And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the Word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. And he cried against the altar in the Word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee. And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out. And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him. The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the Word of the LORD. (1 Kings 13:1-5)
God sent a man unto Jeroboam to remind him that the worship of other gods, which are no gods, is still prohibited by God, even with the divided kingdom. Jeroboam was not sent north and given the kingdom of Israel to set up idol worship and all of what Jeroboam set up would be torn down and come to naught. When Jeroboam reached out against the prophet his had was dried up and the altar was destroyed. Jeroboam pleaded with the prophet to restore his hand and the LORD made him whole again. The prophet left and had his own troubles following the Word of the LORD on the way home.
The prophet spoke unto the unhearing and unresponsive altar, showing Jeroboam that he was just as stubborn and prideful as if he were a piece of furniture. The altar of Jeroboam would be cast down, the ashes of the animals spilled out, and a descendant of David born 300 years later would finish its destruction. All that the LORD said would come to pass, and the immediate toppling of the altar was the sign that the eventual and final destruction as prophesied would occur just as God had said. Jeroboam’s anger against the man of God led him to reach out against the prophet and his hand was dried up. Jeroboam pleaded with the prophet to restore him and God relented and made his hand well again. The prophet, though a man of God and having heard the Word of the LORD was distracted and disobedient himself as he made his way home. The result was his own destruction at the hand of the LORD.
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When God speaks to us, those of who are His by faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, we are to listen and obey. God’s timing is always perfect, and He will accomplish that which He has purposed, in ministry, missions, and in discipleship as He works in us of His good pleasure to do His will. His Word does not go out void, and we are to take that Word to this lost and dying world that those who do not yet know God may repent and receive Him and His free gift of Salvation. The Commandments of the LORD are not suggestions or requests, but commands and instructions from our Lord and King to reach the lost, teach the nations, and preach His Word. The work we do for Him is not to gain or keep that which God has given unto us, but because of our love for our God and for others who are as we once were. Because we have been delivered from sin and set free, not to sin more, but to live in Christ holy and obedient lives, we serve in love those within and without, until He is done with us. We do all for the glory of God as we listen to the voice of our Master, keeping His Word and doing His will for as long as we are here.
Until He take us Home to be with Him, God has commanded those of us who are His saints and know Him 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 prophet spoke unto the unhearing and unresponsive altar, showing Jeroboam that he was just as stubborn and prideful as if he were a piece of furniture. The altar of Jeroboam would be cast down, the ashes of the animals spilled out, and a descendant of David born 300 years later would finish its destruction. All that the LORD said would come to pass, and the immediate toppling of the altar was the sign that the eventual and final destruction as prophesied would occur just as God had said. Jeroboam’s anger against the man of God led him to reach out against the prophet and his hand was dried up. Jeroboam pleaded with the prophet to restore him and God relented and made his hand well again. The prophet, though a man of God and having heard the Word of the LORD was distracted and disobedient himself as he made his way home. The result was his own destruction at the hand of the LORD.
.
When God speaks to us, those of who are His by faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary, we are to listen and obey. God’s timing is always perfect, and He will accomplish that which He has purposed, in ministry, missions, and in discipleship as He works in us of His good pleasure to do His will. His Word does not go out void, and we are to take that Word to this lost and dying world that those who do not yet know God may repent and receive Him and His free gift of Salvation. The Commandments of the LORD are not suggestions or requests, but commands and instructions from our Lord and King to reach the lost, teach the nations, and preach His Word. The work we do for Him is not to gain or keep that which God has given unto us, but because of our love for our God and for others who are as we once were. Because we have been delivered from sin and set free, not to sin more, but to live in Christ holy and obedient lives, we serve in love those within and without, until He is done with us. We do all for the glory of God as we listen to the voice of our Master, keeping His Word and doing His will for as long as we are here.
Until He take us Home to be with Him, God has commanded those of us who are His saints and know Him 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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