And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin. And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon. Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead. And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite: Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.
(1 Kings 15:25-30)
Baasha rises up against the son of Jeroboam and takes the kingdom of Israel from the house of Jeroboam, slaying all of Jeroboam’s family just as the Lord had said unto Jeroboam because of his sin against the Lord. Jeroboam’s son reigned a short time while Asa reigned in Judah after Jeroboam died before Baasha usurped the throne during a campaign against the Philistines and reigned over Israel in Tirzah. All of it was at the hand of God because of the sin of Jeroboam as prophesied by Ahijah of Shiloh who gave the message to Jeroboam's wife.
And so continues the reigns of kings in Israel and Judah, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Israel’s kings were bad to ugly, with no dynasty or family serving for very long and some ending quite horribly like Jeroboam’s son and family at the hands of Baasha. Judah’s kings, all descendants of David according to the promise God had made, were good to bad, with a couple that were ugly, and so they mostly fared better. There was also constant war between Israel and Judah, both because of the rivalry between the north and the south, and because of the acts of the bad and ugly kings to overthrow the other nation and expand their own territory. Just as Jeroboam had fought with Rehoboam, so Baasha fought with Asa. God had orchestrated some of the events because of Jeroboam’s sin, but also allowed other events to occur because of His judgment upon Israel.
The legacy and history that we leave when we depart from a mission or ministry should be one that glorifies God and not one of dishonor. If we are in Christ by faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, we are His servants and we ought to be doing all at His command and leaving a testimony when others praise us and not our own lips of our faithfulness unto God, our faith in God, and fellowship with God and with His church. We are not to run the ministry or mission which God has given unto us as our own or under our own authority but follow our God and His Commands to reach the lost, teach the nations, and preach the Word that His people may grow and those who do not yet know Him may be saved and brought into a right relationship with our Creator, Redeemer, and King through repentance and faith.
For while we are here, God has commanded those of us who are His saints and know Him to go out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
And so continues the reigns of kings in Israel and Judah, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Israel’s kings were bad to ugly, with no dynasty or family serving for very long and some ending quite horribly like Jeroboam’s son and family at the hands of Baasha. Judah’s kings, all descendants of David according to the promise God had made, were good to bad, with a couple that were ugly, and so they mostly fared better. There was also constant war between Israel and Judah, both because of the rivalry between the north and the south, and because of the acts of the bad and ugly kings to overthrow the other nation and expand their own territory. Just as Jeroboam had fought with Rehoboam, so Baasha fought with Asa. God had orchestrated some of the events because of Jeroboam’s sin, but also allowed other events to occur because of His judgment upon Israel.
The legacy and history that we leave when we depart from a mission or ministry should be one that glorifies God and not one of dishonor. If we are in Christ by faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, we are His servants and we ought to be doing all at His command and leaving a testimony when others praise us and not our own lips of our faithfulness unto God, our faith in God, and fellowship with God and with His church. We are not to run the ministry or mission which God has given unto us as our own or under our own authority but follow our God and His Commands to reach the lost, teach the nations, and preach the Word that His people may grow and those who do not yet know Him may be saved and brought into a right relationship with our Creator, Redeemer, and King through repentance and faith.
For while we are here, God has commanded those of us who are His saints and know Him to go out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
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