I have completed my journey through 1st Kings as of last night, and it has been quite an enlightening one. One (such as I) might think that there was little to be gleaned from the stories of selfish and evil idolatrous kings constantly failing to abide by the dictates of the LORD but for a few brief shining moments. And you'd be (and I was) wrong. I went into my study begrudgingly and I came out of it...I don't want to say I was "rejoicing" but I certainly had a clearer understanding of the LORD, which is always good. But it's a cringing sort of joy because it also says a lot about us as His people and what our problem is.
Preacher, author, significant Calvinist John MacArthur's podcast recently had a series on sin where he talked about modern Humanism. Modern humanism believes in the perfectibility of man, that every age of man is a step up, a continual evolution of we humans. Every age, they say, we leave behind more of our base instincts and become ever more enlightened. It's a very likeable and compelling belief...as long as you know absolutely nothing about history. All recorded history, when you get down to it, flies in the face of humanistic ideals. For a time we act enlightened but all it takes is one generation to turn us from those ideals and march us back into the paths of darkness. 1 Kings is a book that shows us we are still those same people from 4000 years ago and we still wrestle with the same problems.
1 Kings spans the centuries between the death of King David to the death of King Ahab. During this time Israel is split into Israel and Judah in a civil war. Jeroboam was made King of the 10 other tribes (Judah consuming the tribe of Benjamin without so much as a by your leave). Jeroboam rose to kingship and got the majority portion of the once whole country, but there was a threat to his power. He was convinced that if people traveled to Jerusalem to worship the LORD in the temple in Judah that Solomon had built they would remember the golden years of the Davidic reign and want to be part of that again. He was afraid that bit by bit his kingdom would secede because the temple is so pretty. So, what does he do? He builds two golden calves, one in the north and one in the south, and says "Here, oh Israel, are the gods who brought you out of Egypt." Total post-Exodus Aaron jerk move.
This softens the people up to the worship of other gods right alongside the One True God. Solomon had already "broken the seal", so to speak, on this by giving in to his foreign wives and going so far as to worship Molech and Asherah alongside the LORD though not in His temple. Jeroboam, however, connected the two worships at the same exact location. Ahab comes along with his foreign wife and he openly worships the Baals and the LORD in the same place even going so far as to apparently worship the Baals more than the LORD.
Along comes Elijah.
During the Mount Carmel confrontation Elijah addresses the assembled masses of Israel and shouts, "How long will you go limping between two options!" Either Baal is god or the LORD is God. Stop worshiping them both. Those words almost glowed on the page. They stuck out in a way that I know to be the Holy Spirit convicting me of something.
There are a lot of people who think that America is the "new Israel" and that we are full up on God's blessings and promises. Now, I don't think that is correct, but I think it's interesting that we as a people are committing many of the same sins. We'd like to believe that we aren't worshiping other gods but let me ask you this: What thing(s) in your life are keeping you from what Jesus acknowledged as the greatest commandment, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your might,"? As harsh at its sounds, whatever it is that holds you back from that is your god. You see, we are committing the exact same sin as Israel. We want to worship other gods beside him.
I mean if we give Him slightly more time, if we give Him slightly more consideration then it's OK to worship the same gods that the rest of the world does, right? Because, it's not like we are worshiping them more so it's not the same has having other gods before Him...right?
Unfortunately that gets a resounding, "No". All your heart. Whew...forget the soul and strength, let's sit back and appreciate that. There is no room for division. There is no room for sectioning off and this is for God, this is for me, and this is for this other god I don't want to admit controls my desires. All seems to mean all. And that's where I'll stop because I'm feeling a kindling; like it goes deeper and if I look I'll derail this whole blog post. So I'll stick that in the Blog Idea file and leave it there today.
Our problem is the same as Israel's that began before the crowning of King Saul and has only gotten worse over time. We proudly declare, "We are blessed of God! We are a different and unique people set apart! So, uh, but we want to be just like everyone else...k?" Is it any wonder? We regularly buck against 1 John 2:15 "Do not love this world nor the things it offers you.." We all agree that we are to be "in the world but not of the world," but that rattles off our tongue without us really considering its meaning or its cost. How do I know? Because when I rattle it off I don't stop and say, "Oh crap...Woe is me."
We cannot be a unique (holy) people, set apart, and while at the same time trying to be like the rest of the world. We want it to be OK to do this or that activity, accept this or that sin, alter this or that doctrine to serve our need/want, accept or reject this or that scripture to make Jesus more palatable so our church will be liked more. And, as always, I'm bringing this up because I still haven't wrapped my mind around it. I'm struggling on a fundamental level with my own inner Israelite. I want to be special to God, but just like everyone else around me...or at least as much as my seared conscience will allow.
Here's what I do know: The more we submit to Jesus, the more we do what we know is right via His scriptures, the more we let go of those things that so easily entangle our hearts (not to mention our soul and might), the more we focus on seeking Him, His Kingdom, and His righteousness...the more everything else on earth will matter less and less. It hurts. It's painful to our Flesh. Our knees and necks are so stiff that we struggle to bow, struggle to bend the knee, struggle to do more than lip service.
We haven't changed.
Woe is me.
But...He wants to be known. That's the joy here. He's right there. He is exactly the Papa He says He is; waiting for His prodigal children to even just turn around...and He's running to meet us.
Pax,
W
P.S. For the curious souls who scrolled down this far...Amos is next.
P.P.S. Throughout this blog entry I keep hearing the words of the Law Giver from "The Island of Dr. Moreaux, "If there is no pain...does that mean then that there is no Law?". How seared are our consciences?
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Sunday, August 13, 2017
The Temple Means Nothing
I've begun a season of doing my "daily devotions" differently in many ways. One of those ways is doing my Bible study in a much slower manner. Gone are the days of trying to somehow fit three or more chapters into my day. I was essentially Bible speed reading. It's what we commonly engage in as Christians. We're busy. We have lives. We have commitments. We have things to get done. Right?
These days I'm taking a more "study" approach to my Bible study. I'm focusing one chapter at a time of one book at a time. The trouble is always where to begin so, Ummim and Thummim style, I put the books of the Bible on little bits of paper and drew one blind out of the bunch leaving it up to the LORD. I have to admit when I drew I Kings I was less than enthused. Why? Because Numbers was a breeze, Leviticus gave me a sense of accomplishment having read every "begat" and such, but the Kings and Chronicles? That was a hard slog. Basically it's reading the same dry commentary twice and it was so hard to get through with no real sense of accomplishment at the end. It felt like I was being finally let out of detention. I was tempted, sorely tempted, to draw again but I submitted...and as a result I have been quite blessed.
There is a lot of good stuff to be had so far. I've gone full Bible Nerd on my wife geeking out about what Abishag means to the story of David's end, how Solomon got elements for the temple from as far away as India, etc. But the biggest mind crack so far was this...
The Temple Means Nothing.
We are all familiar with the wisdom of Solomon, how he prayed as a young man not for riches or fame but for wisdom, how he was blessed with peace on all sides, and ushered Israel into the Golden Age (literally...this guy put so much gold on everything that I couldn't help but think of Pre-President Trump's pictures of his apartment) where silver was so plentiful it was regarded the same as stones in worth. As God promised David, his son would be allowed to build a temple to "house" the name of the Lord.
Solomon begins the project and the Lord appears to him and says "Regarding this temple you are building..." and then speaks not on the Temple but about Solomon. The LORD tells him the deal is still the same as with his father; you follow the commandments, don't chase after other gods, you walk in my ways and do the right thing and I will bless you.
There's a lot of impressive words about how much goes into the temple, how ornate and glorious it is, etc and then Solomon completes construction of the temple, dedicates it, blesses the people, and the Lord appears a second time. The Lord addresses the occasion, says that as He promised His name will live there for all time, but then it's back to the "But IF..." And it's at this point I realize something that hopefully will change me forever. The temple means nothing to God.
He even tells Solomon that if he doesn't walk after Him, if he turns to other gods and doesn't walk in His paths then He has no problem pulling that temple down stone by stone till it's rubble, a proverb, a byword that makes other nations marvel and say, "This is what happened when the people of Israel rejected their God."
By many accounts the Temple was one of the single most expensive projects ever conceived and constructed. It was a feat of engineering, fine craftsmanship; just getting the supplies from place to place had to have been an undertaking of massive proportions. One would think that God would have been impressed or at least flattered, but no. Every step along the way from Adam to now the refrain has been essentially the same.
"I want your heart."
What kind of god is that? It is one far different from any one that has ever been recorded. He doesn't care about the gold, the ivory, the silver, the massive scale, and even when we get to the end of Solomon's life God still wasn't impressed with the Temple. It still meant nothing to Him.
Near the end of Solomon's days he has clearly screwed up. His love for his wives turned his heart from god. He even sets up a high place to Molech...freaking Molech...the one who demanded babies as sacrifices. Yeah. Well, I guess whatever you have to do to get that sweet Ammonite booty, eh Solomon?
God's anger gets into the red and He appears to Solomon for a third time and tells him that He is going to rip the kingdom from out of his hands...all except one tribe. He does grant the king a mild reprieve. He promises not to take it from Solomon but from his son. And that reprieve, the one tribe and after Solomon's death, is not because of Solomon's riches, not because of Solomon's deeds, certainly not because of Solomon's fame and renown, not because of Solomon's wisdom (which has clearly failed him at this point I'd say...willfully), and not because he built the LORD a temple... It's because of Solomon's DAD. It's because of the deeds, the heart, and the passion David had for the things of the LORD. Sure David messed up, sure he had a man killed so he could get the guys wife, but every time conviction came aknocking he proved he was still that shepherd boy on the hillside singing songs to the LORD when no one else could hear. And that, not the glorious temple precious to so many, was what earned Solomon a minor reprieve from outright destruction of him and all that would come after and screw up the Davidic dynasty again...and again...and again...
The application is pretty clear. He doesn't care about who you are, what degrees you have, what you've done or have committed to doing for Him. He isn't impressed with how eloquent your prayers are, if you're going to the "right" denomination's church or not, or how many Charles Spurgeon books you've read. He doesn't even love you for what you could do for Him. He wants what He's always wanted from the very beginning...your heart. He wants you to listen for Him, talk to Him, walk in the ways He has set out for you. When He says "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength," it's about relationship and experiencing life with Him and through Him. There are a lot of things that we do in response, but at the Separation of the Sheep and Goats He says to those trying to impress Him with the deeds and wonders, "I never knew you." You can't do enough because He didn't set it up that way, with things to be done to earn His affection; temples to build, churches to franchise, or nations to convert.
From the dedication of the temple to the words of Jesus it reveals the same heart of the same God. "Walk with me. Listen to my knock. Invite me in and I will eat with you."
Such a God unlike any other.
No wonder we call Him "Holy".
Pax,
W
These days I'm taking a more "study" approach to my Bible study. I'm focusing one chapter at a time of one book at a time. The trouble is always where to begin so, Ummim and Thummim style, I put the books of the Bible on little bits of paper and drew one blind out of the bunch leaving it up to the LORD. I have to admit when I drew I Kings I was less than enthused. Why? Because Numbers was a breeze, Leviticus gave me a sense of accomplishment having read every "begat" and such, but the Kings and Chronicles? That was a hard slog. Basically it's reading the same dry commentary twice and it was so hard to get through with no real sense of accomplishment at the end. It felt like I was being finally let out of detention. I was tempted, sorely tempted, to draw again but I submitted...and as a result I have been quite blessed.
There is a lot of good stuff to be had so far. I've gone full Bible Nerd on my wife geeking out about what Abishag means to the story of David's end, how Solomon got elements for the temple from as far away as India, etc. But the biggest mind crack so far was this...
The Temple Means Nothing.
We are all familiar with the wisdom of Solomon, how he prayed as a young man not for riches or fame but for wisdom, how he was blessed with peace on all sides, and ushered Israel into the Golden Age (literally...this guy put so much gold on everything that I couldn't help but think of Pre-President Trump's pictures of his apartment) where silver was so plentiful it was regarded the same as stones in worth. As God promised David, his son would be allowed to build a temple to "house" the name of the Lord.
Solomon begins the project and the Lord appears to him and says "Regarding this temple you are building..." and then speaks not on the Temple but about Solomon. The LORD tells him the deal is still the same as with his father; you follow the commandments, don't chase after other gods, you walk in my ways and do the right thing and I will bless you.
There's a lot of impressive words about how much goes into the temple, how ornate and glorious it is, etc and then Solomon completes construction of the temple, dedicates it, blesses the people, and the Lord appears a second time. The Lord addresses the occasion, says that as He promised His name will live there for all time, but then it's back to the "But IF..." And it's at this point I realize something that hopefully will change me forever. The temple means nothing to God.
He even tells Solomon that if he doesn't walk after Him, if he turns to other gods and doesn't walk in His paths then He has no problem pulling that temple down stone by stone till it's rubble, a proverb, a byword that makes other nations marvel and say, "This is what happened when the people of Israel rejected their God."
By many accounts the Temple was one of the single most expensive projects ever conceived and constructed. It was a feat of engineering, fine craftsmanship; just getting the supplies from place to place had to have been an undertaking of massive proportions. One would think that God would have been impressed or at least flattered, but no. Every step along the way from Adam to now the refrain has been essentially the same.
"I want your heart."
What kind of god is that? It is one far different from any one that has ever been recorded. He doesn't care about the gold, the ivory, the silver, the massive scale, and even when we get to the end of Solomon's life God still wasn't impressed with the Temple. It still meant nothing to Him.
Near the end of Solomon's days he has clearly screwed up. His love for his wives turned his heart from god. He even sets up a high place to Molech...freaking Molech...the one who demanded babies as sacrifices. Yeah. Well, I guess whatever you have to do to get that sweet Ammonite booty, eh Solomon?
God's anger gets into the red and He appears to Solomon for a third time and tells him that He is going to rip the kingdom from out of his hands...all except one tribe. He does grant the king a mild reprieve. He promises not to take it from Solomon but from his son. And that reprieve, the one tribe and after Solomon's death, is not because of Solomon's riches, not because of Solomon's deeds, certainly not because of Solomon's fame and renown, not because of Solomon's wisdom (which has clearly failed him at this point I'd say...willfully), and not because he built the LORD a temple... It's because of Solomon's DAD. It's because of the deeds, the heart, and the passion David had for the things of the LORD. Sure David messed up, sure he had a man killed so he could get the guys wife, but every time conviction came aknocking he proved he was still that shepherd boy on the hillside singing songs to the LORD when no one else could hear. And that, not the glorious temple precious to so many, was what earned Solomon a minor reprieve from outright destruction of him and all that would come after and screw up the Davidic dynasty again...and again...and again...
The application is pretty clear. He doesn't care about who you are, what degrees you have, what you've done or have committed to doing for Him. He isn't impressed with how eloquent your prayers are, if you're going to the "right" denomination's church or not, or how many Charles Spurgeon books you've read. He doesn't even love you for what you could do for Him. He wants what He's always wanted from the very beginning...your heart. He wants you to listen for Him, talk to Him, walk in the ways He has set out for you. When He says "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength," it's about relationship and experiencing life with Him and through Him. There are a lot of things that we do in response, but at the Separation of the Sheep and Goats He says to those trying to impress Him with the deeds and wonders, "I never knew you." You can't do enough because He didn't set it up that way, with things to be done to earn His affection; temples to build, churches to franchise, or nations to convert.
From the dedication of the temple to the words of Jesus it reveals the same heart of the same God. "Walk with me. Listen to my knock. Invite me in and I will eat with you."
Such a God unlike any other.
No wonder we call Him "Holy".
Pax,
W
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