Compromising God For Wealth 05.08.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

It is Thursday May 8, 2008 and today we are continuing our study on the book of II Kings. Please read Chapters 16-17 in your Bible or Click Here to read. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=II%20Kings16-17&version=9

Today we will read and learn about Ahaz's reign in Judah and his defiling the Temple; Hoshea's reign in Israel; the fall of Samaria; and the captivity and deportations of Israel. Today's message focuses on the importance of realizing that we can not compromise God for material gain. Material gain without putting God first will only become disastrous.

The reign of King Ahaz in Judah is a disaster, nations were warring, making alliances, plotting, invading, and being carried into captivity. Fearing the growing power of Assyria, Pekah, king of Israel, made an alliance with Rezin, king of Syria (Aram) (II Kings 15:37). Together, they attempted to force Ahaz, to join them. When Ahaz refused, Syria's King Rezin and Israel's King Pekah came up to wage war against Jerusalem. "Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him." (II Kings 16:5).

In retaliation, Ahaz made an alliance with Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, to attack Syria and Israel. This cost Ahaz to lose everything in the House of the Lord. "At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day. So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me. And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria." (16:6-8). The king of the Assyrian Empire conquered the small kingdom of Syria and killed Rezin, its king (16:9). Tiglath-pileser also defeated the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh on the eastern side of the Jordan. All that was left of the ten-tribe northern kingdom of Israel was the capital city of Samaria and the surrounding hill country of Ephraim.

The captivity and dispersion of the northern kingdom throughout Assyria took place because the Israelites served idols. They lived as if God did not exist. We must remember, whoever or whatever receives our loyalty becomes our idol, be it a person, purpose, or possession.

The two and one-half tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manassah chose to live just outside the promised land. However, they did join the other tribes and entered Canaan under Joshua to help fight for the promised. They then returned to their "profitable" territory on the east side of the River Jordan. As the years passed, compromising sins eventually left them powerless before their enemies. "In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.....Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets. Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God." (17:6,13-14).

The people of the ten-tribe Northern Kingdom were defeated and deported into a heathen land which forever ended their existence as a separate kingdom. The dispersion of the ten tribes occurred in two stages, Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh were the first to be defeated by the Assyrians.

Instead of crossing Jordan into the promised land as God had directed, these tribes chose by what materially appeared would bring success (Numbers 32:33). Such people are the first to give up and become obsessed with worldly pleasures. They compromise convictions for what appears to be material advantage instead of being obedient to the Word of God. They are examples of the so called worldly Christians today who give more time to planning their vacation than they do in how they can better serve the Lord. We see the after effects of their choice, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry."(II Timothy 4:3-5). Just as a desire for material gain led the two and one-half tribes to settle outside the promised land. Many compromised what they know to be God's will in order to gain their personal goals.

A halfhearted commitment to Christ results in instability to every other area of our lives. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (I John 2:15).

In Today's message Jesus Christ is revealed through the Brazen (bronze) Altar made by Solomon (II Kings 16:14). The Brazen Altar is a type of the cross on which Christ, our whole burned offering, offered Himself to God. Unlike the necessary daily sacrifices on the Brazen Altar, the cross He did once, "Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself." (Hebrews 7:27).

Today's Psalm: 73:11-13
"And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency."

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
I am full of gratitude today as I consider Your abiding presence in my life. You planned my existence in my mother's womb before I even drew my first breath. When so many people have come into my life and exited it throughout the years You have taken up residence and You forever rule my heart. When the path before me was unclear You have always gone before me sustaining me in my wilderness journey. Though all forsake me You remain faithful, and remarkable as it seems, even if we are faithless, You will remain faithful, for You cannot deny Yourself. Thank You for being my Supreme Savior and the Sustainer of my soul. In Jesus' name, I pray.....Amen.

Have a wonderful Thursday and God Bless you.....Christina

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