The Temple structure was finished. The interior had been completed. Now what?
“Solomon then summoned to Jerusalem the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes – the leaders of the ancestral families of the Israelites. They were to bring the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant to the Temple from its location in the City of David, also known as Zion. So all the men of Israel assembled before King Solomon at the annual Festival of Shelters, which is held in early autumn in the month of Ethanim.
When all the elders of Israel arrived, the priests picked up the Ark. The priests and Levites brought up the Ark of the Lord along with the special tent and all the sacred items that had been in it. There, before the Ark, King Solomon and the entire community of Israel sacrificed so many sheep, goats, and cattle that no one could keep count!
Then the priests carried the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant into the inner sanctuary of the Temple – the Most Holy Place – and placed it beneath the wings of the cherubim. The cherubim spread their wings over the Ark, forming a canopy over the Ark and its carrying poles” (I Kings 8:1-7, NLT).
The Temple had been finished in the eighth month of the previous year, yet Solomon waited eleven months for the “grand opening” ceremony. Why? Most likely for the convenience of the people. Many had long distances to travel and, by scheduling the dedication for a time when they would already be coming to Jerusalem for the Festival of Shelters (or Tents or Tabernacles), they were able to celebrate the Festival and the dedication together. Additionally, it was “early autumn,” so crops had already been gathered and the concerns related to harvesting and storing were behind them.
This also made it possible for the “elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes” to be a part of the bringing in of “the Ark of the Lord.” Until the Ark was in place in the Holy of Holies, the Temple wasn’t ready. The very presence of God resided with the Ark and He was about to let everyone know He was there:
“When the priests came out of the Holy Place, a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple” (I Kings 8:10-11).
The Shekinah glory of God was so overwhelming that the “priests could not continue their service.” God is shown in the midst of this cloud on numerous occasions throughout Scripture. A few examples:
“The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud…” (Exodus 13:21a).
“The Temple was filled with this cloud of glory, and the courtyard glowed brightly with the glory of the Lord” (Ezekiel 10:4b).
“After saying this, He was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see Him” (Acts 1:9).
How long has it been since you’ve been speechlessly in awe of the presence of God?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Saturday, November 30, 2013
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Friday, November 29, 2013
FRIDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
“The people rejoiced over the offerings, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord, and King David was filled with joy” (I Chronicles 29:9, NLT).
Years back, my husband Larry was the youth minister at a small church. Because of my involvement in so many areas of church life, our pastor had nicknamed me “Deacon Judy.” Two of the projects I’d immersed myself in were Wednesday night suppers and getting a van for the church.
We had a number of children from outlying areas who loved to come to our church, but their parents didn’t attend and weren’t exactly cooperative in getting their kids there. When those of us who gave them rides to church got them there on Wednesday nights, they were usually hungry. How could we expect to feed a child spiritually unless we first met his physical need for a decent meal?
So guess who volunteered to start preparing Wednesday night suppers? Yep, you guessed it. The task was overwhelming and I quickly realized I was in over my head. Praying fervently for guidance, I was led to a senior adult in our church who, in God’s divine providence, turned out to be a retired school lunchroom worker. She readily agreed to help and only because of her wealth of know-how and willingness to work were we able to make the suppers successful.
By charging just enough to cover the cost of the food, families and individuals who could afford to pay provided the means for us to feed those children free of charge. But we were quickly reaching the point of having more kids than willing drivers to transport them. We needed a van. Not only would this be a huge help in getting the kids to and from church, it’d be a fabulous help in putting together senior adult outings. But how was our struggling little church going to afford one?
We found a nice used 15-passenger one with a price tag of $4,500. The owner agreed to hold onto it for a couple of months and give us time to see how much money we could raise.
Only the Lord could have given us the perfect plan. On a big piece of poster board, I had an artist friend do a large drawing of the van. I researched the vehicle, found out that it weighed 4,800 pounds, and then drew a grid of small squares over the van image. Beneath that I printed a notice that the van was going to cost 94 cents a pound.
The response was phenomenal! With the cost of the van broken down into less-than-a-dollar increments, everyone felt they could contribute meaningfully. Kids brought in pennies and nickels. Adults young and old gave as generously as they could. And each time we received enough to pay for a pound of that van, we colored in a tiny square on the grid.
Little kids would gather around the poster and point to a colored square and say, “I gave the money for that.” It was a project that got everyone involved and excited.
That van rolled many a mile hauling kids to church and retreats, and the senior adults and I enjoyed countless outings together. And none of that would have happened had we not pulled together, pooled together and “given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord.”
“Remember this – a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. ‘For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.’ And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, He will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you” (II Corinthians 9:6-8, 10).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Years back, my husband Larry was the youth minister at a small church. Because of my involvement in so many areas of church life, our pastor had nicknamed me “Deacon Judy.” Two of the projects I’d immersed myself in were Wednesday night suppers and getting a van for the church.
We had a number of children from outlying areas who loved to come to our church, but their parents didn’t attend and weren’t exactly cooperative in getting their kids there. When those of us who gave them rides to church got them there on Wednesday nights, they were usually hungry. How could we expect to feed a child spiritually unless we first met his physical need for a decent meal?
So guess who volunteered to start preparing Wednesday night suppers? Yep, you guessed it. The task was overwhelming and I quickly realized I was in over my head. Praying fervently for guidance, I was led to a senior adult in our church who, in God’s divine providence, turned out to be a retired school lunchroom worker. She readily agreed to help and only because of her wealth of know-how and willingness to work were we able to make the suppers successful.
By charging just enough to cover the cost of the food, families and individuals who could afford to pay provided the means for us to feed those children free of charge. But we were quickly reaching the point of having more kids than willing drivers to transport them. We needed a van. Not only would this be a huge help in getting the kids to and from church, it’d be a fabulous help in putting together senior adult outings. But how was our struggling little church going to afford one?
We found a nice used 15-passenger one with a price tag of $4,500. The owner agreed to hold onto it for a couple of months and give us time to see how much money we could raise.
Only the Lord could have given us the perfect plan. On a big piece of poster board, I had an artist friend do a large drawing of the van. I researched the vehicle, found out that it weighed 4,800 pounds, and then drew a grid of small squares over the van image. Beneath that I printed a notice that the van was going to cost 94 cents a pound.
The response was phenomenal! With the cost of the van broken down into less-than-a-dollar increments, everyone felt they could contribute meaningfully. Kids brought in pennies and nickels. Adults young and old gave as generously as they could. And each time we received enough to pay for a pound of that van, we colored in a tiny square on the grid.
Little kids would gather around the poster and point to a colored square and say, “I gave the money for that.” It was a project that got everyone involved and excited.
That van rolled many a mile hauling kids to church and retreats, and the senior adults and I enjoyed countless outings together. And none of that would have happened had we not pulled together, pooled together and “given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord.”
“Remember this – a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. ‘For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.’ And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, He will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you” (II Corinthians 9:6-8, 10).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Thursday, November 28, 2013
THANKSGIVING DAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
We’re still looking at David’s and the other Israelites’ giving for the building of the Temple: “King David turned to the entire assembly and said, ‘Using every resource at my command, I have gathered as much as I could for building the Temple of my God. And now, because of my devotion to the Temple of my God, I am giving all of my own private treasures of gold and silver to help in the construction. This is in addition to the building materials I have already collected for His holy Temple. Now then, who will follow my example and give offerings to the Lord today?’
Then the family leaders, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the generals and captains of the army, and the king’s administrative officers all gave willingly. The people rejoiced over the offerings, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord, and King David was filled with joy” (I Chronicles 29:2a, 3, 5b-6, 9, NLT).
First, look at the extent of David’s giving: “Using every resource at my command, I have gathered as much as I could…” But that was merely what David had access to as king.
David wanted to personally give, too: “I am giving all of my own private treasures of gold and silver…” How much did David give? “All.”
And what was his reason for giving so generously? “Because of my devotion to the Temple of my God.” David wasn’t giving “to the Temple” – he was giving “to the Temple of my God.” David had an intimate relationship with the Lord. The Temple was personal to David because his God was his personal Savior.
David used his giving as a means of expressing his love for the Lord. Whether we realize it or not, we do the same thing today. We give or spend money on the things that matter most to us. When the Lord gets the scraps or nothing, that’s exactly where we’ve ranked Him in our priorities.
Remember what I said yesterday about Malachi 3’s warning about blessings or cursings according to your giving to the Lord? Years ago I had a friend tell me their income was “too much to tithe on.” My response was, “You can’t afford not to.”
My friend, at best, was a reluctant giver. But look at the people of Israel: “Then the family leaders, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the generals and captains of the army, and the king’s administrative officers all gave willingly.”
Their giving was done “willingly.” And their response to their giving? “The people rejoiced.”
They “had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord.” Don’t miss that last part: “to the Lord.” Not to the Temple. Not to King David. Not to the Temple treasury. “To the Lord.”
David’s giving prompted others to give. When the others gave, “David was filled with joy.”
Generosity is joyful and contagious. Catch it and pass it on.
“Chesterton wrote, ‘There are two ways to get enough; one is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.’ How does this translate into our worship life as Christians? If thoughts of material things command the greater part of our attention and energy, can we really be serving and worshipping the Master as we should? I find that as I ascribe worth and honour to our loving and sovereign God, He allows me to desire less of the distractions, less of the other gods. But the struggle for the throne continues.” (Chip Stam)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Then the family leaders, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the generals and captains of the army, and the king’s administrative officers all gave willingly. The people rejoiced over the offerings, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord, and King David was filled with joy” (I Chronicles 29:2a, 3, 5b-6, 9, NLT).
First, look at the extent of David’s giving: “Using every resource at my command, I have gathered as much as I could…” But that was merely what David had access to as king.
David wanted to personally give, too: “I am giving all of my own private treasures of gold and silver…” How much did David give? “All.”
And what was his reason for giving so generously? “Because of my devotion to the Temple of my God.” David wasn’t giving “to the Temple” – he was giving “to the Temple of my God.” David had an intimate relationship with the Lord. The Temple was personal to David because his God was his personal Savior.
David used his giving as a means of expressing his love for the Lord. Whether we realize it or not, we do the same thing today. We give or spend money on the things that matter most to us. When the Lord gets the scraps or nothing, that’s exactly where we’ve ranked Him in our priorities.
Remember what I said yesterday about Malachi 3’s warning about blessings or cursings according to your giving to the Lord? Years ago I had a friend tell me their income was “too much to tithe on.” My response was, “You can’t afford not to.”
My friend, at best, was a reluctant giver. But look at the people of Israel: “Then the family leaders, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the generals and captains of the army, and the king’s administrative officers all gave willingly.”
Their giving was done “willingly.” And their response to their giving? “The people rejoiced.”
They “had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord.” Don’t miss that last part: “to the Lord.” Not to the Temple. Not to King David. Not to the Temple treasury. “To the Lord.”
David’s giving prompted others to give. When the others gave, “David was filled with joy.”
Generosity is joyful and contagious. Catch it and pass it on.
“Chesterton wrote, ‘There are two ways to get enough; one is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.’ How does this translate into our worship life as Christians? If thoughts of material things command the greater part of our attention and energy, can we really be serving and worshipping the Master as we should? I find that as I ascribe worth and honour to our loving and sovereign God, He allows me to desire less of the distractions, less of the other gods. But the struggle for the throne continues.” (Chip Stam)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
THANKSGIVING DAY BARGAINS!
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Wednesday, November 27, 2013
WEDNESDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
The final verse of First Kings 7 tell us that “King Solomon finished all his work on the Temple of the Lord. Then he brought all the gifts his father, David, had dedicated – the silver, the gold, and the various articles – and he stored them in the treasuries of the Lord’s Temple” (I Kings 7:51, NLT).
What exactly had been dedicated to the Temple? First Chronicles 29 holds the answer: “Then King David turned to the entire assembly and said, ‘My son Solomon, whom God has clearly chosen as the next king of Israel, is still young and inexperienced. The work ahead of him is enormous, for the Temple he will build is not for mere mortals – it is for the Lord God Himself! Using every resource at my command, I have gathered as much as I could for building the Temple of my God. Now there is enough gold, silver, bronze, iron, and wood, as well as great quantities of onyx, other precious stones, costly jewels, and all kinds of fine stone and marble.
And now, because of my devotion to the Temple of my God, I am giving all of my own private treasures of gold and silver to help in the construction. This is in addition to the building materials I have already collected for His holy Temple. I am donating more than 112 tons of gold from Ophir and 262 tons of refined silver to be used for overlaying the walls of the buildings and for the other gold and silver work to be done by the craftsmen. Now then, who will follow my example and give offerings to the Lord today?’
Then the family leaders, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the generals and captains of the army, and the king’s administrative officers all gave willingly. For the construction of the Temple of God, they gave about 188 tons of gold, 10,000 gold coins, 375 tons of silver, 675 tons of bronze, and 3,750 tons of iron. They also contributed numerous precious stones, which were deposited in the treasury of the house of the Lord under the care of Jehiel, a descendant of Gershon. The people rejoiced over the offerings, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord, and King David was filled with joy” (I Chronicles 29:1-9, NLT).
David gave liberally and challenged other Israelites to do likewise. Like the widow who put only two small coins into the church treasury (see Luke 21), everyone couldn’t give huge amounts, but everyone could give something.
Look at David’s reason for giving so much for the Temple Solomon was to build: “the Temple he will build is not for mere mortals – it is for the Lord God Himself!”
“For the Lord Himself!” If professing Christians today could only latch onto that same understanding. If you attend a church, you should support that church both by participating in worship and other activities as well as through financial giving. If in your heart your giving is to the Lord, you won’t fuss or worry over how “the church” is spending “your” money because you won’t see it as yours or the church’s but as the Lord’s.
If you’re a tightwad when it comes to giving to your church, it would behoove you to read Malachi 3:6-12. God plainly promises blessings for giving and curses for withholding.
I don’t know about you, but I greatly prefer blessings. Let’s align ourselves to receive them.
“Even if all we have is a little, the Lord desires us to be joyfully generous, so that He will have for His church an abundance for every good work. Let us not be selfish or deceived by money. In a real sense, money is not a blessing; it’s a test.” (Francis Frangipane)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
What exactly had been dedicated to the Temple? First Chronicles 29 holds the answer: “Then King David turned to the entire assembly and said, ‘My son Solomon, whom God has clearly chosen as the next king of Israel, is still young and inexperienced. The work ahead of him is enormous, for the Temple he will build is not for mere mortals – it is for the Lord God Himself! Using every resource at my command, I have gathered as much as I could for building the Temple of my God. Now there is enough gold, silver, bronze, iron, and wood, as well as great quantities of onyx, other precious stones, costly jewels, and all kinds of fine stone and marble.
And now, because of my devotion to the Temple of my God, I am giving all of my own private treasures of gold and silver to help in the construction. This is in addition to the building materials I have already collected for His holy Temple. I am donating more than 112 tons of gold from Ophir and 262 tons of refined silver to be used for overlaying the walls of the buildings and for the other gold and silver work to be done by the craftsmen. Now then, who will follow my example and give offerings to the Lord today?’
Then the family leaders, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the generals and captains of the army, and the king’s administrative officers all gave willingly. For the construction of the Temple of God, they gave about 188 tons of gold, 10,000 gold coins, 375 tons of silver, 675 tons of bronze, and 3,750 tons of iron. They also contributed numerous precious stones, which were deposited in the treasury of the house of the Lord under the care of Jehiel, a descendant of Gershon. The people rejoiced over the offerings, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord, and King David was filled with joy” (I Chronicles 29:1-9, NLT).
David gave liberally and challenged other Israelites to do likewise. Like the widow who put only two small coins into the church treasury (see Luke 21), everyone couldn’t give huge amounts, but everyone could give something.
Look at David’s reason for giving so much for the Temple Solomon was to build: “the Temple he will build is not for mere mortals – it is for the Lord God Himself!”
“For the Lord Himself!” If professing Christians today could only latch onto that same understanding. If you attend a church, you should support that church both by participating in worship and other activities as well as through financial giving. If in your heart your giving is to the Lord, you won’t fuss or worry over how “the church” is spending “your” money because you won’t see it as yours or the church’s but as the Lord’s.
If you’re a tightwad when it comes to giving to your church, it would behoove you to read Malachi 3:6-12. God plainly promises blessings for giving and curses for withholding.
I don’t know about you, but I greatly prefer blessings. Let’s align ourselves to receive them.
“Even if all we have is a little, the Lord desires us to be joyfully generous, so that He will have for His church an abundance for every good work. Let us not be selfish or deceived by money. In a real sense, money is not a blessing; it’s a test.” (Francis Frangipane)
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Tuesday, November 26, 2013
TUESDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Before we move on, let’s take a deeper look at one of the Temple furnishings:
“Huram cast two bronze pillars, each 27 feet tall and 18 feet in circumference. For the tops of the pillars he cast bronze capitals, each 7 1/2 feet tall. Each capital was decorated with seven sets of latticework and interwoven chains. He also encircled the latticework with two rows of pomegranates to decorate the capitals over the pillars. The capitals on the columns inside the entry room were shaped like water lilies, and they were six feet tall. The capitals on the two pillars had 200 pomegranates in two rows around them, beside the rounded surface next to the latticework. Huram set the pillars at the entrance of the Temple, one toward the south and one toward the north. He named the one on the south Jakin, and the one on the north Boaz. The capitals on the pillars were shaped like water lilies. And so the work on the pillars was finished” (I Kings 7:15-22, NLT).
The pillars stood “at the entrance of the Temple” and even though this passage reads as though Huram gave them names, it was undoubtedly Solomon who named them “Jakin” and “Boaz.”
“Jakin” meant “He shall establish,” while “Boaz” meant “in His strength.” These huge ornate pillars served as a continual reminder every time
Solomon and the kings who followed after him entered the Temple that their rule was by God’s divine will. God established their kingship and in His strength and His alone would come the power and ability to wisely rule God’s people.
The pillars also served to remind the worshipers (who clearly understood the meaning of the pillars’ names) that it was in the Temple that they established a right relationship with God and in His strength they lived out that commitment and relationship.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to set up “Jakin” and “Boaz” pillars as reminders in our churches today. As baffling as it continues to be to me, so many people look at church attendance as service to God. That alone is ludicrous, but it’s even more ridiculous when a person has spent that time merely warming a pew rather than participating in true worship of the One we’re to be honoring.
After church one Sunday, I actually overheard three little ladies seated near me in a restaurant complaining because their preacher had “run over fifteen minutes.” One lady voiced her indignity: “I go to church from eleven to noon every Sunday. If that preacher can’t say what he needs to say in that length of time, I don’t need to hear it.” And her companions heartily chimed in their agreement.
I don’t much believe those ladies had ever heard what their pastor had to say. Oh, their heads might have heard it; but I don’t think it ever made it into their hearts. Church, my brothers and sisters, is the filling station. We tank up in order to be fueled with the power of the Holy Spirit to go and do the works we’re to do for God’s glory.
“I want to live so that I am truly submitted to the Spirit's leading on a daily basis. Christ said it’s better for us that the Spirit came and I want to live like that is true. I don't want to keep crawling when I have the ability to fly.” (Francis Chan)
Me, too. How about you?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
“Huram cast two bronze pillars, each 27 feet tall and 18 feet in circumference. For the tops of the pillars he cast bronze capitals, each 7 1/2 feet tall. Each capital was decorated with seven sets of latticework and interwoven chains. He also encircled the latticework with two rows of pomegranates to decorate the capitals over the pillars. The capitals on the columns inside the entry room were shaped like water lilies, and they were six feet tall. The capitals on the two pillars had 200 pomegranates in two rows around them, beside the rounded surface next to the latticework. Huram set the pillars at the entrance of the Temple, one toward the south and one toward the north. He named the one on the south Jakin, and the one on the north Boaz. The capitals on the pillars were shaped like water lilies. And so the work on the pillars was finished” (I Kings 7:15-22, NLT).
The pillars stood “at the entrance of the Temple” and even though this passage reads as though Huram gave them names, it was undoubtedly Solomon who named them “Jakin” and “Boaz.”
“Jakin” meant “He shall establish,” while “Boaz” meant “in His strength.” These huge ornate pillars served as a continual reminder every time
Solomon and the kings who followed after him entered the Temple that their rule was by God’s divine will. God established their kingship and in His strength and His alone would come the power and ability to wisely rule God’s people.
The pillars also served to remind the worshipers (who clearly understood the meaning of the pillars’ names) that it was in the Temple that they established a right relationship with God and in His strength they lived out that commitment and relationship.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to set up “Jakin” and “Boaz” pillars as reminders in our churches today. As baffling as it continues to be to me, so many people look at church attendance as service to God. That alone is ludicrous, but it’s even more ridiculous when a person has spent that time merely warming a pew rather than participating in true worship of the One we’re to be honoring.
After church one Sunday, I actually overheard three little ladies seated near me in a restaurant complaining because their preacher had “run over fifteen minutes.” One lady voiced her indignity: “I go to church from eleven to noon every Sunday. If that preacher can’t say what he needs to say in that length of time, I don’t need to hear it.” And her companions heartily chimed in their agreement.
I don’t much believe those ladies had ever heard what their pastor had to say. Oh, their heads might have heard it; but I don’t think it ever made it into their hearts. Church, my brothers and sisters, is the filling station. We tank up in order to be fueled with the power of the Holy Spirit to go and do the works we’re to do for God’s glory.
“I want to live so that I am truly submitted to the Spirit's leading on a daily basis. Christ said it’s better for us that the Spirit came and I want to live like that is true. I don't want to keep crawling when I have the ability to fly.” (Francis Chan)
Me, too. How about you?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Monday, November 25, 2013
MONDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Yesterday I ended by referring to First Kings 7:37 where, in describing the furnishings Huram made for the Temple, it says of the water carts, “All ten water carts were the same size and were made alike, for each was cast from the same mold” (NLT). I concluded by, among other passages, quoting Genesis 5:1b: “When God created human beings, He made them to be like Himself.”
The entirety of humankind was “made to be like” God. But what happened? Sin. Sin corrupted God’s perfect creation. And we don’t have to look around very much to see how much evil continues today.
No one sins without it affecting other people, which is why sometimes godly people are hurt by inexplicably bad things. On the other hand, bad personal choices can hurt people. “High mileage” lifestyles can make a person old in a hurry. Wrong behavior or decisions can end a marriage or destroy a career.
The point is, we’re born with a clean slate and our lives are then shaped by a combination of nurture and nature until we reach the point that we understand for ourselves the importance of right and wrong. It’s then that we either choose to follow Christ or reject Him.
And for those of us who choose Christ, the decisions aren’t over. Daily and even moment by moment we make choices that determine whether or not we honor our Lord and act as His hands and feet to those around us. When we choose to think and act in ways that honor Him, we become more and more like Him.
Yes, we’re all “created… to be like” God, but each of us must make a personal choice to make Christlikeness his goal. After all, the only way to achieve a goal is to set one. Is Christlikeness your daily desire?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
The entirety of humankind was “made to be like” God. But what happened? Sin. Sin corrupted God’s perfect creation. And we don’t have to look around very much to see how much evil continues today.
No one sins without it affecting other people, which is why sometimes godly people are hurt by inexplicably bad things. On the other hand, bad personal choices can hurt people. “High mileage” lifestyles can make a person old in a hurry. Wrong behavior or decisions can end a marriage or destroy a career.
The point is, we’re born with a clean slate and our lives are then shaped by a combination of nurture and nature until we reach the point that we understand for ourselves the importance of right and wrong. It’s then that we either choose to follow Christ or reject Him.
And for those of us who choose Christ, the decisions aren’t over. Daily and even moment by moment we make choices that determine whether or not we honor our Lord and act as His hands and feet to those around us. When we choose to think and act in ways that honor Him, we become more and more like Him.
Yes, we’re all “created… to be like” God, but each of us must make a personal choice to make Christlikeness his goal. After all, the only way to achieve a goal is to set one. Is Christlikeness your daily desire?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
BARGAINS OF THE DAY!
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Sunday, November 24, 2013
SUNDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
The Temple having been completed, it was time to furnish it: “King Solomon then asked for a man named Huram to come from Tyre. He was half Israelite, since his mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father had been a craftsman in bronze from Tyre. Huram was extremely skillful and talented in any work in bronze, and he came to do all the metal work for King Solomon” (I Kings 7:13-14, NLT).
“Huram completed everything King Solomon had assigned him to make for the Temple of the Lord: the two pillars; the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars; the two networks of interwoven chains that decorated the capitals; the 400 pomegranates that hung from the chains on the capitals (two rows of pomegranates for each of the chain networks that decorated the capitals on top of the pillars); the ten water carts holding the ten basins; the Sea and the twelve oxen under it; the ash buckets, the shovels, and the bowls” (I Kings 7:40b-45a).
“Huram made all these things of burnished bronze for the Temple of the Lord, just as King Solomon had directed. The king had them cast in clay molds in the Jordan Valley between Succoth and Zarethan. Solomon did not weigh all these things because there were so many; the weight of the bronze could not be measured” (I Kings 7:45b-47).
“Solomon also made all the furnishings of the Temple of the Lord: the gold altar; the gold table for the Bread of the Presence; the lampstands of solid gold, five on the south and five on the north, in front of the Most Holy Place; the flower decorations, lamps, and tongs – all of gold; the small bowls, lamp snuffers, bowls, dishes, and incense burners – all of solid gold; the doors for the entrances to the Most Holy Place and the main room of the Temple, with their fronts overlaid with gold” (I Kings 7:48-50).
“So King Solomon finished all his work on the Temple of the Lord. Then he brought all the gifts his father, David, had dedicated – the silver, the gold, and the various articles – and he stored them in the treasuries of the Lord’s Temple” (I Kings 7:51).
Verses 15-39 go into great detail about the furnishings Huram made for the Temple. In describing the water carts, verse 37 says, “All ten water carts were the same size and were made alike, for each was cast from the same mold.”
“Cast from the same mold.” Guess what? We who know Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior have been “cast from the same mold.” In Genesis 5:1b we read: “When God created human beings, He made them to be like Himself.” And Ephesians 4:24 reminds us that we are to “put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth” (NASB).
Let’s say I use a mold to make a dozen bowls. They’d be made from the same material. They’d look the same. But then what? I could use one bowl for fruit on my kitchen counter. Another could become a planter for a flower on my porch. I could come up with a different use for each one. But they’d still have all come “from the same mold.”
We, my brothers and sisters, come “from the same mold,” the image of Christ. We don’t have to think alike or do the same jobs or even enjoy the same hobbies. But if we’re truly “from the same mold,” there’s an undeniable resemblance to the One in whose image we were created.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
“Huram completed everything King Solomon had assigned him to make for the Temple of the Lord: the two pillars; the two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars; the two networks of interwoven chains that decorated the capitals; the 400 pomegranates that hung from the chains on the capitals (two rows of pomegranates for each of the chain networks that decorated the capitals on top of the pillars); the ten water carts holding the ten basins; the Sea and the twelve oxen under it; the ash buckets, the shovels, and the bowls” (I Kings 7:40b-45a).
“Huram made all these things of burnished bronze for the Temple of the Lord, just as King Solomon had directed. The king had them cast in clay molds in the Jordan Valley between Succoth and Zarethan. Solomon did not weigh all these things because there were so many; the weight of the bronze could not be measured” (I Kings 7:45b-47).
“Solomon also made all the furnishings of the Temple of the Lord: the gold altar; the gold table for the Bread of the Presence; the lampstands of solid gold, five on the south and five on the north, in front of the Most Holy Place; the flower decorations, lamps, and tongs – all of gold; the small bowls, lamp snuffers, bowls, dishes, and incense burners – all of solid gold; the doors for the entrances to the Most Holy Place and the main room of the Temple, with their fronts overlaid with gold” (I Kings 7:48-50).
“So King Solomon finished all his work on the Temple of the Lord. Then he brought all the gifts his father, David, had dedicated – the silver, the gold, and the various articles – and he stored them in the treasuries of the Lord’s Temple” (I Kings 7:51).
Verses 15-39 go into great detail about the furnishings Huram made for the Temple. In describing the water carts, verse 37 says, “All ten water carts were the same size and were made alike, for each was cast from the same mold.”
“Cast from the same mold.” Guess what? We who know Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior have been “cast from the same mold.” In Genesis 5:1b we read: “When God created human beings, He made them to be like Himself.” And Ephesians 4:24 reminds us that we are to “put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth” (NASB).
Let’s say I use a mold to make a dozen bowls. They’d be made from the same material. They’d look the same. But then what? I could use one bowl for fruit on my kitchen counter. Another could become a planter for a flower on my porch. I could come up with a different use for each one. But they’d still have all come “from the same mold.”
We, my brothers and sisters, come “from the same mold,” the image of Christ. We don’t have to think alike or do the same jobs or even enjoy the same hobbies. But if we’re truly “from the same mold,” there’s an undeniable resemblance to the One in whose image we were created.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
IT'S SUNDAY!
"Remember
the day of worship by observing it as a holy day"
(Exodus 20:8, God's Word). Holy, as in set apart, different from any other day.SUNDAY is a day of REST & of WORSHIP. I am more & more convicted about not shopping online or in stores on SUNDAY. We should use this day to reflect on the goodness of Jesus Christ, honor Him with true worship (not just church attendance) & spend time with friends & family, whether that's in person or online. I will post on all other days & I'll continue to post Bible passages on my Facebook page, blog & via Twitter each SUNDAY. Blessings to all of you.
Saturday, November 23, 2013
SATURDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
“The foundation of the Lord’s Temple was laid in midspring, in the month of Ziv, during the fourth year of Solomon’s reign. The entire building was completed in every detail by mid-autumn, in the month of Bul, during the eleventh year of his reign. So it took seven years to build the Temple” (I Kings 6:37-38, NLT).
We’ve seen a general description. Now take a look at its ornamentation:
“So Solomon finished building the Temple. The entire inside, from floor to ceiling, was paneled with wood. He paneled the walls and ceilings with cedar, and he used planks of cypress for the floors. He partitioned off an inner sanctuary – the Most Holy Place – at the far end of the Temple. It was 30 feet deep and was paneled with cedar from floor to ceiling. The main room of the Temple, outside the Most Holy Place, was 60 feet long. Cedar paneling completely covered the stone walls throughout the Temple, and the paneling was decorated with carvings of gourds and open flowers” (I Kings 6:14-18).
“He prepared the inner sanctuary at the far end of the Temple, where the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant would be placed. This inner sanctuary was 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 30 feet high. He overlaid the inside with solid gold. He also overlaid the altar made of cedar. Then Solomon overlaid the rest of the Temple’s interior with solid gold, and he made gold chains to protect the entrance to the Most Holy Place. So he finished overlaying the entire Temple with gold, including the altar that belonged to the Most Holy Place” (I Kings 6:19-22).
“He made two cherubim of wild olive wood, each 15 feet tall, and placed them in the inner sanctuary. The wingspan of each of the cherubim was 15 feet, each wing being 7 1/2 feet long. The two cherubim were identical in shape and size; each was 15 feet tall. He placed them side by side in the inner sanctuary of the Temple. Their outspread wings reached from wall to wall, while their inner wings touched at the center of the room. He overlaid the two cherubim with gold” (I Kings 6:23-28).
“He decorated all the walls of the inner sanctuary and the main room with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. He overlaid the floor in both rooms with gold” (I Kings 6:29-30).
“For the entrance to the inner sanctuary, he made double doors of wild olive wood with five-sided doorposts. These double doors were decorated with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. The doors, including the decorations of cherubim and palm trees, were overlaid with gold” (I Kings 6:31-32).
“Then he made four-sided doorposts of wild olive wood for the entrance to the Temple. There were two folding doors of cypress wood, and each door was hinged to fold back upon itself. These doors were decorated with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers – all overlaid evenly with gold” (I Kings 6:33-35).
“The walls of the inner courtyard were built so that there was one layer of cedar beams between every three layers of finished stone” (I Kings 6:36).
Never had there been a more beautiful building constructed. Solomon insisted on the best of the best for every part of it.
“Solomon also built a palace for himself, and it took him thirteen years to complete the construction” (I Kings 7:1).
The Temple is described in detail while Solomon’s palace barely gets an honorable mention. His priorities were straight. The Temple came first. What about us? God deserves our very best. Is that what we’re giving Him?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
We’ve seen a general description. Now take a look at its ornamentation:
“So Solomon finished building the Temple. The entire inside, from floor to ceiling, was paneled with wood. He paneled the walls and ceilings with cedar, and he used planks of cypress for the floors. He partitioned off an inner sanctuary – the Most Holy Place – at the far end of the Temple. It was 30 feet deep and was paneled with cedar from floor to ceiling. The main room of the Temple, outside the Most Holy Place, was 60 feet long. Cedar paneling completely covered the stone walls throughout the Temple, and the paneling was decorated with carvings of gourds and open flowers” (I Kings 6:14-18).
“He prepared the inner sanctuary at the far end of the Temple, where the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant would be placed. This inner sanctuary was 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 30 feet high. He overlaid the inside with solid gold. He also overlaid the altar made of cedar. Then Solomon overlaid the rest of the Temple’s interior with solid gold, and he made gold chains to protect the entrance to the Most Holy Place. So he finished overlaying the entire Temple with gold, including the altar that belonged to the Most Holy Place” (I Kings 6:19-22).
“He made two cherubim of wild olive wood, each 15 feet tall, and placed them in the inner sanctuary. The wingspan of each of the cherubim was 15 feet, each wing being 7 1/2 feet long. The two cherubim were identical in shape and size; each was 15 feet tall. He placed them side by side in the inner sanctuary of the Temple. Their outspread wings reached from wall to wall, while their inner wings touched at the center of the room. He overlaid the two cherubim with gold” (I Kings 6:23-28).
“He decorated all the walls of the inner sanctuary and the main room with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. He overlaid the floor in both rooms with gold” (I Kings 6:29-30).
“For the entrance to the inner sanctuary, he made double doors of wild olive wood with five-sided doorposts. These double doors were decorated with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. The doors, including the decorations of cherubim and palm trees, were overlaid with gold” (I Kings 6:31-32).
“Then he made four-sided doorposts of wild olive wood for the entrance to the Temple. There were two folding doors of cypress wood, and each door was hinged to fold back upon itself. These doors were decorated with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers – all overlaid evenly with gold” (I Kings 6:33-35).
“The walls of the inner courtyard were built so that there was one layer of cedar beams between every three layers of finished stone” (I Kings 6:36).
Never had there been a more beautiful building constructed. Solomon insisted on the best of the best for every part of it.
“Solomon also built a palace for himself, and it took him thirteen years to complete the construction” (I Kings 7:1).
The Temple is described in detail while Solomon’s palace barely gets an honorable mention. His priorities were straight. The Temple came first. What about us? God deserves our very best. Is that what we’re giving Him?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
BARGAINS OF THE DAY!
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Friday, November 22, 2013
FRIDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
“It was in midspring, in the month of Ziv, during the fourth year of Solomon’s reign, that he began to construct the Temple of the Lord. This was 480 years after the people of Israel were rescued from their slavery in the land of Egypt” (I Kings 6:1, NLT).
“The Temple that King Solomon built for the Lord was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high.The entry room at the front of the Temple was 30 feet wide, running across the entire width of the Temple. It projected outward 15 feet from the front of the Temple. Solomon also made narrow recessed windows throughout the Temple” (I Kings 6:2-4).
“He built a complex of rooms against the outer walls of the Temple, all the way around the sides and rear of the building. The complex was three stories high, the bottom floor being 7 1/2 feet wide, the second floor 9 feet wide, and the top floor 101/2 feet wide. The rooms were connected to the walls of the Temple by beams resting on ledges built out from the wall. So the beams were not inserted into the walls themselves” (I Kings 6:5-6).
“The stones used in the construction of the Temple were finished at the quarry, so there was no sound of hammer, ax, or any other iron tool at the building site” (I Kings 6:7).
Talk about your accuracy and craftsmanship! The stones of the temple were cut so precisely that each one fit an exact location and required no trimming or hammering into place.
“The entrance to the bottom floor was on the south side of the Temple. There were winding stairs going up to the second floor, and another flight of stairs between the second and third floors. After completing the Temple structure, Solomon put in a ceiling made of cedar beams and planks. As already stated, he built a complex of rooms on three sides of the building, attached to the Temple walls by cedar timbers. Each story of the complex was 7 1/2 feet high” (I Kings 6:8-10)..
“Then the Lord gave this message to Solomon: ‘Concerning this Temple you are building, if you keep all My decrees and regulations and obey all My commands, I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father, David” (I Kings 6:12).
As we’ve seen repeatedly, here we have another conditional covenant: “If you keep all My decrees and regulations and obey all My commands…” At Solomon’s coronation, David had reminded him sternly:
“So now, with God as our witness, and in the sight of all Israel – the Lord’s assembly – I give you this charge. Be careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God, so that you may continue to possess this good land and leave it to your children as a permanent inheritance. And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve Him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek Him, you will find Him. But if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. So take this seriously. The Lord has chosen you to build a Temple as His sanctuary. Be strong, and do the work.’ Then David gave Solomon the plans for the Temple and its surroundings…” (I Chronicles 28:8-11a).
David entrusted Solomon with an awesome task and offered him some great advice as he did so – advice that it would behoove each one of us to take to heart for ourselves: “Learn to know… God… intimately. Worship and serve Him with your whole heart and a willing mind.” May we all make these words a heartfelt part of our daily prayers.
And remember: God doesn’t wander away from you. He’s not hard to find. “If you seek Him, you will find Him.” What are you doing to stay close to Him and know Him more deeply?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
“The Temple that King Solomon built for the Lord was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high.The entry room at the front of the Temple was 30 feet wide, running across the entire width of the Temple. It projected outward 15 feet from the front of the Temple. Solomon also made narrow recessed windows throughout the Temple” (I Kings 6:2-4).
“He built a complex of rooms against the outer walls of the Temple, all the way around the sides and rear of the building. The complex was three stories high, the bottom floor being 7 1/2 feet wide, the second floor 9 feet wide, and the top floor 101/2 feet wide. The rooms were connected to the walls of the Temple by beams resting on ledges built out from the wall. So the beams were not inserted into the walls themselves” (I Kings 6:5-6).
“The stones used in the construction of the Temple were finished at the quarry, so there was no sound of hammer, ax, or any other iron tool at the building site” (I Kings 6:7).
Talk about your accuracy and craftsmanship! The stones of the temple were cut so precisely that each one fit an exact location and required no trimming or hammering into place.
“The entrance to the bottom floor was on the south side of the Temple. There were winding stairs going up to the second floor, and another flight of stairs between the second and third floors. After completing the Temple structure, Solomon put in a ceiling made of cedar beams and planks. As already stated, he built a complex of rooms on three sides of the building, attached to the Temple walls by cedar timbers. Each story of the complex was 7 1/2 feet high” (I Kings 6:8-10)..
“Then the Lord gave this message to Solomon: ‘Concerning this Temple you are building, if you keep all My decrees and regulations and obey all My commands, I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father, David” (I Kings 6:12).
As we’ve seen repeatedly, here we have another conditional covenant: “If you keep all My decrees and regulations and obey all My commands…” At Solomon’s coronation, David had reminded him sternly:
“So now, with God as our witness, and in the sight of all Israel – the Lord’s assembly – I give you this charge. Be careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God, so that you may continue to possess this good land and leave it to your children as a permanent inheritance. And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve Him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek Him, you will find Him. But if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. So take this seriously. The Lord has chosen you to build a Temple as His sanctuary. Be strong, and do the work.’ Then David gave Solomon the plans for the Temple and its surroundings…” (I Chronicles 28:8-11a).
David entrusted Solomon with an awesome task and offered him some great advice as he did so – advice that it would behoove each one of us to take to heart for ourselves: “Learn to know… God… intimately. Worship and serve Him with your whole heart and a willing mind.” May we all make these words a heartfelt part of our daily prayers.
And remember: God doesn’t wander away from you. He’s not hard to find. “If you seek Him, you will find Him.” What are you doing to stay close to Him and know Him more deeply?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
BARGAINS OF THE DAY!
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Thursday, November 21, 2013
THURSDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
King Hiram of Tyre congratulated Solomon on becoming the new king of Israel. Solomon responded with a graciously worded request for timber from Hiram’s country. This request both acknowledged Hiram’s outreach to Solomon and let him know that Solomon wanted to continue the good relationship David had enjoyed with the people of Tyre. Hiram’s response was positive:
“When Hiram received Solomon’s message, he was very pleased and said, ‘Praise the Lord today for giving David a wise son to be king of the great nation of Israel.’ Then he sent this reply to Solomon:” (I Kings 5:7-8a).
“I have received your message, and I will supply all the cedar and cypress timber you need. My servants will bring the logs from the Lebanon mountains to the Mediterranean Sea and make them into rafts and float them along the coast to whatever place you choose. Then we will break the rafts apart so you can carry the logs away. You can pay me by supplying me with food for my household” (I Kings 5:8b-9).
“So Hiram supplied as much cedar and cypress timber as Solomon desired. In return, Solomon sent him an annual payment of 100,000 bushels of wheat for his household and 110,000 gallons of pure olive oil. So the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, just as He had promised. And Hiram and Solomon made a formal alliance of peace” (I Kings 5:10-11).
Both Hiram and Solomon proved to men of their word. Hiram supplied Solomon with the agreed-upon timber and Solomon supplied Hiram with the agreed-upon food. Bartering allowed both parties to put to good use what they already had on hand.
Bartering is still a great way to meet needs, but it’s terribly underused today. Why turn loose of money when an unused or unwanted item around your house may very well be bartered into something you do need? If this was a good enough system for two wealthy kings, it’s certainly a smart system for us to use whenever possible.
Bartering labor is another money-saver. If Kim can sew and Dale can cook, Dale could trade Kim some home-cooked meals (or a stack of casseroles or desserts to freeze for future meals) for a set of slip covers for his dining room chairs.
If we’ll only begin to draw on the limitless wisdom we’ve been blessed with through the indwelling presence of Jesus Christ as Holy Spirit, we’ll see better and better ways to more wisely use the time, money and resources with which He’s entrusted us. And the result? We get rid of some needless stress and enjoy a bit more peace in our lives. And who couldn’t benefit from that?
“So the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, just as He had promised. And Hiram and Solomon made a formal alliance of peace” (I Kings 5:12).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
“When Hiram received Solomon’s message, he was very pleased and said, ‘Praise the Lord today for giving David a wise son to be king of the great nation of Israel.’ Then he sent this reply to Solomon:” (I Kings 5:7-8a).
“I have received your message, and I will supply all the cedar and cypress timber you need. My servants will bring the logs from the Lebanon mountains to the Mediterranean Sea and make them into rafts and float them along the coast to whatever place you choose. Then we will break the rafts apart so you can carry the logs away. You can pay me by supplying me with food for my household” (I Kings 5:8b-9).
“So Hiram supplied as much cedar and cypress timber as Solomon desired. In return, Solomon sent him an annual payment of 100,000 bushels of wheat for his household and 110,000 gallons of pure olive oil. So the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, just as He had promised. And Hiram and Solomon made a formal alliance of peace” (I Kings 5:10-11).
Both Hiram and Solomon proved to men of their word. Hiram supplied Solomon with the agreed-upon timber and Solomon supplied Hiram with the agreed-upon food. Bartering allowed both parties to put to good use what they already had on hand.
Bartering is still a great way to meet needs, but it’s terribly underused today. Why turn loose of money when an unused or unwanted item around your house may very well be bartered into something you do need? If this was a good enough system for two wealthy kings, it’s certainly a smart system for us to use whenever possible.
Bartering labor is another money-saver. If Kim can sew and Dale can cook, Dale could trade Kim some home-cooked meals (or a stack of casseroles or desserts to freeze for future meals) for a set of slip covers for his dining room chairs.
If we’ll only begin to draw on the limitless wisdom we’ve been blessed with through the indwelling presence of Jesus Christ as Holy Spirit, we’ll see better and better ways to more wisely use the time, money and resources with which He’s entrusted us. And the result? We get rid of some needless stress and enjoy a bit more peace in our lives. And who couldn’t benefit from that?
“So the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, just as He had promised. And Hiram and Solomon made a formal alliance of peace” (I Kings 5:12).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
BARGAINS OF THE DAY!
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Plus there are at least 5 more books at $2 & $3 each, plus a great selection of hats at $3.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
WEDNESDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Out of all the things Solomon could have asked the Lord for, he asked for wisdom. And already we’ve seen how well he’d used this gift. I had also reminded us that all who know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are also filled with wisdom because First Corinthians 1:30a says of believers: “God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Him to be wisdom itself” (NLT).
So what was Solomon’s next move? He got ready to build the temple of the Lord. Remember, David had wanted to do this, but the Lord had told him, “Your son Solomon will build My Temple and its courtyards, for I have chosen him” (I Chronicles 28:6a).
“King Hiram of Tyre had always been a loyal friend of David. When Hiram learned that David’s son Solomon was the new king of Israel, he sent ambassadors to congratulate him” (I Kings 5:1).
Hiram wanted to keep up the good relationship his country had enjoyed with Israel. “Then Solomon sent this message back to Hiram:” (I Kings 5:2).
“You know that my father, David, was not able to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord his God because of the many wars waged against him by surrounding nations. He could not build until the Lord gave him victory over all his enemies. But now the Lord my God has given me peace on every side; I have no enemies, and all is well. So I am planning to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God, just as He had instructed my father, David. For the Lord told him, ‘Your son, whom I will place on your throne, will build the Temple to honor My Name’” (I Kings 5:3-5).
“Therefore, please command that cedars from Lebanon be cut for me. Let my men work alongside yours, and I will pay your men whatever wages you ask. As you know, there is no one among us who can cut timber like you Sidonians!” (I Kings 5:6).
Solomon’s wisdom included great diplomatic skills. He didn’t demand; he asked. And his request included compliments about Hiram’s countrymen’s abilities. As the old saying goes, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” Instead of foolishly letting his authority go to his head, Solomon used language that in no way caused Hiram and his people to appear inferior to Solomon and his own countrymen.
Diplomacy is priceless. A great negotiator can smooth out the most volatile of situations. A poor one can destroy all hope of compromise or reconciliation. While Solomon definitely had a God-given gift to do these things, all of us who know Christ as Lord and Savior have Him as our “wisdom;" but as with money in the bank, we must choose to access and use what He has given us.
Do your words promote peaceful negotiation or fiery confrontation? The choice is yours.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
So what was Solomon’s next move? He got ready to build the temple of the Lord. Remember, David had wanted to do this, but the Lord had told him, “Your son Solomon will build My Temple and its courtyards, for I have chosen him” (I Chronicles 28:6a).
“King Hiram of Tyre had always been a loyal friend of David. When Hiram learned that David’s son Solomon was the new king of Israel, he sent ambassadors to congratulate him” (I Kings 5:1).
Hiram wanted to keep up the good relationship his country had enjoyed with Israel. “Then Solomon sent this message back to Hiram:” (I Kings 5:2).
“You know that my father, David, was not able to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord his God because of the many wars waged against him by surrounding nations. He could not build until the Lord gave him victory over all his enemies. But now the Lord my God has given me peace on every side; I have no enemies, and all is well. So I am planning to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God, just as He had instructed my father, David. For the Lord told him, ‘Your son, whom I will place on your throne, will build the Temple to honor My Name’” (I Kings 5:3-5).
“Therefore, please command that cedars from Lebanon be cut for me. Let my men work alongside yours, and I will pay your men whatever wages you ask. As you know, there is no one among us who can cut timber like you Sidonians!” (I Kings 5:6).
Solomon’s wisdom included great diplomatic skills. He didn’t demand; he asked. And his request included compliments about Hiram’s countrymen’s abilities. As the old saying goes, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” Instead of foolishly letting his authority go to his head, Solomon used language that in no way caused Hiram and his people to appear inferior to Solomon and his own countrymen.
Diplomacy is priceless. A great negotiator can smooth out the most volatile of situations. A poor one can destroy all hope of compromise or reconciliation. While Solomon definitely had a God-given gift to do these things, all of us who know Christ as Lord and Savior have Him as our “wisdom;" but as with money in the bank, we must choose to access and use what He has given us.
Do your words promote peaceful negotiation or fiery confrontation? The choice is yours.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
BARGAINS OF THE DAY!
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Tuesday, November 19, 2013
TUESDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
“The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom” (I Kings 3:10a, NLT). He was about to have huge opportunity to put it to use.
“Two prostitutes came to the king to have an argument settled. ‘Please, my lord,’ one of them began, ‘this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a baby while she was with me in the house. Three days later this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there were only two of us in the house” (I Kings 3:16-18).
“But her baby died during the night when she rolled over on it. Then she got up in the night and took my son from beside me while I was asleep. She laid her dead child in my arms and took mine to sleep beside her. And in the morning when I tried to nurse my son, he was dead! But when I looked more closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t my son at all” (I Kings 3:19-21).
“Then the other woman interrupted, ‘It certainly was your son, and the living child is mine.’ ‘No,’ the first woman said, ‘the living child is mine, and the dead one is yours.’ And so they argued back and forth before the king” (I Kings 3:22).
Two women had babies three days apart. One of the babies tragically died. One woman claimed the other woman switched babies so that the mother whose child had actually died ended up with the live baby. How was Solomon to determine who was telling the truth?
“Then the king said, ‘Let’s get the facts straight. Both of you claim the living child is yours, and each says that the dead one belongs to the other. All right, bring me a sword.’ So a sword was brought to the king” (I Kings 3:23-24).
“Then he said, ‘Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other!’” (I Kings 3:25).
No way was Solomon planning on executing an innocent baby. What he was doing was using a terrifying ruse to bring out the truth.
“Then the woman who was the real mother of the living child, and who loved him very much, cried out, ‘Oh no, my lord! Give her the child – please do not kill him!’” (I Kings 3:26a).
A mother’s love “cried out.” Rather than have harm come to her child, the real mother was willing to let the other woman keep him. She was willing to endure the pain of losing him if it meant that her child would be allowed to live.
“But the other woman said, ‘All right, he will be neither yours nor mine; divide him between us!’” (I Kings 3:26b).
Talk about a serious case of postpartum depression! Having lost her own child, she preferred seeing the living baby killed rather than losing him to his real mother.
“Then the king said, ‘Do not kill the child, but give him to the woman who wants him to live, for she is his mother!’” (I Kings 3:27).
Would anyone else have ever come up with a plan that would have so quickly revealed the living baby’s real mother? God had truly given Solomon what he had asked for.
Speaking of wisdom, did you know that you’re smarter than a proverbial whip? How do I know this? Because “God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Him to be wisdom itself” (I Corinthians 1:30a). If you’ve got Jesus, you’ve got “wisdom itself.” Apply it.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
“Two prostitutes came to the king to have an argument settled. ‘Please, my lord,’ one of them began, ‘this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a baby while she was with me in the house. Three days later this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there were only two of us in the house” (I Kings 3:16-18).
“But her baby died during the night when she rolled over on it. Then she got up in the night and took my son from beside me while I was asleep. She laid her dead child in my arms and took mine to sleep beside her. And in the morning when I tried to nurse my son, he was dead! But when I looked more closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t my son at all” (I Kings 3:19-21).
“Then the other woman interrupted, ‘It certainly was your son, and the living child is mine.’ ‘No,’ the first woman said, ‘the living child is mine, and the dead one is yours.’ And so they argued back and forth before the king” (I Kings 3:22).
Two women had babies three days apart. One of the babies tragically died. One woman claimed the other woman switched babies so that the mother whose child had actually died ended up with the live baby. How was Solomon to determine who was telling the truth?
“Then the king said, ‘Let’s get the facts straight. Both of you claim the living child is yours, and each says that the dead one belongs to the other. All right, bring me a sword.’ So a sword was brought to the king” (I Kings 3:23-24).
“Then he said, ‘Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other!’” (I Kings 3:25).
No way was Solomon planning on executing an innocent baby. What he was doing was using a terrifying ruse to bring out the truth.
“Then the woman who was the real mother of the living child, and who loved him very much, cried out, ‘Oh no, my lord! Give her the child – please do not kill him!’” (I Kings 3:26a).
A mother’s love “cried out.” Rather than have harm come to her child, the real mother was willing to let the other woman keep him. She was willing to endure the pain of losing him if it meant that her child would be allowed to live.
“But the other woman said, ‘All right, he will be neither yours nor mine; divide him between us!’” (I Kings 3:26b).
Talk about a serious case of postpartum depression! Having lost her own child, she preferred seeing the living baby killed rather than losing him to his real mother.
“Then the king said, ‘Do not kill the child, but give him to the woman who wants him to live, for she is his mother!’” (I Kings 3:27).
Would anyone else have ever come up with a plan that would have so quickly revealed the living baby’s real mother? God had truly given Solomon what he had asked for.
Speaking of wisdom, did you know that you’re smarter than a proverbial whip? How do I know this? Because “God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Him to be wisdom itself” (I Corinthians 1:30a). If you’ve got Jesus, you’ve got “wisdom itself.” Apply it.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
BARGAINS OF THE DAY!
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Monday, November 18, 2013
MONDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Abiathar, Adonijah and Shemei had all been dealt with. “So the kingdom was now firmly in Solomon’s grip” (I Kings 2:46b, NLT). What was Solomon’s next move as the new king?
“Solomon loved the Lord and followed all the decrees of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local places of worship. At that time the people of Israel sacrificed their offerings at local places of worship, for a temple honoring the name of the Lord had not yet been built” (I Kings 3:3, 2).
Until the temple was built, it was permissible to sacrifice to God at “local places.” It was never and never would or will be okay to sacrifice to any other gods. After the temple was constructed, all sacrifices were to be made there.
“The most important of these places of worship was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings. That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!’” (I Kings 3:4-5).
“Solomon replied, ‘You showed faithful love to Your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to You. And You have continued Your faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne” (I Kings 3:6).
“Now, O Lord my God, You have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. And here I am in the midst of Your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern Your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” (I Kings 3:7-9).
At the time David turned the kingdom over to him, Bible scholars range Solomon’s age between seven and twenty. He was young enough to be easily influenced and vulnerable; he was wise enough to know what to ask of the Lord.
“The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. So God replied, ‘Because you have asked for wisdom in governing My people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies – I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! And I will also give you what you did not ask for – riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life!” (I Kings 3:10-13).
The Lord knows every heart. Solomon asked for what he truly desired. So many people then and nowadays think having “riches and fame” will fix everything when all it takes is looking at a few tabloids to realize how far from true that is. Solomon asked for the most important thing any of God’s people could desire: “an understanding heart.” And that, my brothers and sisters, is what opened God’s heart to bless him in such an extraordinary way.
Then the Lord issued the big “if” warning: “And if you follow Me and obey My decrees and My commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life” (I Kings 3:14).
We’ve seen it over and over, folks: conditional covenants; conditional blessings. Want God’s best? Be faithful and seek His will and not your own.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
“Solomon loved the Lord and followed all the decrees of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local places of worship. At that time the people of Israel sacrificed their offerings at local places of worship, for a temple honoring the name of the Lord had not yet been built” (I Kings 3:3, 2).
Until the temple was built, it was permissible to sacrifice to God at “local places.” It was never and never would or will be okay to sacrifice to any other gods. After the temple was constructed, all sacrifices were to be made there.
“The most important of these places of worship was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings. That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!’” (I Kings 3:4-5).
“Solomon replied, ‘You showed faithful love to Your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to You. And You have continued Your faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne” (I Kings 3:6).
“Now, O Lord my God, You have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. And here I am in the midst of Your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern Your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” (I Kings 3:7-9).
At the time David turned the kingdom over to him, Bible scholars range Solomon’s age between seven and twenty. He was young enough to be easily influenced and vulnerable; he was wise enough to know what to ask of the Lord.
“The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. So God replied, ‘Because you have asked for wisdom in governing My people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies – I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! And I will also give you what you did not ask for – riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life!” (I Kings 3:10-13).
The Lord knows every heart. Solomon asked for what he truly desired. So many people then and nowadays think having “riches and fame” will fix everything when all it takes is looking at a few tabloids to realize how far from true that is. Solomon asked for the most important thing any of God’s people could desire: “an understanding heart.” And that, my brothers and sisters, is what opened God’s heart to bless him in such an extraordinary way.
Then the Lord issued the big “if” warning: “And if you follow Me and obey My decrees and My commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life” (I Kings 3:14).
We’ve seen it over and over, folks: conditional covenants; conditional blessings. Want God’s best? Be faithful and seek His will and not your own.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Sunday, November 17, 2013
SUNDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
“So Benaiah son of Jehoiada returned to the sacred tent and killed Joab, and he was buried at his home in the wilderness. Then the king appointed Benaiah to command the army in place of Joab, and he installed Zadok the priest to take the place of Abiathar” (I Kings 34-35).
Joab met his end and Abiathar was removed from his position. Now Zadok alone, who had apparently been serving alongside Abiathar already, is priest.
And remember back when David was running from Absalom? Shemei was the guy who ran alongside them, cursing David and throwing rocks – see Second Samuel 16:5-14; he was also a relative of Saul. It was time to deal with this potential danger to Solomon’s rule.
So how did Shemei’s situation turn out? Solomon was a man of his word:
“The king also said to Shimei, ‘You certainly remember all the wicked things you did to my father, David. May the Lord now bring that evil on your own head.’ Then, at the king’s command, Benaiah son of Jehoiada took Shimei outside and killed him. So the kingdom was now firmly in Solomon’s grip” (I Kings 2:44, 46).
Shemei had known better than to leave Jerusalem – he’d been clearly warned: “Don’t step outside the city to go anywhere else. On the day you so much as cross the Kidron Valley, you will surely die; and your blood will be on your own head’” (I Kings 2:36b-37).
But what had Shemei done? Obeyed for a while and then gotten over it: “But three years later two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. When Shimei learned where they were, he saddled his donkey and went to Gath to search for them. When he found them, he brought them back to Jerusalem” (I Kings 2:39-40).
Solomon did exactly what he’d told Shemei he would do. Even though Shemei’s actions deserved death years before, Solomon showed him unwarranted mercy in simply allowing him to live; and the only thing that would change that would be if Shemei broke Solomon’s decree and left Jerusalem. Which he did.
People today are a lot like Shemei. Non-Christians and even Christians often mistake the Lord’s patience for a free pass. Oh, as Christians we may start out believing we’d better do things God’s way; but as time passes, we pick up “little” or “big” bad habits; then when nothing bad happens to us, after a while, we, like Shemei, begin to think it’s actually okay to do these things.
But it isn’t. And there will be a reckoning. In His great mercy, a Holy God gave His Only Son to free us from the bondage of sin; and any person who has accepted that covering is insulting the very blood of Jesus every time he behaves in any way contrary to how the Bible says we should.
Or to put it even more graphically, it’s spitting in the face of Jesus. When you know you shouldn’t lie and you do it anyway. When you gossip. When you bellyache. When you cheat.
If every time you or I started to do something wrong, we would picture ourselves spitting into the very face of Jesus, I don’t think we’d do it, do you?
Shemei got over the awesomeness of Solomon's mercy. May we never get over the awesomeness of God's.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Joab met his end and Abiathar was removed from his position. Now Zadok alone, who had apparently been serving alongside Abiathar already, is priest.
And remember back when David was running from Absalom? Shemei was the guy who ran alongside them, cursing David and throwing rocks – see Second Samuel 16:5-14; he was also a relative of Saul. It was time to deal with this potential danger to Solomon’s rule.
So how did Shemei’s situation turn out? Solomon was a man of his word:
“The king also said to Shimei, ‘You certainly remember all the wicked things you did to my father, David. May the Lord now bring that evil on your own head.’ Then, at the king’s command, Benaiah son of Jehoiada took Shimei outside and killed him. So the kingdom was now firmly in Solomon’s grip” (I Kings 2:44, 46).
Shemei had known better than to leave Jerusalem – he’d been clearly warned: “Don’t step outside the city to go anywhere else. On the day you so much as cross the Kidron Valley, you will surely die; and your blood will be on your own head’” (I Kings 2:36b-37).
But what had Shemei done? Obeyed for a while and then gotten over it: “But three years later two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. When Shimei learned where they were, he saddled his donkey and went to Gath to search for them. When he found them, he brought them back to Jerusalem” (I Kings 2:39-40).
Solomon did exactly what he’d told Shemei he would do. Even though Shemei’s actions deserved death years before, Solomon showed him unwarranted mercy in simply allowing him to live; and the only thing that would change that would be if Shemei broke Solomon’s decree and left Jerusalem. Which he did.
People today are a lot like Shemei. Non-Christians and even Christians often mistake the Lord’s patience for a free pass. Oh, as Christians we may start out believing we’d better do things God’s way; but as time passes, we pick up “little” or “big” bad habits; then when nothing bad happens to us, after a while, we, like Shemei, begin to think it’s actually okay to do these things.
But it isn’t. And there will be a reckoning. In His great mercy, a Holy God gave His Only Son to free us from the bondage of sin; and any person who has accepted that covering is insulting the very blood of Jesus every time he behaves in any way contrary to how the Bible says we should.
Or to put it even more graphically, it’s spitting in the face of Jesus. When you know you shouldn’t lie and you do it anyway. When you gossip. When you bellyache. When you cheat.
If every time you or I started to do something wrong, we would picture ourselves spitting into the very face of Jesus, I don’t think we’d do it, do you?
Shemei got over the awesomeness of Solomon's mercy. May we never get over the awesomeness of God's.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
IT'S SUNDAY!
"Remember
the day of worship by observing it as a holy day"
(Exodus 20:8, God's Word). Holy, as in set apart, different from any other day.SUNDAY is a day of REST & of WORSHIP. I am more & more convicted about not shopping online or in stores on SUNDAY. We should use this day to reflect on the goodness of Jesus Christ, honor Him with true worship (not just church attendance) & spend time with friends & family, whether that's in person or online. I will post on all other days & I'll continue to post Bible passages on my Facebook page, blog & via Twitter each SUNDAY. Blessings to all of you.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
SATURDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
“So Benaiah son of Jehoiada returned to the sacred tent and killed Joab, and he was buried at his home in the wilderness. Then the king appointed Benaiah to command the army in place of Joab, and he installed Zadok the priest to take the place of Abiathar” (I Kings 34-35).
Joab met his end and Abiathar was removed from his position. Now Zadok alone, who had apparently been serving alongside Abiathar already, is priest.
And remember back when David was running from Absalom? Shemei was the guy who ran alongside them, cursing David and throwing rocks – see Second Samuel 16:5-14; he was also a relative of Saul. It was time to deal with this potential danger to Solomon’s rule.
“The king then sent for Shimei and told him, ‘Build a house here in Jerusalem and live there. But don’t step outside the city to go anywhere else. On the day you so much as cross the Kidron Valley, you will surely die; and your blood will be on your own head’” (I Kings 2:36-37).
“Shimei replied, ‘Your sentence is fair; I will do whatever my lord the king commands.’ So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time” (I Kings 2:38).
Operative phrase here? “For a long time.” Interesting how short our memories can be on the things we should hold onto and how long they can be on the things we should let go of. Shemei knew he’d received great mercy when Solomon so much as let him live. Why push the envelope?
“But three years later two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. When Shimei learned where they were, he saddled his donkey and went to Gath to search for them. When he found them, he brought them back to Jerusalem” (I Kings 2:39-40).
Let’s look at this realistically. Shemei owned slaves; he wasn’t a poor man. He could have sent other family members or hired men to go after the slaves. He could even have gone to Solomon, explained his problem and asked permission to go after the slaves. Instead, he said nothing to Solomon and foolishly went himself.
“Solomon heard that Shimei had left Jerusalem and had gone to Gath and returned. So the king sent for Shimei and demanded, ‘Didn’t I make you swear by the Lord and warn you not to go anywhere else or you would surely die? And you replied, ‘The sentence is fair; I will do as you say.’ Then why haven’t you kept your oath to the Lord and obeyed my command?’” (I Kings 2:41-43).
In truth, Shemei’s actions gave Solomon no choice. Shemei had sworn a solemn oath never to leave Jerusalem and Solomon had solemnly sworn what the consequences would be if Shemei ever broke that agreement. If Solomon’s rule was to remain secure, his word had to be trustworthy, and that included fulfilling his side of this agreement with Shemei.
And speaking of being trustworthy, God is only as trustworthy as His Word. And John 1:1 plainly tells us that Jesus Christ is the Living Word. God never threatens; He warns. And thankfully, He also exhibits great patience. But eventually, He acts. Otherwise His Word isn’t trustworthy.
You hear people say, “How can a loving God send people to hell?” Truth is, He doesn’t. Jesus clearly stated that hell is “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons” (Matthew 25:41b). Not for people. That’s why Jesus also taught: “Everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16b).
Hell is a personal choice. Jesus is a personal choice. Which one have you chosen? Which have your friends and family chosen? What are you doing to point them to Jesus?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Joab met his end and Abiathar was removed from his position. Now Zadok alone, who had apparently been serving alongside Abiathar already, is priest.
And remember back when David was running from Absalom? Shemei was the guy who ran alongside them, cursing David and throwing rocks – see Second Samuel 16:5-14; he was also a relative of Saul. It was time to deal with this potential danger to Solomon’s rule.
“The king then sent for Shimei and told him, ‘Build a house here in Jerusalem and live there. But don’t step outside the city to go anywhere else. On the day you so much as cross the Kidron Valley, you will surely die; and your blood will be on your own head’” (I Kings 2:36-37).
“Shimei replied, ‘Your sentence is fair; I will do whatever my lord the king commands.’ So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time” (I Kings 2:38).
Operative phrase here? “For a long time.” Interesting how short our memories can be on the things we should hold onto and how long they can be on the things we should let go of. Shemei knew he’d received great mercy when Solomon so much as let him live. Why push the envelope?
“But three years later two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. When Shimei learned where they were, he saddled his donkey and went to Gath to search for them. When he found them, he brought them back to Jerusalem” (I Kings 2:39-40).
Let’s look at this realistically. Shemei owned slaves; he wasn’t a poor man. He could have sent other family members or hired men to go after the slaves. He could even have gone to Solomon, explained his problem and asked permission to go after the slaves. Instead, he said nothing to Solomon and foolishly went himself.
“Solomon heard that Shimei had left Jerusalem and had gone to Gath and returned. So the king sent for Shimei and demanded, ‘Didn’t I make you swear by the Lord and warn you not to go anywhere else or you would surely die? And you replied, ‘The sentence is fair; I will do as you say.’ Then why haven’t you kept your oath to the Lord and obeyed my command?’” (I Kings 2:41-43).
In truth, Shemei’s actions gave Solomon no choice. Shemei had sworn a solemn oath never to leave Jerusalem and Solomon had solemnly sworn what the consequences would be if Shemei ever broke that agreement. If Solomon’s rule was to remain secure, his word had to be trustworthy, and that included fulfilling his side of this agreement with Shemei.
And speaking of being trustworthy, God is only as trustworthy as His Word. And John 1:1 plainly tells us that Jesus Christ is the Living Word. God never threatens; He warns. And thankfully, He also exhibits great patience. But eventually, He acts. Otherwise His Word isn’t trustworthy.
You hear people say, “How can a loving God send people to hell?” Truth is, He doesn’t. Jesus clearly stated that hell is “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons” (Matthew 25:41b). Not for people. That’s why Jesus also taught: “Everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16b).
Hell is a personal choice. Jesus is a personal choice. Which one have you chosen? Which have your friends and family chosen? What are you doing to point them to Jesus?
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Friday, November 15, 2013
FRIDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Solomon’s housecleaning continued. Having eliminated the threat posed by Adonijah, he then removed Abiathar the priest, telling him, “Go back to your home in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not kill you now” (I Kings 2:26a, NLT). Just as he had done when he first spared Adonijah, Solomon let Abiathar know he could still be executed; surely seeing Adonijah’s end would keep Abiathar from causing further trouble. Next, Solomon had to deal with Joab.
“Joab had not joined Absalom’s earlier rebellion, but he had joined Adonijah’s rebellion. So when Joab heard about Adonijah’s death, he ran to the sacred tent of the Lord and grabbed on to the horns of the altar” (I Kings 2:28).
Adonijah had fled to “the sacred tent of the Lord and grabbed on to the horns of the altar” and Solomon had brought him out and granted him conditional amnesty. Joab hoped for the same. But this time, “When this was reported to King Solomon, he sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him” (I Kings 2:29).
“Benaiah went to the sacred tent of the Lord and said to Joab, ‘The king orders you to come out!’” (I Kings 2:30a).
“But Joab answered, ‘No, I will die here’” (I Kings 2:30b).
Joab hoped that Solomon would grant him sanctuary as long as he clung to the altar. After all, it was pretty much a universal custom to spare a person under these conditions. But Solomon knew God had never issued blanket immunity to a guilty party. Instead He had said: "If someone deliberately kills another person, then the slayer must be dragged even from My altar and be put to death” (Exodus 21:14). Even by God’s law, Joab had no legal ground to stand on.
“So Benaiah returned to the king and told him what Joab had said” (I Kings 2:30c).
“‘Do as he said,’ the king replied. ‘Kill him there beside the altar and bury him. This will remove the guilt of Joab’s senseless murders from me and from my father’s family. The Lord will repay him for the murders of two men who were more righteous and better than he. For my father knew nothing about the deaths of Abner son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and of Amasa son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. May their blood be on Joab and his descendants forever, and may the Lord grant peace forever to David, his descendants, his dynasty, and his throne’” (I Kings 2:31-33).
“May the Lord grant peace forever to David, his descendants, his dynasty, and his throne.” Note the operative word there, “May.” As in conditional. David had already told Solomon: “Observe the requirements of the Lord your God, and follow all His ways. If you do this, then the Lord will keep the promise He made to me. He told me, ‘If your descendants live as they should and follow Me faithfully with all their heart and soul, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel’” (I Kings 2:3a, 4).
Big IF. No one else’s faithfulness would secure the throne for Solomon; it was up to him to be faithful to God’s teaching. Likewise, it may have been customary to run to the altar for sanctuary, but would it help a guilty man avoid the death penalty? No more than sitting in church will keep a lost person out of hell.
Neither Grandma’s, Grandpa’s, Mama’s, or Daddy’s commitment will get you or me into heaven. Your commitment must be yours; mine must be mine. Jesus Christ is a personal Savior.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
“Joab had not joined Absalom’s earlier rebellion, but he had joined Adonijah’s rebellion. So when Joab heard about Adonijah’s death, he ran to the sacred tent of the Lord and grabbed on to the horns of the altar” (I Kings 2:28).
Adonijah had fled to “the sacred tent of the Lord and grabbed on to the horns of the altar” and Solomon had brought him out and granted him conditional amnesty. Joab hoped for the same. But this time, “When this was reported to King Solomon, he sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him” (I Kings 2:29).
“Benaiah went to the sacred tent of the Lord and said to Joab, ‘The king orders you to come out!’” (I Kings 2:30a).
“But Joab answered, ‘No, I will die here’” (I Kings 2:30b).
Joab hoped that Solomon would grant him sanctuary as long as he clung to the altar. After all, it was pretty much a universal custom to spare a person under these conditions. But Solomon knew God had never issued blanket immunity to a guilty party. Instead He had said: "If someone deliberately kills another person, then the slayer must be dragged even from My altar and be put to death” (Exodus 21:14). Even by God’s law, Joab had no legal ground to stand on.
“So Benaiah returned to the king and told him what Joab had said” (I Kings 2:30c).
“‘Do as he said,’ the king replied. ‘Kill him there beside the altar and bury him. This will remove the guilt of Joab’s senseless murders from me and from my father’s family. The Lord will repay him for the murders of two men who were more righteous and better than he. For my father knew nothing about the deaths of Abner son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and of Amasa son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. May their blood be on Joab and his descendants forever, and may the Lord grant peace forever to David, his descendants, his dynasty, and his throne’” (I Kings 2:31-33).
“May the Lord grant peace forever to David, his descendants, his dynasty, and his throne.” Note the operative word there, “May.” As in conditional. David had already told Solomon: “Observe the requirements of the Lord your God, and follow all His ways. If you do this, then the Lord will keep the promise He made to me. He told me, ‘If your descendants live as they should and follow Me faithfully with all their heart and soul, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel’” (I Kings 2:3a, 4).
Big IF. No one else’s faithfulness would secure the throne for Solomon; it was up to him to be faithful to God’s teaching. Likewise, it may have been customary to run to the altar for sanctuary, but would it help a guilty man avoid the death penalty? No more than sitting in church will keep a lost person out of hell.
Neither Grandma’s, Grandpa’s, Mama’s, or Daddy’s commitment will get you or me into heaven. Your commitment must be yours; mine must be mine. Jesus Christ is a personal Savior.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
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Thursday, November 14, 2013
THURSDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Having spared Adonijah’s life after his attempt to hijack the kingship, Solomon ended up having no choice but to execute him after he made it clear he wasn’t giving up on trying to take the throne. That done, it was time to handle the rest of the unfinished business David had discussed with him.
“Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, ‘Go back to your home in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not kill you now, because you carried the Ark of the Sovereign Lord for David my father and you shared all his hardships.’ So Solomon deposed Abiathar from his position as priest of the Lord, thereby fulfilling the prophecy the Lord had given at Shiloh concerning the descendants of Eli” (I Kings 2:26-27, NLT).
What was the problem with Abiathar? First Kings 1:7 tells us that “Adonijah took Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest into his confidence, and they agreed to help him become king.” Abiathar wasn’t interested in what David wanted; consequently, he wasn’t interested in what God had instructed David to do in having Solomon to succeed him.
Abiathar was a descendant of Eli and had stuck with David when he was running from Absalom. But he’d also turned on Solomon and sided with the conniving Adonijah. And what about “the prophecy the Lord had given at Shiloh concerning the descendants of Eli?” In First Samuel 3:12-13 the Lord speaks to young Samuel who is studying under Eli:
“I am going to carry out all My threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them.”
“He hasn’t disciplined them.” Do we see a theme here? Eli didn’t discipline his sons who were following in his footsteps as priests of the Most High God. We see the deaths of Eli’s sons Phineas and Hophni recorded in First Samuel 4. Abiathar was a descendant of Phinehas and Solomon removing him from his position (which he seemed to have shared jointly with Zadok) directly related to God’s judgment against Eli’s family some 100 years before Solomon became king.
Solomon was cleaning house. While we don’t go around killing off our enemies in this day and time – God forbid – we still need to clean our physical and spiritual houses from time to time. If we don’t, just like dust bunnies under our beds, uncleanness will creep in before we know it.
Have you built up a tolerance for bad language because of some TV show you like to watch? Are you reading books, magazines or online info that promotes lifestyles opposed to the teachings of the Bible? Are you, just “because everybody else does,” letting your kids do things or go places you’re uncomfortable with? Are you dressing modestly to honor God or provocatively to draw attention to yourself? Do the people who come around you have to ask, “Are you a Christian?” or do they know it by your compassion and lifestyle?
Is going to church a joy or drudgery? What about reading your Bible – how often do you manage that? Is prayer a daily part of your life?
“Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith” (II Corinthians 13:5).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
“Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, ‘Go back to your home in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not kill you now, because you carried the Ark of the Sovereign Lord for David my father and you shared all his hardships.’ So Solomon deposed Abiathar from his position as priest of the Lord, thereby fulfilling the prophecy the Lord had given at Shiloh concerning the descendants of Eli” (I Kings 2:26-27, NLT).
What was the problem with Abiathar? First Kings 1:7 tells us that “Adonijah took Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest into his confidence, and they agreed to help him become king.” Abiathar wasn’t interested in what David wanted; consequently, he wasn’t interested in what God had instructed David to do in having Solomon to succeed him.
Abiathar was a descendant of Eli and had stuck with David when he was running from Absalom. But he’d also turned on Solomon and sided with the conniving Adonijah. And what about “the prophecy the Lord had given at Shiloh concerning the descendants of Eli?” In First Samuel 3:12-13 the Lord speaks to young Samuel who is studying under Eli:
“I am going to carry out all My threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them.”
“He hasn’t disciplined them.” Do we see a theme here? Eli didn’t discipline his sons who were following in his footsteps as priests of the Most High God. We see the deaths of Eli’s sons Phineas and Hophni recorded in First Samuel 4. Abiathar was a descendant of Phinehas and Solomon removing him from his position (which he seemed to have shared jointly with Zadok) directly related to God’s judgment against Eli’s family some 100 years before Solomon became king.
Solomon was cleaning house. While we don’t go around killing off our enemies in this day and time – God forbid – we still need to clean our physical and spiritual houses from time to time. If we don’t, just like dust bunnies under our beds, uncleanness will creep in before we know it.
Have you built up a tolerance for bad language because of some TV show you like to watch? Are you reading books, magazines or online info that promotes lifestyles opposed to the teachings of the Bible? Are you, just “because everybody else does,” letting your kids do things or go places you’re uncomfortable with? Are you dressing modestly to honor God or provocatively to draw attention to yourself? Do the people who come around you have to ask, “Are you a Christian?” or do they know it by your compassion and lifestyle?
Is going to church a joy or drudgery? What about reading your Bible – how often do you manage that? Is prayer a daily part of your life?
“Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith” (II Corinthians 13:5).
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
BARGAINS OF THE DAY!
Here are some great gift ideas from www.Sears.com; most should qualify for FREE in-store pickup:$199.99 CHOCOLATE ELEGANCE GOLD OVER BRONZE CRYSTAL STRIPE RING - $53.99; sizes 7-10.
$119.99 MEN'S STAINLESS STEEL CUFFLINKS w/CARBON FIBER ACCENT - $32.39.
$374.99 JADE LINK 10K YELOW GOLD BRACELET - $101.24.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
WEDNESDAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE
Adonijah showed up on Bathsheba’s doorstep and had the audacity to ask, “Speak to King Solomon on my behalf, for I know he will do anything you request. Ask him to let me marry Abishag, the girl from Shunem” (I Kings 2:17, NLT).
Bathsheba, a better woman than I would have been, didn’t respond: “Do I look like I have ‘stupid’ written all over my face?” Instead, she simply said, “All right… I will speak to the king for you” (I Kings 2:18).
“So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak on Adonijah’s behalf. The king rose from his throne to meet her, and he bowed down before her. When he sat down on his throne again, the king ordered that a throne be brought for his mother, and she sat at his right hand” (I Kings 2:19).
Here’s a young man who knows how to treat his mother. Showing her proper respect, he not only “bowed down before her,” he also “ordered that a throne be brought for” her and placed “at his right hand.”
“‘I have one small request to make of you,’ she said. ‘I hope you won’t turn me down’” (I Kings 2:20a). If ever an understatement fell from Bathsheba’s lips, this was it. She knew exactly how big a request she was about to make and I think her entire statement was pure sarcasm. Instead of lashing out in fury at the brassy Adonijah, she was smart enough to hold her tongue and take it to the one who had the power to properly deal with the situation. Big lesson for all of us in this, folks.
“‘What is it, my mother?’ he asked. ‘You know I won’t refuse you” (I Kings 2:20b).
And then she drops the bomb: “‘Then let your brother Adonijah marry Abishag, the girl from Shunem,’ she replied” (I Kings 2:21).
“‘How can you possibly ask me to give Abishag to Adonijah?’ King Solomon demanded. ‘You might as well ask me to give him the kingdom! You know that he is my older brother, and that he has Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah on his side’" (I Kings 2:22).
Let’s just stop here for a moment and think about this. Solomon didn’t want his mother telling him what to do – he was a grown man. By casually presenting to him the preposterous request of Adonijah rather than running to Solomon saying, “You’ve got to do something about this!” Bathsheba put the ball squarely in Solomon’s court, literally. She didn’t tell him what to do. She merely informed him of Adonijah’s request, knowing that in doing so, she was warning him of just how big a threat Adonijah remained to Solomon’s kingship.
“Then King Solomon made a vow before the Lord: ‘May God strike me and even kill me if Adonijah has not sealed his fate with this request. The Lord has confirmed me and placed me on the throne of my father, David; He has established my dynasty as He promised. So as surely as the Lord lives, Adonijah will die this very day!’ So King Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him, and Adonijah was put to death” (I Kings 2:23-25).
David hadn’t chosen Solomon to rule; God had – see First Chronicles 28:5-7. David had followed the Lord’s plan in appointing Solomon to succeed him as king and Solomon had fulfilled his promise to Adonijah: “If he proves himself to be loyal, not a hair on his head will be touched. But if he makes trouble, he will die” (I Kings 1:52).
Adonijah tried to usurp the authority of God’s anointed. Big mistake. For him and for anyone else foolish enough to try it.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
Bathsheba, a better woman than I would have been, didn’t respond: “Do I look like I have ‘stupid’ written all over my face?” Instead, she simply said, “All right… I will speak to the king for you” (I Kings 2:18).
“So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak on Adonijah’s behalf. The king rose from his throne to meet her, and he bowed down before her. When he sat down on his throne again, the king ordered that a throne be brought for his mother, and she sat at his right hand” (I Kings 2:19).
Here’s a young man who knows how to treat his mother. Showing her proper respect, he not only “bowed down before her,” he also “ordered that a throne be brought for” her and placed “at his right hand.”
“‘I have one small request to make of you,’ she said. ‘I hope you won’t turn me down’” (I Kings 2:20a). If ever an understatement fell from Bathsheba’s lips, this was it. She knew exactly how big a request she was about to make and I think her entire statement was pure sarcasm. Instead of lashing out in fury at the brassy Adonijah, she was smart enough to hold her tongue and take it to the one who had the power to properly deal with the situation. Big lesson for all of us in this, folks.
“‘What is it, my mother?’ he asked. ‘You know I won’t refuse you” (I Kings 2:20b).
And then she drops the bomb: “‘Then let your brother Adonijah marry Abishag, the girl from Shunem,’ she replied” (I Kings 2:21).
“‘How can you possibly ask me to give Abishag to Adonijah?’ King Solomon demanded. ‘You might as well ask me to give him the kingdom! You know that he is my older brother, and that he has Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah on his side’" (I Kings 2:22).
Let’s just stop here for a moment and think about this. Solomon didn’t want his mother telling him what to do – he was a grown man. By casually presenting to him the preposterous request of Adonijah rather than running to Solomon saying, “You’ve got to do something about this!” Bathsheba put the ball squarely in Solomon’s court, literally. She didn’t tell him what to do. She merely informed him of Adonijah’s request, knowing that in doing so, she was warning him of just how big a threat Adonijah remained to Solomon’s kingship.
“Then King Solomon made a vow before the Lord: ‘May God strike me and even kill me if Adonijah has not sealed his fate with this request. The Lord has confirmed me and placed me on the throne of my father, David; He has established my dynasty as He promised. So as surely as the Lord lives, Adonijah will die this very day!’ So King Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him, and Adonijah was put to death” (I Kings 2:23-25).
David hadn’t chosen Solomon to rule; God had – see First Chronicles 28:5-7. David had followed the Lord’s plan in appointing Solomon to succeed him as king and Solomon had fulfilled his promise to Adonijah: “If he proves himself to be loyal, not a hair on his head will be touched. But if he makes trouble, he will die” (I Kings 1:52).
Adonijah tried to usurp the authority of God’s anointed. Big mistake. For him and for anyone else foolish enough to try it.
Copyright © 2013
Judy Woodward Bates
BARGAINS OF THE DAY!
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$39.99 SONOMA POTTED SUNFLOWER PLANT - $15.99.
$24 NAPIER SILVER TONE BEAD & OVAL-LINK NECKLACE - $9.60; 2 color choices.
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