April 20–1 Chronicles 5-7

“Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph; so that he is not enrolled in the genealogy according to his birthright”(5:1).

Can you imagine Ezra doing this work? Carefully recording Israel’s history. Remembering. Reflecting. Putting it down in the book we now call 1 Chronicles?

“Who are we, as a nation and people?” “How did we get here? He must have muttered these question to himself a thousand times.

He was careful with his research. In order to rebuild the nation, Ezra knew the people needed a true narrative of their history. Even the painful moments.

Some moderns reject the value of history. They view ancient people as inferior, less scientific. With nothing to learn from the past, they dedicate no time for looking back. Serious mistake. Without moral reflection on the past, we are always unprepared for the present. “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme,” said Mark Twain. If God is eternal, then we should expect the essential parts of the story, the patterns of His relationships with men, to be constant, unchanging.

It is the wisdom of Jesus. In the wilderness, our Lord began His public ministry by reflecting deeply on the history of Israel. See the temptations stories in the gospels. Tempted by Satan, He quoted Deuteronomy. It suggests the focus of His mind in those days. As He reflected, the Father gave Jesus insight into the mistakes of Israel and how they could be corrected.

Each of us is part of long story of God with men! Sometimes tragic, always true, holy history gives courage and wisdom to those who are willing to reflect on its lessons. Will you try it, dear one? Take five minutes, or fifty. Look back over your life, your family, your nation, the Scripture. What do you see? As you view the past, does the Spirit give you wisdom and courage for the present?

“If you don’t know history, you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree”(Michael Crichton).

“If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten” (Rudyard Kipling).

April 19–1 Chronicles 1-4

Readers Notes: 1 and 2 Chronicles were written by Ezra in a time of Spiritual renewal and hope. After returning home from exile in Babylon, the people of Israel needed to understand their own history. Mistakes made. Lessons to be learned. To this end, Ezra wrote a book that in some ways repeats the story of 1 and 2 Kings, but with particular emphasis on the rebuilding of the temple of God and the central role that worship plays in a strong nation. “Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it” (Winston Churchill). Ezra would have agreed.

“Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamach, Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth”(1:1).

It is a good reminder. Humbling. Inspiring. Each of us is a part of the grand narrative of salvation history. In a very real sense, God does not see only ME. He sees US. “God places the lonely in families,” says Psalm 68. All of us a part of a much larger story.

In 1976, Alex Haley published Roots: The Saga of an American Family. It told the history of an 18th century African slave. The best-selling book followed his life (and the lives of his descendants) down to Haley, himself. By understanding his heritage, Haley found strength and courage for the present day.

1 Chronicles is similar. While most of us are unfamiliar with the people named in this genealogy, even to read the names is to realize that these ancient people lived and breathed, made choices and mistakes. They are our foundation and family. They are part of who we are. We are the continuation of what they started.

1 Chronicles invites us to reflect on holy history. To see ourselves and our nation and family and church through the lens of God’s involvement in the world through His people. Why did God choose to reveal Himself through a fallible family? I don’t know the answer, but I know that He has.

As you consider your roots, will you hear again the word of God? “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His glorious light” (1 Peter 2:9).

“Now these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the end of the ages has come”(1 Corinthians 10:11).

“O may all who come behind us find us faithful, may the fire of our devotion light their way. May the footprints that we leave, lead them to believe, and the lives we live inspire them to obey. O may all who come behind us find us faithful” (Jon Mohr).

April 18–2 Kings 23-25

“Before him there was no king like him who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might. . .however, the Lord did not turn from the fierceness of His great wrath with which His anger burned against Judah”(23:25-26).

At the end of a slow and stubborn slide from God, Jerusalem (Judah) experienced a brief moment of revival. Probably more in the heart of the king (Josiah) than the hearts of the people. Spiritual leadership suddenly reappeared in the city. Bold steps were taken to restore the Temple. The Scripture became a priority. Steps were taken to re-enter the covenant relationship with God.

Sadly, it was not enough. While Josiah received personal mercy from God, the nation continued its downward spiral. Enemy forces would come soon. The nation would be destroyed. “Now on the seventh day of the fifth month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan. . .came to Jerusalem. He burned the house of the Lord, the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem” (2 Kings 25:8-9).

The world of aviation has a helpful expression. The “point of no return” is a certain distance from base from which the plane will have insufficient fuel for the return trip. The pilot must have this data. Once this line is crossed, the trip back becomes impossible. Individuals and nations have the same reality. While mercy is still available to the repentant, the consequences of sin are now inevitable.

Have we reached this point? God knows. In infinite righteousness and love, HE decides where that point is for every person and nation. Scripture provides a warning not to, “put Him to the test”. His Spirit will not strive forever. He will not be mocked. This truth sends us to Him in holy fear and honest intercession. At some point, even a good President or a dedicated Pastor will not be enough. An invisible line has been crossed. The point of no return.

“He found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears”(Hebrews 12:17).

“Surely all these men who have seen My glory. . .yet have put me to the test these ten times and not listened to My voice, shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers” (Numbers 14:22-23).

April 17–2 Kings 20-22

“Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house. . .will be carried away to Babylon. . .then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, ‘The word you have spoken is good.’ For he thought, ‘Is it not so, if there will be peace and truth in my days?’ “(20:17,19).

It was a shameful moment for Hezekiah. A self-centered end.

In former days, he was a giant of faith. Remember how he went to the temple in the face of an Assyrian invasion? See 2 Kings 19. Remember the day he prayed urgently and found mercy in a time of personal illness? See 2 Kings 20:1.

At the end of his life, however, Hezekiah has grown weary, self-concerned. When coming judgement is pronounced on the nation (including his own sons), his heart is unmoved by the warning. The threatened wrath did not touch him. “I will be gone,” he said to himself, “Not my problem.”

As a senior adult follower of Christ, I must be very aware of this danger. Gradually, and unconsciously my heart becomes brittle. My new priority shifts to comfort, not Christ. I become detached, unconcerned.

Not Moses! In Genesis 32, he interceded for the people of Israel in the aftermath of the golden calf. The danger they faced moved his heart to sacrificial prayer.

Paul’s life is a similar testimony. After years of brutal and unscrupulous persecution at the hands of Jewish people, Paul’s “heart’s desire and prayer” for their salvation. See Romans 10:1. As he aged, Paul did not grow bitter or unconcerned.

Friend, are you like Hezekiah, or Moses and Paul? As you hear the warnings of God’s wrath, are you moved to intercession and action? Do you commit the time to cry out to God for His tender mercies? Or, are you concerned only with yourself and your own safety?

“I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one”(Ezekiel 22:30).

“Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest” (John 4:35).

April 16–2 Kings 18-19

“Now it came about in the third year of Hoshea. . .the king of Israel, that Hezekiah. . .became king (of Judah). . . He did right in the sight of the Lord. . .He trusted in the Lord. . .and the Lord was with him; wherever he went he prospered”(18:1,3,5,7).

The contrast was hard to miss. As Israel (in the north) disintegrated, Judah (in the south) entered into a period of prosperity under the leadership of Hezekiah. “Like a tree planted by rivers of water,” says Psalm 1. Picturesque language. One mark of God’s blessing is “rootedness”. Strength. Supernatural stability.

NOT a promise of a problem-free life. Ease in this world is not God’s offer. “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom,” says Acts 14:22. Even so, when the Assyrians came, Hezekiah demonstrated genuine courage. He did not panic. Went to the temple. Spread out the situation before the Lord.

I encourage you to read this remarkable story of faith in chapter 19. Picture it! Hezekiah carried his burden to the Lord. Prayed for a solution. Rested in God’s answer. Found grace to be a non-anxious leader. God blessed him for it.

Friend, does this story inspire you to seek the Lord? Even when you are stressed (especially when you are stressed)? Does the Spirit call you to spend the time necessary for hearing the voice of the Lord?

God’s offer to Hezekiah is yours, as well. As the world crumbles around you (and it always will) He will guide you to a place of continued productivity and protection. He will make you strong and sure against destructive winds and use your testimony to draw others to Himself. Supernatural stability is God’s promise.

“If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you. . . you’ll be a Man, my son!” (Rudyard Kipling).

“Now his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all that he did prosper in his hand”(Genesis 39:3, speaking of Joseph).

“And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against the house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock”(Matthew 7:25).

April 15–2 Kings 15-17

“In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried Israel away into exile to Assyria. . .now, this came about because the sons of Israel had sinned against the Lord. . .yet the Lord warned Israel (and Judah) through all His prophets and every seer. . .however, they did not listen. . .so the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from His sight”(17:6-7,13-14,18).

To know God, I must recognize Him as LORD. Lord of nature and Lord of nations. His ownership is evident in every part of the universe. In Congress as much as in creation, He is near. Aware. Sovereign. Holy. Deserving of praise.

The great sin of the human race is the failure to honor Him as God. This ingratitude is the ground of God’s wrath. See Romans 1:18.

In our reading today, God judged the nation of Israel. The Bible says that God also judges churches and individuals (see the book of the Revelation). God rightly and righteously evaluates every life. Rewards some. Destroys others. Offers no apology for exercising this great authority. Every person is accountable.

Today, will you reflect on the fall of Israel? It approached slowly. Much patience in the heart of God. Clear warnings from the prophets. Eventually, and by the very hand of God, the time came and the nation was defeated by a ruthless enemy army.

Paul will later struggle with how it is possible for “God’s people” to be destroyed in this way. How could God’s promises to Israel fail to produce a godly and grateful people? “They are not all Israel who are descended from Israel. . .but children of the promise are regarded as descendants,” he finally resolves in Romans 9.

Today is tax day. As you pay your taxes, will you step back and look at the nation your dollars support? Have we as a nation drifted from God? Do we honor Him? As the prophets called Israel back to fixed standards of eternal truth, so believers today must speak this truth and the imminent danger for those who refuse. All nations belong to God. All nations answer to Him. A right relationship with Him is the only safe place to stand.

“Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations, Son of God and Son of Man. Glory and honor, praise, adoration, now and forevermore be Thine!” (German Hymn, Schonster Herr Jesu”).

“Shall I not punish these people,” declares the Lord, “on a nation such as this shall I not avenge Myself?”(Jeremiah 5:9).

April 14–2 Kings 12-14

” ‘Take the arrows and strike the ground’ and (Joash) struck it three times and stopped. So (Elisha) was angry with him and said, ‘You should have struck five or six times, then you would have struck Aram until you destroyed it. But now you shall strike Aram only three times’ ” (13:18-19).

Made in His image, humans are uniquely qualified for cooperative life with the Eternal One. God’s plan for us is partnership. We are called to be sons and daughters, soldiers and friends in a grand enterprise.

As His partners, certain requirements are incumbent on us. We must be holy. We must be humble (always the junior partners, no aspect of our friendship ever allowed to challenge the worship He is due). We must also be ENTHUSIASTIC. (En “in”, theos “God”. God IN us). We must be filled with Him, His energy surging in our lives.

Jesus described Himself as having zeal. Burning intensity. Same idea.

2 Kings 13 tells an instructive story. Elisha is near death. When Joash the King of Israel comes to pay his respect, the prophet takes this last opportunity to instruct the king in Spiritual things. “Take these arrows,” he says. “Strike the ground!” Joash does so, but with great reserve. Was he self-conscious? Perhaps. More likely he was just half-hearted about spiritual things. A sad pattern for the house of Jehu, unfortunately. See the story of Joash’s father in 13:4 and 6. The king’s lukewarmness was a great disappointment to the aging prophet. It predicted limited success going forward.

“By your standard, God will measure His supply out to you,” said Jesus later. At some level, all of us decide how much of God we want. Without Him, I can do nothing, but without me, He will do nothing. Without my WHOLE heart, nothing on the scale of His gracious plan and desire will ever be possible. This being true, I must never be stingy or restrained toward God.

Friend, are you enthusiastic about what God has given you to do? Are you fearless and whole-hearted? Do you obey without restraint or self-protection? Will you enter this day, and all of its duties, with enthusiasm?

“Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. . . Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm”(Ralph Waldo Emerson).

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might!“(Ecclesiastes 9:10).

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. So because you are lukewarm. . .I will spit you out of my mouth. . .Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, therefore be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:15-16, 19).

April 13–2 Kings 9-11

” ‘Why did this mad fellow come to you?’ And (Jehu) said to them, ‘You know very well the man and his (crazy) talk’ “(9:11).

14 years had passed since Elijah prophesied the end of Ahab’s house. Easy for some to have forgotten or dismissed the promised judgement. (Please see 2 Peter 3:3-13 for this tendency still present in our day). God, however, did NOT forget His own word. Eventually, the time came. Elisha sent an assistant to anoint Jehu for the violent task of judgement on Ahab’s family (especially Jezebel)! We must never forget. “The day of the Lord will come” (2 Peter 3:10).

Moderns may react to the ruthlessness of this story. Unwise to do so. The wrath of God is no ancient, empty doctrine. It is not something that belongs “only in the Old Testament”. See Romans 1. From beginning to end, the Scripture portrays a God who, “will by no means leave the guilty unpunished”(Exodus 34:7). His wrath will come. How can the universe be moral if there is no justice? And how can justice be anything but harsh when the core of sin is treason and the proud rejection of offered mercy?

Faithful to narrate the deeds and character of a holy God, the prophets were often regarded as mad men. Delusional. They were just the opposite, actually. Spokesmen for a supernatural agenda, agents of God’s activity, the prophets were unintimidated by the ridicule of an unbelieving world. Notice how Jehu scoffed at the prophet, seemed embarrassed before his friends to even know such a person. Privately, however, he was moved to action by the prophet’s words.

Immediately the righteous anger against Joram (Ahab’s son) was carried out. Even as the watchman on the tower warned the foolish king of a coming chariot, Joram remained unaware of the imminent danger. He disregarded the promise of God’s wrath. Too arrogant to fear. Like many in this present age, when he finally realized judgment was upon him, it was too late.

Remember Festus (Acts 24)? “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad!” His words are a pattern as old as the world. Men without God despise those who speak for Him. “The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it” (George Orwell).

As one reads Scripture, a persistent question rises in the conscience. “Am I crazy to believe in the wrath of God? Or, am I crazy not to?”

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap”(Galatians 6:7).

“The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

“In a mad world, only the mad are sane” (Akira Kurosawa).

April 12–2 Kings 6-8

“Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ And the Lord opened the servants eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha”(6:17).

It was a life-changing vision for Elisha. Years before, Elisha saw the chariot and horses of fire come and escort Elijah to heaven. It was a revelation of Spiritual reality. It opened Elisha’s eyes to what IS. The dignity and majesty of the unseen world. Protective forces, always present, even when we don’t see them.

Years later, he recognized the same need in his young lieutenant. So, he prayed it forward. He asked God to open the eyes of his friend.

God answered his prayer. The blind eyes of his servant were opened. He saw angel armies surrounding them. He felt the courage that comes with such a vision. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” shouts the New Testament! Those who see God and how near He is, are NEVER afraid. Please read Mark 4:40 and listen to our Lord press this expectation of His disciples.

We live in a two-tiered world. Parallel and simultaneous realities. Material things (things that can be seen) are not the full story. They are not even the best story. By the grace of God, our eyes are opened to a deeper universe and greater narrative. “Keep seeking the things above,” says Paul in Colossians 3:1.

Only God can give us these eyes. Thankfully, He is willing to do so. Friends, will you pray? Will you ask for spiritual sight? Will you pray it for your church and your Pastor and your family? Here is bravery! Here is courage! Those who see God, fear nothing else.

“One sees clearly only with the heart. The essential is invisible to the eye”(Antoine de Saint-Exupery).

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward those who believe”(Ephesians 1:18-19).

“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them” (Psalm 34:7).

April 11–2 Kings 3-5

“Father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says, ‘Wash and be clean’? So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan. . .and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child”(5:13-14).

“Beauty is only skin deep,” says the old proverb. Outward appearance is not the essence of any person. The inner man is what God sees/values.

Naaman was outwardly successful in almost every category. Wealthy, influential, famous. He checked every box, except that he had leprosy! A life-threatening disease.

One day (praise God!) a believer gave witness to God’s power toward those who seek Him. (Well done, young lady, for verbalizing your faith!) Hearing this gospel, Naaman came to Elisha seeking help.

Elisha accurately understood the situation. He did not flatter the great man. When he sent a messenger with instructions, Naaman’s true nature (and real problem) surfaced. He was proud. He wanted Elisha (and God) to recognize how important he was. Demanded it. The prophet’s lack of respect offended him.

God did nothing to beg him back. What good is a God that I can manipulate with my tantrums? Why would God cure my skin when the true illness is in my soul?

As his servants tried to calm Naaman down, they spoke an obvious wisdom. What have you got to lose? If the Lord had asked something huge or heroic, wouldn’t you have done it? Why not do what He says, embrace the truth that He is Lord and that you are small and insignificant? When Naaman humbled himself, the grace of God lifted and helped him.

Friend, do you discern God working in your heart? Are you discovering that the real illness may NOT be on your skin, or in any other external circumstance? NOT your career or family, but rather your proud heart and self-sufficiency?

Will you humble yourself? What if the healing you need is the simple step of you trusting God (more than yourself) and doing what He says?

“Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt (lift) you” (James 4:10).

“Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee; Naked, come to Thee for dress, helpless, look to Thee for grace; vile, I to the fountain fly, wash me, Savior, or I die”(Augustus M. Toplady).