Uzziah, The Leader Who Fell by Pride (2 Chronicles 26)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church on Sunday, October 27, 2019 

The Patriot and pride:

One of my favorite moves is the Patriot. It is a movie that takes place during the Revolutionary War. Mel Gibson stars as Benjamin Martin who leads the militia to repeatedly defeat the British. His character is based on the Swamp Fox, a real man, who knew the terrain so well he defeated the British repeatedly using his knowledge of the area as a strength.

Watch this clip from the movie. 

https://youtu.be/yRkynBxVwQU

Pride is a weakness and a sin.

We are in a sermon series on forgotten lives from the Old Testament. We are in our final sermon and one such person is Uzziah. Let’s talk about this man.

My theme is:

Uzziah, The Leader Who Fell by Pride (2 Chronicles 26)

My application is:

While you seek the Lord, seek humility.

Let’s read 2 Chronicles 26:

And all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah. ² He built Eloth and restored it to Judah after the king slept with his fathers. ³ Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Jechiliah of Jerusalem. ⁴ He did right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father Amaziah had done. ⁵ He continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding through the vision of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God prospered him.

⁶ Now he went out and warred against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath and the wall of Jabneh and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities in the area of Ashdod and among the Philistines. ⁷ God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur-baal, and the Meunites. ⁸ The Ammonites also gave tribute to Uzziah, and his fame extended to the border of Egypt, for he became very strong. ⁹ Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate and at the Valley Gate and at the corner buttress and fortified them. ¹⁰ He built towers in the wilderness and hewed many cisterns, for he had much livestock, both in the lowland and in the plain. He also had plowmen and vinedressers in the hill country and the fertile fields, for he loved the soil.¹¹ Moreover, Uzziah had an army ready for battle, which entered combat by divisions according to the number of their muster, prepared by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the official, under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king’s officers.¹² The total number of the heads of the households, of valiant warriors, was 2,600.¹³ Under their direction was an elite army of 307,500, who could wage war with great power, to help the king against the enemy. ¹⁴ Moreover, Uzziah prepared for all the army shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows and sling stones. ¹⁵ In Jerusalem he made engines of war invented by skillful men to be on the towers and on the corners for the purpose of shooting arrows and great stones. Hence his fame spread afar, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong.

¹⁶ But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the Lord his God, for he entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. ¹⁷ Then Azariah the priest entered after him and with him eighty priests of the Lord, valiant men. ¹⁸ They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful and will have no honor from the Lord God.”¹⁹ But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the altar of incense. ²⁰ Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous on his forehead; and they hurried him out of there, and he himself also hastened to get out because the Lord had smitten him. ²¹ King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death; and he lived in a separate house, being a leper, for he was cut off from the house of the Lord. And Jotham his son was over the king’s house judging the people of the land.

²² Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first to last, the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, has written. ²³ So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the grave which belonged to the kings, for they said, “He is a leper.” And Jotham his son became king in his place.

1. Uzziah becomes king (verses 1-5)
   1. Let’s put this sermon in context. As I have stated before chapters were not in the original Hebrew texts. Depending on your translation this chapter begins with “and” or “then” or “for.” The point is this chapter about Uzziah follows chronologically with the previous material.
   2. One thing we should share up front is that Uzziah is translated as Azariah in 2 Kings 14:21. He is written about briefly in 2 Kings 14 and 15. 1 and 2 Kings are historical books of the Old Testament as are 1 and 2 Chronicles among others. Similar material is written in 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles.
   3. Context during the history of Israel is critical, Swindoll shares the following:
   4. Uzziah was born during a tumultuous period in the history of the Hebrew people. One hundred years prior to Uzziah’s reign, the foolishness of Rehoboam (remember him?) had torn the kingdom into two bitter enemies: Israel in the north and Judah in the south. In the century that followed, the nations routinely warred against one another, as progressively evil kings occupied their thrones and dominated their people. Israel’s kings were all reprobate, violent pagans, while many of the kings in Judah were at least somewhat godly. But eventually the violence of the north became commonplace in Judah.^[1]
   5. ESV Study Bible:The reign of Uzziah included co-regencies with his father Amaziah (796–767 C.) and his son Jotham (750–733). Uzziah’s reign saw the beginning of Isaiah’s prophetic ministry (Isa. 1:1; 6:1).[2]
   6. Uzziah is about to be anointed as king over all the people of Judah, not Israel, which would be the southern kingdom.
   7. Notice that Uzziah is 16 years old at this time.
      1. Think back to when we were sixteen years old.
      2. What were you doing?

• Imagine your sixteen-year-old teenage self as king.

1. It is possible that Uzziah was co-regent for a time with his father or maybe prior to this, but still he is very young. He also seemed to depend upon the Lord at this time.
2. Verse 2 shows that he built a certain city “Eloth” and restored it to Judah. This may be part of his wars which are talked about later on.
3. It seems that these first few verses are simply summarizing things.
4. In verse 4 the text says that he did right in the eyes of the Lord and further compares him to his father in this way. As long as he sought the Lord, God prospered him.

Swindoll writes: Before we continue, allow me to make this personal by asking you a probing question. If your children follow in your steps, will they do what is right in the sight of the Lord? If your children emulate you—and they will—will you be able to say that their adult years were God-honoring?

Imagine walking over snow-covered ground a few paces ahead of your child. Each step you take leaves an imprint he or she can clearly see. Now imagine that little person following you stretching those short legs to place his or her feet in the footprints you left behind. That’s exactly what your children will do in life. In fact, that’s what we see Uzziah doing. He made good tracks early on, just like his father, but he made them with a reluctant heart, also like his father.[3]

1. Uzziah succeeds in war (verses 6-15)
   1. The first instance is war with the Philistines.
      1. Broke down the wall of Gath
      2. And the wall of Jabneh
      3. And the wall of Ashdod;
      4. And he built cities in the area of Ashdod and among the Philistines.
   2. Verse 7 is about God’s help against the Philistines.
   3. Verse 7 mentions other ways that God helped him with war.
   4. Arabians who lived in Gur-baal and the Meunites.
   5. Verse 8 mentions the Ammonites too.
   6. This now mentions 4 people groups with war.
      1. Philistines
      2. Arabians
      3. Meunites: these people as well as the Arabians were nomadic groups to the south.
      4. Ammonites
   7. Further, the Ammonites also gave tribute to Uzziah.
   8. His fame extended to Egypt. This is the Lord’s blessing.
   9. Verse 5 had stated that the Lord blessed him as he sought the Lord. So, now we see the Lord’s blessing.
   10. Verse 8 says that he became very strong.
   11. Verses 9-10 are written about his work in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas.
   12. He built towers in Jerusalem, they were at the corner gate and the valley gate and at the corner buttress and fortified them.
   13. These seem to be repairs needed because in 2 Kings 25:23 we see how king Joash of Israel (the northern kingdom) captured King Amaziah and then did damage to the wall of Jerusalem.
   14. Verse 10 continues about his building campaigns. He built towers in the wilderness and dug cisterns and took care of livestock needs.
       1. Interesting note about how much livestock he had.
       2. There is an interesting note that he loved the soil.
   15. Verses 11-15 are written about his military. He had an army ready for battle. What is interesting about this is that it means they had a paid army. Oftentimes they could not afford an army and would need to recruit a militia for battles. Now, their wealth is increasing and they can afford an army.
   16. Verse 12 gives the numbers: 2600 of the heads of household of warriors. The warriors are “valiant.”
   17. Verse 13 continues with the numbers under the direction in verse 12:
       1. An elite or powerful army
       2. 307,500

• They could wage war with great power.

1. To help the king against the enemy.

1. In verse 14 we see the supplies: army shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows and sling stones. The ESV Study Bible shares: Murals from the siege of Lachish (701 B.C.) show defenders on the city walls shooting arrows and hurling stones from behind wooden frames on which shields have been hung.[4]
2. In verse 15 this continues with engines for war
   1. These were on the towers
   2. And the corners for the purpose of shooting arrows and great stones.
3. His fame spread.

• Uzziah downfall (verses 16-23)
  1. Verse 16 begins with a change of direction.
  2. Everything has been good about Uzziah up until this point.
  3. BUT…
  4. When he became strong…
  5. His heart was so proud and this pride caused him to act corruptly.
  6. He was unfaithful and the writer is going to share how he was unfaithful.
  7. He entered the temple to burn incense on the altar of incense. Keil and Delitch: “When Uzziah had become mighty… his heart was lifted up (in pride) unto destructive deeds.” He transgressed against his God, and came into the sanctuary of Jahve to offer incense upon the altar of incense. With a lofty feeling of his power, Uzziah wished to make himself high priest of his kingdom, like the kings of Egypt and of other nations, whose kings were also summi pontifices, and to unite all power in his person, like Moses, who consecrated Aaron and his sons to be priests. Then, and Ewald, indeed, think that the powerful Uzziah wished merely to restore the high-priesthood exercised by David and Solomon; but though both these kings did indeed arrange and conduct religious festal solemnities, yet they never interfered in any way with the official duties reserved for the priests by the law. The arrangement of a religious solemnity, the dedicatory prayer at the dedication of the temple, and the offering of sacrifices, are not specifically priestly functions, as the service by the altars, and the entering into the holy place of the temple, and other sacrificial acts were.[5]
     1. He thought he could do whatever he wants.
     2. He thought I am the king. I have conquered enemies. I have great possessions. I can do what I want. I don’t need the priest to do this.

• Before we are so critical of him, do we do the same thing?

1. We may think, I am an adult, I worked hard for my money, I can buy this. But do we think and ask if the Lord wants us to buy it. Our money is really the Lords. Everything is the Lord’s. He created all things (Genesis 1-2).
2. We may think, I am an adult, if I want to look at these pictures on the internet I can.
3. We may think, I’ll do what I want with MY time. But we are neglecting our children or grandchildren or the church.

• Pride focuses on ourselves. We must focus on God and then others (Matthew 22:37-39).
• Pride does what we want to do and justifies every sin.

1. Pride makes us lie, cheat and steal.
2. Pride leads to adultery. Pride makes us think, “I deserve this.” You think, “I can cheat on my wife, or my husband.” You may even justify it that he/she is not faithful to you in other ways. You may say, “He is always at work all the time.” You may say, “He already cheated on me with pornography.”
3. Pride leads to idols. “I deserve this nice car.” I deserve this __________.

• Pride leads to anger.
• Pride leads to our lies to cover up our sins.
• Satan had pride and this led to his fall:

1. Ezekiel 28:11ff

• Rev 12 and 20
• Luke 10:18
• 2 Cor 4:4
• 1 John 5:18

1. God cannot have pride. Think about it, it is IMPOSSIBLE for God to have pride. To have pride means to think of yourself higher and greater than you are. The Lord already IS the greatest BEING. There is no one greater than Him. God knows it is best for us to worship Him and humbly bow to Him.

1. Verse 17 tells us how this went down.
2. Uzziah is in the temple.
3. Azariah the priest enters.
4. Azariah enters with his 80 (wow) priests of the Lord. These are valiant men.
5. Azariah entered prepared to take this man, their king, down.
   1. Azarariah stood for truth and risked his livelihood for this.
   2. He could have been rebuked by the king and maybe his men would not support him.

• He was going against the king.

1. That is another application, we must stand for truth.

1. In verse 18 they opposed him, and we read the conversation.
2. This burning of incense is for the priests, the sons of Aaron, they are consecrated.
3. Numbers 3:10: So you are to appoint Aaron and his sons, and they will be responsible for their priesthood; but the unauthorized person who comes near must be put to death.”
4. They order him out of the sanctuary. They tell him he has been unfaithful. They tell him he will have no honor from the Lord.
5. In verse 19 we read that Uzziah was enraged. He breaks out with leprosy.
6. In verse 20 we read that Azariah the chief priest hurried him out of there. Uzziah himself recognized the Lord’s punishment and got out as well.
7. Verse 21 tells us he was a leper until the day of his death.
   1. He had to live in a separate house.
   2. He was cut off from the house of the Lord.

• His son, Jotham, was leading as king.

1. 2 Kings 15:5-7 records similar words.
2. Verses 22-23 record his death and burial. Isaiah was a prophet while he was king (among others) (See Isaiah 1:1 and 6:1).
3. I like what one writes: As L. C. Allen has explained, the “royal trilogy” of Joash, Amaziah, and Uzziah, all of whom served the Lord faithfully only during the first part of their reigns, dramatically presents a message to believers to “hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first” (Heb 3:14).^86[6]
4. The ESV Study Bible shares: A stone plaque was found in Jerusalem, on the Mount of Olives, from the Second Temple period that bears the inscription, “Here were brought the bones of Uzziah, king of Judah. Do not open!” It may be that the king’s bones were moved to the Mount of Olives many centuries after his death.[7]

Swindoll writes:

I mentioned before that I played in the Third Marine Division band. Something I learned as a musician is that the most important notes you play are often those in the last few bars of the piece. You can recover from a rough beginning. You still have time to settle down and find yourself in the middle. But there’s nothing to follow those last notes except silence. The quality of those final notes on the final page of the finale will usually be the ones that shape the audience’s memory of your performance.

Without question, Uzziah started well. The majority of his career provided a godly, safe, prosperous environment for God’s people. But the final notes of his performance spoiled the whole concert. Observe what his audience remembered:

“So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the grave which belonged to the kings, for they said, “He is a leper.” And Jotham his son became king in his place. 2 Chronicles 26:23; emphasis added

Because he was a leper, he lived out the rest of his days all alone. Think of it! When he died, they buried him in a field adjacent to the royal cemetery—not within it—because he was still considered unclean. They didn’t mark his gravestone with “He was a king.” They didn’t even say, “He was a king who became a leper.” By the end, his greatness was forgotten. They wrote what they remembered: “He was a leper.[8

When he finally accepted his status as a “nobody,” he took his place alongside the rest of humanity. Then, and only then, was he prepared to meet the only real Somebody. My hope is that Uzziah, quarantined from society at large and permanently barred from public service, allowed the Lord to make him somebody worth emulating. It’s quite possible. After a long string of outright evil kings and good kings gone bad, Uzziah’s son, Jotham, became the only king of Judah in 130 years to be listed as exclusively good. I would like to think that it was the seven years Jotham spent in coregency with his father, perhaps learning from his mistakes.

If so, that’s the kind of impact every “nobody” should have, including you . . . and me.[9]

Close:

Remember that I began this sermon with the clip about the pride of General Cornwallis. Let’s contrast that with George Washington.

As you likely know, I love history and I love Revolutionary War history. Last year I listened to an audio book about George Washington. It was called Washington, A Life by Ron Chernow. There is a point in the book in which he writes the following about Washington as Commander and Chief:

Washington’s job as commander in chief was as much a political as a military task, and he performed it brilliantly, functioning as de facto president of the country. His stewardship of the army had been a masterly exercise in nation building. In defining the culture of the Continental Army, he had helped to mold the very character of the country, preventing the Revolution from taking a bloodthirsty or despotic turn. In the end, he had managed to foil the best professional generals that a chastened Great Britain could throw at him.

As Benjamin Franklin told an English friend after the war, “An American planter was chosen by us to command our troops and continued during the whole war. This man sent home to you, one after another, five of your best generals, baffled, their heads bare of laurels, disgraced even in the opinion of their employers.”[10]

I don’t know whether Washington was humble or not, I hope so, but I do know that pride is a weakness and the root of many sins.

Seek the Lord and seek humility.

Do you know Jesus?

Luke 9:23:

Confess, Believe, trust, commit: Firmly make the decision to be with Him in order to become like Him and to learn and do all that He says and then arrange your affairs around Him.

prayer

[1] Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

[2] https://www.esv.org/2+Chronicles+26/

[3] Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

[4] https://www.esv.org/2+Chronicles+26/

[5] Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, vol. 3 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996), 666.

⁸⁶ Allen, 1, 2 Chronicles, 345.

^[6] J. A. Thompson, 1, 2 Chronicles, vol. 9, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994), 326.

[7] https://www.esv.org/2+Chronicles+26/

[8] Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

[9] Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

[10] Chernow, Ron. Washington (p. 460). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. Quoted from: Burns and Dunn, George Washington, 27.

Gehazi, Elisha’s Servant Who Got Greedy (2 Kings 5:15-27)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church on Sunday, October 20, 2019

We are going to talk about Gehazi in a minute. I encourage you to turn to 2 Kings 5:15.

 Chuck Swindoll writes: 

Ministry serves others; greed serves self. Ministry calls a woman or a man to set aside selfish gain in order to assist another. Greed is an excessive or reprehensible desire to acquire something for the benefit of self. A minister must live by the highest ethical standard, especially in regard to wealth and material possessions. A greedy person will sacrifice his or her ethical standard when it blocks the path to an object of desire. Whereas ministry uses things to serve people, greed uses people to obtain things.

Greed is never acceptable. Some work hard to rationalize it, sanctify it, even attempt to build a theology around it. Still, greed is a deadly enemy of genuine service to others.[1]

I recently read the following:

Zogby recently conducted a large benchmark poll in which respondents identified “greed/materialism” as the number one “most urgent problem in American culture.” “Poverty/economic justice” finished in second place. In a 2014 Vanity Fair poll, 78 percent of Americans disagreed with the famous Gordon Gekko quote “Greed is good.” Only 19 percent agreed. A recent poll of Economist readers asked “What is the deadliest sin?” and, greed ranked number one.

But, surprisingly, although everyone thinks greed is a terrible problem, most people don’t think they are greedy. When the BBC conducted a poll on the seven deadly sins (anger, envy, gluttony, greed, lust, pride and sloth), greed was last on the list in answer to two questions: Which sin have you ever committed? and Which sin have you committed in the past month? Plenty of Brits copped to being lazy, proud, envious and angry. But greedy? Seventh out of seven, last on the list. Tim Keller, argues “even though it is clear that the world is filled with greed and materialism, almost no one thinks it is true of them … Greed hides itself from the victim.”[2]

Today, we look at Gehazi, Elisha’s servant. We began this section last week. Last week we saw Naaman healed and now we will see Naaman want to pay Elisha. Elisha refuses the pay, but his servant schemes to get the money.

My theme is:

Gehazi, Elisha’s Servant Who Got Greedy

My application: Greed leads to a multitude of sins.

Let’s read 2 Kings 5:15-27:

 When he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him, he said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so please take a present from your servant now.” ¹⁶ But he said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. ¹⁷ Naaman said, “If not, please let your servant at least be given two mules’ load of earth; for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering nor will he sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord. ¹⁸ In this matter may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon your servant in this matter.” ¹⁹ He said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him some distance.

²⁰ But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, by not receiving from his hands what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him.” ²¹ So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw one running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is all well?” ²² He said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes.’” ²³ Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two talents.” And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes and gave them to two of his servants; and they carried them before him. ²⁴ When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and deposited them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed.²⁵ But he went in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.”

²⁶ Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money and to receive clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and female servants?²⁷ Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

1. First, we see Naaman’s offer (verses 15-19).
   1. This is picking up after the healing of Naaman.
   2. Verse 15, says, “when he returned to the man of God.” This is about Naaman returning to Elisha. Elisha is called a “man of God.” That is a wonderful title to be called.
   3. Naaman is a military commander in Aram/Syria.
   4. He is grateful to be healed.
   5. Naaman has now dipped 7 times in the Jordan River and now he returns to Elisha.
   6. Notice that he comes to Elisha with his entourage, it says “with all his company.” Naaman is a high ranking official and so he comes with a large group.
      1. Have you ever seen a show in which a person travels with an entourage? I am an expert because I have watched Madam Secretary and Blue Bloods. In both shows the main character travels with a motor cade.
      2. Naaman has a large group with him.
   7. Notice, Naaman gives a lot of credit to the Lord.
   8. He essentially says the only God is the Lord in Israel.
   9. This is a major profession of faith. Ever since Gen. 12:1-3 the Lord was wanting to bless others through Israel. One source shares: Sadly, Naaman’s confession of faith condemns most Israelites of that era, since they have rejected the one true God and embraced gods that cannot heal. Jesus makes this point while rebuking the people of Nazareth in Luke 4:23–30.^[3]
   10. The Moody Bible Commentary: Realizing that he had been healed, Naaman returned to the man of God, along with his entourage, and made a surprising confession. What was even more impressive was his change of attitude toward Elijah. He stated, Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel (v. 15). The story of Naaman illustrates God’s faithfulness to Gentiles. Anyone who turns to the God of Israel, even in the period of the OT, would find grace, forgiveness, and a relationship with Him. Even citizens of Israel did not have the same conviction.[4]
   11. He now offers Elisha a gift.
       1. He probably comes from a background in which you pay profits for their work.
       2. He for sure believes people should be paid for what they do.
   12. In verse 16, Elisha claims the Lord with what he says. “As the Lord lives…” We serve a living God. Elisha stands before the Lord, the Lord is his witness. Elisha is saying this is the Lord’s will. Elisha refused to take anything. Naaman urged him, but he still would not take anything.
       1. This is very honorable of Elisha.
       2. I am sure he could have used the money for something, but he refused.

• I must ask, can I have that kind of integrity?

1. Elisha was recognizing that he did not do anything, the Lord did the miracle. Therefore, he could not take the money.

I like how Swindoll writes about this: The wise prophet dismissed him in peace, trusting that this was merely the beginning of the general’s long journey to becoming a devout, mature worshiper of the one true God.

When someone becomes a brand-new believer, the next few days are crucial. The information he or she receives during that brief period may either confirm grace or steal it. “OK, you have received the free gift of salvation in Christ and your place in heaven is secure. Now you must be baptized. Now you must start tithing. Now you must clean up your life. Now you must give up cigarettes, and alcohol, and your foul language, and . . . Now you must . . . now you must . . . now you must . . .” The poor, new Christian is left to wonder, “But you said I was free! What happened?”

When Naaman found he had been cleansed, he wanted to give the prophet a gift—not a bribe, like before, but a gift of thanksgiving. Observe Elisha’s noble and unselfish reaction:

But [Elisha] said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing.” And [Naaman] urged him to take it, but he refused. 2 Kings 5:16[5]

 What Elisha refused was no small sum. We don’t trade in talents and shekels, so let me convert the gift into today’s currency. Naaman offered this humble servant of God 750 pounds of silver and 150 pounds of gold. That comes to roughly $1.1 million dollars. (The clothes were by no means cheap, but they were probably included as a gesture of friendship with the original payback.)

Imagine the ministry potential of a sum like that in the hands of an honest prophet of God. And, let’s face it, if you were the one living on a prophet’s salary, that would be enough money to make your eyes tear up. You’d be fixed for life. So why did Elisha refuse the gifts? The Bible doesn’t tell us, but we can put enough clues together from the story to conclude that it was to reinforce the lesson that Naaman had learned. The Lord cannot be charmed. His salvation is freely given by grace, through faith. Taking Naaman’s money would compromise that message.[6]

1. In verses 17-18, Naaman is sharing how he will carry dirt back and make a sacrifice to the Lord. Naaman recognized they will only offer to the Lord. In Ex. 20:24 God instructed them about making alters of dirt.
2. One other source shares: It is very evident from Naaman’s explanation, “for thy servant,” etc., that he wanted to take a load of earth with him out of the land of Israel, that he might be able to offer sacrifice upon it to the God of Israel, because he was still a slave to the polytheistic superstition, that no god could be worshipped in a proper and acceptable manner except in his own land, or upon an altar built of the earth of his own land. And because Naaman’s knowledge of God was still adulterated with superstition, he was not yet prepared to make an unreserved confession before men of his faith in Jehovah as the only true God, but hoped that Jehovah would forgive him if he still continued to join outwardly in the worship of idols, so far as his official duty required.[7]
3. Basically, he wants to take dirt back to build an alter.
4. Verse 19 shows that Elisha sends him away in peace.
5. Elisha does not approve or disapprove of this.
6. It also shares that he has gone some distance before the next event.

1. Now, we see Gehazi’s lust and lies (verses 20-24).
   1. In verse 20 the narrative switched to Gehazi. This is different because he has not had the spotlight until now.
   2. Gehazi is modified by “the servant of Elisha,” and “the man of God.” This is showing who he is and who he is connected with.
   3. This verse clues us into Gehazi’s thinking. He thought or “said to himself.”
      1. This sermon could focus on controlling our thinking.
      2. Thinking can be dangerous. Col. 3:1-2 tells us what to think on. Phil. 4:8 also talks about our thinking. 2 Cor. 10:5 tells us to take every thought into captivity.

• We must focus on positive and good thoughts.

1. We can gossip in our head and that is not good.
2. Sin begins in our mind.
3. We start thinking: “I deserve better.” We start think “I deserve a nice car like that” and then we lust.

• Or, we start thinking, “I work hard, this pornography helps me relax.” Then sin begins.
• Or, maybe it is different, we are meditating on a person of the opposite sex. We think, “well they dress that way, that is their choice. If she is going to dress that way, I will look.” We may think, “I am a man, God gave me these desires.”

1. Or, we think, “it is only a white lie…” Sin begins this way. We must make our thoughts bounce. Change the channel in your head. Sometimes we must change the channel a few times.
2. Screen your thinking with the Word of God.

1. Gehazi is justifying his greed. He says, Elisha (his master) spared Naaman by not taking what he brought. Now, Gehazi is going to catch up and take it. Notice also how Gehazi says, “as the Lord lives…” this means he is including the Lord in this greed and deceit. This is an example of taking the Lord’s Name in vain (Ex. 20:7). He is even basically saying that this is the Lord’s will.
2. In verse 21we see that Gehazi catches up to him by running. He is running a marathon or something to catch up.
3. In verse 22 we see Gehazi talk with Naaman. Now, there is a total lie.
   1. There is an application and that is that greed gets us into lies.
   2. Lies then build up.
4. He says this is from his master, Elisha.
5. 2 young men of the sons of the prophets have arrived.
6. They came from Ephraim.
7. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes.
8. In verse 23 we see that Naaman gives him what he asks but he doubles the amount of silver.
9. IVP BBC OT: Considering what Naaman had been prepared to offer, Gehazi’s request is extremely modest, yet it is still a considerable sum. A talent of silver is three hundred years of wages (for someone making thirty to thirty-five thousand a year, that would be like getting about ten million dollars), and Naaman doubles it. Gehazi is trying to set himself up for life.^[8]
10. Two of his servants went along with him.
11. In verse 24 they come to his house and the servants leave.

• Lastly, we see Gehazi’s lie and consequence (verses 25-27).
  1. So, now, in verse 25 Elisha is present.
  2. I don’t know if they live together or not, but Elisha is back in the narrative. Elisha asks where he has been. Gehazi lies again, saying that he did not go anywhere.
  3. In verse 26, we see Elisha respond. Elisha essentially says that he was present spiritually when he went there.
  4. Elisha says that now is not the time to receive money and clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and female servants.
  5. IVP BBC OT: Elisha’s reference to olive groves, vineyards, livestock and servants all reflects what Gehazi could purchase for himself with the money. His newfound wealth would have bought him a life of luxury and leisure. Thus Gehazi was reducing the high prophetic calling to a mercenary vocation that exploited divine power for personal gain.^[9]
     1. An application here is Numbers 32:23: be sure your sin will find you out.
     2. We think our sin is hidden but it is not.

• The Lord sees everything!

1. It does not say that he receives olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen, but maybe he did. Or, maybe Elisha is exaggerating.
2. In verse 27 we see the consequence. Now, Gehazi receives the leprosy. It also says that his descendants will also receive leprosy– forever.
3. Swindoll shares: Apparently Gehazi repented, though he was never cleansed of the consequence, his leprosy. According to Hebrew law, he was able to continue serving as Elisha’s assistant because his skin had turned completely white (Leviticus 13:12–13). Later, he would stand before King Jehoram as the servant of Elisha. He had been restored to ministry, but his white, flaking skin would forever remind him of three mental images: the face of the Syrian, whose faith he compromised; the disappointed look of his master, whom he had undermined; and the awful day when he gave in to greed.[10]

In this account we see many of the Ten Commandments violated. We see taking the Lord’s name in vain, we see lies and we see others. Watch this:

Ignitermedia video:

The Ten Commandments

Confess, Believe, trust, commit: Firmly make the decision to be with Him in order to become like Him and to learn and do all that He says and then arrange your affairs around Him.

prayer

[1] Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

[2] Adapted from Ted Scofield, “Everybody Else’s Problem, Pt. 2,” Mockingbird blog (7-28-15)

^[3] Paul R. House, 1, 2 Kings, vol. 8, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), 273.

[4] The Moody Bible Commentary (Kindle Locations 20861-20865). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

[5] Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

[6] Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

[7] Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, vol. 3 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996), 226.

^[8] Victor Harold Matthews, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 2 Ki 5:23.

^[9] Victor Harold Matthews, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 2 Ki 5:26.

[10]

Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

Naaman, the Foreigner Who was Healed by the Lord of Hosts (2 Kings 5:1-14)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church on October 13, 2019

Robert Chesebrough believed in his product. He’s the fellow who invented Vaseline, a petroleum jelly refined from rod wax, the ooze that forms on shafts of oil rigs. He so believed in the healing properties of his product that he became his own guinea pig. He burned himself with acid and flame; he cut and scratched himself so often and so deeply that he bore the scars of his tests the rest of his life. But he proved his product worked. People had only to look at his wounds, now healed, to see the value of his work–and the extent of his belief.[1]

We are going to look at a passage dealing with faith. We are going to look at a man who had to trust that he could be healed by a prophet of God.

My theme: Naaman, the Foreigner Who was Healed by the Lord of Hosts (2 Kings 5:1-14)

Let’s read 2 Kings 5:1-14:

Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man with his master, and highly respected, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper. ² Now the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. ³ She said to her mistress, “I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.”⁴ Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus spoke the girl who is from the land of Israel.” ⁵ Then the king of Aram said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” He departed and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand shekels of gold and ten changes of clothes.

⁶ He brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, “And now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” ⁷ When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But consider now, and see how he is seeking a quarrel against me.”

⁸ It happened when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Now let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” ⁹ So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha. ¹⁰ Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.”¹¹ But Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.’ ¹² Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. ¹³ Then his servants came near and spoke to him and said, “My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” ¹⁴ So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean.

1. In verse 1: Naaman’s disease
   1. Naaman is introduced in this first verse. He is captain of the army of the king of Aram. He is a very high court official as we will see in a little bit.
   2. About Aram I read: The land of Aram, north of the land of Israel, was known by the Greeks as Syria. Current evidence suggests that the Arameans inhabited the upper Euphrates throughout the second millennium, first as villagers and pastoralists, then as a political, national coalition. During this period they are alternately allies and the most troublesome foes of Israel.^[2]
   3. He is a great man, meaning highly respected.
   4. Interesting it says that “by him the Lord had given victory to Aram.” One source shares: The author states that the Lord gave Naaman his victories. At first this claim may seem startling because Naaman is not an Israelite. However, 1, 2 Kings emphasize repeatedly God’s sovereignty over all nations and all people. The Lord has already laid claim to ownership of Syria’s political future (1 Kgs 19:15). Surely he can work on behalf of a Syrian, if only to discipline Israel for idolatry (cf. 2 Kgs 13:3). The Lord also has sent the prophets earlier to non-Israelites (1 Kgs 17:7–24), so it is not surprising for him to deal with Naaman here.^[3]
   5. He is a valiant warrior, but he is a leper.
   6. That is a major statement in that day and age.
   7. Leper just means a skin disease that can take various forms. I read: There is an allusion here to the difference between the Syrians and the Israelites in their views of leprosy. Whereas in Israel lepers were excluded from human society (see at Lev. 13 and 14), in Syria a man afflicted with leprosy could hold a very high state-office in the closest association with the king.^[4]
   8. In Luke 4:27 Jesus referenced this account: And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, yet none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”^[5]
2. In verses 2-5: Naaman’s determination
   1. Verse 2 is sad to me. There is a little girl who was taken captive during a raid. This is very sad. This was an Aramean raid on probably Israel. My heart breaks when I read this. I think of my daughters being taken captive because of some war. Then, at a young age they are forced to be slaves. Unfortunately, this still happens. This happens even in the U.S. with sex trafficking.
   2. This little girls is a servant of Naaman.
   3. In verse 3 she talks to her mistress, this seems to be a wife of Naaman or one of his wives or a woman who leads the servants. This little girl wants Naaman to get help from a prophet in Samaria. Samaria was the capitol of the northern kingdom of Israel. Elisha was a prophet in the northern kingdom. She says that this prophet could cure him.
   4. Interesting that apparently she cares. Even though she is a prisoner of war, she cares. This could be Stockholm syndrome: this means that a captive starts to identify with his or her captors. Or, maybe she thought she would get better treatment if she helps him. Or, maybe they were just really nice to her. I hope the latter. It seems that she may be like Daniel, Mordecai, Ezra, Nehemiah and others who would be exiled but good servants to their pagan country.
   5. In verse 4 Naaman goes in to tell his master what the girl said. Who was his master? It seems by context, looking at the next verse that his master was the local king.
   6. In verse 5 we see that this does get back to the king of Aram and the king of Aram sends a letter to the king of Israel. They were going to pay the king of Israel for this:
      1. Ten talents of silver,
      2. Six thousand shekels of gold,

• Ten changes of clothes.

1. About this gift I read: The gift accompanying Naaman is exorbitant—a king’s ransom. Ten talents equals thirty thousand shekels, about seven hundred fifty pounds of silver. The six thousand shekels of gold equals about one hundred fifty pounds (one gold shekel equaled fifteen silver shekels). Converted to today’s buying power, it would be in the vicinity of three-quarters of a billion dollars. One can get an idea of the proportions by understanding that a typical wage would have been ten silver shekels per year, and one gold shekel would purchase one ton of grain.^[6]

• In verses 6-8: Naaman’s determination and the king of Aram to the king of Israel followed by Elisha’s response
  1. Now, the king of Israel is receiving this letter.
  2. I read: A number of examples exist of kings sending to other kings for help in the area of healing sickness. Babylonian exorcists were prized by the Hittites, and Egyptian doctors were famed for their healing skills, especially in their treatment of eye diseases.^[7]
  3. The letter is coming but so is Naaman.
  4. Verse 7 shows that the king of Israel reacted in outrage; He tore his clothes. The tearing of robes, especially royal robes, was a sign of mourning. This would have signaled a national crisis or tragedy. We are never told which king of Israel this is, though much of Elisha’s interaction is with Jehoram.^[8]
     1. He actually thinks that the king of Aram is seeking a quarrel. However, one source notes the Syrian king imagining, according to his heathen notions of priests and goëtes,[9]that Joram could do what he liked with his prophets and their miraculous powers. There was no ground, therefore, for the suspicion which Joram expressed.^[10]
     2. I wonder if he thought it was a test. You cannot heal Naaman so we go to war.
  5. In verse 8, Elisha hears about this. Elisha pretty much acts like: why did you tear your clothes, why not send them to me? Elisha says, send them to me and let them know that there is a prophet in Israel.
  6. It seems as though Elisha is saying that they may not have prophets, but we do!

1. In verses 9-13: Naaman and Elisha
   1. Now, Naaman comes to Elisha.
   2. Notice that Naaman comes with horses and chariots. He comes right to Elisha’s doorway.
   3. Elisha was ready. Elisha gives him a simple message.
   4. “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times and your flesh will be restored and you will be clean.”
   5. In verse 11 Naaman is upset, he was not just upset, he was furious. He wanted something dramatic.
      1. Do I want instant gratification?
      2. It seems that Naaman wanted the McDonald’s way.

• It seems likely that he is advanced in the military and he was used to having things his way. It does not work that way in God’s Kingdom. We pray and we wait and we seek the Lord.

1. God has a plan.

12. Naaman continues in verse 12. He is basically asking why the rivers of Damascus are not good enough. He thinks the rivers of Damascus are better. The waters in those rivers are beautiful and clear whereas the waters in the Jordan are muddy. Why the Jordan River?
13. He goes away in a rage.
14. Swindoll shares: Naaman was furious.” Of the six primary Hebrew words referring to anger, this is perhaps the strongest. It usually describes God’s righteous wrath toward sin. Naaman was angry because his encounter with God met with none of his personal expectations. (That still happens.)
15. He expected to be taken seriously by the prophet. Naaman was a man who commanded armies. When he spoke, people jumped to action. His mere presence brought others to their knees. He was important and probably thought that the prophet ought to be impressed to think a man of his rank and authority would even show up at his obscure little village.[11]
    1. How do we react when things do not turn out our way?
    2. Do we go away in a rage?

• Do we go away in tears?

1. How do we handle disappointment?
2. Pr 14:17 A person who has a quick temper does foolish things, and a person with crafty schemes is hated.
3. Pr 16:32 Better to be slow to anger than to be a mighty warrior, and one who controls his temper is better than one who captures a city.

• Pr 19:11 A person’s wisdom makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

1. In verse 13 we see the servants speak to him. They speak respectably, addressing him as “my father…” basically, they say that this is so simple, why not try it. If the prophet asked something else would you have done it?
2. The obvious answer is yes.
3. The funny thing is that Naaman came close to not being healed because it was too simple. This happens today.
4. The Gospel is simple. Our eternal life is free. My dad often tells me that I am in sales too, but what I sell is free. That is true, but I wonder if people would take the Gospel more seriously if it costs money.

1. Verse 14: Naamon obeys Elisha and is healed.
   1. Naaman now obeys.
   2. He is restored, but not just a little bit, his flesh is now like the flesh of a child.
   3. He was clean, certain skin diseases make one unclean.
2. Some applications (a few of these come from Swindoll’s Book, Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives)[12]
   1. Only when we acknowledge our own sin-sick state will we seek cleansing. We, as Christians must understand that we are sinners in need of a Savior and our spiritual healing is free.
   2. Our spiritual healing is simple too.
   3. Only when we hear the truth will we discover the path to cleansing. We need to hear the truth just like Naaman did. The truth is in the Gospel and in the Word of God.
   4. Only when we reach the end of our own way will we be ready to follow the Lord’s. Some of us need to reach the bottom before we realize we need God’s help. You have all most likely been there. Has there been a time when you kept trying to work something out on your own, but eventually you realized you needed help?
   5. Fourth, only when we do as God requires will we receive His cleansing.
   6. Are you being obedient to the Lord? Some of us may be wanting God’s help but still living in the flesh. Some of us want God’s favor but will not surrender to Him. Are you surrendered to the Lord? Are you seeking the Lord?
   7. I notice Naaman’s rage in verses 11-12, we must watch our anger and get rid of it. Instead of being angry seek the Lord, pray about things, get help, write in a journal, go for a walk.

The powerful, pleading words of a Scottish preacher provide a fitting conclusion: 

I advise you to get over your temper, and to try that very way that you have up till now been so hot and so loud against. It will humble you to do it, and you are not a humble man; but if you ever come back from Jordan with your flesh like the flesh of a little child, you’ll be the foremost to confess that you had almost been lost through your pride, and your prejudice, and your ill-nature. . . .

You all know, surely, what the true leprosy is. You all know what the leprosy of your own soul is. It is sin; yes, it is sin . . . it is yourself. . . . O leper! leper! go out with thy loathsome and deadly heart . . . Go wash in Jordan. Go in God’s name. Go in God’s strength. Go in God’s pity, and patience, and mercy. . . . Go this moment. 

Do you know Jesus?

Luke 9:23:

Confess, Believe, trust, commit: Firmly make the decision to be with Him in order to become like Him and to learn and do all that He says and then arrange your affairs around Him.

prayer

[1] Ralph Walker, Concord, North Carolina. Leadership, Vol. 12, no. 1.

^[2] Victor Harold Matthews, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 2 Ki 5:1.

^[3] Paul R. House, 1, 2 Kings, vol. 8, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), 271.

^[4] Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, vol. 3 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996), 224.

^[5] Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Biblical Studies Press, 2005), Lk 4:27.

^[6] Victor Harold Matthews, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 2 Ki 5:5.

^[7] Victor Harold Matthews, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 2 Ki 5:6.

^[8] Victor Harold Matthews, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 2 Ki 5:7.

[9] The term góētes (γόητες), RV “impostors,” AV “seducers,” is used of a class of magicians who uttered certain magical formulae in a deep, low voice (cf the vb. goáō[γοάω], which = “to sigh,” “to utter low moaning tones”). Herodotus (ii.33) says that there were persons of the kind in Egypt, and they are mentioned also by Euripides and Plato.^[9]

^[10] Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, vol. 3 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996), 224.

[11] Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

[12] Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

Jabez, The Unknown Who Became Well Known(1 Chronicles 4:9 and selected Scriptures)[1]Dream Big!

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church on Sunday, October 6, 2019

A number of years ago it was a beautiful summer evening and I took Mercedes and Abigail through an old graveyard. The sun was setting, and I wanted to point out the old tombstones. I wanted to show the dates on them, you know the tombstones that were well over 100 years old. You know, at one time each of those names were important to someone. At least I would hope so. Think about it, every time you see names in a phone book each name means something to someone, actually a group of people. We gloss over a list of names, but each name represents people. Each name represents important people. Each name represents people created in the image of God. Think about that whenever you see a name.

Today, we come to a name in 1 Chronicles. This passage is listed within the genealogies of 1 Chronicles. Many people may skip over these genealogies, but remember that these represent people. Sometimes as we read through the genealogies we see extra detail about people and that is the case with Jabez.

My theme:

Jabez, the Unknown Who Became Well Known

Application:

Seek the Lord and Dream Big.

Look with me at 1 Chronicles 4:9-10:

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother named him Jabez saying,

“Because I bore him with pain.” Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!” And God granted him what he requested.^[1]

1. Jabez was a man of honor.
   1. First, let’s think of where we are in the Bible.
   2. The ESV Study Bible helps us out: The genealogies of 1–9 are intended to show the Chronicler’s own generation, now existing as the small province of Yehud (Judah) in the Persian Empire, that they are still God’s people Israel and retain their central place in God’s purposes for humanity.The identity and legitimacy of this people are traced in a line beginning with Adam (1:1) and extending through the tribes of Israel (chs. 2–8) down to the community of Judean exiles restored from captivity in Babylon (9:2–34). This community is depicted not as the sum total of the people but as the representative nucleus or focus to which “all Israel” may join in God’s work of restoration.[2]
   3. This says that Jabez was “more” honorable than his brothers. We really do not know anything else about his brothers, but Jabez was more honorable.
   4. Looking at the names around Jabez it seems that he lived during the time of Joshua. This would be around 1300-1400 BC.
   5. Swindoll helps us out with that word, “honorable.” “The Hebrew word for honorable literally means “heavy.” We use that same concept in English when we say, “This is a weighty matter.” When used of a person, it conveys the idea that he or she is impressive or noteworthy.”[3]
   6. Another source adds: The reputation of an individual is of central importance in these usages. Thus the person of high social position and accompanying wealth was automatically an honored, or weighty, person in the society (Num 22:15, etc.). Such a position, its riches, and long life were commonly assumed to be the just rewards of a righteous life (I Chr 29:28, etc.). While one would be honored automatically if one attained this stature, it is also clear that one was expected to merit the honor and the glory.^[4]
   7. Do we seek to be honorable?
   8. Do we care?
   9. Do we care about our reputation?
   10. Next it says that his mother names him Jabez because she gave birth to him with pain.
   11. Once again Swindoll helps us with this: The English rendering is Jabez, but the Hebrew is pronounced yah-betz (the second syllable sounds like the word baits.) His mother had the Hebrew word ah-tzav in mind when she chose her son’s name. The term ah-tzav refers to anguish, intense sorrow, or pain. To arrive at his name from the Hebrew word, you transpose two letters. So it’s a pun based on sound play. This would be like someone who hates cottage cheese, which is made from milk curd, saying, “I don’t prefer milk crud, thanks.” Somehow, his birth was associated with intense pain, though we have no idea how or what that pain might have been.[5]
   12. Swindoll goes on to make the case that it could likely be that the family was going through financial distress.
   13. We all know how much stress a family can go through with a new baby.
   14. Actually, the prayer that is in verse 10 is not the prayer a rich person may pray.
   15. Further, we don’t see his father mentioned. Maybe his father died in one of the wars under Joshua.
   16. Imagine being a single mother during that day and age.
2. Jabez prayed.
   1. Jabez called. But who did Jabez call? Jabez called on the God of Israel.
   2. In a polytheist day and age, a day and age when people worshipped many gods, Jabez called on the One Lord and God.
   3. Remember the Ghostbusters movies that came out some thirty years ago? Remember the song? They said, “who ya gonna call…” If there’s somethin’ strange in the neighborhood
      Who ya gonna call (ghostbusters)
      There’s somethin’ weird and it don’t look good
      Who ya gonna call (ghostbusters)I ain’t afraid a no ghost
      I ain’t afraid a no ghost

      Who ya gonna call (ghostbusters)
      Who ya gonna call (ghostbusters)

      [6]

   4. So, who do you call?
   5. Who do we go to when we need help?
   6. We have the awesome gift of prayer and most of us don’t care.
   7. Think about it, something is going on and we are unhappy about something, we don’t usually pray, we phone a friend. In calling a friend we often meditate on negative things and even gossip, but what we should do is pray.
   8. Do you know that you can gossip in your head. I think the problem with gossip is we are meditating on the negative rather than the positive. God calls us to think on whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise…(Phil. 4:8). But we think on the bad and I dare say that is a sin of omission. I challenge you and I challenge myself to pray. Every time you are going to think on the bad, pray. Call on the Name of the Lord with your thought life. He is the only One who can help.

• Jabez made 4 requests.
  • Jabez made 4 requests: Divine Ennoblement, Divine expansion, Divine Empowerment and Divine Enablement
  • He asked for blessing, what some call, Divine Ennoblement.
  • About Divine Ennoblement, Chuck Swindoll writes: First, he asked for God to bless him . . . but this was no cliché, no ordinary request. The Hebrew reveals the deep emotion of his prayer with what scholars call a particle of wishing. This very rare expression combined with the intense form of the verb reveals a man desperately wanting something. As a result, the request “bless me” is doubly intensified so that it becomes “bless me with overwhelming blessing.”
  • He asked for what we might call divine ennoblement. The Hebrew blessing is no insignificant matter, as it is very closely connected with God’s covenant with Israel, which will become clearer in the next section. All Hebrew people desired this covenant blessing, but the request by Jabez was different. In effect, he petitioned the Lord with, “Bless me with uncommon blessing. Lord, break through the cloud that has covered my life, from the sorrow that surrounded my birth to the limitations that I have endured all these years. Make my future a contrast to my past. Give me a giant stake in Your covenant with my people.[7]
  • Next, Jabez asked for Divine Expansion. He asked that the Lord would expand his borders. Remember he may very well come from a family of poverty and pain and this prayer may show that. Here he is praying that the Lord would bless him by expanding his borders and that was a typical Hebrew prayer. Expanding his borders is helping the Hebrew people. Swindoll shares: Make no mistake, though, enlarged borders in the ancient world meant greater wealth, higher standing in the community, more power, and increased responsibility to the Lord and the community. Land was wealth . . . and much more. Jabez called out to the God of Israel to make him rich and powerful. This was an over-the-top prayer by a man with a genuinely sanctified ambition and great hope.[8]
  • Third, he asks for Divine Empowerment. He asks that the Lord’s hand be with him. The Lord’s hand was a symbol of power, strength and control.
  • Jabez was asking for the Lord to be with Him.
  • Jabez lasts request is similar to the third. Jabez asks that the Lord keeps him from harm and not cause pain. Interestingly, Jabez prays that he does not have pain as his name implies. Remember, his name means “pain.”
  • God answered his prayer.
• Let’s Apply:

1. Jabez was honorable, are we pursuing being honorable?
2. It is important that we call upon the Lord for help as well.
3. Success only comes from the Lord, we must remember that.
4. It is okay and quite good to be successful in what the Lord calls us to.
5. We must, we actually should, ask the Lord that we would be successful.

Now, I want to share some applications that Chuck Swindoll makes:

“First, a small, struggling start doesn’t necessitate a limited life.”

“Second, no measure of success is safe without God’s presence and power.”

“Third, when God prospers and blesses a life, no place for guilt remains.”[9]

The Challenge: Dream God-Sized Dreams

Let me make all of this personal. Could it be that your current vision, your present paradigm has been shaped by the restrictive demands and limitations of your original setting? Could it be that the influences that give your life order and comfort are the very things that hold you hostage, bound to a certain way of life or a certain way of thinking? Could it be that you have not broken free simply because the thought of breaking free hasn’t occurred to you? Have you asked the Lord to give you a vision far beyond your current borders? Why not?[10]

In his book Beyond Jabez, Bruce Wilkinson shares the story of an old African woman who demonstrated faith in God’s power to provide. Although she lived in a tiny mud hut, she had taken on the responsibility of caring for 56 orphans.

A small group of Wilkinson’s “Dream for Africa” volunteers had arrived in this grandmother’s native Swaziland to plant gardens. On the final day of their visit, they came upon her tiny home, surrounded by the many children in her care. A number of little gardens had been dug up all around the hut, but oddly, no plants were growing in any of them.

The volunteers learned that, earlier on the same day, the woman had told the children to dig lots of gardens. When the children asked her why—since they had neither seeds nor money—she responded, “Last night I asked God to send someone to plant gardens for us. We must be ready for them when they come.” 

Wilkinson’s volunteers had come with hundreds of ready-to-plant seedlings. God sent them to the very place where one of his servants had begged for his intervening hand. The faithful grandmother and her children were ready when the answer came.[11]

Confess, Believe, trust, commit: Firmly make the decision to be with Him in order to become like Him and to learn and do all that He says and then arrange your affairs around Him.

prayer

^[1]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update(La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), 1 Ch 4:9–10.

[2]https://www.esv.org/1+Chronicles+4/

[3]Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

^[4]John N. Oswalt, “943 כָבֵד,”ed. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament(Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 426–427.

[5]Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

[6]source: https://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/ghostbusterslyrics.html

[7]Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

[8]Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

[9]Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

[10]

Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

[11]https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2005/december/16259.html

Rehoboam, the Kingdom Divides (1 Kings 12)
Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church on Sunday, September 29, 2019
We will be turning to 1 Kings 12 in a minute.

A number of years ago I read a book called “Good to Great.” This is a book by Jim Collins about how companies went from beyond being “good” companies to actually being “great” companies. Collins and his research team looked at several different companies and compared many different things about what the companies did or didn’t do. One thing consistent about the “great” companies is that their CEO’s were humble. Even when they were rich they were humble. They would look to themselves first when looking at mistakes. They would look out the window to other people to give credit to success as opposed to looking in the mirror, at themselves. The companies that were successful but didn’t last had CEO’s that liked to talk about themselves.
Collins says on page 193:
“Shortly before his death, I had the opportunity to meet Dave Packard. Despite being one of Silicon Valley’s first self-made billionaires, he lived in the same small house that he and his wife built for themselves in 1957, overlooking a simple orchard. The tiny kitchen, with its dated linoleum, and the simply furnished living room bespoke a man who needed no material symbols to proclaim ‘I’m a billionaire. I’m important. I’m successful.’ ‘His idea of a good time,’ said Bill Terry, who worked with Packard for thirty-six years, ‘was to get some of his friends together to string some barbed wire.’ Packard bequeathed his $5.6 billion estate to a charitable foundation and, upon his death, his family created a eulogy pamphlet, with a photo of him sitting on a tractor in farming clothes. The caption made no reference to his stature as one of the great industrialist of the twentieth century. It simply read: ‘David Packard, 1912-1996, Rancher, etc.’”

There is something that we all admire about humility and we all hate about people who talk about themselves. However, it is so easy to talk about our achievements and our successes. We all do it. But how much do we do this.

In conversation with Professor S. F. B. Morse, the inventor of the telegraph, the Rev. George W. Hervey asked this question:
“Professor Morse, when you were making your experiments yonder in your room in the university, did you ever come to a stand, not knowing what to do next?”
“Oh, yes, more than once.”
“And at such times what did you do next?”
“I may answer you in confidence, sir,” said the professor, “but it is a matter of which the public knows nothing. I prayed for more light.”
“And the light generally came?”
“Yes, and may I tell you that when flattering honors come to me from America and Europe on account of the invention which bears my name, I never felt I deserved them. I had made a valuable application of electricity, not because I was superior to other men, but solely because God, who meant it for mankind, must reveal it to someone, and was pleased to reveal it to me.” In view of these facts, it is not surprising that the inventor’s first message was, “What hath God wrought!”

He is what Jim Collins, the author of Good to Great would call a type 5 leader. A type 5 leader gives credit to other people for success. A type 5 leader is humble.

As we look at Rehoboam we see that he was far from humble and he did not seek the Lord. Let’s look at Rehoboam.

Theme and application:
Seek the Lord and His wisdom and we will be alright. Rehoboam sought the wisdom of man and not the wisdom of the Lord.

Let’s read 1 Kings 12:1-24:
Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 Now when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, he was living in Egypt (for he was yet in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon). 3 Then they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4 “Your father made our yoke hard; now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.” 5 Then he said to them, “Depart for three days, then return to me.” So the people departed.
6 King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, “How do you counsel me to answer this people?”7 Then they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant them their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8 But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him and served him. 9 So he said to them, “What counsel do you give that we may answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?” 10 The young men who grew up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you shall say to this people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, now you make it lighter for us!’ But you shall speak to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins! 11 Whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”
12 Then Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day as the king had directed, saying, “Return to me on the third day.” 13 The king answered the people harshly, for he forsook the advice of the elders which they had given him, 14 and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” 15 So the king did not listen to the people; for it was a turn of events from the Lord, that He might establish His word, which the Lord spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16 When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying,
“What portion do we have in David?
We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse;
To your tents, O Israel!
Now look after your own house, David!”
So Israel departed to their tents. 17 But as for the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam made haste to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
20 It came about when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, that they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. None but the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.
21 Now when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. 22 But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,23 “Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin and to the rest of the people, saying, 24 ‘Thus says the Lord, “You must not go up and fight against your relatives the sons of Israel; return every man to his house, for this thing has come from Me.”’” So they listened to the word of the Lord, and returned and went their way according to the word of the Lord.

I. In 1 Kings 12:1-24 it introduces Rehoboam and tells how the kingdom is divided and they are not to go to war. We can find similar information in 2 Chronicles 10.
a. In verse 1it tells us that he goes to Shechem because all Israel went to Shechem to make him king.
b. Notice verse 2 introduces us to Jeroboam, son of Nebat. He was in Egypt where he fled because of Solomon, yet he hears the news of Rehoboam becoming king. We see this in 1 Kings 11:26, 40.
c. Verses 4-5 give conditions which 10 tribes would like before his coronation.
i. Before his coronation they would like their load lightened.
ii. In verse 5, he asks them to depart for three days and he will look into it.
iii. In 1 Kings 4:7, 21–25; 9:15 it tells of Solomon’s demands.
d. In verses 6-11 we have the wise words of the older men (verses 6-7) and the wicked words of the younger men (verses 8-11).
i. If Rehoboam is a servant they will serve him.
ii. Proverbs 15:1: a gentle answer turns away wrath
iii. Verse 8 tells us he forsook the council of the elders and sought and followed the council of those he grew up with.
iv. Verse 10 is telling: Sarcasm: “My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins.” In other words, my father was weak!
v. Verse 11: he will intensify the discipline.
e. In verses 12-15: Rehoboam rejects the council of Israel’s leaders.
i. Someone has said: The error of youth is to believe that intelligence is a substitute for experience, while the error of age is to believe that experience is a substitute for intelligence.
ii. Verse 12: they all came to Rehoboam the third day like he requested.
iii. Jeroboam was part of their group.
iv. Verse 13: he answered them harshly
v. Verse 14: he spoke to them with the advice of the young men.
vi. Verse 15 tells us why. This was from the Lord. Solomon and Jeroboam knew this would happen: 1 Kin 11:11, 31.
f. Verses 16-20: the reaction of the leaders:
i. Verse 16 shares the rejection of the other tribes. They were essentially saying, “what portion do we have in David’s tribe.”
ii. They go to their tents, basically saying: David’s tribe is on their own.
iii. Verse 17: Those that lived in Judah stayed under Rehoboam.
iv. This was prophesied in: 1 Kin 11:13, 36
v. Verse 18: King Rehoboam sends Adoram, head of the first labor and he is stoned. Rehoboam flees to Jerusalem for safety.
vi. Verse 19: until the day of the writing Israel and Judah were in rebellion against each other.
vii. The other 10 tribes made Jeroboam king.
g. Verses 21-24: the aborted attack (Title from the Outline Bible)
i. Verse 21; he assembles 180,000 to go to war
ii. Verses 22-24 have the message from Shemaiah the prophet that this division is from the Lord.
iii. The war is aborted.
II. The summary of Rehoboam in 1 Kings 14:21-28
a. We must read 7 more verses to complete the picture:
b. 1 Kings 14:21-28: Now Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had chosen from all the tribes of Israel to put His name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. 22 Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked Him to jealousy more than all that their fathers had done, with the sins which they committed. 23 For they also built for themselves high places and sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and beneath every luxuriant tree. 24 There were also male cult prostitutes in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord dispossessed before the sons of Israel. 25 Now it happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, that Shishak the king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. 26 He took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house, and he took everything, even taking all the shields of gold which Solomon had made. 27 So King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place, and committed them to the care of the commanders of the guard who guarded the doorway of the king’s house. 28 Then it happened as often as the king entered the house of the Lord, that the guards would carry them and would bring them back into the guards’ room.
c. We see in verse 21: he was 41 when he became king and reigned 17 years in Jerusalem
d. Notice the detail, the city that the Lord chose to put His name there.
e. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess.
f. Moody Bible Commentary shares: This pagan nation east of the Jordan was frequently in conflict with Israel (cf. Gn 19:30-38; Dt 23:3; 1Sm 11:1-15), and Ammonites were specifically forbidden to be part of the assembly of Israel (cf. Dt 23:3; Neh 13:1-2). Rehoboam’s failure to follow the Lord was compounded by his mother’s pagan influence. And what impacted the king would also have spiritual consequences for the people.
g. Swindoll shares:
h. The name Naamah means “sweetness, pleasantness,” which probably described her general disposition. This narrative tells us twice, in verses 21 and 31, so that we won’t miss its significance, that Rehoboam’s mother was “the Ammonitess.” She was an Ammonite woman with considerable influence. So much so, she convinced her husband to abandon Yahweh for a particularly detestable idol. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king. We know that Solomon reigned for forty years, so Rehoboam was nurtured by Naamah the Ammonitess, the worshiper of Milcom and Molech. One archaeologist writes,
i. Molech was a detestable Semitic deity honored by the sacrifice of children, in which they were caused to pass through or into the fire. Palestinian excavations have uncovered evidences of infant skeletons in burial places around heathen shrines. Ammonites revered Molech as a protecting father. No form of ancient Semitic idolatry was more abhorrent than Molech worship. His mother, Naamah, reared her son in the worship of Molech, and Solomon consented to the practice by building temples to the false god. The sin that Mom loved and that Dad permitted, ensnared the son. So it should come as no surprise that he led his kingdom into the same deadly trap.
j. Verse 22 is key: Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord.
i. They provoked God to jealousy more than their fathers.
ii. They committed sins.
iii. Verse 23 tells what they did: high places, asherim, sacred pillars
iv. Asherim are wooden symbol of a female deity.
v. Verse 24: cult male prostitutes
vi. They did according to all the nations which the Lord dispossessed
k. Verses 25-28: King Shishak of Egypt.
i. Verses 25-26 tell us what happened. The king of Egypt, Shishak came and took treasures from the house of the Lord and the king’s house, even the gold shields Solomon had made.
ii. 2 Chronicles 12:5-8 and 12 give more information. God was going to hand Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah over to Shishak, but the prophet Shemaiah told them that and they repented. Once they repented the Lord chose not to hand them over to Egypt, though they would be servants.
iii. Verse 27: Rehoboam replaced them with bronze shields. The Moody Bible Commentary shares: The change from gold to bronze, a much less expensive metal, indicated the decline in the wealth of the kingdom under Rehoboam after great glory under David and Solomon.
III. Applications
a. We must listen to elders.
b. We must only serve the Lord. It seems that Rehoboam’s mother was a pagan and we definitely see Rehoboam get into high places, sacred pillars and Asherim which were wooden symbols of female deity (14:22-23).
c. We must only serve the Lord as we see it says that they built Asherim, sacred pillars and asherim on every high hill and beneath every luxuriant tree. I notice the word every. This seems to emphasize that this was very common.
i. We may not do that, but we do have our own idols.
ii. Comfort is an idol and we must guard against the idol of comfort.
iii.Worship is our response to what we value most.
iv. Prestige can be an idol.
v. Money, obviously, can be an idol.
vi. What about the desire for nice things: nice restaurants and nice clothes and nice vacations and nice cars and nice books and nice shelves and nice desks and nice jewelry and nice watches and nice clocks and nice computers and nice televisions and nice ___________. These can be an idol.
d. 14:24 says that Judah under Rehoboam did all of the abominations of the nations which the dispossessed. Are we different from the world? James 4:4 says that friendship with the world is enmity with God. Romans 12:2 says to not be conformed to the pattern of the world but be transformed… Are we like the world? Many times we try to blur Christianity with the culture, and even other religions of the world, we cannot do this.
e. Jesus must be Lord of all.
f. When we seek the Lord and His wisdom we will be alright. Rehoboam sought the wisdom of man and not the wisdom of the Lord.
Remember:
Seek the Lord and His wisdom and we will be alright. Rehoboam sought the wisdom of man and not the wisdom of the Lord.

According to the National Geographic website (their kids’ version that is) the Pufferfish can inflate into a ball shape to evade predators. Also known as blowfish, these clumsy swimmers fill their elastic stomachs with huge amounts of water (and sometimes air) and blow themselves up to several times their normal size … But these blow-up fish aren’t just cute. Most pufferfish contain a toxic substance that makes them foul tasting and potentially deadly to other fish. The toxin is deadly to humans—1,200 times more deadly than cyanide. There is enough poison in one pufferfish to kill 30 adult humans, and there is no known antidote.
Like Pufferfish, human beings can blow themselves up with pride and arrogance to make themselves look bigger than they are. And this pride can become toxic to a marriage, a church, or a friendship. No wonder the late Bible scholar John Stott once said, “Pride is your greatest enemy, humility is your greatest friend.”
Confess, Believe, trust, commit: Firmly make the decision to be with Him in order to become like Him and to learn and do all that He says and then arrange your affairs around Him.

prayer

Absalom, The Son Who Led the Insurrection (2 Samuel chapters 13-18)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on September 22, 2019 

We are going to be going to 1 Samuel chapter 13 if you would like to turn there while I setup the passage.

I am not one who cries in public. I can be pretty stoic and hold my emotions in check pretty well. It is not to say that I do not have emotions, I just keep them in check. Given my thoughts on tears I found the following article humorous:

GQ had a humorous analysis on when guys should or should not be allowed by society to shed tears. “Male crying is not new,” the female author notes. “It’s been happening for as long as men have had eyeballs. But it was almost always done behind at least three closed doors.” Here are some of GQ’s rules about public crying for men:

• It is okay to cry if you’re in extreme pain, like, say, a piano were dropped from a fifty-story window on your foot. If you’re gonna cry from pain, it has to be at least an eight on the pain scale.
• It’s okay to cry at certain works of art or film. For instance, if you don’t get misty-eyes atToy Story 3, you are a monster.
• It’s almost weird if you don’t sob the first time you hold your newborn baby. No shame in that, bro.
• It’s definitely weird if you sob during a sports event, although you can cry if you are actually one of the athletes out there on the field. But even then, you should cry only if you win. And if you’re just a fan, the rule here is much simpler: never, ever cry.
• Never, ever cry during an argument. As the woman who wrote the article notes, “Sorry, guys, but crying during an argument is kind of our thing.”[1]

As we look at Absalom, we see two people who were quite emotional about each other, but they could not deal with each other. David loved Absalom and he cared for him, but he would not tell him that. Absalom wanted his father’s respect and relationship, but David did not let that happen.

Let’s look at 1 Samuel chapters 13-18 as we talk about Absalom. I will read parts of the chapters as we summarize Absalom’s life.

My theme: Absalom, The Son Who Led the Insurrection

1. Allow me to put this in context.
   • We are in 2 Samuel chapter 13.
   • This means that David has risen to the throne. David has expanded Israel’s borders conquering many local city-states.
   • David has taken many wives and fathered many children.
   • Two chapters before this David had an affair with Bathsheba and had her husband killed in battle.
   • 1 chapter before this, in 2 Samuel 12, David was rebuked by the prophet Nathan for his sin with Bathsheba.
   • This is the context in which we look at 2 Samuel 13.
   • However, we also need to set the table and consider Absalom’s birth.
   • 2 Samuel 3:3 tells his birth.
   • …and his second, Chileab, by Abigail thewidow of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur…
   • Absalom was the grandson of another local king.
2. First episode of Absalom.
   1. Starting at 2 Samuel chapter13:1-17: the rape of Tamar by Amnon. Amnon would be Absalom’s older brother, really a half brother. Amnon loved, or thought he loved his half sister Tamar. So, Amnon develops a ruse in order to get Tamar with him and he rapes her. But Tamar is the sister of Absalom. Absalom hears about it and he is angry.
   2. David hears about this and he is angry, but he does not do anything.
   3. So, after two years Absalom develops a plan and in 2 Samuel 13:18-29: Absalom has Amnon killed.
   4. One writes: Absalom took his dejected sister into his own house, expecting his father, David, to punish Amnon for his incestuous act. After two years of suppressed rage and hatred, Absalom plotted his own revenge. He gave a feast for King David and his princes at his country estate. Although David did not attend, Amnon did and was murdered by Absalom’s servants after Absalom got him drunk. Then, afraid of King David’s anger, Absalom fled across the Jordan River to King Talmai of Geshur, his mother’s father (2 Sm 13:21–39).^[2]
   5. In 2 Samuel 13:30- 39: Absalom flees to Geshur for 3 years, the home of his maternal grandfather (2 Sam 3:3).
   6. David cared about Absalom but did nothing. Look at 2 Samuel 13:37-39:

Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. ³⁸ So Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, and was there three years. ³⁹ The heart of King David longed to go out to Absalom; for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead.

1. In 2 Samuel 14:1-24: Joab, David’s military commander works with a woman from Tekoa to tell a story to David and get Absalom recalled.
2. Absalom is recalled, but David says he does not want to see him.
3. David does not restore the relationship, David does nothing.
4. In 2 Samuel 14:25-33: we have some extra detail about Absalom’s family. We hear about Absalom’s hair and that is important later. Look at 2 Samuel 14:25-26:

Now in all Israel was no one as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no defect in him. ²⁶ When he cut the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he cut it, for it was heavy on him so he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at 200 shekels by the king’s weight.

1. However, the Bible says the king would not see Absalom.
2. Look at 2 Samuel 14:24: However the king said, “Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face.” So Absalom turned to his own house and did not see the king’s face.
3. So Absalom manipulated things to see the king, his father.
4. David and Absalom see each other, but it is just going through the motions.
5. Look at 2 Samuel 14:28-33: Now Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, and did not see the king’s face.²⁹ Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. So he sent again a second time, but he would not come. ³⁰ Therefore he said to his servants, “See, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire. ³¹ Then Joab arose, came to Absalom at his house and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?” ³² Absalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent for you, saying, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me still to be there.”’ Now therefore, let me see the king’s face, and if there is iniquity in me, let him put me to death.” ³³ So when Joab came to the king and told him, he called for Absalom. Thus he came to the king and prostrated himself on his face to the ground before the king, and the king kissed Absalom.

• Now, the insurrection begins.
  1. Now, let’s see what this leads to, in 2 Samuel 15:1- 6: Absalom meets with people who wanted to meet with the king and stole away the hearts of the people.
  2. One writes: Within four years of his reinstatement, Absalom sought to assert his claim of succession and cunningly prepared to revolt against his father’s throne, probably during the thirty-second year of David’s reign.^[3]
  3. In 2 Samuel 15:7-12: We see Absalom’s plan to take over the kingdom.
  4. Next, in 2 Samuel 15:13-37: David flees Jerusalem, Absalom comes into Jerusalem. Psalm 3 is written about this time in David’s life.
  5. In 2 Samuel 16:1- 14: David is cursed by Shimei, a member of Saul’s family as he flees.
  6. How amazing is this, the mighty king of Israel is fleeing because of his own son.
  7. In 2 Samuel 16:15- 23: Absalom enters Jerusalem and sleeps with David’s concubines on the roof of the palace. By the way, this was suggested by Ahithopel who gave council to David, but then switched allegiance to Absalom. Ahithopel was the grandfather of Bathsheba. 2 Samuel 11 says that David went on the roof of the palace and say Bathsheba taking a bath. He then had an affair with her and killed her husband. Now, on that same roof, Absalom shows all Jerusalem he has taken the kingdom. This is because taking the concubines shows that you have taken the kingdom. But this insurrection is not over yet.
  8. In 2 Samuel 17:1- 14: Hushei is used to counter Ahithopel’s council to Absalom and this leads to Ahithopel killing himself.
  9. In 2 Samuel 17:15-29 there are preparation for the battle.
     1. We have The Relay(17:15–23): Hushai sends news of Absalom’s plan to David, who now has time to mobilize his army.
     2. We have TheReplacement(17:24–26): Absalom appoints Amasa to command the Israelite army in place of Joab.

• We have TheRendezvous(17:27–29): Three friends of David—Shobi, Makir, and Barzillai—bring him and his soldiers food in the wilderness.^[4]

1. The battle:
   1. In 2 Samuel 18:1- 5: After urging, David agreed not to lead them in battle. David asked Joab to deal gently with Absalom.
   2. Now, let’s read about his death.
   3. 2 Samuel 18:9-15:

Now Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. For Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. And his head caught fast in the oak, so he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going. ¹⁰ When a certain man saw it, he told Joab and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.” ¹¹ Then Joab said to the man who had told him, “Now behold, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? And I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.” ¹² The man said to Joab, “Even if I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not put out my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Protect for me the young man Absalom!’ ¹³ Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.”¹⁴ Then Joab said, “I will not waste time here with you.” So he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. ¹⁵ And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor gathered around and struck Absalom and killed him.

• In 2 Samuel 18:16- 33: News reaches the king that Absalom is dead.
• Once again, king David did love him, look at 2 Samuel 18:33: The king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And thus he said as he walked, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom!Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

Let’s make some applications:

1. David did not discipline his son, or children, he ignored the problem(s). We must discipline our children when there is a problem (2 Samuel 13 and 14). We must stand for truth and justice even with adults as much as we can.
2. It seems that David was likely an absent father. He has so many children by different women and he likely was not present.
   • As Chuck Swindoll writes: Twenty years transpired between 2 Samuel 3 and 13. David’s kingdom grew, and the friends who remained loyal to him during his humble days in the wilderness began to reap the rewards of their devotion. The Bible calls them “the thirty,” as you may remember from our first chapter. Eliam gave his beautiful daughter in marriage to Uriah, a fellow member of this elite “band of brothers.” And David gave Uriah an estate just behind the palace. He also gave Eliam’s father an important role as one of his chief advisors—secretary of state in his royal cabinet, if you will. His name was Ahithophel. (Another name to remember.) During these twenty years, David remained exceptionally busy. He defeated the Philistines, conquering Moab, Edom, Ammon, and Aram. He also wiped out a number of massive invading armies.
   • And when David wasn’t conquering or building, he was lost in the endless affairs of state. Much of his time was spent in secret council chambers making decisions concerning war, diplomacy, building, taxation, administration.
   • The remainder was spent in travel, on parades, giving speeches, and making appearances in one venue after another.
   • He had too many wives and too many children to have much of an influence on any of them—except by accident. He helped conceive lots of children, but he helped rear none of them. I count eight wives who are named, a number of unnamed wives who bore him children, and no fewer than ten concubines. Then each of the named wives has at least one child, though Michal had none. She had her father’s (King Saul) temperament, which may explain her remaining barren (2 Samuel 6:20–23).[6]
3. We must be present as parents and servants of Christ. We must be present with other important relationships.
4. David was reluctant to pursue restoring the relationship with Absalom. We must try to restore relationships (Matthew 5:23ff; 18:15-17).
5. Absalom tried to bring about justice on his own. We must never try to take the law into our own hands (2 Samuel 13:24-29; Romans 13)
6. There are other lies, deceit and sexual immorality in this passage and we must beware of all of them.

This illustration comes from Chuck Swindoll:
I once had the unfortunate task of trying to counsel a family very much like David’s. The father was extremely busy making a lot of money. His girls and his one boy soon sensed that his business meant more to him than they did. And so they began to live cheap, sensual, compromising lives that they didn’t even bother to conceal. The behavior of the children became so notorious that the testimony of the church came under criticism by the community, so I had to visit the family at their home. At one point I had to break up a fistfight between two of the girls after they brought down the dining room chandelier and knocked a shutter off the window. The mother sat there wringing her hands, muttering, “I just don’t know what I’m going to do with these children.” Obviously the relationships between each member of this family had been broken for a very long time, if ever there were any to begin with.

At the age of forty-two, the father’s heart stopped beating long enough to cause significant brain damage. By most standards, he was dead, although his body lingered for some time at the veteran’s hospital. As the children visited, hoping for some sign that there might be a chance for reconciliation, the grief mounted as his condition declined. Finally, he died. The dismal atmosphere of remorse and profound heartache that filled the mortuary made it almost impossible to breathe.
This father had departed emotionally long before his tragic end. He left his children with no moral guidance. He left his wife to fill the role of both parents. He left his family with no reason to think that they were important and loved. And he left them with no way to heal the deep, emotional wounds they both suffered and inflicted. Ultimately, he left them to make it on their own.
For years, the lingering wounds have continued to afflict the man’s children. I don’t know that they will ever enjoy a normal relationship with a mate or their children or anyone intimate.

I urge you to make the effort now to repair those broken relationships. Trust me, it’s worth it. Again, I repeat: It’s never too late to start doing what is right! Make contact today. Begin with these words: “I have been wrong. I love you, and I want a close relationship with you. Please forgive me and tell me how we can make it happen.”
Tough words, I know. But they’re easier than, “If only I had . . .”
I remember memorizing a very short poem by John Greenleaf Wittier in grammar school with all my classmates. It was an assignment required by a very wise teacher. She knew that those in her class were too young for it to make much sense then . . . but someday it would register. I cannot name the times I have repeated these words to myself and others during my adult years. Because they fit so perfectly the tragic story of this well-known father and his rebellious son, I leave them for you to ponder:

“For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these: “It might have been!” (Poem: John Greanleaf Whittier, The Complete Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier (Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and company, 1884, (151))

Confess, Believe, trust, commit: Firmly make the decision to be with Him in order to become like Him and to learn and do all that He says and then arrange your affairs around Him.

prayer

[1]Adapted from Lauren Bans, “Bawl So Hard,” GQ (June 2015)

^[2]Walter A. Elwell and Philip Wesley Comfort, Tyndale Bible Dictionary, Tyndale Reference Library (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001), 8.

^[3]Allen C. Myers, The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary(Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1987), 14.

^[4]H. L. Willmington, The Outline Bible(Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999), 2 Sa 17:5–29.

^[5]M. G. Easton, Easton’s Bible Dictionary(New York: Harper & Brothers, 1893).

[6]Swindoll, Charles R.. Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives (Great Lives Series) . Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

Abigail, The Woman Who Saved Her Husband’s Neck[1]

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church on September 15, 2019

I am going to be going to 1 Samuel 25 in a moment. Please turn there.

Ignitemedia video titled “Smart.”

The following warnings were found on consumer products:

On a Duraflame fireplace log: “Caution—Risk of Fire.”

On a Batman costume: “Warning: Cape does not enable user to fly.”

On a bottle of hair coloring: “Do not use as an ice cream topping.”

On a cardboard sun shield for a car: “Do not drive with sun shield in place.”

On a portable stroller: “Caution: Remove infant before folding for storage.”[1]

Okay, so we need to think about things and seek wisdom. This means that we must not be rash, and we must listen. We are on a sermon series of people of the Old Testament. Today, we come to Abigail.

My theme today is taken from Chuck Swindoll’s book:

Abigail, The Woman Who Saved Her Husband’s Neck[1]

My application:

Listen to wise council.

I will read the passage as we talk about it.

1. Meet David and Nabaland the incident
   1. Let’s read verses 2–13:

Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel; and the man was very rich, and he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And it came about while he was shearing his sheep in Carmel ³ (now the man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. And the woman was intelligent and beautiful in appearance, but the man was harsh and evil in his dealings, and he was a Calebite), ⁴ that David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. ⁵ So David sent ten young men; and David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, visit Nabal and greet him in my name; ⁶ and thus you shall say, ‘Have a long life, peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. ⁷ Now I have heard that you have shearers; now your shepherds have been with us and we have not insulted them, nor have they missed anything all the days they were in Carmel. ⁸ Ask your young men and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come on a festive day. Please give whatever you find at hand to your servants and to your son David.’”

⁹ When David’s young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all these words in David’s name; then they waited. ¹⁰ But Nabal answered David’s servants and said, “Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants today who are each breaking away from his master. ¹¹ Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men whose origin I do not know?” ¹² So David’s young men retraced their way and went back; and they came and told him according to all these words. ¹³ David said to his men, “Each of you gird on his sword.” So each man girded on his sword. And David also girded on his sword, and about four hundred men went up behind David while two hundred stayed with the baggage.

• Notice the request in verses 2-9.
• Meet Nabal and Nabal was very rich.
• How rich? 3000 sheep, 1000 goats
• Verse 3 explains that Abigail was intelligent and beautiful, but he was harsh and evil…
• Notice right here how highly this talks of Abigail.
• Abigail means “Joy to the father.”
• Nabal means “fool.”
• He was a Calebite, a descendant of Caleb.
• In verse 4, David heard that Nabal was shearing sheep. David was in the wilderness.
• We find out later in verse 16 that David’s men were protecting Nabal’s men. This incident takes place in a wilderness where there could be a lot of danger.
• Verse 5 shows that David sent 10 young men.
• These young men go to Nabal and they are extremely respectful, yet they are rejected.
• These men are supposed to greet Nabal in his, David’s, name.
  • The assumption is that Nabal will know who David is.
  • One would think that news would travel of David victories.

• It is actually clear that Nabal knew of David, but Nabal is from Saul’s hometown.

• The Moody Bible Commentary shares: His [David’s] men had protected the shepherds and Nabal’s sheep from robbers and wild animals. At this festive moment, David asked for a token of appreciation for his labor. So he sent ten young men (v. 5) to ask Nabal to give them goods that Nabal had on hand. David was not operating a protection racket. Rather, when Nabal’s men accepted the protection that David had provided, they made him contractually obligated to provide for David and his men. In response, Nabal referred to David as the son of Jesse (v. 10), the pejorative term Saul used for David. He accused David indirectly of breaking away from Saul, his master.[2]

• The retaliation(25:13): David becomes angry and plans to punish Nabal.
  • David tells his men basically to prepare for battle.
  • David will fight with them.
  • 400 men to fight.
  • 200 stay with the supplies.
  • Nabal does not stand a chance versus these warriors.
  • By the way, David is acting rash. Later on, he grows in wisdom. In the previous chapter David was calm and collected not killing Saul when he could have, but now he wants vengeance. Now, David is acting like Saul.
  • There currently are similar traits in Nabal and David, though later David is wise in that he listens to wisdom and Nabal does not.

• The wise woman(25:14–35): Nabal’s servants tell his wife, Abigail, about the incident and warn her that David is coming.
  • Let’s read verses 14-35:

¹⁴ But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, “Behold, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, and he scorned them. ¹⁵ Yet the men were very good to us, and we were not insulted, nor did we miss anything as long as we went about with them, while we were in the fields. ¹⁶ They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the time we were with them tending the sheep. ¹⁷ Now therefore, know and consider what you should do, for evil is plotted against our master and against all his household; and he is such a worthless man that no one can speak to him.”

¹⁸ Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread and two jugs of wine and five sheep already prepared and five measures of roasted grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and loaded them on donkeys.¹⁹ She said to her young men, “Go on before me; behold, I am coming after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal. ²⁰ It came about as she was riding on her donkey and coming down by the hidden part of the mountain, that behold, David and his men were coming down toward her; so she met them. ²¹ Now David had said, “Surely in vain I have guarded all that this man has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him; and he has returned me evil for good. ²² May God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if by morning I leave as much as one male of any who belong to him.”

²³ When Abigail saw David, she hurried and dismounted from her donkey, and fell on her face before David and bowed herself to the ground. ²⁴ She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the blame. And please let your maidservant speak to you, and listen to the words of your maidservant. ²⁵ Please do not let my lord pay attention to this worthless man, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name and folly is with him; but I your maidservant did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent.

²⁶ “Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, since the Lord has restrained you from shedding blood, and from avenging yourself by your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek evil against my lord, be as Nabal. ²⁷ Now let this gift which your maidservant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who accompany my lord. ²⁸ Please forgive the transgression of your maidservant; for the Lord will certainly make for my lord an enduring house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil will not be found in you all your days. ²⁹ Should anyone rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, then the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with the Lord your God; but the lives of your enemies He will sling out as from the hollow of a sling.³⁰ And when the Lord does for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and appoints you ruler over Israel, ³¹ this will not cause grief or a troubled heart to my lord, both by having shed blood without cause and by my lord having avenged himself. When the Lord deals well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.”

³² Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me, ³³ and blessed be your discernment, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand. ³⁴ Nevertheless, as the Lord God of Israel lives, who has restrained me from harming you, unless you had come quickly to meet me, surely there would not have been left to Nabal until the morning light as much as one male.” ³⁵ So David received from her hand what she had brought him and said to her, “Go up to your house in peace. See, I have listened to you and granted your request.”

• First, we see Abigail’s appeal to David (25:14–31): Abigail prepares a large supply of food and rides out to meet David, pleading with him not to kill her husband.
• Apparently one of the young men who worked with Nabal told Abigail.
• By the way, Abigail is the wisest person in this chapter.
• Also, take note that this is one of many incidents in which the Bible highlights the wisdom and knowledge of women.
• Abigail is in an arranged marriage. Most of the time these worked quite well. In this case it seems that her parents did not notice Nabal’s problems.
• Back to the narrative, the young man made it clear to Abigail that David’s men were “scorned” or insulted.
• Verse 15: David’s men were good to them. They were not insulted.
• Verse 16 is interesting: they were “a wall” to them. This means that David’s men were protecting them and keeping them safe.
• Yet, Nabal would not pay them. Swindoll compares this to not tipping your waiter or waitress.
• In verse 17: one of the servants seems to tell Abigail what she should do. The servant recognizes that David and his men will retaliate.
• The man, Nabal, is worthless and apparently not approachable.
• In verses 18- 35 Abigail intercedes.
• In verse 18: Abigail gets supplies together.
• The ESV Study Bible compares the supplies to a list of the food supplied to an Egyptian expeditionary force to Palestine during the reign of Ramses II.
• In verse 19: she sends her men ahead but she follows.
• Notice how she takes action. She is truly a wise woman.
• Nabal does not know what she is doing.
• She met David and his men.
• In verse 23: Abigail talks with David.
• She is humble and bows down before him.
• The Moody Bible Commentary shares: Her words in vv. 24-31 are the longest recorded speech by a woman in the OT (though see the song of Deborah and Barak in Jdg 5). She explained to David that her husband’s name summed up who he was. Nabal (“fool”) was his name, and folly was in him (v. 25).[3]
• In verse 24: she asks him to listen.
• She even takes the blame, though the blame did not belong with her.
• Abigail asks him to disregard Nabal.
• In verse 26: she wants them to kill their enemies and not Nabal.

• In verses 28-31: she requests forgiveness and gives a blessing to David.
• The Moody Bible Commentary sheds light:
• Abigail spoke prophetically of David life; years would pass before God would promise a dynasty to David (cf. 2Sm 7:8-17). (2) David was fighting the Lord’s battles. (3) No evil would be found in David all his days. This statement could have been a subtle warning to David not to commit an evil against Nabal, rather than a prophecy (Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” 248), since David did commit evil later in the case of Bathsheba. (4) The Lord will protect David. (5) The Lord will destroy David’s enemies (v. 29). She explained that this destruction of the Lord would be like His using a sling against them. This imagery would have resonated with David, who slew Goliath with a stone and a sling. (6) Taking vengeance against Nabal and his innocent household would be a guilty load on David’s conscience after he became king. Abigail ended her reasoned request for forgiveness with a request: When the LORD shall deal well with my lord, [i.e., “when you become king,”] then remember your maidservant (v. 31). “To remember” means “to act in a special way on a person’s behalf.”[4]
• In verse 32: David responds favorably. ESV Study Bible: David, having calmed down, agrees with Abigail completely and thanks the Lord and her. In his restraint about shedding the blood of fellow Israelites, David shows himself more qualified than Saul to be king. Giving up vengeance meant breaking the vow made in 22. If one vows to sin, however, it is better in the eyes of the Lord to break the vow than to commit the sin vowed, a principle that Jephthah (Judg. 11:29–40) and Herod the tetrarch (Matt. 14:7–9) should have heeded. (Of course, making a rash oath in the first place was a sin that needed to be compensated for, asLev. 5:4–6 requires.)[5]
• In verse 33: David blesses her and is grateful that she has kept him from avenging himself.

1. The widowed woman(25:36–38):
   1. Let’s read verses 36-38:

Then Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk; so she did not tell him anything at all until the morning light. ³⁷ But in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him so that he became as a stone. ³⁸ About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal and he died.

• After a night of heavy drinking, Nabal is told by Abigail about the terrible danger he had been in; he suffers a stroke, or a heart attack of some sort. Ten days later the Lord strikes him and he dies.

• The wedded woman(25:39–44):
  • Let’s read verses 39-44

³⁹ When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal and has kept back His servant from evil. The Lord has also returned the evildoing of Nabal on his own head.” Then David sent a proposal to Abigail, to take her as his wife. ⁴⁰ When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her, saying, “David has sent us to you to take you as his wife.” ⁴¹ She arose and bowed with her face to the ground and said, “Behold, your maidservant is a maid to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.” ⁴² Then Abigail quickly arose, and rode on a donkey, with her five maidens who attended her; and she followed the messengers of David and became his wife.

⁴³ David had also taken Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both became his wives.

⁴⁴ Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

• Following Nabal’s death, David asks Abigail to become his wife, and she accepts.^[6]
• David proclaims a praise to the Lord. It is like David is happy that he did not shed the blood, but the Lord vindicated him.
• Verses 40-44: she marries David and there is an update on his other wives.
• Apologetics study Bible: 25:43Throughout his lifetime David acquired at least eight wives (2 Sm 3:2–5, 14–16; 1 Ch 3:1–5) and 10 concubines (2 Sm 15:16), in addition to Saul’s harem (2 Sm 12:8). The Lord did not approve of David’s departure from His plan for marriage. It would have destructive consequences later, when deadly rivalries developed between the women (see 1 Kg 1:1–4; 2:17–25) and families (2 Sm 13:1–32; 1 Kg 2:24–25) within David’s harem. God’s ideal plan for people from the beginning was for one man to marry one woman, and for the couple to remain in an exclusive sexual relationship for as long as both partners were alive.).^[7]

Let’s make Some applications:

1. We must be willing to listen to the wisdom of others.
2. We must NOT be rash as David was (1 Samuel 25:13).
3. We must listen as David did to Abigail (1 Samuel 25:32).
4. We must be willing to act to help others as Abigail did (1 Samuel 25:18ff).
5. We must have the humility of Abigail (1 Samuel 25:23ff).

Confess, Believe, trust, commit: Firmly make the decision to be with Him in order to become like Him and to learn and do all that He says and then arrange your affairs around Him.

prayer

[1]Submitted by Amy Simpson, Wheaton, Illinois; preaching today

[2]The Moody Bible Commentary (Kindle Locations 17051-17052). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

[3]The Moody Bible Commentary (Kindle Locations 17051-17052). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

[4]The Moody Bible Commentary (Kindle Locations 17061-17066). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

[5]Ibid.

^[6]H. L. Willmington, The Outline Bible(Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999), 1 Sa 25:1–44.

^[7]Ted Cabal et al., The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith(Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007), 446–447.

Saul Did Not Seek the Lord, We Must Seek the Lord

(1 Samuel 15:15, 21)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on September 8, 2019

We are going to be turning to 1 Samuel 15 in just a moment so I invite you to turn in your Bible’s to that passage.

Os Guinness traces our contemporary idea of human freedom that “began in the Renaissance … blossomed in the Enlightenment and rose to its climax in the 1960s.” The classic statement of the Renaissance view is that of Pico della Mirandola, as he imagines God addressing Adam: “You, who are confined by no limits, shall determine for yourself your own nature …. You shall fashion yourself in whatever form you prefer.”

Throughout the centuries this same view of human freedom—limitless potential apart from God—has been expressed by other key thinkers.

• Leon Batista Alberti: “A man can do all things if he will.” (15th century, Italy)
• Karl Marx: “Man is free only if he owes his existence to himself.” (19th century, Germany)
• Friedrich Nietzsche: “If there were gods, who could bear not to be gods? Therefore there are no gods.” (19th century, Germany)
• Herbert Spencer: “Progress is not an accident, but a necessity. Surely must evil and immorality disappear; surely must men become perfect.” (19th century, England)
• Walt Whitman: “One’s-self I sing, a simple separate person.” (19th century, America)
• John F. Kennedy: “Man can be as big as he wants. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings.” (20th century, America)
• Ayn Rand: “Man’s destiny is to be a self-made soul.” (20th century, Russian-American)
• O. Wilson: “Humanity will be positioned godlike to take control of its own ultimate fate.” (21st century, America)[1]

The person we are going to talk about today only thought about himself. He did not seek the Lord. He was the anointed king of Israel, but he did not seek the Lord. Notice this in 1 Samuel 15:15:

 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed.”

Notice the pronouns, Saul did not acknowledge the Lord as “our God” but as “your” God. Notice again in verse 21, 1 Samuel 15:21: But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”

Saul focused on himself and not the Lord.

We are preaching on people of the Old Testament. We have talked about Cain, Abraham, Esau, Achan and now we come to Saul.

My theme and application:

Saul Did Not Seek the Lord, We Must Seek the Lord

I am going to summarize Saul’s life and then we will settle down in chapter 15.

1. Introduction to Saul
   1. In chapter 8 we see that the people of Israel wanted a king. This was NOT a good thing. They wanted a king to be like the other nations (1 Samuel 8:5). But the Lord was their king.
   2. In 1 Samuel 9 we are introduced to Saul.
   3. Saul is of the tribe of Benjamin.
   4. He was looking for a lost donkey in the hill country of Ephraim, in the area of Shelisha, in the districts of Shaalim and Zuph, he finally approached Samuel in Ramah for guidance
   5. Samuel privately anointed him king (10:1). Samuel predicted certain events that would happen near Rachel’s tomb at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin, at the great tree of Tabor, and at Gibeah of God (vv 2-8).
   6. He soon rallied Israelite and Judean forces to deliver Jabesh Gilead from their Ammonite oppressors. Saul might have been eager to do this since many Benjaminites of his day were descendants of women whose ancestral homes were in Jabesh Gilead (Judges 21).
   7. They left Gibeah of Saul to Bezek where he prepared the forces for battle (1 Sam 11:6-8).
   8. They crossed the Jordan and defeated the Ammonites.
   9. Israel confirmed Saul as king at Gilgal from that point on his kingship was not doubted by most of the populace
   10. Saul and his son Jonathon then mustered troops in Micmash, Gibeah of Benjamin, and the hill country of Bethel.
   11. The Israelites were probably dependent upon the Philistines for the manufacture and repair of copper and iron.
   12. In 1 Sam. 13:3 Saul’s son met the Philistines head on at Gibeon. He took their garrison.
   13. There is a war with the Philistines in chapter 13 and then Jonathon, Saul’s son, wins a battle in chapter 14.
   14. Saul has a great rise to power in 1 Samuel 9, but he was the people’s choice. He was head and shoulders above everyone else (1 Samuel 10:23).
   15. Then, beginning in 1 Samuel chapter 13 we see his epic downfall. He made his first major mistake in chapter 13, his second mistake in chapter 14 and his third in chapter 15.
2. Saul is rejected: 1 Samuel 13 and 15
   1. In 1 Samuel 13 we have the battle with the Philistines
   2. Saul was supposed to wait seven days for Samuel to arrive and make sacrifices (verses 8-9).
      1. Kings were not to make sacrifices. They could make sacrifices for themselves but not the community.
      2. Samuel was to convey the Lord’s battle plans.
   3. Saul makes the offering himself. Saul takes matters into his own hands. Saul did what he was not supposed to do.
   4. Samuel arrives (verses 10-12).
   5. Saul is rejected verses 13-14.
   6. Saul moves on like nothing happened (verse 15). He did not repent or anything.
   7. In chapter 14, the Israelites defeat the Philistines but not led by Saul. The king’s son, Jonathon took his armor bearer on a secret raid of the Philistine’s camp.
   8. Saul makes a curse in that chapter and does not follow through with it. He makes another mistake. You can read that later on.

• Saul does not obey again: 1 Samuel 15
  1. In verse 1 Saul is anointed again, the Lord gives second chances.
  2. 1 Samuel 15:1-3: Then Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the Lord. ² Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. ³ Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
  3. We look at that and must think, we thought Saul was rejected, well it seems that God gives him a second chance.
  4. When we see that they were supposed to utterly destroy everything, this means that that area was “under the ban.” This means in certain cities they were supposed to kill everyone and not take bounty. Bounty goes back to the Lord. This goes back to Deuteronomy. Saul disobeyed.
  5. Verses 8-9: ⁸ Hecaptured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.⁹ But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.
  6. They spared Agag, the best of the sheep, oxen, fatlings and lambs.
  7. Saul disobeyed.
  8. God communicates to Samuel: ¹⁰ Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, ¹¹ “Iregretthat I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My commands.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the Lord all night.
  9. Do things bother us? Samuel was distressed and cried out to the Lord all night.
  10. Swindoll shares: The Hebrew word translated “distressed” here means to burn with anger. Samuel was incensed with Saul and sat up all night stewing in his righteous rage. The Lord gave the rebellious king yet another chance to do what was right, to bow in submission to Israel’s true King, but, again, he blew it.[2]
  11. Now look: ¹² Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself,then turned and proceeded on down to Gilgal.” ¹³ Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the Lord! I have carried out the command of the Lord.” 
  12. Saul does not get it at all.
  13. He had no guilt.
  14. He setup a monument to himself.
  15. I like Samuel’s response: ¹⁴ But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”
  16. Samuel heard the sheep and knew that Saul disobeyed.
  17. Now, notice Saul’s response: ¹⁵ Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord yourGod; but the rest we have utterly destroyed.” 
  18. Notice how he says, “The Lord, ‘your’ God”?
  19. Saul did not bow to the Lord.
  20. Now, verses 16-21: ¹⁶ Then Samuel said to Saul, “Wait, and let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak!” ¹⁷ Samuel said, “Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed you king over Israel,¹⁸ and the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated.’ ¹⁹ Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord?” ²⁰ Then Saul said to Samuel, “I did obey the voice of the Lord, and went on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. ²¹ But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord yourGod at Gilgal.” 
  21. Once again, Saul would not bow to the Lord.
  22. Samuel’s next words: ²² Samuel said, “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
      As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
      Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
      And to heed than the fat of rams.
      ²³ “For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
      And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.
      Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
      He has also rejected you from being king.”
  23. Notice that Saul would not bow.
  24. If you read the rest of 1 Samuel, which I encourage you to do, you’ll see that Saul became totally self-absorbed the rest of his life. He chased the Lord’s anointed, David, all over Israel. But God was still at work.

1. Apply:
   1. Swindoll shares these first few applications. How you finish is more important than how you start. Remember that, finish well. Finish serving the Lord.
   2. Rationalization is disobedience because it refuses to accept the truth.
      1. The most destructive lie is the one you tell yourself.
      2. Saul rationalized disobedience.
   3. Remain accountable. We all need accountability partners (Prov. 27:17).
   4. Reject pride.
   5. Pursue truth.
      1. Strict obedience is better than good intentions.
      2. There is truth that is not popular such as: Don’t marry a non-believer; Abstain from sexual immorality.

• If you have messed up, don’t be like Saul, repent.

1. More applications:
   1. We must submit to the Lord’s leadership.
      1. This means sometimes we must wait on the Lord.
      2. This means we must not NEED to be in leadership, or in front, or in powerful places to have fulfillment.
      3. This means that we must submit to the Lord’s people.
         1. We must submit to leadership in society (Romans 13).
         2. We must submit to church leadership (Hebrews 13:7 and 17).

• We must submit to the Lord’s Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

1. We must submit to the Lord’s leading through the Word, the church, reason and the Holy Spirit.

2. 1 Samuel 15:12 shows that Saul setup a monument for himself, or let the people do that. We must be humble and not take credit, but give glory to God (1 Cor. 10:31).
3. 1 Samuel 15:17 shows that Saul was a no one and he knew that, and the Lord anointed him. We must recognize everything we have comes from the Lord. Positions we are placed in comes from the Lord.
4. The Lord is sovereign, we must bow to Him and cast our crowns to Him (Rev 4:8-11). The Lord worked in this process and went to David, who is the Lord’s choice (1 Samuel 13:14).
5. God is most glorified in us
   when we are most satisfied in him.[3]

A CEO has taken on a new job, and the outgoing CEO says to him, “Sometimes you’ll make wrong choices. You will. You’ll mess up. When that happens, I have prepared three envelopes for you. I left them in the top drawer of the desk. The first time it happens, open #1. The second time you mess up, open #2. The third time, open #3.”

For the first few months, everything goes fine. Then the CEO makes his first mistake, goes to the drawer, opens up envelope #1, and the message reads, “Blame me.” So he does: “This is the old CEO’s fault. He made these mistakes. I inherited these problems.” Everybody says, “Okay.” It works out pretty well.

Things go fine for a while, and then he makes his second mistake. So, he goes to the drawer and opens up envelope #2. This time he reads, “Blame the board.” And he does: “It’s the board’s fault. The board has been a mess. I inherited them. They’re the problem.” Everybody says, “Okay, that makes sense.”

Things go fine for a while, and then he makes his third mistake. So, he goes to the drawer and opens up envelope #3. The message reads: “Prepare three envelopes.”[4]

Own up to our mistakes, repent, serve the Lord.

Confess, Believe, trust, commit: Firmly make the decision to be with Him in order to become like Him and to learn and do all that He says and then arrange your affairs around Him.

prayer

[1]Os Guinness, A Free People’s Suicide (IVP, 2012), pp. 154-155

[2]Swindoll, Charles R.. Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives (Great Lives Series) . Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

[3]https://www.desiringgod.org

[4]John Ortberg, in the sermon “Guide,” PreachingToday.com

Samuel, the Man Who Anointed the First Two Kings of Israel (1 Samuel 3 and selected verses)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on September 1, 2019

We are going to be turning to 1 Samuel 3 in a minute, if you would like to turn there.

Think with me about hearing:

Mark Batterson describes the amazing ability of the human ear in his book Whisper:

The act of hearing is detecting vibrations of the eardrum caused by sound waves, and the intensity of those waves is measured in decibels. On one end of the sound spectrum is the sperm whale, the loudest animal on earth. The clicking noise it uses to echolocate can hit 200 decibels. Even more impressive, researchers believe that whale songs may travel up to ten thousand miles underwater! Next to the sperm whale is jet engines (150 decibels), air horns (129 decibels), thunderclaps (120 decibels), and jackhammers (100 decibels).

What’s on the other end of the sound spectrum?

A whisper, measuring just 15 decibels.

Technically speaking, our absolute threshold of hearing is 0 decibels. That corresponds to a sound wave measuring 0.0000002 pascals, which causes the eardrum to vibrate by just 108 millimeters. That’s less than a billionth of the ambient pressure in the air around us and smaller than the diameter of a hydrogen atom![1] 

I want to connect that with Samuel in a minute. Samuel heard the voice of the Lord.

When did you know what you were going to do with your life? Did you know that was what God wanted you to do? In the Old Testament there are two books called Samuel. They are named after the prophet Samuel. Samuel was the prophet who found and anointed King David. Samuel was one of Israel’s greatest and most famous prophets. In a second, we will look at God’s call on Samuel’s life.

We will read the passage as we talk about it.

1. Samuel is ministering under Eli
   1. Verses 1-2: Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli. And word from the Lord was rare in those days, visions were infrequent. ² It happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well)…
   2. Twas the night of Samuel’s calling and all through the Temple not a creature was making noise except Samuel.
   3. Samuel is likely 12 years old at this time, at least that is what the Jewish historian Josephus had written.
   4. The young boy Samuel was going to bed for the night.
   5. He would sleep in a room near the Ark of God.
   6. It was sometime before dawn and we know this because the Lamp of God was still lit.
   7. In Exodus chapter 27:20-21 God had told them to bring clear oil to keep the lamps burning.The candlestick which was 7 branched was filled with just enough oil to burn through one night.
   8. The Lord gave the Israelites the instructions to make this candlestick in Exodus 25:31-39.
   9. Anyways, they were still lit and now God tried to communicate to Samuel.
   10. In 1 Samuel chapter 1 we have the account of Samuel’s mother, Hannah. She would come to the temple to pray. Hannah was a Godly woman. She couldn’t have children but she wanted to badly. She came to the House of God every year and would sacrifice and pray for a son. She was praying and wept bitterly. She made a vow to God that if He gave her a son, she would give him to the Lord all the days of His life.
   11. She went home and God gave her a son. This son is now Samuel. Hannah weaned him and then dedicated him to the Lord’s service.
   12. Now Samuel was ministering to the Lord with Eli.
   13. Eli is approaching his 98^thyear and his son’s are not good men at all.
   14. This passage says that word from the Lord was rare at that time and so were visions.
   15. But on this night something miraculous happened.
2. Samuel hears from God.
   1. Read with me verses 2-9:Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli. And word from the Lord was rare in those days, visions were infrequent. ² It happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well), ³ and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was, ⁴ that the Lord called Samuel; and he said, “Here I am.” ⁵ Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, lie down again.” So he went and lay down. ⁶ The Lord called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he answered, “I did not call, my son, lie down again.” ⁷ Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord yet been revealed to him. ⁸ So the Lord called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli discerned that the Lord was calling the boy. ⁹ And Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
   2. Now, we see that Eli’s eye sight is not very good.
   3. We have already talked about the lamp of God.
   4. Samuel is sleeping in the temple near where the Ark of God was.
   5. The Lord speaks to Samuel.
   6. Imagine the sound of Samuel’s feet going to Eli’s room. Imagine Eli wondering what is going on and then Samuel asks what he needs.
   7. Eli tells him he did not call him.
   8. Eli should have known this was from the Lord, but it seems that this is making the case that Eli is not close to the Lord as this time.
   9. Eli is the priest of God, but if you read in 1 Samuel 2 Eli’s sons are wicked and the message that Samuel is going to hear is condemning of Eli and his family.
   10. So, Eli could have thought this was a dream.
   11. Have ever dreamed that you heard someone speaking? I have dreamed many times that I hear my children or something else and I get up and look around and all is quiet.
   12. But Samuel heard it again. Again, Eli hears his feet coming to his room. Eli sends him back to bed.
   13. Now, notice verse 7 says that Samuel did not know the Lord yet. This means that he did not know the Lord in the way that he would as a prophet.
   14. No one knew the Lord back then like we do today. They did not have the Holy Spirit then.

• The Lord calls Samuel a third time.
  1. Let’s read verses 10-17: Then the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.” ¹¹ The Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. ¹² In that day I will carry out against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. ¹³ For I have told him that I am about to judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them. ¹⁴ Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”¹⁵ So Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. But Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. ¹⁶ Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” ¹⁷ He said, “What is the word that He spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the words that He spoke to you.” ¹⁸ So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the Lord; let Him do what seems good to Him.”
  2. Sometimes it is heard hearing from God. One writes: I neglected to tell my new patient, a little boy, how his hospital room intercom worked. Soon his light flashed. I called his name and asked what he wanted. There was complete silence. I repeated myself. After a long pause he said, “Jesus, I hear you but I don’t see you. Where are you?” I couldn’t wait to get to his room and give him a hug.^[2]
  3. This time Eli knew it was the Lord. Eli instructed Samuel to say, “Speak Lord for thy servant is listening.” Samuel went back to bed and this time the Lord actually came to Him. Samuel could actually tell that His presence was there.
  4. The Lord said, “SAMUEL!!! SAMUEL!!!” Samuel responded speak, for Your servant is listening.”
  5. Notice the Lord came and “stood” before Samuel. This is called a Theophany or a Christophany. This is an appearance of God in physical presence in the Old Testament. But I think it is a Christophany, which means this is an appearance of Jesus in the Old Testament. Hebrews 1 and Col. 1 says that Jesus is the visible image of God.
  6. Notice the message. This young man hears a message condemning. Look again at verses 12-14: In that day I will carry out against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. ¹³ For I have told him that I am about to judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them. ¹⁴ Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”
  7. God had already told Eli this message in the previous chapter. Eli’s sons were wicked and Eli did not rebuke them. Eli’s family is going to lose the priesthood and this happens 130 years later. Dr. Constable shares: Under the Mosaic Law the penalty for showing contempt for the priesthood, for disobeying parents, and for blasphemy was death ( 17:12; 21:18–21; Lev. 24:11–16, 23). This would be what Hophni and Phinehas would experience (cf. 4:11). The cutting off of Eli’s line happened about 130 years later (cf. 1 Kings 2:27, 35).¹
  8. Samuel’s first prophetic act was to tell this message to Eli as we see in verses 16-18.
  9. Interestingly enough, all Eli says is “It is the Lord, let Him do what He sees fit.” Eli could have taken his sons before the elders and had them judged.

1. Let’s make applications:
   1. We must always be prepared to say yes to God.
   2. We must be listening for God to speak.
   3. We must be opened to hear from God
   4. We must be in a place to hear from God. Samuel was a servant. He served and ministered to Eli as a young boy. This put him in a position to hear from God.
   5. God is the main character. We must allow God to be the main character in our life.
   6. God speaks:
      1. In His Word
      2. Through people
      3. Through prayer
   7. As a parent we do not want to be like Eli. Chuck Swindoll makes the case that Eli was so busy in the temple that he failed to be the spiritual leader in the home.

We must be like Samuel. Samuel was a minister already at age twelve. We must be encouraged that God spoke to Samuel. God will speak to us by His word, maybe through people and many other ways. However, I think we may not hear Him if we aren’t ready to hear Him. As you go out today: look for God to speak. Be ready for God to speak and know that if you are not hearing anything maybe it is because you are not paying attention.

Do you know Jesus?

Confess, Believe, trust, commit:

Firmly make the decision to be with Him in order to become like Him and to learn and do all that He says and then arrange your affairs around Him.

[1]Mark Batterson, Whisper (Multnomah, 2017), page 8

[2]Mary Williamson, Kirbyville, TX, Today’s Christian Woman, “Heart to Heart.”

Achan’s Hidden Sin

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on August 25, 2019

We go through difficult times in life. I think we would all agree. I’m sure some of you are employers, or have been employers, and you have had to terminate an employee. That is not easy, I have done that. I’m sure some of you have had to confront a family member about substance abuse. I’m sure some of you have been the one confronted about substance abuse. I’m sure some of you have heavily weighed how to punish a child for disobedience. I’m sure some of you have had to separate from a family member because of certain troubles. I’m sure some of you have fled abusive situations. What do we do? How do we handle things? How do we cope?

As a pastor, I have had to confront sin and I have had to counsel people on confronting sin. There have been multiple times in my pastoral ministry in which I have had to confront sin. I have also seen sin go unconfronted in the church and I have seen devastating consequences because of this. By the way, when we talk about confronting sin in the church, we mean unconfessed, ongoing sin and generally speaking we mean public sin.

I know of churches that condoned sin and covered up, even spreading lies to cover up the sin. Later on those churches may wonder why they will not grow. I believe the sin of Achan is in their camp. What is the sin of Achan? We are going to talk about that today, but let me share right now: when there is unconfessed sin, and sin that is not repented of, there are devastating consequences. Sin that is public must be repented of publicly. Psalm 66:18: If I withhold sin in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer (my paraphrase). This applies to churches and this applies to families.

I want to walk through Joshua 7 and introduce you to Achan.

My theme:

Achan’s hidden sin had devastating consequences to Israel.

Application:

Don’t live with hidden sin, repent of it.

I will read parts of the passage as we talk about it.

1. In verses 1-5 we see The shocking defeat of Israel. Let’s read those verses.

But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the things under the ban, therefore the anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israel.

² Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. ³ They returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up; only about two or three thousand men need go up to Ai; do not make all the people toil up there, for they are few.” ⁴ So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai. ⁵ The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them down on the descent, so the hearts of the people melted and became as water.

• Prior to verse 1 we were in chapter 6. In chapter 6 the Israelites had an amazing victory of Jericho. All they had to do was march around the city 7 times and the walls fell down. By the way, we do not see such a victory like that afterwards. This was the Red Sea moment for that generation of Israelites.
• However, in that chapter the Israelites were told that the city was under the ban. This means that nothing lives and all the gold and silver and things like that are dedicated to the temple. See Joshua 6:17-19.
• But now in chapter 7 the people of Israel behave badly. Now, they all don’t behave badly, but one family does.
• Please understand, sin is contagious. The Israelites and the world of that day knew that sins effected a community and the community identified with the sins of even one person.
• The NET Bible notes: This incident illustrates well the principle of corporate solidarity and corporate guilt. The sin of one man brought the Lord’s anger down upon the entire nation.^[1]
• Verse 1, summarizes what is about to happen.
• In verse 2, Joshua sends spies out to check out the land.
• In verse 3, the spies share that this should be an easy win, 2000-3000 men are enough. Now, this could show over-confidence, but remember how the last city fell?
• In verses 4-5, they send the higher of the recommended number but they are greatly defeated.
• Also, 36 people have died. This is the first death in battle since they entered the promised land. Notice they kept an accurate count.
• Imagine this in their local newspaper: “Extra-extra, hear all about it! 36 men dead from battle with AI.” Imagine the tabloids criticizing Joshua’s military blunder. Imagine the late night pundits debating whether Joshua should have sent more men, less men, or simply waited on the Lord.
• This defeat caused an emotional let-down, their hearts became as water.
• In Verses 6-9 we see Joshua’s prayer of repentance. Let’s read these verses.

⁶ Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, both he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.

⁷ Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord God, why did You ever bring this people over the Jordan, only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been willing to dwell beyond the Jordan! ⁸ O Lord, what can I say since Israel has turned their back before their enemies? ⁹ For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?”

• Notice that both Joshua and the elders are repentant.
• There are signs of repentance.
• He tore his clothes.
• He fell to his knees until evening.
• He and the elders put dust on their heads.
• In verse 7, Joshua begins to pray.
• Joshua reverently asks questions of the Lord.
• In verses 7-9 Joshua continues asking questions and then Joshua asks what the Lord will do for His Great Name.

• In verses 10- 15, we see the Lord’s response

¹⁰ So the Lord said to Joshua, “Rise up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face? ¹¹ Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things. ¹² Therefore the sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, for they have become accursed. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst. ¹³ Rise up! Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for thus the Lord, the God of Israel, has said, “There are things under the ban in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under the ban from your midst.” ¹⁴ In the morning then you shall come near by your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which the Lord takes by lot shall come near by families, and the family which the Lord takes shall come near by households, and the household which the Lord takes shall come near man by man. ¹⁵ It shall be that the one who is taken with the things under the ban shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he has committed a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”

• I find it interesting how the Lord responds.
• The Lord tells Joshua to rise up.
• The Lord asks Him why he has fallen on his face. Of course, the Lord knows what is going on. Joshua did not wake Him.
• Instead of Joshua responding in verse 11 we see the Lord continue to speak.
• Israel has sinned.
• Israel has transgressed (crossed) the Lord’s covenant.
• This covenant the Lord commanded them.
• They have stolen, deceived and put among their own things.
• Israel has sinned, not just Achan.
• Verse 12 tells the consequences of their sin.
• They cannot stand before their enemies.
• They turn their backs on their enemies and have become accursed. We saw this in verse 4.
• Verse 12 has a strong statement. God will not be with them anymore unless they destroy the things under “the ban.”
• Remember I already referenced “the ban.” This means that nothing lives and the money and possessions go to the temple.
• Swindoll helps what Achan did come alive. This is what he writes:

Ushers receiving an offering in a church have a similar code. The ushers don’t say, “Well, if I were being paid to do this very important job for the church, I think thus-and- such amount would be fair compensation. I’ll take out a little less than that so, in the end, the church is coming out ahead. After all, if no one did this job, the church would receive no money at all.”[2]

Unfortunately for Israel, someone after the battle of Jericho had emptied a full offering plate into his own pockets. Joshua was innocent. The vast majority of Israel was blameless. Still, the entire nation suffered. J. Sidlow Baxter describes the effect this way: “The electric wire of fellowship between God and Israel had been cut and the current of power therefore ceased to flow.” That’s precisely the consequence of sin in the camp. That’s also why I think the intelligence report on the strength of Ai was a reasonable one. This should have been an easy victory, even without the Lord’s involvement. No miracle needed there, but the presence of sin interrupted God’s desire to bless the nation with another victory.[3]

1. In verse 13-15 we have God telling them how to track this down:
   1. Rise up.
   2. Consecrate: this means to set apart for a purpose.

• The Bible Backgrounds Commentary shares: Consecration consisted of steps taken to make oneself ritually pure. This process primarily entailed washing and avoiding contact with objects that would render one unclean. It typically preceded ritual action. For Israel this included sacrifices, festivals or procedures in which Yahweh was involved, such as war and oracular procedures.^[4]

1. Tell the people that they are to be consecrated the next day.
2. The people are told what they are looking into. Someone took things under the ban.
3. Basically, God tells Joshua to tell them, “One of you is a criminal…and we will find out who…”

• They cannot stand before their enemies until this is taken care of.
• In verse 14 it says this will be in the morning the next day. Start by tribe.

1. They will work by lot. We are actually not sure that they worked by lot.
2. “By lot” is not in the original manuscripts:
3. The Bible Backgrounds Commentary shares: The text does not mention the mechanism by which groups or individuals are singled out, though some translations supply “by lot.” In Israel, however, lots were typically used when a random quality was desired. Here, in contrast, they are seeking an oracle in which a question is put to God in order to receive divine guidance or information (see comment on Gen 24:12–21). The presentation of a tribe or clan before the Lord would pose the question, “Is the guilty party in this group?” If a process is used similar to the Urim and Thummim (see comment on Ex 28:30), an answer would only be given divine standing if it defied the odds (for instance, if the same results were repeated several times). In the ancient Near East lots were sometimes used to receive oracles, though in most cases oracles were pursued through divination (such as examining the entrails of a sacrificed animal for favorable or unfavorable indications). In light of the consecration that precedes the process, it is possible that there is no mechanism but rather direct communication from Yahweh.^[5]

Proverbs 16:33: The dice are thrown into the lap,

but their every decisionis from the Lord.^[6]

• In verse 15 we see the punishment: the one who is taken with the things shall be burned with fire. This must happen to him and all those who “belong to him…” This means his family. This is because he transgressed (crossed) the covenant and has done something disgraceful.
  1. Notice that his family is included. It is possible that his family worked with him in this sin.
  2. This does make what happens harder to swallow but we will come back to this.

1. In verses 16- 21 we see Achan’s confession, but it is very late.

¹⁶ So Joshua arose early in the morning and brought Israel near by tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken. ¹⁷ He brought the family of Judah near, and he took the family of the Zerahites; and he brought the family of the Zerahites near man by man, and Zabdi was taken. ¹⁸ He brought his household near man by man; and Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was taken. ¹⁹ Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I implore you, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him; and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me.” ²⁰ So Achan answered Joshua and said, “Truly, I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel, and this is what I did: ²¹ when I saw among the spoil a beautiful mantle from Shinar and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, then I coveted them and took them; and behold, they are concealed in the earth inside my tent with the silver underneath it.”

1. Now, the process is carried out.
2. Judah is taken.
3. Family of the Zerahites and then Zabdi.
4. In verse 18 we see that Achan was taken.
5. Versed 19, Joshua says to Achan: “my son,” Joshua talks to him in a loving way. Joshua asks him to praise and glorify the Lord with his answer.
6. In verses 20-21 Achan confesses.
7. But why didn’t Achan confess earlier. Achan could have come forward way earlier. He watched the tribes get chosen one by one. He knew what was going on.
8. I like what Swindoll writes: Imagine the racing heart and pulsing blood pressure of the thief as, tribe by tribe, family by family, household by household, Joshua’s dragnet closed in on him. What could the thief have been thinking? Had he ignored the ban, he at least heard of the defeat, and he doubtless saw the funerals for those thirty-six men. He knew the penalty. “It shall be that the one who is taken with the things under the ban shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him” (7:15). The pressure mounting within the thief must have been overwhelming.^[7]
9. Now, Achan acknowledges his sin.
10. He coveted this beautiful mantle [from Babylon] and the 200 shekels of silver and bar of gold of 50 shekels in weight.
11. Achan tells where they are at.
12. I like what the Bible Backgrounds Commentary shares: The precious metals from the Canaanite cities had been assigned to the sanctuary, so Achan was taking what properly belonged to the Lord. There are five or six pounds of silver and about a pound and a half ingot of gold in Achan’s treasure trove. That represents what it would take the average worker a lifetime to earn. The Babylonian robe of this period was fringed and draped over one shoulder, with the edge carried over the arm.^[8]
13. Swindoll writes: In ancient times, a soldier was compensated by the plunder he took after victory. Normally, after a city had been taken, the soldiers were encouraged to grab all the valuables they could carry and add the spoils to their wealth. That was considered the warrior’s pay. But not in this case. Remember God’s instructions for the destruction of Jericho?[9]
14. So, Achan is caught and now there is the consequence.

1. In verses 22-26 we see the purge of sin.

²² So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was concealed in his tent with the silver underneath it. ²³ They took them from inside the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the sons of Israel, and they poured them out before the Lord. ²⁴ Then Joshua and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the mantle, the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent and all that belonged to him; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor. ²⁵ Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day.” And all Israel stoned them with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones. ²⁶ They raised over him a great heap of stones that stands to this day, and the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the valley of Achor to this day.

1. They found the stuff in his tent with silver underneath it.
2. In verse 23 they showed this to everyone.
3. Verses 24-25 show that they are stoned at the valley of Achor. They brought out:
   1. Silver
   2. Mantle

• Bar of gold

1. Sons
2. Daughters
3. Oxen

• Donkeys
• Sheep

1. His tent
2. And all that belonged to him: other things not mentioned.
3. Joshua makes a statement: “Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day.” There is a play on words because Achan means “trouble.” Joshua is saying “Why have you lived up to your name?”
4. They are stoned and then burned.
5. Remember they lost a battle and 36 people died because of Achan’s sin. He jeopardized the nation.
6. Verse 26 they made a monument.
7. The Lord turned from His anger.
8. There is something that bothers me and that is that Achan’s children are killed with him. Let me acknowledge that and give some comments right now.
9. It could be they were adult children and they were complicit. His wife could have been complicit as well.
10. It could be that the children were not supposed to be killed.
11. The Moody Bible Commentary reads:
12. Why were Achan’s sons and daughters killed? Scripture says: “Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin” (Dt 24:16 ESV). Perhaps these adult children were complicit in Achan’s crimes. With regard to the words “all that belongs to him” (v. 15), perhaps Joshua interpreted them to mean livestock and inanimate possessions as well as family. God had not, however, specified anyone other than the culprit. In the first six chapters Joshua was listening carefully to God. But in chap. 7, he was not seeking the Lord’s counsel until forward momentum had been lost. God rebuked him (7:10-15) and sent him to apprehend the culprit. Joshua did not ask the specifics of the sentencing. The traditional solution is that the children were accessories to the crime and that Joshua complied with the Lord’s directive completely (7:12-15, 24-26). As a result of this punishment, God’s anger was assuaged in the specifics; but He will “feel” more distant throughout most of the remainder of the book.[10]
13. I think that source brings out some interesting thoughts.
14. Remember though God is sovereign and He is outside of time. God knows if He allows corruption and sin to go on it will destroy that nation later on and sin does destroy the nation later on.

What can we learn, let’s apply:

1. Sin and its effects are contagious. They effect the whole community. We must recognize this and flee sin (1 Cor. 6:18).
   1. Do you really think that the pornography you look at when you are alone is only going to affect you? There are cataclysmic spiritual effects. Achan’s sin was hidden, just like yours. Repent.
   2. Do you really think those lies in your business dealings have isolated consequences? Repent.
   3. Whatever you are dealing with repent.
   4. Remember that Achan’s sin was hidden but Israel lost the battle because of it.
2. We must repent of sin immediately. Achan had opportunity to repent and he did not repent until he was found out.
3. We must recognize our sin will find us out (Numbers 32:23).
   1. I must continue with this point. I know men who have been caught looking at pornography when their wife walked in the room.
   2. I know of people who have been caught at work.
   3. By the way, it may start with small things and get bigger.
   4. The Holy Spirit is convicting you to repent.
4. The effects of sin are deadly, sometimes literally, but always deadly (verse 5).
   1. 36 men died and God spared the rest of the nation through this confrontation.
   2. I shared about churches that covered up and lied about sin. I believe that hurt those churches to this day.
   3. Sin is deadly, Jesus died for our sin.
   4. Unconfessed, condoned, ongoing sin ruins marriages, harms families, hurts society, kills businesses, churches and denominations. It is deadly.
   5. Beyond all that—sin hurts God. Sin breaks His heart. Let me remind you that we all sin, but as Christians we must repent and move on and grow up in the faith. What I am talking about is unconfessed, ongoing, patterns of sin.
   6. I mentioned pornography, but this could be any unconfessed, ongoing sin.
   7. That pattern of unconfessed anger grows until in a fit of rage you kill your dog or cat or spouse or child.
   8. That pattern of unconfessed anger grows until your children watch as you destroy the house. Your children watch as you yell at their mother cussing her out and break things like a wild animal. You flee the house in a rage while your wife and children are in a tears.
   9. Repent, get help, deal with it.
   10. It is not my intention to heap up guilt. Guilt is what the Holy Spirit gives you to convict you. It is my intention to encourage you to get help. It is my intention to remind you that Jesus wants to forgive you and help you.
   11. It could be gossip. Gossip is super deadly and it is passed down. Your children see you gossip and they do the same thing. Imagine the hurt caused by gossip. Jesus wants to forgive and He wants to help us.
5. We must seek the Lord in trouble as Joshua did in verses 6-9. We must worship the Lord as Joshua did in verses 6-9. We must be repentant as Joshua was in verses 6-9. We must understand we do not move forward except by the Lord. We do not move forward in our Christian life, or in life in general except by the Lord.
6. We must understand that there is more grace here then we realize. Achan could have repented. Further, God was preserving the rest of Israel. If He let that sin go unpunished He knows what that does to future generations.
7. The family of Achan paid the price for their sin. Some day, some 1200 years later, Jesus will pay the price for all of our sin. We must praise and worship Jesus.
8. Rejoice for God’s grace and forgiveness.
9. Realize that God cared about Israel. One reason that God cared about Israel is because eventually the Messiah came through Israel and He forgives us.

A number of years ago I was senior pastor of a church and I knew of a leader living in sin. This was someone who led the congregation in worship and thought it was okay to move in with his girlfriend. I talked to him and then another leader talked with him. We were following Matthew 18:15-17. (By the way when someone repents we must forgive. See also 2 Cor. 2). This person did not repent. He lashed out in manipulative anger. I remember running for over an hour pushing Mercedes, who was just over 1 at the time. I was trying to pray but my mind kept dwelling on worst case scenarios. I was thinking, what if the church does not support me? I realized that I must obey God. A few days later I was on another run and I was listening to Swindoll’s sermon on this very passage. Swindoll said, “Personally, I would just as soon brush aside sinful behavior and enjoy a nice dinner. I hate confronting sin. I dislike with a passion wading through the muck and mire. Yet I cannot remember a time when I chose to delay a necessary confrontation that I didn’t later regret it.”[11]Interesting that God gave me those words and that message at a time when I needed it.

Some of you are thinking we are being judgmental when we confront sin. Wrong, we are being Biblical. Plus, we are helping them. We are helping them repent and run back to Jesus. Sin is a violation to our relationship with God and when we live in sin our relationship with God is blocked because sin is against God. Look at Psalm 66:18.

Jesus wants to forgive us.

Forgiveness video clip from ignitemedia

Confess, Believe, trust, commit: Firmly make the decision to be with Him in order to become like Him and to learn and do all that He says and then arrange your affairs around Him.

prayer

^[1]Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition Notes(Biblical Studies Press, 2006), Jos 7:1.

[2]Swindoll, Charles R.. Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives (Great Lives Series) . Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

[3]Swindoll, Charles R.. Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives (Great Lives Series) . Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

^[4]Victor Harold Matthews, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), Jos 7:13.

^[5]Victor Harold Matthews, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), Jos 7:14–18.

^[6]Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible(Biblical Studies Press, 2005), Pr 16:33.

[7]Swindoll, Charles R.. Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives (Great Lives Series) . Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

^[8]Victor Harold Matthews, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), Jos 7:21.

[9]Swindoll, Charles R.. Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives (Great Lives Series) . Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

[10]The Moody Bible Commentary (Kindle Locations 12624-12628). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

[11]Swindoll, Charles R.. Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives (Great Lives Series) . Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.