Make An Effort 05.06.07

Hello My Firend/Guest,

It is Tuesday May 6, 2008 and today we are continuing our study on the book of II Kings. Please read Chapters 11-13 in your Bible or Click Here to read.

Today we will read and learn about Athaliah's reign; David's descendants being murdered; Joash crowned as king; repairing the Temple; worship being restored; and the evil reign of Jehoahaz. Today's message focuses on the importance of realizing that if we want God to do great things for us we must make an effort. God will guide us, but we must make an effort to follow His will.

When Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, received word that her son, King Ahaziah, was dead, she seized the throne of Judah and proclaimed herself queen. To make sure she had no competition, she ruthlessly murdered her own grandsons. "And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal." (II KIngs 11:1). She thought she had killed all of David's descendants, however God intervened and saved the one-year-old Joash, the sole link that preserved the dynasty of David and the lineage through which Jesus Christ would come. "But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land." (11:2-3).

When Joash was about seven years old, Jehoiada brought forth the king's son, and reigned him king over Isreal. "And he brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king." (11:12).The excited shouts caught the attention of Athaliah, who ran into the Temple court just in time to hear Jehoiada the high priest command the captains of the guard to execute her. "But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD. And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king's house: and there was she slain." (11:15-16).

The account of Athaliah illustrates that to forsake the Word of God results in untold miseries, "Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (II Thessalonians 2:9-12)

There are two Joashes in II Kings. There is Joash, the king of Judah (chapters 11; 12; 13:10), and there is Joash (Jehoash), the king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, who often rejected Elisha's admonitions, however the king of the Northern Kingdom of Isreal came to visit with Elisha when he found out that he was dying. "Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof." (II Kings 13:14). It was quite remarkable for King Joash to visit the dying prophet. It implies that the king knew that the man of God had been Israel's spiritual strength and they needed his counsel and prayers.

Israel was at that time at war with Syria. As a sign that God intended to give victory to His people, the king was bidden to take the bow and arrows. "And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows. And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands. And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them. And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed. And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice." (13:15-19). King Joash was bidden to strike the ground until he consumed, but he only struck it three times. If he had smitten the ground six times, he would have shot six arrows and he would have had complete victory. As the arrow was shot through the air, the prophet said the arrow represented the Lord's deliverance of His people from Syrian domination.

Deliverance is of the Lord, but it must be accomplished by human effort. Joash had to actively take the bow and arrows, but God sovereignly would guide the people. We should not let our arrows lie still as if to say: "We are trusting God to shoot our arrows, we will just wait upon the Lord." It is an equally serious error to neglect the hand of God resting upon our activity.

Many well meaning Christians are content to attend church worship and be fed, but Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15:1-5)

Today's Psalm: 91:14-15
"Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him."

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
As we live by faith and not by sight we see much of what the world does not see because we see it through eyes of faith. By faith we see a risen Savior who died for us and who is now interceding on our behalf. By faith we believe that life’s trials will be worth it all when we are ushered into the pearly gates and gather with saints of all the ages to praise our glorious Savior around the throne. It is by faith that we come to Jesus and it is by faith that we will stay the course. For it is not the one who runs the swiftest nor the one who runs for a day, but the one who endures to the end that will be saved. The struggles of this life diminish when we walk by faith and not by sight. Navigate our steps as we journey here and deliver us from all unrighteousness. In Jesus' name, I pray.....Amen.

Have a Wonderful Tuesday and God Bless You.
Christina

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