In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand. And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land. And the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead. (2 Kings 15:17-22)
As the reign of Israel’s kings winds down to the end of Israel each of them got worse and worse. Here Menahem paid off the Assyrians in order to keep his kingdom, a kingdom God had already pronounced as under judgment for their evil acts and rebellion. Each of Menahem’s sons were just as bad or worse, and each had the epitaph that they did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD. They not only rebelled and disobeyed the Law of God personally, but either added to or continued the false worship which Jeroboam had begun in the northern kingdom. Israel’s days were numbered, and yet the kings continued to walk in the sinful ways of their fathers and further from the LORD.
The examples given in the list of Israel’s kings, of short-lived reigns, of tributes given to those stronger and mightier, and of death and destruction, depict an earthly kingdom that is not following the ways of God. Israel had departed from God when it split from Judah and never looked back, even when God sent prophets to call the nation back to Himself, and now was nearing the end of its existence under the hand of judgment. God had put up with all He could from this rebellious nation and her disobedient idolatrous kings and leaders. The litany of kings who would not return to God, nor walk in His ways, would soon come to a close in the northern kingdom and the people would be scattered captives at the hands of the Assyrians.
The people which God calls unto Himself are to reflect Him and not themselves. God calls all of His children to glorify Him, not because He is vain or capricious, but because He alone is worthy of all praise. Any glory we seek for ourselves, or any attempt by God’s people to go our own way or do our will, is sin before the LORD and though it is forgiven in Christ, we are not to continue to walk in our own ways but to repent and return to our God. May it never be said that our ministry, or our legacy, was our own but wholly the work and will of God. God’s grace will not be extended forever, but this church age will come to a close and God’s wrath will be poured out upon all who have rejected Him and upon this sinful and broken world until the last remnant has been saved and brought into His Kingdom. Before it is too late, whosoever will must repent and put their trust in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to receive His Salvation. Those of us who are His are to reach the lost, teach the nations, and preach the Word until He is done with us and comes to take us Home to be with Him.
Until that day when God calls us Home or until He comes back to get us, 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
The examples given in the list of Israel’s kings, of short-lived reigns, of tributes given to those stronger and mightier, and of death and destruction, depict an earthly kingdom that is not following the ways of God. Israel had departed from God when it split from Judah and never looked back, even when God sent prophets to call the nation back to Himself, and now was nearing the end of its existence under the hand of judgment. God had put up with all He could from this rebellious nation and her disobedient idolatrous kings and leaders. The litany of kings who would not return to God, nor walk in His ways, would soon come to a close in the northern kingdom and the people would be scattered captives at the hands of the Assyrians.
The people which God calls unto Himself are to reflect Him and not themselves. God calls all of His children to glorify Him, not because He is vain or capricious, but because He alone is worthy of all praise. Any glory we seek for ourselves, or any attempt by God’s people to go our own way or do our will, is sin before the LORD and though it is forgiven in Christ, we are not to continue to walk in our own ways but to repent and return to our God. May it never be said that our ministry, or our legacy, was our own but wholly the work and will of God. God’s grace will not be extended forever, but this church age will come to a close and God’s wrath will be poured out upon all who have rejected Him and upon this sinful and broken world until the last remnant has been saved and brought into His Kingdom. Before it is too late, whosoever will must repent and put their trust in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to receive His Salvation. Those of us who are His are to reach the lost, teach the nations, and preach the Word until He is done with us and comes to take us Home to be with Him.
Until that day when God calls us Home or until He comes back to get us, 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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