, he abandoned the Law of the Lord, and all Israel followed him in this sin. Because they were unfaithful to the Lord, King Shishak of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year of King Rehoboam’s reign. He came with 1,200 chariots, 60,000 horses, and a countless army of foot soldiers, including Libyans, Sukkites, and Ethiopians. Shishak conquered Judah’s fortified towns and then advanced to attack Jerusalem.
The prophet Shemaiah then met with Rehoboam and Judah’s leaders, who had all fled to Jerusalem because of Shishak. Shemaiah told them, ‘This is what the Lord says: You have abandoned Me, so I am abandoning you to Shishak’” (II Chronicles 12:1-5).
God’s chosen people had been freed from slavery and given a land of their own. In return for God’s goodness, they had turned their back on everything He had commanded them. And when the Lord allows Judah to be attacked, who but the very people under whom Rehoboam’s people had lived as slaves were the ones to do it!
Folks, we have two choices in life: slavery to sin or devotion to Christ. Every moment of every day we choose one or the other. Consciously choose Jesus.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Friday, December 20, 2013
FRIDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Jeroboam ruled Israel throughout the reign of two kings of Judah, Rehoboam and Abijah, and on into the rule of Judah’s third king, Asa. He never repented for his own wrongdoing or for leading the people of Israel away from the Lord. Second Chronicles 13:20 says that “Jeroboam of Israel never regained his power during Abijah’s lifetime, and finally the Lord struck him down and he died” (NLT).
How do we know that Jeroboam was still in power when Asa became king over Judah? First Kings 15 tells us that “Nadab son of Jeroboam began to rule over Israel in the second year of King Asa’s reign in Judah” (I Kings 15:25a). Prior to that time, Jeroboam was still in power.
Jeroboam had another son named Abijah, not to be confused with Rehoboam’s son Abijah. Jeroboam’s son Abijah “became very sick” (I Kings 14:1b), so Jeroboam sent his wife to the prophet Ahijah, telling her to “ask him what will happen to the boy” (I Kings 14:3b).
Jeroboam’s wife went to Ahijah’s home, but she was disguised so that Ahijah wouldn’t know she was Jeroboam’s wife. But of course, the Lord had already told Ahijah exactly who she was and why she was there.
“So when Ahijah heard her footsteps at the door, he called out, ‘Come in, wife of Jeroboam! Why are you pretending to be someone else?’ Then he told her, ‘I have bad news for you. Give your husband, Jeroboam, this message from the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I promoted you from the ranks of the common people and made you ruler over My people Israel. I ripped the kingdom away from the family of David and gave it to you. But you have not been like My servant David, who obeyed My commands and followed Me with all his heart and always did whatever I wanted. You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made other gods for yourself and have made Me furious with your gold calves. And since you have turned your back on Me, I will bring disaster on your dynasty and will destroy every one of your male descendants, slave and free alike, anywhere in Israel” (I Kings 14:6-10a).
“Then Ahijah said to Jeroboam’s wife, ‘Go on home, and when you enter the city, the child will die. All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He is the only member of your family who will have a proper burial, for this child is the only good thing that the Lord, the God of Israel, sees in the entire family of Jeroboam.
In addition, the Lord will raise up a king over Israel who will destroy the family of Jeroboam. He (the Lord) will abandon Israel because Jeroboam sinned and made Israel sin along with him’” (I Kings 14:12-14a, 16).
“Jeroboam reigned in Israel twenty-two years. When Jeroboam died, his son Nadab became the next king” (I Kings 14:20).
“Nadab son of Jeroboam began to rule over Israel in the second year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Israel two years. But he did what was evil in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of his father, continuing the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit. Then Baasha… plotted against Nadab and assassinated him… Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of King Asa’s reign in Judah, and he became the next king of Israel.
He immediately slaughtered all the descendants of King Jeroboam, so that not one of the royal family was left, just as the Lord had promised concerning Jeroboam by the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh. This was done because Jeroboam had provoked the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, by the sins he had committed and the sins he had led Israel to commit” (I Kings 15:25-30).
“It is a great deal easier to do that which God gives us to do, no matter how hard it is, than to face the responsibilities of not doing it.” (B. J. Miller)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
How do we know that Jeroboam was still in power when Asa became king over Judah? First Kings 15 tells us that “Nadab son of Jeroboam began to rule over Israel in the second year of King Asa’s reign in Judah” (I Kings 15:25a). Prior to that time, Jeroboam was still in power.
Jeroboam had another son named Abijah, not to be confused with Rehoboam’s son Abijah. Jeroboam’s son Abijah “became very sick” (I Kings 14:1b), so Jeroboam sent his wife to the prophet Ahijah, telling her to “ask him what will happen to the boy” (I Kings 14:3b).
Jeroboam’s wife went to Ahijah’s home, but she was disguised so that Ahijah wouldn’t know she was Jeroboam’s wife. But of course, the Lord had already told Ahijah exactly who she was and why she was there.
“So when Ahijah heard her footsteps at the door, he called out, ‘Come in, wife of Jeroboam! Why are you pretending to be someone else?’ Then he told her, ‘I have bad news for you. Give your husband, Jeroboam, this message from the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I promoted you from the ranks of the common people and made you ruler over My people Israel. I ripped the kingdom away from the family of David and gave it to you. But you have not been like My servant David, who obeyed My commands and followed Me with all his heart and always did whatever I wanted. You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made other gods for yourself and have made Me furious with your gold calves. And since you have turned your back on Me, I will bring disaster on your dynasty and will destroy every one of your male descendants, slave and free alike, anywhere in Israel” (I Kings 14:6-10a).
“Then Ahijah said to Jeroboam’s wife, ‘Go on home, and when you enter the city, the child will die. All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He is the only member of your family who will have a proper burial, for this child is the only good thing that the Lord, the God of Israel, sees in the entire family of Jeroboam.
In addition, the Lord will raise up a king over Israel who will destroy the family of Jeroboam. He (the Lord) will abandon Israel because Jeroboam sinned and made Israel sin along with him’” (I Kings 14:12-14a, 16).
“Jeroboam reigned in Israel twenty-two years. When Jeroboam died, his son Nadab became the next king” (I Kings 14:20).
“Nadab son of Jeroboam began to rule over Israel in the second year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Israel two years. But he did what was evil in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of his father, continuing the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit. Then Baasha… plotted against Nadab and assassinated him… Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of King Asa’s reign in Judah, and he became the next king of Israel.
He immediately slaughtered all the descendants of King Jeroboam, so that not one of the royal family was left, just as the Lord had promised concerning Jeroboam by the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh. This was done because Jeroboam had provoked the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, by the sins he had committed and the sins he had led Israel to commit” (I Kings 15:25-30).
“It is a great deal easier to do that which God gives us to do, no matter how hard it is, than to face the responsibilities of not doing it.” (B. J. Miller)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Thursday, December 19, 2013
THURSDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Yesterday we saw the unnamed prophet’s warning to Jeroboam, king of the ten tribes of Israel, who was insulting the Lord with blatant idolatry. Before we move from this, I want to look at a couple more points.
The prophet’s chief message was for the future: “‘O altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: A child named Josiah will be born into the dynasty of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests from the pagan shrines who come here to burn incense, and human bones will be burned on you’” (I Kings 13:2b, NLT).
It was 350 years before this prophecy was fulfilled, but fulfilled it was. Meanwhile, though, to prove the veracity of the prophet’s message, “The Lord has promised to give this sign: This altar will split apart, and its ashes will be poured out on the ground” (I Kings 13:3b).
The Lord immediately fulfilled the sign. Just as Jeroboam screamed for the prophet to be arrested, the king’s hand froze in place and “At the same time a wide crack appeared in the altar, and the ashes poured out” (I Kings 13:5a).
Jeroboam didn’t live to see the fulfillment of the prophecy, but he lived every day of his life dreading and worrying about when that time would come. Seeing the altar break open before his very eyes had to have been a very convincing sign that the prophet was genuinely delivering a message from God and that, just as He had fulfilled the sign, He would also fulfill the prophecy itself. But worry and dread, my friends, don’t constitute repentance.
To show you how far away from the Lord Jeroboam had turned, look back at his words when his hand was suddenly paralyzed: “Please ask the Lord your God to restore my hand again!” (I Kings 13:6b).
“Ask the Lord your God.” Jeroboam didn’t even bothering claiming Jehovah as his own. Even though he’d started out convincing the people that he was merely creating a new place and way to worship, he had been moving himself and the people away from true worship from the beginning.
And even after the prophet did as Jeroboam asked, “prayed to the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored and he could move it again,” (I Kings 13:6c), he “did not turn from his evil ways” (I Kings 13:33a).
Folks, there’s idolatry, but there’s also the motions of worship. We can warm a pew every time the church doors are open. We can never miss a Bible study class. We can belt out hymns and songs right along with the rest of the congregation. And we can bow our heads and pray or shout our prayers from the rooftop. In other words, we can perform every single act of worship and still be doing one thing and one thing only: performing.
Real worship isn’t simply about what’s happening on the outside. Real worship begins in the spirit and the heart.
“True worship can only take place when we agree to God sitting not only on His throne in the center of the universe, but on the throne that stands in the center of our heart.” (Robert Colman)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
The prophet’s chief message was for the future: “‘O altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: A child named Josiah will be born into the dynasty of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests from the pagan shrines who come here to burn incense, and human bones will be burned on you’” (I Kings 13:2b, NLT).
It was 350 years before this prophecy was fulfilled, but fulfilled it was. Meanwhile, though, to prove the veracity of the prophet’s message, “The Lord has promised to give this sign: This altar will split apart, and its ashes will be poured out on the ground” (I Kings 13:3b).
The Lord immediately fulfilled the sign. Just as Jeroboam screamed for the prophet to be arrested, the king’s hand froze in place and “At the same time a wide crack appeared in the altar, and the ashes poured out” (I Kings 13:5a).
Jeroboam didn’t live to see the fulfillment of the prophecy, but he lived every day of his life dreading and worrying about when that time would come. Seeing the altar break open before his very eyes had to have been a very convincing sign that the prophet was genuinely delivering a message from God and that, just as He had fulfilled the sign, He would also fulfill the prophecy itself. But worry and dread, my friends, don’t constitute repentance.
To show you how far away from the Lord Jeroboam had turned, look back at his words when his hand was suddenly paralyzed: “Please ask the Lord your God to restore my hand again!” (I Kings 13:6b).
“Ask the Lord your God.” Jeroboam didn’t even bothering claiming Jehovah as his own. Even though he’d started out convincing the people that he was merely creating a new place and way to worship, he had been moving himself and the people away from true worship from the beginning.
And even after the prophet did as Jeroboam asked, “prayed to the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored and he could move it again,” (I Kings 13:6c), he “did not turn from his evil ways” (I Kings 13:33a).
Folks, there’s idolatry, but there’s also the motions of worship. We can warm a pew every time the church doors are open. We can never miss a Bible study class. We can belt out hymns and songs right along with the rest of the congregation. And we can bow our heads and pray or shout our prayers from the rooftop. In other words, we can perform every single act of worship and still be doing one thing and one thing only: performing.
Real worship isn’t simply about what’s happening on the outside. Real worship begins in the spirit and the heart.
“True worship can only take place when we agree to God sitting not only on His throne in the center of the universe, but on the throne that stands in the center of our heart.” (Robert Colman)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Wednesday, December 18, 2013
WEDNESDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Jeroboam, having been entrusted by the Lord with kingship over the ten tribes of Israel (two, Judah and Benjamin, were now considered to be the land of Judah, ruled by Solomon’s son Rehoboam), immediately insults the Lord with blatant idolatry, setting up gold calves for the people to worship; appointing priests who weren’t of the Levite tribe; apparently making himself high priest; and establishing festivals of his own choosing.
“At the Lord’s command, a man of God from Judah went to Bethel, arriving there just as Jeroboam was approaching the altar to burn incense. Then at the Lord’s command, he shouted, ‘O altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: A child named Josiah will be born into the dynasty of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests from the pagan shrines who come here to burn incense, and human bones will be burned on you.’ That same day the man of God gave a sign to prove his message. He said, ‘The Lord has promised to give this sign: This altar will split apart, and its ashes will be poured out on the ground.’
When King Jeroboam heard the man of God speaking against the altar at Bethel, he pointed at him and shouted, ‘Seize that man!’ But instantly the king’s hand became paralyzed in that position, and he couldn’t pull it back. At the same time a wide crack appeared in the altar, and the ashes poured out, just as the man of God had predicted in his message from the Lord” (I Kings 13:1-5, NLT).
“A man of God from Judah…” The faithful of the Lord had left the northern kingdom of Israel. “All the priests and Levites living among the northern tribes of Israel sided with Rehoboam. The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property and moved to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons would not allow them to serve the Lord as priests. From all the tribes of Israel, those who sincerely wanted to worship the Lord, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem, where they could offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of their ancestors” (II Chronicles 11:13-14, 16). In essence, Israel was left in a sorry state with a sorry leader.
The arrogant king, “approaching the altar to burn incense,” was appalled that the prophet would speak against his altar. Instead of fearing the message of the Lord, he ordered the man arrested. “But instantly the king’s hand” froze in place and “a wide crack appeared in the altar, and the ashes poured out, just as the man of God had predicted.” Suddenly Jeroboam changed his tune:
“The king cried out to the man of God, ‘Please ask the Lord your God to restore my hand again!’ So the man of God prayed to the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored and he could move it again.
Then the king said to the man of God, ‘Come to the palace with me and have something to eat, and I will give you a gift.’
But the man of God said to the king, ‘Even if you gave me half of everything you own, I would not go with you. I would not eat or drink anything in this place. For the Lord gave me this command: ‘‘You must not eat or drink anything while you are there, and do not return to Judah by the same way you came.’’ So he left Bethel and went home another way” (I Kings 13:6-10, NLT).
Jeroboam may have momentarily showed some fear of the Lord, but like the chameleon he was, he immediately reverted back to his old self: “But even after this, Jeroboam did not turn from his evil ways. He continued to choose priests from the common people. He appointed anyone who wanted to become a priest for the pagan shrines. This became a great sin and resulted in the utter destruction of Jeroboam’s dynasty from the face of the earth” (I Kings 13:33-34).
“We fear men so much, because we fear God so little. One fear cures another. When man’s terror scares you, turn your thoughts to the wrath of God.” (G. K. Chesterton)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
“At the Lord’s command, a man of God from Judah went to Bethel, arriving there just as Jeroboam was approaching the altar to burn incense. Then at the Lord’s command, he shouted, ‘O altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: A child named Josiah will be born into the dynasty of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests from the pagan shrines who come here to burn incense, and human bones will be burned on you.’ That same day the man of God gave a sign to prove his message. He said, ‘The Lord has promised to give this sign: This altar will split apart, and its ashes will be poured out on the ground.’
When King Jeroboam heard the man of God speaking against the altar at Bethel, he pointed at him and shouted, ‘Seize that man!’ But instantly the king’s hand became paralyzed in that position, and he couldn’t pull it back. At the same time a wide crack appeared in the altar, and the ashes poured out, just as the man of God had predicted in his message from the Lord” (I Kings 13:1-5, NLT).
“A man of God from Judah…” The faithful of the Lord had left the northern kingdom of Israel. “All the priests and Levites living among the northern tribes of Israel sided with Rehoboam. The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property and moved to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons would not allow them to serve the Lord as priests. From all the tribes of Israel, those who sincerely wanted to worship the Lord, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem, where they could offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of their ancestors” (II Chronicles 11:13-14, 16). In essence, Israel was left in a sorry state with a sorry leader.
The arrogant king, “approaching the altar to burn incense,” was appalled that the prophet would speak against his altar. Instead of fearing the message of the Lord, he ordered the man arrested. “But instantly the king’s hand” froze in place and “a wide crack appeared in the altar, and the ashes poured out, just as the man of God had predicted.” Suddenly Jeroboam changed his tune:
“The king cried out to the man of God, ‘Please ask the Lord your God to restore my hand again!’ So the man of God prayed to the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored and he could move it again.
Then the king said to the man of God, ‘Come to the palace with me and have something to eat, and I will give you a gift.’
But the man of God said to the king, ‘Even if you gave me half of everything you own, I would not go with you. I would not eat or drink anything in this place. For the Lord gave me this command: ‘‘You must not eat or drink anything while you are there, and do not return to Judah by the same way you came.’’ So he left Bethel and went home another way” (I Kings 13:6-10, NLT).
Jeroboam may have momentarily showed some fear of the Lord, but like the chameleon he was, he immediately reverted back to his old self: “But even after this, Jeroboam did not turn from his evil ways. He continued to choose priests from the common people. He appointed anyone who wanted to become a priest for the pagan shrines. This became a great sin and resulted in the utter destruction of Jeroboam’s dynasty from the face of the earth” (I Kings 13:33-34).
“We fear men so much, because we fear God so little. One fear cures another. When man’s terror scares you, turn your thoughts to the wrath of God.” (G. K. Chesterton)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Tuesday, December 17, 2013
TUESDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
How did Rehoboam and Jeroboam get into such messes? Ignoring God and listening to bad advice. Remember, Rehoboam received wise counsel from his father’s experienced advisers; however, he rejected it in favor of the foolish advice of his buddies he appointed as advisers:
“This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier!’” (I Kings 12:10a, 11a, NLT).
And how about Jeroboam? “On the advice of his counselors, the king made two gold calves” (I Kings 12:28a).
Two men who had been given the privilege and opportunity to rule over God’s chosen people totally blew it. So where do we find these guys at this point? First, let’s take a look at Jeroboam. He’s been made king over ten of the tribes and has built a new capital city of Shechem and set up golden calves to worship, hoping to keep the people from going to Jerusalem, Rehoboam’s territory of Judah (and Benjamin), to worship in the Temple.
And he was just getting started with his wrongdoing. “Jeroboam also erected buildings at the pagan shrines and ordained priests from the common people – those who were not from the priestly tribe of Levi. And Jeroboam instituted a religious festival in Bethel, held on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in imitation of the annual Festival of Shelters in Judah. There at Bethel he himself offered sacrifices to the calves he had made, and he appointed priests for the pagan shrines he had made. So on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a day that he himself had designated, Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar at Bethel. He instituted a religious festival for Israel, and he went up to the altar to burn incense” (I Kings 12:31-33).
Jeroboam intended the gold calves to represent Jehovah. But what had He Himself told the people? “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea” (Exodus 20:4).
Jeroboam had “instituted a religious festival in Bethel.” But what was it? An “imitation of the annual Festival of Shelters in Judah.” Phony worship. He feared losing his kingship more than he feared disobeying God.
What else did he do? “Ordained priests from the common people.” Only the tribe of Levi was to serve as priests, but Jeroboam ignored this, too.
What was the significance of Jeroboam’s festival time? It was “a day he himself had designated.” He simply chose that date, like drawing a number out of a hat.
And since his so-called priests weren’t Levites, he apparently appointed himself as high priest because Scripture tells us that “Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar at Bethel” and that “he went up to the altar to burn incense.”
Anyone who cared about honoring God didn’t stick around to be a part of Jeroboam’s mockery. Second Chronicles 11 tells us:
“All the priests and Levites living among the northern tribes of Israel sided with Rehoboam. The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property and moved to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons would not allow them to serve the Lord as priests. From all the tribes of Israel, those who sincerely wanted to worship the Lord, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem, where they could offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of their ancestors” (verses 13-14, 16).
You’re making a cake that requires a half-cup of oil. Problem is, all you have is motor oil. “Oil is oil,” you say and mix it into the batter. I wouldn’t recommend eating that cake, would you? Any ol’ oil isn’t the right oil any more than any ol’ worship is truly worship.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
“This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier!’” (I Kings 12:10a, 11a, NLT).
And how about Jeroboam? “On the advice of his counselors, the king made two gold calves” (I Kings 12:28a).
Two men who had been given the privilege and opportunity to rule over God’s chosen people totally blew it. So where do we find these guys at this point? First, let’s take a look at Jeroboam. He’s been made king over ten of the tribes and has built a new capital city of Shechem and set up golden calves to worship, hoping to keep the people from going to Jerusalem, Rehoboam’s territory of Judah (and Benjamin), to worship in the Temple.
And he was just getting started with his wrongdoing. “Jeroboam also erected buildings at the pagan shrines and ordained priests from the common people – those who were not from the priestly tribe of Levi. And Jeroboam instituted a religious festival in Bethel, held on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in imitation of the annual Festival of Shelters in Judah. There at Bethel he himself offered sacrifices to the calves he had made, and he appointed priests for the pagan shrines he had made. So on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a day that he himself had designated, Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar at Bethel. He instituted a religious festival for Israel, and he went up to the altar to burn incense” (I Kings 12:31-33).
Jeroboam intended the gold calves to represent Jehovah. But what had He Himself told the people? “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea” (Exodus 20:4).
Jeroboam had “instituted a religious festival in Bethel.” But what was it? An “imitation of the annual Festival of Shelters in Judah.” Phony worship. He feared losing his kingship more than he feared disobeying God.
What else did he do? “Ordained priests from the common people.” Only the tribe of Levi was to serve as priests, but Jeroboam ignored this, too.
What was the significance of Jeroboam’s festival time? It was “a day he himself had designated.” He simply chose that date, like drawing a number out of a hat.
And since his so-called priests weren’t Levites, he apparently appointed himself as high priest because Scripture tells us that “Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar at Bethel” and that “he went up to the altar to burn incense.”
Anyone who cared about honoring God didn’t stick around to be a part of Jeroboam’s mockery. Second Chronicles 11 tells us:
“All the priests and Levites living among the northern tribes of Israel sided with Rehoboam. The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property and moved to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons would not allow them to serve the Lord as priests. From all the tribes of Israel, those who sincerely wanted to worship the Lord, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem, where they could offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of their ancestors” (verses 13-14, 16).
You’re making a cake that requires a half-cup of oil. Problem is, all you have is motor oil. “Oil is oil,” you say and mix it into the batter. I wouldn’t recommend eating that cake, would you? Any ol’ oil isn’t the right oil any more than any ol’ worship is truly worship.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
BARGAINS OF THE DAY!
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Monday, December 16, 2013
MONDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Solomon’s son and successor to the throne Rehoboam ignored the people’s request for him to cut them some slack on labor and tax demands. They rebelled against him and stoned Adoniram, whom he had sent to quell the uprising. “When this news reached King Rehoboam, he quickly jumped into his chariot and fled to Jerusalem” (I Kings 12:18b, NLT).
Next, the people made Jeroboam king over Israel, but Judah and Benjamin stuck with Rehoboam. Rehoboam, however, wasn’t at all satisfied with having only a remnant of his original realm. So, “When Rehoboam arrived at Jerusalem, he mobilized the men of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin – 180,000 select troops – to fight against the men of Israel and to restore the kingdom to himself” (I Kings 12:21).
“But God said to Shemaiah, the man of God, ‘Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the people of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not fight against your relatives, the Israelites. Go back home, for what has happened is My doing!’’ So they obeyed the message of the Lord and went home, as the Lord had commanded” (I Kings 12:22-24).
Rehoboam was at least smart enough to listen this time. Instead of warring against his fellow Israelites, he “went home, as the Lord had commanded.”
And Jeroboam, who was appointed king over the ten tribes? He proved to be one huge disappointment.
“Jeroboam then built up the city of Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and it became his capital. Jeroboam thought to himself, ‘Unless I am careful, the kingdom will return to the dynasty of David. When these people go to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the Temple of the Lord, they will again give their allegiance to King Rehoboam of Judah. They will kill me and make him their king instead” (I Kings 12:25a, 26-27).
Jeroboam didn’t want the people going to Jerusalem to worship and offer sacrifices in the Temple because this would put them in Rehoboam’s territory. Fearing that Rehoboam might regain the people’s loyalty, Jeroboam came up with a plan to keep the people away from the Temple.
“So on the advice of his counselors, the king made two gold calves. He said to the people, ‘It is too much trouble for you to worship in Jerusalem. Look, Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt!’ He placed these calf idols in Bethel and in Dan – at either end of his kingdom. But this became a great sin, for the people worshiped the idols, traveling as far north as Dan to worship the one there” (I Kings 12:28-30).
What was Jeroboam thinking!?! The Lord had told him the ten tribes were being taken away because “Solomon has abandoned Me and worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians; Chemosh, the god of Moab; and Molech, the god of the Ammonites. He has not followed My ways and done what is pleasing in My sight” (I Kings 11:33a).
And hadn’t the Lord also given Jeroboam the conditions of his own kingship? “If you listen to what I tell you and follow My ways and do whatever I consider to be right, and if you obey My decrees and commands, as my servant David did, then I will always be with you. I will establish an enduring dynasty for you as I did for David, and I will give Israel to you” (I Kings 11:38).
Jeroboam knew the ten tribes were taken from Rehoboam because of Solomon’s idolatry. He knew his own kingship was conditional on his being obedient to the Lord. And yet his new position of authority so went to his head that he thought he could ignore God and get away with it.
No one can. “Each one of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12, NASB).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Next, the people made Jeroboam king over Israel, but Judah and Benjamin stuck with Rehoboam. Rehoboam, however, wasn’t at all satisfied with having only a remnant of his original realm. So, “When Rehoboam arrived at Jerusalem, he mobilized the men of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin – 180,000 select troops – to fight against the men of Israel and to restore the kingdom to himself” (I Kings 12:21).
“But God said to Shemaiah, the man of God, ‘Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the people of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not fight against your relatives, the Israelites. Go back home, for what has happened is My doing!’’ So they obeyed the message of the Lord and went home, as the Lord had commanded” (I Kings 12:22-24).
Rehoboam was at least smart enough to listen this time. Instead of warring against his fellow Israelites, he “went home, as the Lord had commanded.”
And Jeroboam, who was appointed king over the ten tribes? He proved to be one huge disappointment.
“Jeroboam then built up the city of Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and it became his capital. Jeroboam thought to himself, ‘Unless I am careful, the kingdom will return to the dynasty of David. When these people go to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the Temple of the Lord, they will again give their allegiance to King Rehoboam of Judah. They will kill me and make him their king instead” (I Kings 12:25a, 26-27).
Jeroboam didn’t want the people going to Jerusalem to worship and offer sacrifices in the Temple because this would put them in Rehoboam’s territory. Fearing that Rehoboam might regain the people’s loyalty, Jeroboam came up with a plan to keep the people away from the Temple.
“So on the advice of his counselors, the king made two gold calves. He said to the people, ‘It is too much trouble for you to worship in Jerusalem. Look, Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt!’ He placed these calf idols in Bethel and in Dan – at either end of his kingdom. But this became a great sin, for the people worshiped the idols, traveling as far north as Dan to worship the one there” (I Kings 12:28-30).
What was Jeroboam thinking!?! The Lord had told him the ten tribes were being taken away because “Solomon has abandoned Me and worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians; Chemosh, the god of Moab; and Molech, the god of the Ammonites. He has not followed My ways and done what is pleasing in My sight” (I Kings 11:33a).
And hadn’t the Lord also given Jeroboam the conditions of his own kingship? “If you listen to what I tell you and follow My ways and do whatever I consider to be right, and if you obey My decrees and commands, as my servant David did, then I will always be with you. I will establish an enduring dynasty for you as I did for David, and I will give Israel to you” (I Kings 11:38).
Jeroboam knew the ten tribes were taken from Rehoboam because of Solomon’s idolatry. He knew his own kingship was conditional on his being obedient to the Lord. And yet his new position of authority so went to his head that he thought he could ignore God and get away with it.
No one can. “Each one of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12, NASB).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
BARGAINS OF THE DAY!
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Sunday, December 15, 2013
SUNDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Solomon’s son Rehoboam had already been warned that he would lose the vast majority of his kingdom. Now, as the new king, the people have asked that he reduce the work and tax burden on the people. Rehoboam seeks the advice of his father’s mature counselors and then casts it aside in favor of the foolish advice of the guys who grew up with him whom he has now made his counselors.
Instead of cutting the people any slack, Solomon arrogantly announces, “My father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!” (I Kings 12:14b, NLT).
What was so bad about the advice the older counselors had given Rehoboam? They’d told him to “be a servant to these people” (I Kings 12:7a). Rehoboam and his immature buddies wanted no part of serving – they wanted to be served!
Remember, the prophet Ahijah had already delivered the Lord’s message to Jeroboam: “I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon, and I will give ten of the tribes to you!” (I Kings 11:31b). But Rehoboam was enjoying the sound of his own voice too much to listen to anyone else, including the Lord.
“When all Israel realized that the king had refused to listen to them, they responded, ‘Down with the dynasty of David! We have no interest in the son of Jesse. Back to your homes, O Israel! Look out for your own house, O David!’ So the people of Israel returned home. But Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the towns of Judah.
King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, who was in charge of the labor force, to restore order, but the people of Israel stoned him to death. When this news reached King Rehoboam, he quickly jumped into his chariot and fled to Jerusalem. And to this day the northern tribes of Israel have refused to be ruled by a descendant of David.
When the people of Israel learned of Jeroboam’s return from Egypt, they called an assembly and made him king over all Israel. So only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the family of David” (I Kings 12:16-20).
What is here referred to as “the tribe of Judah” is actually made up of two tribes: Judah and Benjamin. Just as God had said, Jeroboam became the leader of the ten tribes that made up what was considered the Northern Kingdom of Israel while Rehoboam kept only a remnant of what his father had once ruled over. Israel now had its own king, Jeroboam, who was not of the lineage of David. Only the tiny Southern Kingdom of Judah remained under the rule of Rehoboam.
If you think things are bad now, just wait and see what happens next.
“In general, pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes.” (John Ruskin)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Instead of cutting the people any slack, Solomon arrogantly announces, “My father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!” (I Kings 12:14b, NLT).
What was so bad about the advice the older counselors had given Rehoboam? They’d told him to “be a servant to these people” (I Kings 12:7a). Rehoboam and his immature buddies wanted no part of serving – they wanted to be served!
Remember, the prophet Ahijah had already delivered the Lord’s message to Jeroboam: “I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon, and I will give ten of the tribes to you!” (I Kings 11:31b). But Rehoboam was enjoying the sound of his own voice too much to listen to anyone else, including the Lord.
“When all Israel realized that the king had refused to listen to them, they responded, ‘Down with the dynasty of David! We have no interest in the son of Jesse. Back to your homes, O Israel! Look out for your own house, O David!’ So the people of Israel returned home. But Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the towns of Judah.
King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, who was in charge of the labor force, to restore order, but the people of Israel stoned him to death. When this news reached King Rehoboam, he quickly jumped into his chariot and fled to Jerusalem. And to this day the northern tribes of Israel have refused to be ruled by a descendant of David.
When the people of Israel learned of Jeroboam’s return from Egypt, they called an assembly and made him king over all Israel. So only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the family of David” (I Kings 12:16-20).
What is here referred to as “the tribe of Judah” is actually made up of two tribes: Judah and Benjamin. Just as God had said, Jeroboam became the leader of the ten tribes that made up what was considered the Northern Kingdom of Israel while Rehoboam kept only a remnant of what his father had once ruled over. Israel now had its own king, Jeroboam, who was not of the lineage of David. Only the tiny Southern Kingdom of Judah remained under the rule of Rehoboam.
If you think things are bad now, just wait and see what happens next.
“In general, pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes.” (John Ruskin)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Saturday, December 14, 2013
SATURDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
The prophet Ahijah delivered the Lord’s message to Jeroboam whom Solomon had “put… in charge of the labor force from the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh” (I Kings 11:28b): “I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon, and I will give ten of the tribes to you!” (I Kings 11:31b).
How did this take place? Solomon had died and his son “Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all Israel had gathered to make him king. When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of this, he returned from Egypt, for he had fled to Egypt to escape from King Solomon. The leaders of Israel summoned him, and Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel went to speak with Rehoboam. ‘Your father was a hard master,’ they said. ‘Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.’
Rehoboam replied, ‘Give me three days to think this over. Then come back for my answer.’ So the people went away” (I Kings 12:1-5).
Rehoboam was smart enough not to give an immediate reply. So what did he do? “King Rehoboam discussed the matter with the older men who had counseled his father, Solomon. ‘What is your advice?’ he asked. ‘How should I answer these people?’
The older counselors replied, ‘If you are willing to be a servant to these people today and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your loyal subjects’” (I Kings 12:6-7).
Rehoboam was also smart enough to consult “the older counselors,” mature men who had been dealing with such matters for many years. Their advice: “be a servant.” Cut the folks a break. In return, Rehoboam’s kindness would net him “loyal subjects.”
Good advice isn’t always sought, but even when it is, it’s often ignored. Such was the case with Rehoboam.
“Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were now his advisers. ‘What is your advice?’ he asked them. ‘How should I answer these people who want me to lighten the burdens imposed by my father?’
The young men replied, ‘This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’’” (I Kings 12:8-11).
Here’s where all of Rehoboam’s smarts went right out the window. Listening to his immature friends’ bad advice, “Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to hear Rehoboam’s decision, just as the king had ordered. But Rehoboam spoke harshly to the people, for he rejected the advice of the older counselors and followed the counsel of his younger advisers. He told the people, ‘My father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’ So the king paid no attention to the people” (I Kings 12:12-15a).
Before this day ever came into being, God knew exactly what Rehoboam would do: “This turn of events was the will of the Lord, for it fulfilled the Lord’s message to Jeroboam son of Nebat through the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh” (I Kings 12:15b).
Good advice does no good unless it’s taken. Rehoboam had just made the biggest mistake of his life. Tomorrow we’ll find out what happened.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
How did this take place? Solomon had died and his son “Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all Israel had gathered to make him king. When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of this, he returned from Egypt, for he had fled to Egypt to escape from King Solomon. The leaders of Israel summoned him, and Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel went to speak with Rehoboam. ‘Your father was a hard master,’ they said. ‘Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.’
Rehoboam replied, ‘Give me three days to think this over. Then come back for my answer.’ So the people went away” (I Kings 12:1-5).
Rehoboam was smart enough not to give an immediate reply. So what did he do? “King Rehoboam discussed the matter with the older men who had counseled his father, Solomon. ‘What is your advice?’ he asked. ‘How should I answer these people?’
The older counselors replied, ‘If you are willing to be a servant to these people today and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your loyal subjects’” (I Kings 12:6-7).
Rehoboam was also smart enough to consult “the older counselors,” mature men who had been dealing with such matters for many years. Their advice: “be a servant.” Cut the folks a break. In return, Rehoboam’s kindness would net him “loyal subjects.”
Good advice isn’t always sought, but even when it is, it’s often ignored. Such was the case with Rehoboam.
“Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were now his advisers. ‘What is your advice?’ he asked them. ‘How should I answer these people who want me to lighten the burdens imposed by my father?’
The young men replied, ‘This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’’” (I Kings 12:8-11).
Here’s where all of Rehoboam’s smarts went right out the window. Listening to his immature friends’ bad advice, “Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to hear Rehoboam’s decision, just as the king had ordered. But Rehoboam spoke harshly to the people, for he rejected the advice of the older counselors and followed the counsel of his younger advisers. He told the people, ‘My father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’ So the king paid no attention to the people” (I Kings 12:12-15a).
Before this day ever came into being, God knew exactly what Rehoboam would do: “This turn of events was the will of the Lord, for it fulfilled the Lord’s message to Jeroboam son of Nebat through the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh” (I Kings 12:15b).
Good advice does no good unless it’s taken. Rehoboam had just made the biggest mistake of his life. Tomorrow we’ll find out what happened.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
BARGAINS OF THE DAY!
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Friday, December 13, 2013
FRIDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
After experiencing two personal appearances of the Lord, Solomon still turned away from obeying Him, so the Lord told him, “Since you have not kept My covenant and have disobeyed My decrees, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants. But for the sake of your father, David, I will not do this while you are still alive. I will take the kingdom away from your son” (I Kings 11:11-12, NLT).
But what else had the Lord told Solomon? “Even so, I will not take away the entire kingdom; I will let him be king of one tribe, for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, My chosen city” (I Kings 11:13).
Even before Solomon’s death, the trouble began as “the Lord raised up Hadad the Edomite, a member of Edom’s royal family, to be Solomon’s adversary. God also raised up Rezon son of Eliada as Solomon’s adversary” (I Kings 11:14, 23a).
Who had God said would end up with the kingdom? “I will… give it to one of your servants.” And just how did that change come about?
“Another rebel leader was Jeroboam son of Nebat, one of Solomon’s own officials” (I Kings 11:26a).
Before Solomon realized what Jeroboam was up to, “Solomon saw how industrious he was (and) put him in charge of the labor force from the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph” (I Kings 11:28b).
“One day as Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh met him along the way. Ahijah was wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone in a field, and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces. Then he said to Jeroboam, ‘Take ten of these pieces, for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon, and I will give ten of the tribes to you! But I will leave him one tribe for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. For Solomon has abandoned Me… He has not followed My ways and done what is pleasing in My sight’” (I Kings 11:29-33a, c).
The kingdom of Israel was about to be torn apart and just as God had said, Jeroboam, “one of Solomon’s own officials,” would wind up with the lion’s share. From governing all the tribes of Israel, Solomon’s heir would be diminished to leading only a small portion.
Through the prophet Ahijah the Lord’s message to Jeroboam continued: “But I will not take the entire kingdom from Solomon at this time. For the sake of My servant David, the one whom I chose and who obeyed My commands and decrees, I will keep Solomon as leader for the rest of his life. But I will take the kingdom away from his son and give ten of the tribes to you. His son will have one tribe so that the descendants of David My servant will continue to reign, shining like a lamp in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen to be the place for My name” (I Kings 11:34-36).
“Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but he fled to King Shishak of Egypt and stayed there until Solomon died. When he (Solomon) died, he was buried in the City of David, named for his father. Then his son Rehoboam became the next king” (I Kings 11:40, 43).
Rehoboam, most likely having lived privileged and spoiled, was in no way prepared to step into his father’s role as leader. Too, he’d learned a lot from watching the last years of his father’s life.
Brothers and sisters, finish well. If today was your last day on Planet Earth, how would you be remembered?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
But what else had the Lord told Solomon? “Even so, I will not take away the entire kingdom; I will let him be king of one tribe, for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, My chosen city” (I Kings 11:13).
Even before Solomon’s death, the trouble began as “the Lord raised up Hadad the Edomite, a member of Edom’s royal family, to be Solomon’s adversary. God also raised up Rezon son of Eliada as Solomon’s adversary” (I Kings 11:14, 23a).
Who had God said would end up with the kingdom? “I will… give it to one of your servants.” And just how did that change come about?
“Another rebel leader was Jeroboam son of Nebat, one of Solomon’s own officials” (I Kings 11:26a).
Before Solomon realized what Jeroboam was up to, “Solomon saw how industrious he was (and) put him in charge of the labor force from the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph” (I Kings 11:28b).
“One day as Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh met him along the way. Ahijah was wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone in a field, and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces. Then he said to Jeroboam, ‘Take ten of these pieces, for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon, and I will give ten of the tribes to you! But I will leave him one tribe for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. For Solomon has abandoned Me… He has not followed My ways and done what is pleasing in My sight’” (I Kings 11:29-33a, c).
The kingdom of Israel was about to be torn apart and just as God had said, Jeroboam, “one of Solomon’s own officials,” would wind up with the lion’s share. From governing all the tribes of Israel, Solomon’s heir would be diminished to leading only a small portion.
Through the prophet Ahijah the Lord’s message to Jeroboam continued: “But I will not take the entire kingdom from Solomon at this time. For the sake of My servant David, the one whom I chose and who obeyed My commands and decrees, I will keep Solomon as leader for the rest of his life. But I will take the kingdom away from his son and give ten of the tribes to you. His son will have one tribe so that the descendants of David My servant will continue to reign, shining like a lamp in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen to be the place for My name” (I Kings 11:34-36).
“Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but he fled to King Shishak of Egypt and stayed there until Solomon died. When he (Solomon) died, he was buried in the City of David, named for his father. Then his son Rehoboam became the next king” (I Kings 11:40, 43).
Rehoboam, most likely having lived privileged and spoiled, was in no way prepared to step into his father’s role as leader. Too, he’d learned a lot from watching the last years of his father’s life.
Brothers and sisters, finish well. If today was your last day on Planet Earth, how would you be remembered?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Thursday, December 12, 2013
THURSDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Solomon went from faithfully living for the Lord to bowing down to the gods of all the wives and concubines he’d brought into his life. “So now the Lord said to him, ‘Since you have not kept My covenant and have disobeyed My decrees, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants. But for the sake of your father, David, I will not do this while you are still alive. I will take the kingdom away from your son. And even so, I will not take away the entire kingdom; I will let him be king of one tribe, for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, My chosen city” (I Kings 11:11-13, NLT).
Twice God had appeared to Solomon! He’d specifically warned him of the consequences of not remaining faithful. Yet here Solomon is, older, but instead of wiser, a foolish old man. Solomon became more concerned with impressing the chicks than honoring the Lord. And this decision cost him dearly.
“I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants. But for the sake of your father, David, I will not do this while you are still alive.” Despite Solomon’s great sin, the Lord would allow him to live out his lifetime as ruler – not because of Solomon’s track record, but because of David’s. David sinned, yes, but he also repented and sought to honor the Lord.
“I will take the kingdom away from your son. And even so, I will not take away the entire kingdom… for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, My chosen city.” Once Solomon was gone, things were going to change drastically. Meanwhile, the peaceful times for Solomon had come to an end:
“Then the Lord raised up Hadad the Edomite, a member of Edom’s royal family, to be Solomon’s adversary. God also raised up Rezon son of Eliada as Solomon’s adversary. Rezon had fled from his master, King Hadadezer of Zobah, and had become the leader of a gang of rebels. After David conquered Hadadezer, Rezon and his men fled to Damascus, where he became king. Rezon was Israel’s bitter adversary for the rest of Solomon’s reign, and he made trouble, just as Hadad did. Rezon hated Israel intensely and continued to reign in Aram” (I Kings 11:14, 23-25).
You’ve heard the expression “looking for trouble.” Solomon’s unfaithfulness to the Lord brought enormous troubles to Israel. Troubles that could have been avoided. Troubles that should have been avoided.
A parent tells a child, “Don’t do that; you’re going to get hurt.” The child persists and, sure enough, he ends up with a smashed finger or some other injury that could have been avoided. The parent had clearly warned the child that he was putting himself in unnecessary danger. Why didn’t he stop? Because he didn’t believe what his parent told him.
Folks, we’ve been blessed with an entire book, the Living Word, who tells us precisely what happened to countless people who failed to obey the Lord’s commands. We have the indwelling Holy Spirit warning us each time we start getting sidetracked. So why do we so often do it anyway and wind up suffering the consequences? Because we don’t believe our Parent.
“A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell.” (C. S. Lewis)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Twice God had appeared to Solomon! He’d specifically warned him of the consequences of not remaining faithful. Yet here Solomon is, older, but instead of wiser, a foolish old man. Solomon became more concerned with impressing the chicks than honoring the Lord. And this decision cost him dearly.
“I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants. But for the sake of your father, David, I will not do this while you are still alive.” Despite Solomon’s great sin, the Lord would allow him to live out his lifetime as ruler – not because of Solomon’s track record, but because of David’s. David sinned, yes, but he also repented and sought to honor the Lord.
“I will take the kingdom away from your son. And even so, I will not take away the entire kingdom… for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, My chosen city.” Once Solomon was gone, things were going to change drastically. Meanwhile, the peaceful times for Solomon had come to an end:
“Then the Lord raised up Hadad the Edomite, a member of Edom’s royal family, to be Solomon’s adversary. God also raised up Rezon son of Eliada as Solomon’s adversary. Rezon had fled from his master, King Hadadezer of Zobah, and had become the leader of a gang of rebels. After David conquered Hadadezer, Rezon and his men fled to Damascus, where he became king. Rezon was Israel’s bitter adversary for the rest of Solomon’s reign, and he made trouble, just as Hadad did. Rezon hated Israel intensely and continued to reign in Aram” (I Kings 11:14, 23-25).
You’ve heard the expression “looking for trouble.” Solomon’s unfaithfulness to the Lord brought enormous troubles to Israel. Troubles that could have been avoided. Troubles that should have been avoided.
A parent tells a child, “Don’t do that; you’re going to get hurt.” The child persists and, sure enough, he ends up with a smashed finger or some other injury that could have been avoided. The parent had clearly warned the child that he was putting himself in unnecessary danger. Why didn’t he stop? Because he didn’t believe what his parent told him.
Folks, we’ve been blessed with an entire book, the Living Word, who tells us precisely what happened to countless people who failed to obey the Lord’s commands. We have the indwelling Holy Spirit warning us each time we start getting sidetracked. So why do we so often do it anyway and wind up suffering the consequences? Because we don’t believe our Parent.
“A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell.” (C. S. Lewis)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Wednesday, December 11, 2013
WEDNESDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
The Lord has warned Solomon and all the people of Israel that “if you or your descendants abandon Me and disobey the commands and decrees I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot Israel from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor My Name. I will make Israel an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations” (I Kings 9:6-7, NLT).
As we saw yesterday, Solomon had finished the big projects that had kept his life focused on God. Now Solomon would have to be very careful not to allow his loyalty to the Lord to diminish.
Likewise for believers today, we must determine in our hearts, minds and spirits to remain faithful to God. As many of us can personally attest, we are so often drawn closer to the Lord through tragedy while, when things are going along smoothly, we find ourselves more self-centered and stuff-oriented.
And that’s precisely where Solomon found himself. He was rich. He was famous. He was powerful. Even the queen of Sheba came to visit:
“When she met with Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind. Solomon had answers for all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. When the queen of Sheba realized how very wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built, she was overwhelmed” (I Kings 10:2b-5a).
Solomon became more and more impressed with himself. And, to his and his people’s detriment, he indulged himself thoroughly in his greatest weakness: non-Jewish women.
“Now King Solomon loved many foreign women. Besides Pharaoh’s daughter, he married women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and from among the Hittites. The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, ‘You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.’ He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord.
In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the Lord his God, as his father, David, had been. Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. In this way, Solomon did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.
On the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, he even built a pagan shrine for Chemosh, the detestable god of Moab, and another for Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. Solomon built such shrines for all his foreign wives to use for burning incense and sacrificing to their gods.
The Lord was very angry with Solomon, for his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. He had warned Solomon specifically about worshiping other gods, but Solomon did not listen to the Lord’s command” (I Kings 11:1-2a, 3-5,-6a, 7-10).
“They turned his heart to worship other gods.” Folks, if Jesus Christ isn’t first in your life, He isn’t your God. In His message to the church at Ephesus, Jesus declared, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Revelation 2:4, NASB). In Matthew 6:33, He said, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.” And in Luke 12:34 He cautioned: “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”
Have you allowed “other gods” to come between you and “your first love?” Be sure nothing is more important to you than your commitment to Jesus.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
As we saw yesterday, Solomon had finished the big projects that had kept his life focused on God. Now Solomon would have to be very careful not to allow his loyalty to the Lord to diminish.
Likewise for believers today, we must determine in our hearts, minds and spirits to remain faithful to God. As many of us can personally attest, we are so often drawn closer to the Lord through tragedy while, when things are going along smoothly, we find ourselves more self-centered and stuff-oriented.
And that’s precisely where Solomon found himself. He was rich. He was famous. He was powerful. Even the queen of Sheba came to visit:
“When she met with Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind. Solomon had answers for all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. When the queen of Sheba realized how very wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built, she was overwhelmed” (I Kings 10:2b-5a).
Solomon became more and more impressed with himself. And, to his and his people’s detriment, he indulged himself thoroughly in his greatest weakness: non-Jewish women.
“Now King Solomon loved many foreign women. Besides Pharaoh’s daughter, he married women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and from among the Hittites. The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, ‘You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.’ He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord.
In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the Lord his God, as his father, David, had been. Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. In this way, Solomon did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.
On the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, he even built a pagan shrine for Chemosh, the detestable god of Moab, and another for Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. Solomon built such shrines for all his foreign wives to use for burning incense and sacrificing to their gods.
The Lord was very angry with Solomon, for his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. He had warned Solomon specifically about worshiping other gods, but Solomon did not listen to the Lord’s command” (I Kings 11:1-2a, 3-5,-6a, 7-10).
“They turned his heart to worship other gods.” Folks, if Jesus Christ isn’t first in your life, He isn’t your God. In His message to the church at Ephesus, Jesus declared, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Revelation 2:4, NASB). In Matthew 6:33, He said, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.” And in Luke 12:34 He cautioned: “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”
Have you allowed “other gods” to come between you and “your first love?” Be sure nothing is more important to you than your commitment to Jesus.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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