One Foolish Man

  

1 Kings 2:36-46

 

April 13, 2021

 

Then the king sent for Shimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there but do not go anywhere else.   The day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley, you can be sure you will die; your blood will be on your own head.”

Shimei answered the king, “What you say is good. Your servant will do as my lord the king has said.” And Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time.

But three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran off to Achish son of Maakah, king of Gath, and Shimei was told, “Your slaves are in Gath.”   At this, he saddled his donkey and went to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves. So Shimei went away and brought the slaves back from Gath.

When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned,  the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and warn you, ‘On the day you leave to go anywhere else, you can be sure you will die? At that time, you said to me, ‘What you say is good. I will obey.’   Why then did you not keep your oath to the Lord and obey the command I gave you?”

The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wrong you did to my father David. Now the Lord will repay you for your wrongdoing.   But King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will remain secure before the Lord forever.”

Then the king gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down and he died.

The kingdom was now established in Solomon’s hands.

How foolish of Shimel, to break his oath to the Lord and the king, and it cost him his life.  Why would a man be so foolhardy, did he forget the promise he made, did he believe his slaves were of greater worth than his own life?  Are was he just a man of no integrity who said word, but had no intention of acting on them, are keeping his word?

 

What kind of man are you?  A promise keeper or a man like Shimel?

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Josh play the Wrong Card

                                                                        1 Kings 2:28-33

April 12, 2021

 

When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah though not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the Lord and took hold of the horns of the altar.   King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tent of the Lord and was beside the altar. Then Solomon ordered Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, “Go, strike him down!”

 

So Benaiah entered the tent of the Lord and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!’ ”But he answered, “No, I will die here. ”Benaiah reported to the king, “This is how Joab answered me.”

 

Then the king commanded Benaiah, “Do as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so clear me and my whole family of the guilt of the innocent blood that Joab shed.   The Lord will repay him for the blood he shed because without my father David knowing it he attacked two men and killed them with the sword. Both of them—Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army—were better men and more upright than he.   May the guilt of their blood rest on the head of Joab and his descendants forever. But on David and his descendants, his house and his throne may there be the Lord’s peace forever.”

 

Joab was a great warrior, he often gave David great advice, as he did when David was moaning for Absalom after his death.  But Joab was always looking after his own self-interest, and when David was on his death bed Joab wanted to make sure he was on the new king's list of being Israel's top general.  He did all that Solomon accused him of and so Solomon removes two of those who had hurt his dad, and also his brother who was trying a back door approach to be king after he fails the first time.

 

Now Solomon was down to only one who his dad, King David had told him to make sure they did not die a natural death, and that was Shimel.  We will address how Solomon dealt with him tomorrow.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

 

                                                                        1 Kings 2:13-18

April 10, 2021

 

 Solomon’s Throne Established

 Now Adonijah, the son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. Bathsheba asked him, “Do you come peacefully?”

He answered, “Yes, peacefully.”  Then he added, “I have something to say to you.”

“You may say it,” she replied.

“As you know,” he said, “the kingdom was mine. All Israel looked to me as their king. But things changed, and the kingdom has gone to my brother; for it has come to him from the Lord.   Now I have one request to make of you. Do not refuse me.”

“You may make it,” she said.⁷ So he continued, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”

“Very well,” Bathsheba replied, “I will speak to the king for you.”

 

Do you understand why Solomon would be upset that Adonijah went to Bathsheba his mother and ask her for Abishag the Shunammite as his wife?  But before going there Adonijah was not at all correct, the kingdom was not his, and yes some in Israel look to him as their king, but not all the key priests, not David’s mighty men, not Nathan the prophet of God.  The only thing he got right was the kingdom was given to Solomon by the Lord.

 

But Adonijah was still trying to be king and one of the ways was to marry one of the wives of the old king.  See it was the custom of that day to marry the wife of the former king, that in a way confirmed his position.  It is not clear but it seems as if Adonijah viewed Solomon as very weak to make this dangerous request.  It is also not clear why the mother of Solomon would agree to do so, but it is believed she wanted Solomon to take action against his older brother.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

The Kings Ht List

                                                                      1 Kings 2:5-12

 

April 9, 2021

 

 “Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet.   Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.

^“But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table. They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.

“And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’   But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom; you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.”

Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David.   He had reigned forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem.   So, Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.

King David was a great king, a warrior, and a leader, and when he was confronted about his sins, he always was broken before God.  But when it came to being a dad, like many a man he often drops the ball.  Here he is telling a young boy he is a wise man, yet by Jewish law, he was not a man but a boy.  He also told his son to make sure certain men do not live out their lives.  Joab, a great general who looked after David but also got even with Abner in a time of peace for killing his younger brother.  And Amasa was picked by David to replace Joab after the King learned that Joab kills his son Absalom. Put Joab also killed him as he had done to Abner. 

 

Now Shimei also was on the King’s hit list, even after telling his mighty men who want to kill him when he cursed David and threw rocks at him when he was fleeing from Absalom.  The king told them not to harm him for it was God who was telling him to do so.  But David like so many of us had not forgotten and was going to put getting even on to his young son.

 

David had led Israel for 40 years and left his young son firmly established.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

Jesus is all one needs to go through the storms of Life

 

2 Peter 1:5-8

 

June 19, 2022

 

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

The Church today has lost in many ways virtue, for it is doing as it wishes not honoring God’s spoken or written word.  It lacks integrity, and a high moral standard, divorce today in the Church is equal to the non-believing world.  So that is an area each of us can work on and not forget to add knowledge, not the worldly stuff, but what God has spoken in his word.

 

What about knowledge with self-control, how are you doing in the self-control department?   It seems that many of us need a refresher course in the area of self-control.  I often find I lose it when driving a car.  However that is not using the knowledge God has given us.  That has become an object of prayer, and I must make that decision before driving.  The Church needs self-control in many areas, controlling self-discipline, in eating, doing what you tell your wife or child or boss, or God, you will do.  Discipline is required to be a person with self-control.  It is a must for a dad in the way he guides his family. The flesh in general likes to do as it pleases, but a disciplined life requires one to not allow the flesh to rule.  In most areas, I’ve been blessed to be able to live that life, no matter how much I crave something that is not in my best interest I can remove it from my life.  I am a person who likes sweets and bread, but to maintain a healthy life I often do without.  I always want it but I do not allow it to control me.

 

With Steadfastness, it is about commitment, loyalty, dependability, faithfulness, and being able to be trusted with your word.  Yet when we add godliness, it means one must follow the teaching of Scripture and the leadership of the Holy Spirit. 

 

What about godliness with brotherly affection and brotherly affection with love, the only place one finds true love, is love that puts the other person before self.  That kind of love is not taught. It comes from God only.

 `

One more Scripture 

That is a must to understand

 

Galatians 2:20

 

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

 

I was 27 in a hotel room I asked Jesus to forgive my sinful life of trying to get my needs met outside of Christ.  I was a Baptist, a tither and yet in my heart, I understood that I had never entered into Christ, I wanted God's blessing but did not want His authority over my life.  A Baptist but not part of His Church!  That night I opened the hotel Bible to Romans 10:9-10 and asked Jesus to forgive me for wanting to be a little god, and ask him to take control of my life.  I enter into Christ and He enters into me.  I did not become a perfect person, far from it but I began to see so many areas in my life that God desired to change, one of the big ones was how I treated my wife.  How to seek first His kingdom. I’ve had many blessings and failures when I forgot to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and He allowed me to have a few bad wrecks.

 

I have no doubt many are tied to a denomination but have never entered into Christ, I had not lived till I began to allow the Spirit of God to do a house cleaning in my life, the first thing He did was open my eyes to relationship, and be transparent with those who were sent into my life.  It's now been  53 years and I’m still a mess, but 2 ½ months in the hospital or medical care, on your back in a quiet room, give God's Spirit the time to talk to a rascal like me, and I’ve listened and came home on April 18 and prayed with my wife who is the love of my life and we asked The Father to show us the new calling He has for our life.

 

So if one is to be a follower of Christ, we must ask the Father to give us a desire to increase in all of these areas. Then we will be effective, and fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

David’s Charge to Solomon

 

1 Kings 2:1-4

 

April 6, 2021

 

 

David’s Charge to Solomon

When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.

“I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man,  and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go  and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

 

King David, acting like a dad, as stated earlier he drop the ball when it came to being a dad.  But now he is turning the throne over to a young man and he much like you and me needs direction only a dad can give his son.   

 

History tells us the Jewish people did not watch how they lived and did not walk faithfully before the Lord.  But are we who go by the title of Christian any different from the people of Israel?  David told this young boy, all you got to do is walk in obedience to God, and the people will follow Him also.

 

It comes down to leadership, Solomon began well, and yet he messed up real bad as he got older.  I messed up real bad earlier, but God has forgiven me and now I have chosen to walk with God and to finish strong.

Solomon allows his flesh to rule as he got older, he married 300 women and did many things that broke the commands of our God.  But he also authored Proverbs and gave us great wisdom and a collection of wise sayings.  

 

As I was giving thought to the foolishness of Solomon it hit me that God used even that in His love letter to us.  First Solomon tells us all is futile in Ecclesiastes 1:2-3, “Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Absolute futility. Everything is futile.”  What does a man gain for all his efforts that he labors at under the sun?   This is wisdom from the wisest man born of an earthly dad, who tried and did all that he desired.  Chapter 12:13-14, “When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is: fear God and keep His commands, because this is for all humanity.  For God will bring every act to judgment,

 including every hidden thing, whether good or evil.”

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Adonijah all alone, Fear Solomon plans for Him?

 1 Kings 1:49-53

 

At this, all Adonijah’s guests rose in alarm and dispersed.   But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, went and took hold of the horns of the altar.   Then Solomon was told, “Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and is clinging to the horns of the altar. He says, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’”

Solomon replied, “If he shows himself to be worthy, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will die.”   Then King Solomon sent men, and they brought him down from the altar. And Adonijah came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon said, “Go to your home.”

So, what does one do who has bypassed the authority do when they got caught, it often costs them their job, often they quit before being fired, but it seems to always ketch up to them, for they have proven they are not a trustworthy person, and only people of low moral values want to be on their team. 

 

Adonijah fit that type of person, but he now worries not about losing his job, but about his life.  What were his plans for Solomon, and did he fear Solomon has the same for him. But what about you and me, do we as followers of Christ and His ambassadors seek His authority before we go out in His name?

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Man's Plan and God's Plan

                                                                                 

1 Kings 1:38-48

 

                                                                  April 4, 2021

 

 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon mount King David’s mule, and they escorted him to Gihon.   Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon. Then they sounded the trumpet and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon!”   And all the people went up after him, playing pipes and rejoicing greatly so that the ground shook with the sound.

Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they were finishing their feast. On hearing the sound of the trumpet, Joab asked, “What’s the meaning of all the noise in the city?”

 

Even as he was speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in. A worthy man like you must be bringing good news.”

“Not at all!” Jonathan answered. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king.   The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and they have put him on the king’s mule,  and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon. From there they have gone up cheering, and the city resounds with it. That’s the noise you hear.  Moreover, Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne.   Also, the royal officials have come to congratulate our lord, King David, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon’s name more famous than yours and his throne greater than yours!’ And the king bowed in worship on his bed  and said, ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has allowed my eyes to see a successor on my throne today.’”

 

But God, yes the Lord our Father had other plans, and Adonijah also had his plan, does it remind you of yourself, knowing the will of God but choosing to do your will instead.  Going back to the Word of God; On hearing the sound of the trumpet, Joab asked, “What’s the meaning of all the noise in the city?”  Even as he was speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in. A worthy man like you must be bringing good news.”  “Not at all!” Jonathan answered. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king.   

 

 

Today one would equate Adonijah trying to become king as a corporate takeover, and trying to bypass the board of directors.  And the men who were loyal to the old CEO believed this man was the one to keep them in the role they had or to put them in a better job, more money, and authority.  Often it fails and when it does it is like turning on the lights in a dark room filled with cockroaches, they scramble to find a place to hide.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Nathan and Bathsheba Before David

                                                                         1 Kings 1:11-14

 

April 2, 2021

 

Nathan and Bathsheba Before David

Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king and David our lord does not know it?   Now therefore come, let me give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.   Go in at once to King David, and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying, “Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then is Adonijah king?’   Then while you are still speaking with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.”

 

I hope you will read the full account through verses 27, but it took place just as Nathan the prophet had said to Bathsheba and Nathan came in after she had spoken and gave the same account.  You make be thinking Nathan and Bathsheba were just protecting themselves and to some degree that may be true, but Nathan being God’s spokesman was always telling the King what God told him with no fear of man, but of God.

 

Unlike our current leader who sits in the role of President, who is old and has lost his mind, and has always been a known liar and a seeker of power, but he is not the President of the USA, and today no one knows who is calling the shot, but it not Biden.  King David was very old but had not lost his mind and had a deep desire to honor God and listen to the man of God Nathan.

 

As we read it will become clear that in this world you will always have people who what to do an end-run and take a place of another, and that will soon play out with Biden and Harris.  If he lasts a year I will be amazed.

 

One can only dream of a man with integrity who loves God and had a Nathan to tell him when he was off base with the command of his Lord.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

My soul take refuge; in God

                                                             Psalm 57:1-11

June 15, 2022

 

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.  I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.  He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah

God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!  My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts—the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.  Be exalted, O God, above the heaven  Let your glory be over all the earth!  They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah

 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! will sing and make melody! Awake, my glory!  Awake, O harp and lyre!  I will awake the dawn!   I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.   “For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!   Let your glory be over all the earth!

 

David, while hiding in the cave, and Saul and his army looked for him and his men.  My story is now, I’m not in a cave, I have great doctors, I wore a catheter for four months, and am doing as David asking for mercy for my soul is taking refuge in the shadow of my Father's wings.  I was told I should have died at least three times, but the Most High God it seems desires me to fulfill His purpose in and through me.

 

God has brought me through some amazing battles, many thought I would be on Oxygen for the rest of my life, but God, and that was not part of His plan, it seems.  I dropped in weight from 160 to 126.6 lbs.  I was too weak to get out of bed and had to have wonderful nurses and many knew the Lord put me in a wheelchair.  But now I’m walking and without oxygen and have had my catheter removed two nights ago.  I also got off steroids in the last week, and one of my blood pressure medicines has been reduced, which may be why my feet and ankles are swelling.  

 

The last two nights I’ve had a hard time sleeping, it seems as if I can’t urinate without standing or sitting for a long time, but I have cried out to the Lord and He has been there for me.  I am not sure why I’m feeling as if I cannot breathe, yet my oxygen levels are 91-93, and my pulse rate or 74-75.  

 

I often feel like David, when he states; in 3b “God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!”  Over and over I’ve experienced His love, it has often come from one of you an encouraging word or an act of kindness.  But often it is just a “But God” moment where I am living out His love and kindness.  

 

Once more using David’s words in Psalm 57:9a “ I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples.” And in closing shall we look at verse 11, “For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!   Let your glory be over all the earth!”

 

It has been a long battle often I’ve cried out in despair Lord where are you, I need to know that you are walking with me through this shadow of death, for my trust is in you alone.  The battle began on January 26 and is still going, with many victories and some disappointment but God has been there, for He has promised to never leave me nor forsake me.

 

I am very aware that the lions that surround me or from the enemy who hates me, Jesus said this about him in John 10:10, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.  

 

It is a wonderful life, I had many blessings, been able to mentor many young men, teach young couples, and watch many of my friends come to know Christ in a personal way.  Jan and I have had 56 years of life together, it has not always been easy, but she is the love of my life, and together we watched our daughter and son-in-law raise two young warriors who love the Lord and follow His word.  Yes, we have been blessed and His steadfast love and faithfulness have never left us.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Adonijah Sets Himself Up as King

  

1Kings 1: 1-10

 

April 1, 2021

David in His Old Age

Now King David was old and advanced in years. And although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm.  Therefore, his servants said to him, “Let a young woman be sought for my lord the king and let her wait on the king and be in his service. Let her lie in your arms,  that my lord the king may be warm.”   So, they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.   The young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king and attended to him, but the king knew her not.

Adonijah Sets Himself Up as King

Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.   His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?” He was also a very handsome man, and he was born next after Absalom.   He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest. And they followed Adonijah and helped him.   But Zadok the priest and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and Nathan the prophet and Shimei and Rei and David's mighty men were not with Adonijah.

 

Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened cattle by the Serpent's Stone, which is beside En-rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the royal officials of Judah,  but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the mighty men or Solomon his brother.

King David is old, and could not keep warm at night so his servants came up with a plan they believed would work.  So, they came up with their version of the first electric blanket, a young woman who was very beautiful, her name was Abishag the Shunammite.  Now you do recall the king was an old man and she served the king, but they did not have a sexual relationship.

 

When people get old even kings or Presidents people who want power try to step into authority they have not been given, so was the case of Adonijah.  How king David was a man after God’s heart, but history shows he was not a great dad.  A great example is found in this sentence; “His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?”  I can tell you, my dad, often, very often ask me that question, and make clear why my action did not meet the standards required.  He was fair and kept the same standards for each of his children.  When the dad is not giving direction to the child you end up in a mess.  That is what David had from most of his sons, even Solomon went against the directions Moses had given.  David had a Nathan, but Solomon, a great king in many ways, was a misguided man, for like of a father leadership. 

 

Verses 9, and 10, speak volumes about the kind of man Adonijah is, he did not have anything to do with anyone that would tell him he was wrong, does that remind you of the Congress of the United States?

 

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

1 Kings Introduction

 

March 31, 2021

 

1 Kings Introduction

 

The title of these books is certainly descriptive of their contents.  The History of the Kings and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.  The first and Second Kings are part of a larger body of the Old Testament known as the 12 Historical Books of (Joshua-Esther). Originally, the books were one book but were divided by the translators of the Septuagint (the GK translation of the Old Testament.  Scholars cannot identify the authors of any of these books.

 

Message and Purpose

 

The theological perspective of 1 and 2 Kings is expressed in a number of themes (1) the sinfulness of the kings and the nation; (2) the conflict between the demands of practical politics and the demands of faith; (3) the glory that God gave to the obedient covenant kings; (4) God’s harshness in judgment on some occasions and leniency on others; and (5) the conflict between the worship of the Lord and the worship of other gods.

 

The role of the king

 

The Davidic covenant established the king as the moral representative of the people for covenant purposes.  Therefore, up through kings Azariah (also known as Uzziah) and Jotham, the moral state of the king was treated as equaling the moral state of the people.  Covent blessings were given or withheld on the basis of the king's behavior.  Thus, the behavior of the king was an important covenant and moral fact for any given reign.

 

Note:  All in green type was taken from the Holman Study Bible.

Edom Will Be Humbled

                                                            

 

                                                                 Obadiah 1:1

 

March 30, 2021

 

 

Edom Will Be Humbled

Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom:  We have heard a report from the Lord, and a messenger has been sent among the nations:  “Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!”  Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you shall be utterly despised. 

The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock,  in your lofty dwelling, who say in your heart, “Who will bring me down to the ground?”  Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the Lord. If thieves came to you if plunderers came by night—
how you have been destroyed!—would they not steal only enough for themselves?
If grape gatherers came to you, would they not leave gleanings?  How Esau has been pillaged, his treasures sought out!  All your allies have driven you to your border; those at peace with you have deceived you; they have prevailed against you; those who eat your bread have set a trap beneath you—you have^] no understanding. Will I not on that day, declares the Lord, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of Mount Esau?  And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter.

 

This is a great warning to a nation that once chose to worship God and got prideful after receiving  His blessing for many years.  The Church of the United States of America are such people; we often give lip service, but our heart is far from Him.

 

Do you understand the impact of having God withdrawing His hand of righteousness from a nation, and making other nations what to go to war with them?  If not, stay the course and just remember God is both Just and jealous.  How long do you allow your pride and arrogance to have control over you?

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Those Guilty of Intermarriage

  

Ezra 10:18-44

 

March 28, 2021

 

Those Guilty of Intermarriage

Now there were found some of the sons of the priests who had married foreign women: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah, some of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers.  They pledged themselves to put away their wives, and their guilt offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt.    Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.   Of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.   Of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

Of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.   Of the singers: Eliashib. Of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

 And of Israel: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah, and Benaiah.   Of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.   Of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.   Of the sons of Bebai were Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.   Of the sons of Bani were Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.   Of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.   Of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,  Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.  Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.   Of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,  Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,  Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,  Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu.   Of the sons of Binnui, Shimei,  Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,  Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,  Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.   Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.   All these had married foreign women, and some of the women had even borne children. 

 

Leadership is key to stability!  God sent Ezra to lead His people back to Him, why because the priest who was their leader had by their action led the people into breaking God’s commandment, given to them by Moses. As we study the Scriptures we see many examples of leadership or the lack of it.  King David was a man after God's heart but who did not lead his family, and it came at a great cost to him and the nation of Israel.  

 

From the beginning, God has put the man in the role of headship or leader of his home, but the example is many of the lack of leadership by the dad and the damage that has taken place from lack of leadership.  It always begins with the man, and it matters not what role he is given, dad, owner of a business, preacher, priest, deacon, or elder, Senator or Congressman, and President.  When they do not lead by example, you have instability that brings insecurity to a nation, a church, a business, or a family.  Pray that God will take mercy on His Church, and raise up Ezra to lead us back to a fear of the Lord, and when the Church follows God’s commandment, we once more will see the hand of God and the power of God using us in a mighty way.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice