Ephesians

1 Chronicles 5-6, Ephesians 6

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Be Strong In The Lord.

1 Chronicles 5-6, Ephesians 6

And when they prevailed over them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him. – 1 Chronicles 5:20 ESV

Once again, as we read through the genealogical record found in the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles, we find an interesting side note provided by the chronicler. In referring to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, he gives an added detail that provides a unique insight into these three tribes that occupied the Transjordan region. As the Israelites were preparing to enter into the Promised Land, these three tribes asked for permission to settle on the opposite side of the Jordan. Joshua’s only demand was that they agree to fight alongside the Israelites and help them conquer the nations occupying the land of promise. Once all the tribes were in their allotted places, they could return to the other side of the Jordan. They had kept their word and settled on the opposite side of the Jordan. And the chronicler describes them as “valiant men who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, expert in war, 44,760, able to go to war” (1 Chronicles 5:18 ESV). In other words, they were proven men of battle. But he gives us another important insight into their success as warriors. He tells us that “they cried out to God in battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him” (1 Chronicles 5:20 ESV). These men were recognized as valiant, brave, and skilled soldiers, but the secret to their success was their trust in God. When facing battle, they cried out to God. They didn’t simply rely on their own strength, they placed their trust in God. And the chronicler tells us, “many fell, because the war was of God” (1 Chronicles 5:22 ESV). Their reliance upon God brought victory by the hand of God. It would have been easy for them to lean on their own military might and experience in warfare, but instead, they trusted God and relied on His strength. Later on, in the book of 2 Chronicles, we read the words, “But go, act, be strong for the battle. Why should you suppose that God will cast you down before the enemy? For God has power to help or to cast down” (1 Chronicles 25:8 ESV). The power of God has always been available to His people. When they were standing on the edge of the Promised Land, preparing to enter in and conquer its inhabitants, God told them, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 ESV).

What does this passage reveal about God?

God offers His people His help. He makes available His strength and awesome power. He provides an immeasurable resource into which we can tap at any time. But we must trust Him. We must believe that He is capable of accomplishing all that He has promised. He reminds us to be strong and courageous, not because of our own strength or capabilities, but because of His. What set the people of Israel apart from all the other nations was their God. Without Him, they were nothing. Which was an invaluable lesson they would never seem to learn. Their refusal to regularly rely on Him and trust Him for their well-being would ultimately result in their spiritual failure as a nation and their defeat at the hands of their enemies. But God had always been there for them, ready to put His unlimited, unstoppable power at their disposal. But a big reason the people of Israel turned to other gods was due to their lack of trust in Yahweh. They wanted to hedge their bets and ensure that they covered their bases by keeping any and all gods on their side. The one true God was not enough for them. They never fully rejected Him, but they combined their worship of Yahweh with the worship of all kinds of false gods, in the hopes that these other gods could step in and provide them with aide when Yahweh couldn’t or wouldn’t. But the apostle Paul reminds us, “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (Ephesians 6:10 ESV). His recommendation is that we, as the people of God, put our trust, hope, faith and full reliance on God alone.

What does this passage reveal about man?

But when the going gets tough, our tendency as human beings is to place our trust in anything and everything we think may provide us with help – including ourselves. But as God’s chosen people, we are to recognize our need for Him. The battles we face in life are not designed for us to showcase our strength or prove our self-sufficiency. They are opportunities to watch God work. They are unique vantage points from which we can witness the power of God and enjoy victories that would have been otherwise impossible. But first we have to trust Him. Paul goes on to say, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:11-12 ESV). The battle we find ourselves in is far more than we can handle in our own strength. Left to our own devices, we are ill-equipped to face the enemy who stands against us. We are in a spiritual battle that is far greater than anything we could ever imagine. So we must find our strength in God, not ourselves. We must put on His armor, not our own. Repeatedly, Paul tells us to stand against, withstand, stand firm and stand. But we are to do so based on our trust in God and His strength. We are to wear His armor – His truth, His righteousness, His gospel, His faith, His salvation, His Spirit. Like the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, we are to pray “at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (Ephesians 6:18 ESV). We are to turn to Him and trust in Him, relying on His strength and exhibiting courage based on His power, not our own.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

I have always found it fascinating that God did not just give the Israelites the land He had promised them. He could have easily eliminated the nations who occupied the land without the Israelites ever having to raise a finger. In fact, there are numerous occasions when He did just that. But for the most part, God required that the people of Israel put on their armor, pick up their swords and go into battle. They had to do their part. But He had promised to be with them. He had promised that the battle would be His. He would reveal His strength through their weakness. He would reveal His power through their insufficiencies and inadequacies. The people who lived in the land were great and powerful. The odds were totally against the Israelites and any hopes they had of defeating their enemies seemed slim to none. But they had a secret weapon: God. They would not be fighting alone. They would not be going into battle having to rely on their own strength and military might. They would be led by the Lord of Hosts. And the same thing is true for us today. The enemies we face are great. The odds are stacked against us. But we are to trust in God and go into battle equipped with His resources and wearing His armor. We must constantly remind ourselves that “he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4 ESV). We can be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. We can wear the armor He has provided. We can stand on the promise of His presence and the power He provides through His Spirit. We can do battle with the cosmic powers aligned against us because our God is great and His victory is assured. But we must trust Him. We must rely upon Him. And we must constantly remind ourselves that we can do NOTHING without Him.

Father, I get so tired of trying to fight the battles on this life in my own strength. I don’t know why I keep trying to trust in myself when I constantly prove incapable and insufficient for the task. I want to learn to stand firm on Your strength. I want to rest in Your power. I want to learn to cry out to You and trust in You. Help me to stand firm, not based on anything I bring to the table, but solely based on Your reputation, power and promises. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

1 Chronicles 3-4, Ephesians 5

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How Will You Be Remembered?

1 Chronicles 3-4, Ephesians 5

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. – Ephesians 5:15-16 ESV

In chapter 3 of 1 Chronicles we are given a complete listing of the Davidic line of succession all the way up until the time when the people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon. It begins with David and ends with Zedekiah, the last king of Judah. In-between we have a list all the kings who ruled over Judah and it is a fascinating compilation of characters. At first glance, it is just a listing of hard-to-pronounce names. But after having worked our way through the books of 1 and 2 Kings, we know that each of these names represents a particular individual who either sought God during his lifetime or turned his back on God and led the nation of Judah into a lifestyle of unfaithfulness. The original Jewish readers of the book of 1 Chronicles would have been very familiar with these names and their reputations. They would have known of Solomon and his wisdom. But they would have also known about his failure to live faithfully and obediently for God, resulting in the split of the kingdom. They would have been familiar with Manasseh and how he had built altars in the house of the Lord and even burned his own son as a sacrifice to one of the many false gods he worshiped. They would have heard about Josiah, who took the throne at the age of eight, but did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He instituted reforms and attempted to restore the nation of Judah to its covenant relationship with God. Each of the names in this listing represent a life that was marked by a reputation. They would be remembered for the things they had done and the lifestyle they had lived. It’s interesting to note that in the middle of this genealogical listing, one name is given special attention. It is the name of Jabez, an obscure individual who is remembered for having been more honorable than all his brothers. He prayed that God would bless him and increase his borders, keeping him from harm. And the text reads, “And God granted what he asked” (1 Chronicles 4:10 ESV). One man who turned to God and asked Him for blessing, protection and provision. His simple prayer illustrates a faithful, committed life lived in obedience to and dependence upon God.

What does this passage reveal about God?

Every one of the names listed in these two chapters in 1 Chronicles represents an individual who was a member of the chosen people of God. He had been born into the nation of Israel and was set apart as a worshiper of the one true God. But not all of them lived up to their calling. God had set apart the people of Israel as His own possession. He had given them His name, provided them with His law, and graciously made available His sacrificial system to ensure their forgiveness of sin and the possibility of remaining in a right relationship with Him. He had freed them from captivity in Egypt, led them through the wilderness and provided them with a land of their own. He had given them victories in battle, showed them mercy when they had sinned, exhibited patience when they were unfaithful, and offered them the promise of His blessing if they would simply obey Him. All He had asked in return was that they remain faithful to Him. He had forbidden them to worship other gods or to live like the nations all around them. He simply desired that they live distinctively and differently, illustrating to the rest of the world what it looks like to follow the one true God. Their lives were to have been a visual representation of true godliness in a world filled with false gods. God’s expectation of them was exactly what Paul communicated to the believers in Ephesus hundreds of years later. “Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Ephesians 5:8-10 ESV).

What does this passage reveal about man?

God has always expected His people to live differently. He has always desired that those who are called by His name exhibit characteristics that are in keeping with His name. But the long list of names found in 1 Chronicles 3-4 contains more than a few individuals whose reputations were far from godly and who lived their lives in darkness rather than the light. Paul exhorts his readers that, as believers, their lives were not to be characterized by sexual immorality, impurity, coveting, foolish talk, crude joking, or unfruitful works of darkness. Instead, they were to try to discern what was pleasing to God. As light, they were to expose the deeds of darkness, rather than participate in them. They were to illuminate the darkness of sin all around them, not take part in it. Paul encourages them to “look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15 ESV). Their relationship with God was to have a direct impact on how they lived their lives. It was to influence every facet of their lives, including their relationships with their spouses. They were to walk in love and mutual submission. They were to imitate God just as a child imitates his father. They were to be known and recognized for who they were – the children of God. But the temptation for all of us is to blend into the woodwork and to become just like the world around us. We find it so easy to compromise with the world and allow our light to become absorbed by the darkness. God had called the people of Israel to be set apart from the world, but they failed to live up to that calling. He has issued that same call to those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ. He has even given us His Holy Spirit to make it possible. But we must submit to His Spirit. We must desire to live according to His will. We must want to live as light in the midst of the darkness. Like Jabez, we must recognize our need for and dependence upon God to live our lives in this world. We must be willing to ask, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that you hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” (1 Chronicles 4:10 ESV).

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

This life is not easy. This world is a difficult place in which to live as salt and light. It is so easy to allow my reputation to become marred by a love for this world and “the unfruitful works of darkness” (Ephesians 5:11 ESV). But at the end of my life, I want my reputation to be that of a man who remained faithful to His God and who lived in dependence upon His Spirit. I want to be remembered as someone who tried to imitate God and who will be recognized as having been a child of God. I have been set apart by God for His use. I have been made His child and an heir to His kingdom. I have been given His Spirit and have access to His power. My greatest desire should be to live in such a way that i reflect my relationship as His child and reveal His light through my life.

Father, I want to be remembered as Your child. I want my reputation to be honoring to You, not me. I ask that you continue Your sanctifying work in my life, transforming me into the likeness of Your Son, so that I might mirror His character and reflect His light into the darkness that fills this world. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

1 Chronicles 1-2, Ephesians 4

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What’s In A Name?

1 Chronicles 1-2, Ephesians 4

…walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. – Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV

For nearly nine whole chapters, the chronicler provides list after list of virtually unrecognizable and unpronounceable names. These genealogies tend to make no sense to us as modern readers. They seem to serve no purpose. But to the chronicler’s audience they provided a lifeline back to their heritage as God’s chosen people. They had returned to the land of promise after 70 years of exile in Babylon. Under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah they had rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem and the temple itself. But they were a ragtag remnant living in a city that still showed the signs of the Babylonian destruction and years of neglect as the people languished in captivity. They were worshiping in a temple that was a mere shadow of its former glory. So the chronicler takes nine chapters to remind them of who they were. He takes them all the way back to Adam. They were descendants of the first man, who had been created by God Himself. But more than that, they shared a heritage with David, the great king of Israel, to whom God had promised to give a long-lasting dynasty. One of David’s descendants was to sit on the throne of Israel again. But at the time of the writing of 1 Chronicles, the people of God were living in Jerusalem and worshiping at the temple, but they had no king. They were weak, defenseless, and surrounded by enemies who were less-than-ecstatic that they had returned to the land. The chronicler wanted to remind his readers of their heritage. He wanted them to understand their unique status as God’s chosen people. Much of what he wrote in this book was designed to show God’s people who they were, how they got to be in the state they were in, and what they were going to need to do to see their circumstances change. Their current circumstances were the direct result of their own unfaithfulness and disobedience. They were reaping the results of their failure to seek God. So the chronicler wants them to understand that, as God’s people, they must return to Him, and live as the true heirs of Israel.

What does this passage reveal about God?

God’s hand had been on Israel from the very beginning. The lists of genealogies start with Adam and clearly reveals God’s sovereign choice of Abraham and His divine selection of David. He had been active all the along the way, orchestrating events in such a way so that the nation of Israel would be His chosen people. And in spite of what would be a lengthy track record of disobedience and rebellion against His will and authority, God would eventually restore His disobedient children to the land He had promised to give them as their inheritance. While they had failed to live up to His expectations and commands, He had kept His promises to them. He had miraculously provided the means by which the temple could be rebuilt and the sacrificial system restored. He used a pagan king to make possible the return of His people to the land and the funding of the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem and the reconstruction of the temple itself. The temple was a symbol of God’s divine presence. It was a reminder of God’s willingness to provide forgiveness for sin and restoration to a right relationship to Him through the sacrificial system. But as the people of God, they would have to live in obedience to His commands, faithfully seeking His face and worshiping according to His standards, not their own.

What does this passage reveal about man?

After 70 years in exile, it would have been easy for the people of God to forget who they were. Most of those who returned to the land of Israel had probably been born in Babylon, and were seeing the land of promise for the first time. They had no real recollection of how things used to be. They had no concept of the former glory of Jerusalem or the magnificence of the original temple. They had long forgotten their unique status as the children of God. Theirs had been a life of slavery, servitude, and suffering. Even though they were now living back in the land, they were doing so as a weakened, impoverished, powerless people who had no king, no army, and no apparent hope for the future. But the chronicler takes time to remind them of their heritage. He wants them to understand the significance of who they are and the reality of their relationship as God’s chosen people. Paul does a similar thing when writing to the believers in Ephesus. He reminds them, “you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind” (Ephesians 2:1-3 ESV). And then we read those powerful two words, “But God…” In the midst of our former position as sin-ravaged, spiritually lifeless, flesh-driven dead men, God showered us with His mercy and grace, providing us with salvation through Christ “even when we were dead in our trespasses” (Ephesians 2:4 ESV). He gave us new life. He provided us with new hope. As a result, Paul exhorts his readers to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1 ESV). He challenges them to live up to their new status as God’s chosen people. Their lives are to be marked by humility, gentleness, patience, forebearance, love, unity, and a mutual commitment to spiritual growth and maturity. Their conduct and speech were to be different. Their lifestyle was to emulate that of Christ. They bore the name of Christ and shared His status as a child of God. So they were to live accordingly, putting off their old nature and putting on the new self, “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24 ESV).

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

As a child of God, I am to live differently. I must recognize my position as His son and walk in a manner worthy of my calling as His adopted child. My unique status should be apparent in my behavior. Paul told his readers to put away falsehood, speak the truth, not to let their anger turn to sin, to resist Satan, stop stealing, work honestly, talk righteously, extend grace, and stop grieving the Holy Spirit. He was very specific and it was likely because his readers had been used to living in such a way that their lives had been marked by behavior that was un-Christlike and unflattering to their role as God’s chosen people. As God’s sons and daughters, our behavior must reflect our beliefs. Our comportment must match our confession. We must live or walk in a manner worthy of our calling and in honor of the name of Christ.

Father, I want to live differently. I want my speech and conduct to honor Your Son’s name. I confess that too often, my claim to be a Christian is not matched by my behavior, thought life and the words that come out of my mouth. Help me understand that my life must reflect my status as Your child. My conduct must bring glory and honor to Your name. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

2 Kings 25, Ephesians 3

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God’s Mysterious Plan.

2 Kings 25, Ephesians 3

This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. – Ephesians 3:6 ESV

Things could not have looked bleaker. The destiny of Israel could not have appeared any darker. The Babylonian army had laid siege to the city of Jerusalem for months, resulting in a famine inside its wall. Eventually, the city fell and the temple was ransacked, burned and destroyed. The priests were killed and the people were taken captive to Babylon. Zedekiah, the king, was captured and forced to watch as his sons were executed before his eyes. Then he had his own eyes gouged out. The once glorious city of Jerusalem lie in ruins and the people of Israel were prisoners in a foreign land. And amazingly, this was all part of God’s plan. He had predicted that all of this would happen. “Thus says the Lord: Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall capture it;  Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye.  And he shall take Zedekiah to Babylon, and there he shall remain until I visit him, declares the Lord. Though you fight against the Chaldeans, you shall not succeed” (Jeremiah 32:3-5 ESV). Israel was facing the consequences for its disobedience and unfaithfulness. God had warned them that disobedience would bring curses. He had been very specific. But God would not fully abandon His people. As bad as things appeared, God had not fully forsaken them. King Jehoiachin, who had surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar years earlier, and had been living in exile in Babylon for 37 years, would find himself freed by Evil-merodach, Nebuchadnezzar’s son and successor to the throne. God was keeping the line of David intact. He was keeping His promise to David. “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16 ESV). David was destined to have a descendant who would once again sit on his throne in Jerusalem. God had ordained it and He would one day fulfill it.

What does this passage reveal about God?

In the midst of all the darkness surrounding the people of Israel, there exists a feint glimmer of hope. Yes, the temple had been destroyed and the city burned to the ground. The once formidable walls of Jerusalem were shattered and lie in ruins. But God was still there. He had not disappeared from the scene. He was allowing His people to learn a painful, yet invaluable lesson. But He would be with them all along the way, sending His prophets to minister to them even while they lived in exile. He would continue to tolerate their disobedience and unfaithfulness all during their seven decades of imprisonment in Babylon. But He had promised to return them to the land and He would fulfill that promise. But God’s ultimate plan was not just to restore them to the land, but to restore all mankind to a right relationship with Himself. The people of Israel had shown that, even though they had been handpicked by God, they were incapable of living in obedience to His commands or of loving Him faithfully and exclusively. God used a pagan, Gentile nation to punish His people. And the day was coming when He would include pagan, Gentile people into His family. This is one of the great mysteries of the Bible – the mystery of Christ. God would use a descendant of David to provide reconciliation for not only the Jews, but for all mankind. Paul writes, “This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6 ESV). This mystery “was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (Ephesians 3:5 ESV). Jehoiachin didn’t know about this plan. Nebuchadnezzar wasn’t aware of it. Zedekiah (excuse the pun) was blind to it. Even David himself was kept in the dark regarding it. The day was coming when God allow Paul to “preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,  and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things” (Ephesians 3:8-9 ESV).

What does this passage reveal about man?

Man can’t maintain a right relationship with God. Living up to God’s holy, righteous standards has always been impossible for any man to accomplish – except one. Only Jesus was capable of living a perfectly obedient life, in keeping with God’s laws and in submission to His will. He lived a sinless life, which made Him the perfect sacrifice for the sins of man. He was able to offer Himself as our sinless, blameless substitute, dying the death we deserved in our place and satisfying the just demands of a holy God. The books of 1 and 2 Kings reveal just how sinful man can be. The history of the Israelites reveals just how disobedient and unfaithful even the people of God can be. Sin is inevitable and unavoidable for mankind. We can’t help it. We can’t keep from doing it. But God had a solution to our problem. He had a plan that would provide restoration and reconciliation when all our efforts produced nothing more than rebellion and rejection. The fall of Jerusalem was not the end. The exile of the people of God was not the final chapter in their story. God would eventually restore them to their own land. But it would not be until “the fulness of time” that He would send His Son to provide a once-and-for-all solution for the sin problem of mankind. Through the sacrificial death of His own Son, God would join together Jew and Gentile, making them “fellow heirs, members of the same body and partakers of the promise of Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6 ESV). “So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 3:10 ESV).

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

The Bible is the story of God’s redemption of mankind. It is not a collection of isolated stories, but a clear and concise compilation of God’s ongoing relationship with His creation. It is a unified picture of His unfailing love for mankind and His divine plan to restore what sin had attempted to destroy. As bleak as Israel’s exile appears, it is just a chapter in a much larger story of God’s redemption and reconciliation of mankind. Today, we get to see firsthand the manifold, multifaceted wisdom of God revealed through the multi-ethnic, multicultural and multifaceted makeup of the body of Christ. Jews, Gentiles, rich, poor, educated, uneducated, slave, free, white collar, blue collar – every imaginable combination of people – revealing “the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:11 ESV). I am reminded that God has always been working His plan. But I am also reminded that God has not yet completed that plan. There is more yet to come, and I can trust Him to finish what He has begun. He will one day send His Son again to bring His great and glorious plan to its final conclusion, bringing an end to sin and death, and reconciling and restoring His creation once and for all.

Father, thank You for Your mysterious, unstoppable, perfect plan. Thank You for sending Your Son to do what none of us could have done on our own. You have provided a solution for sin and a means by which we might have a right relationship with You, once and for all. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

2 Kings 23-24, Ephesians 2

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Redemption, Not Reform.

2 Kings 23-24, Ephesians 2

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. – Ephesians 2:4-7 ESV

Josiah made a herculean effort to restore and reform the nation of Judah to a right relationship with God. Convicted by what he had read in the book of the Law, he began a series of sweeping reforms, all based on a renewed covenant with God pledging to “walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book” (2 Kings 23:3 ESV). And all the people vowed to join him in keeping the covenant. Josiah then began an aggressive and sweeping purging campaign, removing all the vestiges of idol worship from the land. And he had his work cut out for him. The kings of Judah had left a staggering number of idols, high places, altars and shrines to their false gods. Many of them were in the temple itself. There were cult prostitutes actually living in the temple. There were mediums, necromancers and household gods everywhere. There were altars and high places dedicated to a wide range of gods, including Baal, Molech, Ashtoreth, and more. It seems that everywhere he turned, there were shrines, altars, and idols erected to just about every false god imaginable. He even went so far as to remove the false gods erected by Jeroboam in Bethel. In other words, Josiah took pains to enter the land of Israel, which had already fallen to the Assyrians, and he removed the vestiges of idol worship that had led to their downfall. Josiah was thorough in his efforts. He even reinstituted the Passover, which had not been practiced since the time of the Judges. But all his efforts at reform did nothing to assuage the anger of God. It was too little, too late. “Still the Lord did not turn from the burning of his great wrath, by which his anger was kindled against Judah” (2 Kings 23:26 ESV).

What does this passage reveal about God?

God knew the hearts of His people. He knew that these reforms, in spite of all of Josiah’s efforts, were merely external changes. Not long after Josiah’s death, the wickedness would resurface and the idolatry would continue as before. Josiah’s own son, Jehoahaz, “did what was evil in the sight of the Lord” (2 Kings 23:32 ESV). God knew that all the external reforms in the world would not change their hearts. They were addicted to sin and incapable of changing their behavior. The reading of the book of the Law may have convicted them, but it could not transform them. They could remove all the idols, altars, high places, and shrines from the land, but they couldn’t remove the idolatry from their own hearts. The fall of Jerusalem and the coming captivity of the people of Judah was necessary. It was all part of God’s divine plan. “Surely this came upon Judah at the command of the Lord, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done … and the Lord would not pardon” (2 KIngs 24:3-4 ESV).

What does this passage reveal about man?

Man is incapable of truly reforming himself. Any efforts we make at change are always limited and short-lived. Any attempts we make at transforming our behavior in order to comply with God’s righteous standards will always fall short, because we can’t change our hearts. The prophet Jeremiah spoke of the condition of man’s heart and he didn’t paint a very pretty picture. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9 ESV). Jesus Himself echoed these same thoughts when He said, “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person” (Mark 7:21-23 ESV). Josiah meant well. He had every intention of reforming and restoring the land of Judah to faithfulness to God. He sincerely wanted to see every last idol removed and the people of God restored to a right relationship with Him. But God knew that nothing was really going to change. Their hearts were wicked. They didn’t truly love Him. He had warned them and pleaded with them to return to Him. He had sent His prophets over and over again, calling them to repentance, but they would not listen. They refused to change. Because they couldn’t. And God was not surprised.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

Rather than stand back and criticize the Israelites for their stubbornness and stupidity, I must constantly remind myself that I am no different than they were. I would have done the same thing if I had been in their sandals. I would have proven to be just as unfaithful and disobedient. The Bible makes it clear that all men stand guilty before God. “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20 ESV). “They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good” (Psalm 53:1 ESV). “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (Romans 3:10-12 ESV). Paul reminds me that even I was once “dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is not at work in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:1-2 ESV). Even those of us who are believers in Jesus Christ, used to live “in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind” (Ephesians 2:3 ESV). But here is the good news! “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-7 ESV). God showed us mercy and grace. He didn’t ask us to reform ourselves or correct our behavior before He would love us. He loved us while we were at our worst. He reconciled us to Himself through the death of His son, not through some form of self-reformation. We couldn’t have saved ourselves any more than the Jews of Josiah’s day could. There is a day coming when God will completely restore His people. He will reform their behavior, but He will do so by changing their hearts. He will do for them what they could never have done for themselves. “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses” (Ezekiel 36:26-29 ESV).

Father, You are a faithful, loving, gracious God. When we couldn’t do anything to save ourselves, You stepped in and provided salvation for us through Your own Son’s death. You did for us what we could never have done for ourselves. And one day, You are going to do for the people of Israel what they have never been able to do on their own. You are going to complete restore, renew, and reform them, from the inside out. You will reconcile them to Yourself and make them a people after Your own heart. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

2 Kings 21-22, Ephesians 1

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Light in the Darkness.

2 Kings 21-22, Ephesians 1

And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left. – 2 Kings 22:2 ESV

There is a depressing pattern in the book of 2 Kings. Repeatedly we read the words, “And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord” (2 Kings 21:2 ESV). It seems that each successive king was predisposed to take the evil committed by his predecessor to an all-new low. The reigns of these men were marked by continued idolatry, rampant unfaithfulness, and a wholesale abandonment of the ways of God. Manasseh could have been the poster boy for poor leadership. He rebuilt the high places that his father had destroyed. He erected altars to Baal and Asherah poles. He even built altars to idols in the temple itself and sacrificed his own son as an offering to a false god. Manasseh led the people “to do more evil than the nations had done whom the Lord destroyed before the people of Israel” (2 Kings 21:9 ESV). And Manasseh was followed by his son, Amon, who proved to be just as wicked and rebellious. His reign would last only two years, and end with his murder at the hands of his own servants. But in the midst of all this darkness, a feint glimmer of light appeared in the form of Josiah, the son of Amon. It is as if God allows us to see that all is not lost. Not everyone has turned their back on Him. His people are not a completely lost cause. Amazingly, in spite of a heritage of wickedness and a family history of idolatry, Josiah manages to maintain a right relationship with God. Early in his reign, we see a marked difference in his leadership style. Rather than build high places and erect altars to false gods, Josiah begins an aggressive restoration campaign, beginning with the much-neglected temple. In the midst of the repairs, a copy of the Book of the Law is found. More than likely, this is referring to the book of Deuteronomy and its recovery was to have a significant impact on the life of Josiah.

What does this passage reveal about God?

Regardless of the efforts of a long line of kings to eliminate or simply dilute the worship of God, He continued to have an influence over their lives. While Manasseh was busy erecting idols to false gods in the temple, God had not forgotten His promise: “In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever” (2 Kings 21:7 ESV). God had not yet abandoned His people. In spite of all their sin against Him, He had remained in their midst. He had remained faithful even though they had refused to keep His commands or live according to His laws. But the day was coming when God would no longer put up with Israel’s unfaithfulness. He warned Mannaseh, “I am bringing upon Jerusalem and Judah such disaster that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle” (2 Kings 21:12 ESV). “I will forsake the remnant of my heritage and give them into the hand of their enemies, and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies” (2 Kings 21:14 ESV). God would not tolerate their rebellion forever. It was a matter of the holiness of His own name. It was about His own reputation. God had placed His name on the city of Jerusalem and the temple itself. The one thing that set the people of Israel apart from all the other nations was the name of God – His reputation among the nations as revealed by His abiding presence and power among the Israelites. Rather than live for God and honor His name, the people of Israel had repeatedly discredited His name by their sinful actions. They had harmed His reputation by their immoral behavior. And the day was quickly approaching when God would say, “Enough is enough!”

What does this passage reveal about man?

But Josiah shows us that their is always hope. The darkness can never fully eliminate the light. This one man reminds us that repentance and restoration are always possible. But it requires a return to God. It necessitates a readiness to listen to the Word of God and a willingness to obey what it says. When Josiah heard the words of the book of Deuteronomy, he was was convicted. He became painfully aware of the sinfulness of the people of Israel and recognized that “great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us” (2 Kings 22:13 ESV). But Josiah is not merely convicted, he is convinced to do something about it. He doesn’t just mourn their sin, he plans to make a difference. And while God makes it clear that His wrath is coming, He assures Josiah that he will not live to see the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. He tells Josiah, “because your heart was penitent, and you humbled yourself before the Lord, when you heard how I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I have also heard you” (2 Kings 22:19 ESV). God told Josiah, “your eyes shall not see all the disaster I will bring upon this place” (2 Kings 22:20 ESV).

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

Even though Josiah knew that his efforts would not prevent God’s coming destruction, he would still enact a series of reforms among the people of Israel. He would still attempt to make a difference and restore the reputation of God. When the book of Deuteronomy had been read to Josiah, he not heard the warnings of God’s curses and coming wrath, he heard of God’s promise of restoration. In the latter part of Deuteronomy, it states, “And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you, and return to the Lord your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you” (Deuteronomy 30:1-3 ESV). The fate of Israel was sealed. Their unfaithfulness was going to bring God’s judgment. But God had promised that if they would only return to Him, He would restore them. Josiah had hope that his efforts at reformation might lead to their future restoration. He wanted to make sure that the people of Israel did not forget the Lord their God. He was going to do whatever it took to bring the light of God back among His people. Josiah had heard the Word of the Lord, and he wanted his people to live according to it. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul writes, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him” (Ephesians 1:3-4 ESV). We too, have been called by God to be His chosen people. He has called us to live holy and blameless lives in the midst of the darkness that surrounds us. We are to bear His name as His children and uphold His reputation among the nations. We must recognize our distinctiveness as His heirs and live in such a way that He receives glory and honor by our actions. Like Josiah, we must constantly seek to restore our faith in God and allow Him to reform our behavior as we live according to His Word. As His Church, we are to shine as lights in the darkness, proving that the power and presence of God is real, and that His saving work is not yet done among men.

Father, I want to be a light for Your glory as I live in the darkness of this world. Don’t let me give in to the darkness and be overwhelmed by it, but allow me to shine brightly for Your sake and the reputation of Your name. You are far from done yet. Your divine plan is not yet fulfilled for this nation. May we continue to act as reformers and restorers for as long as You give us energy to do so. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org