Text: 1 Kings 12:1-20
(Blog version of a Message Preached at Faith-Grace Vietnamese Baptist Church, Stone Mountain, GA, on 18 May 2014)
I want to talk to you about the power of choices. Someone said that all of us are the product of our own choices in life, and I believe that.
• Even if you are under someone’s authority, which most of you are, you still have choices to make. For example, you can choose to obey or disobey your parents. You can choose to listen in church or not listen. You can choose to have a good attitude, or a bad one.
• Everyone in this world, even those who we might call slaves, have the power of choice. And it’s a tremendous power. Although God is all-powerful, he still gives every one of us a free will to exercise as we wish. Wonderful, isn’t it? Yes, but also very serious.
• Our original parents, Adam and Eve, had the power of choice, but they chose to disobey God, and the world as we know it today is a product of that decision: poverty, war, disease, death…all of these came from that choice.
• But thank God someone else came into the world 2000 years ago and made this choice, “Not my will, but thine be done.” Who was that?
Here in 1 Kings 12, the new king of Israel, Rehoboam, has a big choice to make. His father, King Solomon, has died, and left a great kingdom to his son, but we find out in this chapter that Solomon put heavy burdens on his people to enjoy the fabulous wealth and power that he did. That’s what Jeroboam and the people are talking about when they say, “Thy father (i.e. Solomon) made our yoke grievous…” A “yoke” is defined as “service” in the next phrase. Farmers put yokes on cattle to attach them to plows and keep them in place to do their work. So the people are weary will the burdens that Solomon gave them and they come to the new king, led by his servant Jeroboam, to ask for relief.
So Rehoboam has a big choice to make. Will he continue to put the same burdens on the weary people that his father did, or will he lighten them at this own expense?
What I’d like to show you in this message are three things:
A. What to do when making a big choice
B. What not to do when making a big choice
C. Effects of our choices on us and on others
All of these things are covered in this passage.
A. What to do when making a big choice
1. Take time to think and pray (v. 5); Rehoboam asks for three days; it’s too serious a decision to make in just one day
2. Seek counsel from others (v. 6)
a. Group of people (Prov. 11:14)
b. Begin with older people; in family if possible
i. Older people are usually more mature and have more wisdom
ii. His father wasn’t there, so he sought people like his wise father
iii. So far so good, but the next verse is the most critical in the passage, and that’s why I centered the message on it
3. Take lower position, instead of trying to be on top
a. Old men gave him the right counsel; the outcome proves it
b. Since Solomon had demanded hard service from the people, the way to make peace was for Rehoboam to make himself a servant to them and do what they asked, instead of expecting the same service (or even more rigorous) from them that they gave his father
B. What not to do when making a big choice
1. Don’t reject counsel just because it crosses you
a. Much, if not most, of the good counsel you’ll receive in life will show you where you’re wrong or coming short and need to change
i. Prov. 6:23—the way to spiritual life is accepting reproof or correction from God and others; for example, you can’t be saved until you agree with God that you’re lost, which is very humbling, if you’re self-righteous, which many people are;
ii. 2 Tim. 4:1-2—much of preaching is negative (reprove and rebuke), and that’s why Paul said that even believers would turn away from it in the last days; when men get on TV and tell you how great you are and don’t say anything about you’re sins, they’re not preaching…they’re lying! If we’re all so good, then we don’t need a Saviour; but the fact that God did let Jesus die for us proves that we are guilty and deserve punishment
2. Don’t make a final choice before hearing all of your intended counselors (v. 8)
a. The passage doesn’t say that Rehoboam forsook the old men’s counsel after he had counseled with the younger men; he forsook it even before he went to the younger men; note where v. 8 is placed—seems like it should come after his discussion with the young men, but it doesn’t…
b. He had made up his mind that he was not going to make himself a servant to anyone; notice what he says to the young men—he emphasizes to them that the people want a lighter load; I think that he knew the character of these men, that they were immature and foolish, and that emphasizing the people’s wish for a lighter load would stir them up (he doesn’t emphasize it to the old men); it certainly does, and they foolishly counsel to stand up to the people and threaten them, instead of humbling himself before them; now, there’s a time for a king to take a stand, but this was not one of them; the old men knew this, but the young men were foolish and couldn’t tell the difference; Rehoboam follows the young men’s counsel, however, and look at the terrible results
C. Effects of our choices
1. On ourselves
a. Bring us closer or farther from God; at this point, he was serving God; afterward, he turns to false gods and commits and tolerates terrible sins
b. Bring us good name or bad name (v. 16; cf. Prov. 22:1); most of the nation loses respect for Rehoboam and his family (the house of David)
c. Bring us peace or trouble (v. 18); Rehoboam nearly loses his life by proudly denying the people’s plea and then insulting them by sending his chief tax collector, Adoram, to collect money from them
2. On others
a. Individuals can be helped or hurt; Adoram is killed when Rehoboam sends him to the angry 10 tribes; this man was simply following orders, but since Rehoboam was foolish, it cost Adoram his life
b. Groups can be helped or hurt; the older counselors lost their stature since Rehoboam ignored their advice; it’s unlikely that he’d ever consult with them again, so he not only missed the wisdom they offered here, but the rest of the wisdom he could have gained from them the rest of his reign as well
c. Nations can be helped or hurt; the kingdom of Israel is split in two, and the leaders of both divisions turn from God and their subjects follow them, with terrible results: (1) the king of Egypt invades and spoils the southern kingdom; (2) the two kingdoms fight—in one battle, the southern kingdom kills 500,000 soldiers from the northern kingdom (2 Chron. 13:17); (3) the northern kingdom never comes back to God until it’s conquered by Babylon at last and the people are carried away captive
d. All of this, because one man would not make himself servant to others! you see what a huge difference one man’s choices can make?! we’ve got to learn the necessity of serving others in life, the earlier the better; life is about serving God and others, not serving yourself; Rehoboam wanted to be served, but he ended up losing everything and carrying countless people down with him
e. Don’t follow this man! the Bible not only provides us good examples to learn from, but also bad ones, and Rehoboam is one of the bad ones; he starts out on the right track to making a good choice, but this situations shows that his heart wasn’t right, so he could not make the right choice as long as it was; what he should have done is humbled himself before the old men and the people and he could have held the kingdom together under God; instead, he puts himself before everyone and ends up losing everything and making so many others lose everything too.
f. So when you’ve got choices to make, think about how others will be affected, because they will be, whether you believe it or not
g. In conclusion, this message is mainly aimed at young people that already know the Lord; If you do, his wisdom is available to you through the word of God, the Holy Spirit, and the church (including your family, if they are saved); these resources can help you not to make selfish choices, but rather choices that will please God and bless others; if you’re not saved, however, your tendency will always be to put yourself first, since that’s the nature you’re born with; that’s why the Bible says that we need to be born again, by receiving Christ as our Saviour; when we do, we receive his nature (Holy Spirit), which enables us to deny and overcome our old nature and live for him instead of ourselves; receiving Christ is the first thing you need to do, if you hope to make the right choices in life, and I encourage you to do that today if you’ve never done so
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Sunday, May 4, 2014
The Grace of Zeal (2 Cor. 7:11)
(Slightly edited transcript of Bible study lesson taught at Landmark Baptist Church, Locust Grove, GA, on 4 May 2014.)
In this study, I would like to survey the biblical references to zeal in its three forms (zeal, zealous, and zealously). One of my previous lessons dealt with the grace of gentleness, which we saw was associated with spiritual strength. Even though zeal is quite different than gentleness, it’s also an aspect of holiness, associated with spiritual strength, and something that needs development in our spiritual lives.
INTRODUCTION
By way of introduction, let’s take a quick look at the statistics concerning usage of this word and its forms in the scriptures and establish a definition of zeal.
• Usage. This word and its forms occurs 26 times in the scriptures, 12 in .the old testament (OT) and 14 in the new testament (NT). So it’s more prevalent in the NT, comparatively. It’s also noteworthy that 11 of the 14 NT references are connected with Paul, which I don’t think is a coincidence. Paul is a great example of zeal before and after his conversion, and he also taught that zeal should characterize the life of every Christian, as we’ll see later.
• Definition. Before we proceed, though, let’s track down the definition of zeal in the English text. In 2 Cor. 7:11, Paul mentions zeal in the context of “vehement desire,” connecting it with desire. But what about vehement? What does that signify? So in order to define zeal, we must also define vehement, and so when we’re done, we’ll know the definitions to two unfamiliar words. Vehemence is connected with fire, wind, and water: (1) fire: Song 8:6, “strong…a most vehement flame”; (2) wind: Jonah 4:8, “vehement east wind…beat upon”; and (3) Luke 6:48, “the stream beat vehemently upon…” So vehemence is connected with strength, and if zeal is a vehement desire, then it’s a strong desire. But that’s not all…
• Lust is also a strong desire, isn’t it? So what’s the difference between the two? Well, I think when you consider all of the references to zeal in scripture, you’ll find that it’s a strong desire to do what one perceives to be right. I emphasize perceives, since there are examples of people in the Bible who were zealous, but they weren’t right.
• How about the two Sauls? In 2 Sam. 21:1-2, we learn that King Saul, during his reign, “sought to slay [the Gibeonites] in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah,” but he was wrong to do so, since Joshua had sworn to protect the Gibeonites for ever. Saul of Tarsus said, “Concerning zeal, persecuting the church;” (Phil. 3:6). He was doing what he perceived to be right. He told the council in Acts 23:1, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day…” and Agrippa “I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth” (Acts 26:9).
• Also, the Jews who rejected Paul’s gospel were said to “have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge” (Rom. 10:2; cf. Acts 22:3). I believe that, in context, these are Christ-rejecting Jews, since Paul says in Rom. 10:3 that they ignore and refuse to submit to God’s righteousness, which wouldn’t apply to believing kingdom saints in Israel (cf. Acts 21:20).
• So zeal is more than just a strong desire. It’s a strong desire to do what someone perceives to be right; sometimes the zeal is on target, as we’ll see, and sometimes it’s not, as we’ve already seen.
ATTRIBUTE OF GOD
So with these statistics and definition in hand, the first thing to note about zeal is that, like gentleness, it is an attribute of God. Most people, even those who don’t know God, would agree that zeal is a virtue and desirable. Any desirable human behavioral trait (kindness, fidelity, patience, etc.) can be traced back to the ultimate good, which is God. Small wonder, then, that, along with references to human zeal in the scriptures, we find references to divine zeal.
Zeal is ascribed to each member of the Godhead, though it’s clearer for the Father and Son than for the Spirit.
• Father. Zeal is ascribed to the Father in several places. One that’s probably familiar to most of my readers is Isaiah 9:7, “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” The LORD with capitals is the English form of Jehovah, which refers to the Father. In Ps. 110:1, we read, “The LORD (the Father, speaking) said unto my Lord (the Son), Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” So the Father is zealous; in context, to put his Son on the throne of the universe for ever. Amen!
• Son. Zeal is ascribed to the Lord Jesus Christ in John 2:13-17, when he purges the temple for the first time, showing that Ps. 69:9 is a Messianic reference.
• Spirit. It’s more difficult to find a reference to the Spirit’s zeal, but I think that Rev. 3:19-22 reveals it. Note in Rev. 3:19 that the Laodiceans in the tribulation are told to “be zealous therefore and repent,” and according to v. 22, it’s the Spirit that says this to them and the other churches. In my thought, the Spirit wouldn’t tell them to be zealous if he wasn’t zealous himself.
So zeal is found to be another aspect of the nature of God, with clear reference to its presence in each member of the Godhead. Zeal is one aspect of the glory and holiness of God: glorious in him, but also latent and desirable in us, because of his indwelling.
KINGDOM GRACE
The grace of zeal is evident throughout the kingdom/prophetic scriptures. Three men, in particular, exemplify it, besides the Lord (as we saw in John 2), under the kingdom program:
1. Phinehas (Num. 25:6-15). The first mention of “zealous” (not “zeal”) in scripture refers to Phinehas, Aaron’s grandson, and his execution of Zimri, prince of the Simeonites, and Cozbi, his Midianite wife. Seeing Zimri strut this sinful union before the tabernacle, where the penitent Jews were weeping over the plague in their midst, Phinehas is filled with righteous anger and a strong desire to rectify the situation, which he did…with a javelin! Since the weapons of spiritual warfare could be carnal in those days, God commends Phinehas’ zeal and promises him eternal rewards for it. Application: Holy zeal in this life can bring you eternal rewards. The Jews who stood by careless or unwilling to act did not gain the rewards that Phinehas did. Do you see the application here? The rewards go to the zealous, folks, not the lazy, careless, or indecisive.
2. Jehu (2 Kings 3:1-2; 10:16, 28-32). By a strange dispensation of grace, Jehu shows a strong desire to rid his kingdom from all Baal-worship. Jehoram, Ahab’s son “put[s] away the image of Baal that his father had made,” (2 Kings 3:1-2), but he does not rid the land of Baal worshippers, which Jehu assays to do and ultimately succeeds (2 Kings 10:28). Jehoram and Jehu both fall short, however, of full reformation, since they refuse to renounce idolatry altogether for the worship of God, cleaving to the calves of Jeroboam (2 Kings 3:3; 10:31). I see Jehu’s failure as the beginning of the end for Israel, since 10:32 says, “In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel…” If Jehu had cleaved to the LORD instead of the calves, things might have gone quite differently for Israel, but he was content with executing judgment on the house of Ahab and the Baalites, rather than “walk[ing] in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart…” (10:31a).
3. David (Ps. 69:9). In Psalm 69, David mentions his zeal for God’s house. By comparison with Ps. 119:139, which also mentions zeal, we see that “consumed” is defined as “eaten up.” There are multiple applications here. Historically, zeal for God’s house could be David’s zeal for his people, the house of God in the OT; and for the temple itself. Prophetically, this applies to Christ and his zeal for Israel and the temple (John 2:19) and the same for a saint in the great tribulation (note other Jews in 69:8).
MYSTERY GRACE
If the Godhead is living its life out through members of the body of Christ, as Paul affirms it is in various scriptures (Rom. 8:10; Gal. 2:20; and Phil. 2:13), of course zeal should characterize our walk and ministry.
1. Walk. Titus 2:14 tells us that our overall manner of life should be zealous, since Christ was so zealous to save us! Rom. 12:1 confirms this: we should present our bodies to God since Christ did the same for us. Paul commends the Corinthians believers for being “zealous of spiritual gifts” in 1 Cor. 14:12, but he encourages them to aim higher by seeking to “excel to the edifying of the church.” Since the miraculous spiritual gifts are no longer operative, our zeal today should be directed toward edifying the church with the means of grace at our disposal: scripture, music, prayer, and giving. Paul mentions zeal in connection with giving in 2 Cor. 9:2, encouraging the Corinthians that their “zeal [in giving] hath provoked very many.” But there’s one other zeal that should characterize our walk under grace, found in 2 Cor. 7:11: the zeal to make things right after conviction and repentance of sin. That’s the sense of “revenge” at the end of v. 11: not hurting someone, but setting things right about their own sin. Are these types of zeal manifest in your life? If they are, you’ll probably here about it from other people eventually. If a man love God, the same is known of him (1 Cor. 8:3). If a man is zealous, the same is known of him as well.
2. Ministry. Col. 4:12-13. Since ministry is the product of our daily fellowship with God, it follows that a zealous Christian life will produce a zealous ministry. Epaphras, the Colossian evangelist, is a fine example of this. Possibly a convert of Paul, Epaphras evangelizes his own people (Col. 1:6-8), but his ministry doesn’t stop there. He apparently leaves Colossae to see Paul in Rome (Col. 4:12) and was imprisoned at some point (Phile. 23), but it looks like he returns to Colossae, since Paul salutes him through the letter to Philemon, a Colossian. In any case, Paul witnesses his zeal for the Colossians and their neighbors in Laodicea and Hierapolis, especially through Epaphras’ intercession for these saints’ perfection. Here is something to note about Christian life and ministry: all saints should be zealous about prayer for other saints (Eph. 6:18), as well as for the lost (1 Tim. 2:1-2); and zeal in Christian ministry will include continued, fervent prayer for saints’ maturity. E.M. Bounds pounds on this in Power Through Prayer, asserting that a minister’s ministry is not complete without fervent prayer. In Col. 4:17, toward the close of this passage, Paul exhorts Archippus to fulfill his ministry, the general sense being to complete it, but on a practical note, his ministry would not be complete without the type of intercession exemplified by Epaphras.
CONCLUSION
Zeal, then, is an attribute of the Godhead and is manifest in the lives of saints in both the kingdom and mystery programs. The scriptures show Father, Son, and Holy Ghost all to be zealous by nature, and Phinehas, David, Christ, Paul, and Epaphras were zealous. Good role models, amen? Phinehas is given “the covenant of an everlasting priesthood” for his holy zeal (Num. 25:10-13) in the OT. To follow Christ and Paul in the NT is to be zealous (John 2:17; Gal. 4:18-19).
It’s noteworthy that zeal is the only noun in scripture beginning with the letter “Z.” To me, that’s not a coincidence. When all is said and done, we should be zealous, and that until the end of our lives. People talk of “youthful zeal,” and it’s true that zeal normally characterizes youth, but shouldn’t it characterize old age as well?
I’d like to close this lesson with a favorite passage on old age found in Ps. 92:12-15. I share this passage with elder brethren in Christ quite often, and although it doesn’t mention zeal specifically, I think that it’s implied. Doctrinally, it applies to the millennial kingdom, when longevity will be greatly increased, but I think that it can be spiritually applied to the body of Christ. Note esp. v. 14, “They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.” Not just some fruit, but much fruit. And much fruit comes from much zeal, normally. What’s the secret to this fruitfulness and flourishing? I think it’s found in v. 13: they are planted in the house of the LORD. They are grounded in Christ, including the church, which is the LORD’s house in this age. I think that you’ll find the most fruitful elderly folks in church, in spirit if not in body, not off by themselves. You’ll find them zealously serving others the best that they can, until they can serve no more.
Let’s be followers of our Lord, our apostle, and other great saints from both testaments by being zealous, strongly desiring to do what’s right, no matter the cost, knowing that lasting rewards await us.
In this study, I would like to survey the biblical references to zeal in its three forms (zeal, zealous, and zealously). One of my previous lessons dealt with the grace of gentleness, which we saw was associated with spiritual strength. Even though zeal is quite different than gentleness, it’s also an aspect of holiness, associated with spiritual strength, and something that needs development in our spiritual lives.
INTRODUCTION
By way of introduction, let’s take a quick look at the statistics concerning usage of this word and its forms in the scriptures and establish a definition of zeal.
• Usage. This word and its forms occurs 26 times in the scriptures, 12 in .the old testament (OT) and 14 in the new testament (NT). So it’s more prevalent in the NT, comparatively. It’s also noteworthy that 11 of the 14 NT references are connected with Paul, which I don’t think is a coincidence. Paul is a great example of zeal before and after his conversion, and he also taught that zeal should characterize the life of every Christian, as we’ll see later.
• Definition. Before we proceed, though, let’s track down the definition of zeal in the English text. In 2 Cor. 7:11, Paul mentions zeal in the context of “vehement desire,” connecting it with desire. But what about vehement? What does that signify? So in order to define zeal, we must also define vehement, and so when we’re done, we’ll know the definitions to two unfamiliar words. Vehemence is connected with fire, wind, and water: (1) fire: Song 8:6, “strong…a most vehement flame”; (2) wind: Jonah 4:8, “vehement east wind…beat upon”; and (3) Luke 6:48, “the stream beat vehemently upon…” So vehemence is connected with strength, and if zeal is a vehement desire, then it’s a strong desire. But that’s not all…
• Lust is also a strong desire, isn’t it? So what’s the difference between the two? Well, I think when you consider all of the references to zeal in scripture, you’ll find that it’s a strong desire to do what one perceives to be right. I emphasize perceives, since there are examples of people in the Bible who were zealous, but they weren’t right.
• How about the two Sauls? In 2 Sam. 21:1-2, we learn that King Saul, during his reign, “sought to slay [the Gibeonites] in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah,” but he was wrong to do so, since Joshua had sworn to protect the Gibeonites for ever. Saul of Tarsus said, “Concerning zeal, persecuting the church;” (Phil. 3:6). He was doing what he perceived to be right. He told the council in Acts 23:1, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day…” and Agrippa “I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth” (Acts 26:9).
• Also, the Jews who rejected Paul’s gospel were said to “have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge” (Rom. 10:2; cf. Acts 22:3). I believe that, in context, these are Christ-rejecting Jews, since Paul says in Rom. 10:3 that they ignore and refuse to submit to God’s righteousness, which wouldn’t apply to believing kingdom saints in Israel (cf. Acts 21:20).
• So zeal is more than just a strong desire. It’s a strong desire to do what someone perceives to be right; sometimes the zeal is on target, as we’ll see, and sometimes it’s not, as we’ve already seen.
ATTRIBUTE OF GOD
So with these statistics and definition in hand, the first thing to note about zeal is that, like gentleness, it is an attribute of God. Most people, even those who don’t know God, would agree that zeal is a virtue and desirable. Any desirable human behavioral trait (kindness, fidelity, patience, etc.) can be traced back to the ultimate good, which is God. Small wonder, then, that, along with references to human zeal in the scriptures, we find references to divine zeal.
Zeal is ascribed to each member of the Godhead, though it’s clearer for the Father and Son than for the Spirit.
• Father. Zeal is ascribed to the Father in several places. One that’s probably familiar to most of my readers is Isaiah 9:7, “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” The LORD with capitals is the English form of Jehovah, which refers to the Father. In Ps. 110:1, we read, “The LORD (the Father, speaking) said unto my Lord (the Son), Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” So the Father is zealous; in context, to put his Son on the throne of the universe for ever. Amen!
• Son. Zeal is ascribed to the Lord Jesus Christ in John 2:13-17, when he purges the temple for the first time, showing that Ps. 69:9 is a Messianic reference.
• Spirit. It’s more difficult to find a reference to the Spirit’s zeal, but I think that Rev. 3:19-22 reveals it. Note in Rev. 3:19 that the Laodiceans in the tribulation are told to “be zealous therefore and repent,” and according to v. 22, it’s the Spirit that says this to them and the other churches. In my thought, the Spirit wouldn’t tell them to be zealous if he wasn’t zealous himself.
So zeal is found to be another aspect of the nature of God, with clear reference to its presence in each member of the Godhead. Zeal is one aspect of the glory and holiness of God: glorious in him, but also latent and desirable in us, because of his indwelling.
KINGDOM GRACE
The grace of zeal is evident throughout the kingdom/prophetic scriptures. Three men, in particular, exemplify it, besides the Lord (as we saw in John 2), under the kingdom program:
1. Phinehas (Num. 25:6-15). The first mention of “zealous” (not “zeal”) in scripture refers to Phinehas, Aaron’s grandson, and his execution of Zimri, prince of the Simeonites, and Cozbi, his Midianite wife. Seeing Zimri strut this sinful union before the tabernacle, where the penitent Jews were weeping over the plague in their midst, Phinehas is filled with righteous anger and a strong desire to rectify the situation, which he did…with a javelin! Since the weapons of spiritual warfare could be carnal in those days, God commends Phinehas’ zeal and promises him eternal rewards for it. Application: Holy zeal in this life can bring you eternal rewards. The Jews who stood by careless or unwilling to act did not gain the rewards that Phinehas did. Do you see the application here? The rewards go to the zealous, folks, not the lazy, careless, or indecisive.
2. Jehu (2 Kings 3:1-2; 10:16, 28-32). By a strange dispensation of grace, Jehu shows a strong desire to rid his kingdom from all Baal-worship. Jehoram, Ahab’s son “put[s] away the image of Baal that his father had made,” (2 Kings 3:1-2), but he does not rid the land of Baal worshippers, which Jehu assays to do and ultimately succeeds (2 Kings 10:28). Jehoram and Jehu both fall short, however, of full reformation, since they refuse to renounce idolatry altogether for the worship of God, cleaving to the calves of Jeroboam (2 Kings 3:3; 10:31). I see Jehu’s failure as the beginning of the end for Israel, since 10:32 says, “In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel…” If Jehu had cleaved to the LORD instead of the calves, things might have gone quite differently for Israel, but he was content with executing judgment on the house of Ahab and the Baalites, rather than “walk[ing] in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart…” (10:31a).
3. David (Ps. 69:9). In Psalm 69, David mentions his zeal for God’s house. By comparison with Ps. 119:139, which also mentions zeal, we see that “consumed” is defined as “eaten up.” There are multiple applications here. Historically, zeal for God’s house could be David’s zeal for his people, the house of God in the OT; and for the temple itself. Prophetically, this applies to Christ and his zeal for Israel and the temple (John 2:19) and the same for a saint in the great tribulation (note other Jews in 69:8).
MYSTERY GRACE
If the Godhead is living its life out through members of the body of Christ, as Paul affirms it is in various scriptures (Rom. 8:10; Gal. 2:20; and Phil. 2:13), of course zeal should characterize our walk and ministry.
1. Walk. Titus 2:14 tells us that our overall manner of life should be zealous, since Christ was so zealous to save us! Rom. 12:1 confirms this: we should present our bodies to God since Christ did the same for us. Paul commends the Corinthians believers for being “zealous of spiritual gifts” in 1 Cor. 14:12, but he encourages them to aim higher by seeking to “excel to the edifying of the church.” Since the miraculous spiritual gifts are no longer operative, our zeal today should be directed toward edifying the church with the means of grace at our disposal: scripture, music, prayer, and giving. Paul mentions zeal in connection with giving in 2 Cor. 9:2, encouraging the Corinthians that their “zeal [in giving] hath provoked very many.” But there’s one other zeal that should characterize our walk under grace, found in 2 Cor. 7:11: the zeal to make things right after conviction and repentance of sin. That’s the sense of “revenge” at the end of v. 11: not hurting someone, but setting things right about their own sin. Are these types of zeal manifest in your life? If they are, you’ll probably here about it from other people eventually. If a man love God, the same is known of him (1 Cor. 8:3). If a man is zealous, the same is known of him as well.
2. Ministry. Col. 4:12-13. Since ministry is the product of our daily fellowship with God, it follows that a zealous Christian life will produce a zealous ministry. Epaphras, the Colossian evangelist, is a fine example of this. Possibly a convert of Paul, Epaphras evangelizes his own people (Col. 1:6-8), but his ministry doesn’t stop there. He apparently leaves Colossae to see Paul in Rome (Col. 4:12) and was imprisoned at some point (Phile. 23), but it looks like he returns to Colossae, since Paul salutes him through the letter to Philemon, a Colossian. In any case, Paul witnesses his zeal for the Colossians and their neighbors in Laodicea and Hierapolis, especially through Epaphras’ intercession for these saints’ perfection. Here is something to note about Christian life and ministry: all saints should be zealous about prayer for other saints (Eph. 6:18), as well as for the lost (1 Tim. 2:1-2); and zeal in Christian ministry will include continued, fervent prayer for saints’ maturity. E.M. Bounds pounds on this in Power Through Prayer, asserting that a minister’s ministry is not complete without fervent prayer. In Col. 4:17, toward the close of this passage, Paul exhorts Archippus to fulfill his ministry, the general sense being to complete it, but on a practical note, his ministry would not be complete without the type of intercession exemplified by Epaphras.
CONCLUSION
Zeal, then, is an attribute of the Godhead and is manifest in the lives of saints in both the kingdom and mystery programs. The scriptures show Father, Son, and Holy Ghost all to be zealous by nature, and Phinehas, David, Christ, Paul, and Epaphras were zealous. Good role models, amen? Phinehas is given “the covenant of an everlasting priesthood” for his holy zeal (Num. 25:10-13) in the OT. To follow Christ and Paul in the NT is to be zealous (John 2:17; Gal. 4:18-19).
It’s noteworthy that zeal is the only noun in scripture beginning with the letter “Z.” To me, that’s not a coincidence. When all is said and done, we should be zealous, and that until the end of our lives. People talk of “youthful zeal,” and it’s true that zeal normally characterizes youth, but shouldn’t it characterize old age as well?
I’d like to close this lesson with a favorite passage on old age found in Ps. 92:12-15. I share this passage with elder brethren in Christ quite often, and although it doesn’t mention zeal specifically, I think that it’s implied. Doctrinally, it applies to the millennial kingdom, when longevity will be greatly increased, but I think that it can be spiritually applied to the body of Christ. Note esp. v. 14, “They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.” Not just some fruit, but much fruit. And much fruit comes from much zeal, normally. What’s the secret to this fruitfulness and flourishing? I think it’s found in v. 13: they are planted in the house of the LORD. They are grounded in Christ, including the church, which is the LORD’s house in this age. I think that you’ll find the most fruitful elderly folks in church, in spirit if not in body, not off by themselves. You’ll find them zealously serving others the best that they can, until they can serve no more.
Let’s be followers of our Lord, our apostle, and other great saints from both testaments by being zealous, strongly desiring to do what’s right, no matter the cost, knowing that lasting rewards await us.
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Is Christ our Master?
Although the title "Master" is only given to Christ twice in Paul's epistles (Eph. 6:9; Col. 4:1), it is not unscriptural for us to regard Christ as our master for a few reasons: (1) we are servants of God, as well as sons, in the sense that we are called to do his will (Rom. 6:22; 12:1, 11); and (2) Master is very similar in sense to "Lord" (cf. Mt. 10:24; John 13:13-14).
In both passages where Paul uses "Master" as a title for Christ, he is reminding earthly masters that they are under authority to a heavenly Master, the Lord Christ (Col. 3:24). It's not only Christian masters, however, that have Christ as Master, but rather all saints. I think that this title may not be used as much since the title "Lord" magnifies Christ's Deity more.
But it's perfectly fine for a believer to refer to the Lord this way, even in a devotional sense. "Master" was Frances Ridley Havergal's favourite title for Christ, and you can find this title in her hymns ("Master, speak! Thy servant heareth") and writings (Kept for the Master's Use). This reminded me of another use of "master" in reference to Christ, though not as a title, in 2 Timothy 2:21, "If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work." What a blessing to be under this Master and not the cruel ones that preceded him (Acts 26:18; Rom. 6:17; Eph. 2:2)!
In both passages where Paul uses "Master" as a title for Christ, he is reminding earthly masters that they are under authority to a heavenly Master, the Lord Christ (Col. 3:24). It's not only Christian masters, however, that have Christ as Master, but rather all saints. I think that this title may not be used as much since the title "Lord" magnifies Christ's Deity more.
But it's perfectly fine for a believer to refer to the Lord this way, even in a devotional sense. "Master" was Frances Ridley Havergal's favourite title for Christ, and you can find this title in her hymns ("Master, speak! Thy servant heareth") and writings (Kept for the Master's Use). This reminded me of another use of "master" in reference to Christ, though not as a title, in 2 Timothy 2:21, "If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work." What a blessing to be under this Master and not the cruel ones that preceded him (Acts 26:18; Rom. 6:17; Eph. 2:2)!
Friday, April 25, 2014
Jeroboam's Industry
The word "industrious" appears only one time in the Authorized Version (1 Kings 11:28), ironically in connection with Jeroboam, Solomon's servant, a strong type of antichrist (see A.W. Pink's The Antichrist and P.S. Ruckman's The Mark of the Beast for further details). Reading through this passage recently, I asked myself, "How was he industrious?"; and I was delighted to find that the context, true to its name, provides the context of his industry.
Jeroboam is introduced in v. 26 as Solomon's servant and adversary, but notice the shift in v. 27 to the past, viz., a building project of Solomon's. It was here, in the construction of Millo and repair of "the breaches of the city of David his father," that Jeroboam demonstrates his industry, I believe, as well as in his military service (v. 28), distinguishing himself as a mighty man of valour. So he's not just a good fighter, but also a good worker, and he wins Solomon's confidence, being promoted to "rule over all the charge of the house of Joseph," which likely included all of the tribes except Judah and perhaps Benjamin (which does not follow him when he leads ten tribes to secession). A badge of his promotion is his "new garment," a signficant expense in those days.
Industry can be a good thing, of couse (Prov. 22:29), but a wise man once said, "Beware the barrenness of a busy life." Jeroboam's life shows that hard work and valour are not enough: God wants a pure heart above all (Mt. 5:8; 1 Tim. 1:4; 2 Tim. 2:22; 1 Pt. 1:22; etc.). I'll close with a placard that I have in my home, "Hands to work, hearts to God."
Jeroboam is introduced in v. 26 as Solomon's servant and adversary, but notice the shift in v. 27 to the past, viz., a building project of Solomon's. It was here, in the construction of Millo and repair of "the breaches of the city of David his father," that Jeroboam demonstrates his industry, I believe, as well as in his military service (v. 28), distinguishing himself as a mighty man of valour. So he's not just a good fighter, but also a good worker, and he wins Solomon's confidence, being promoted to "rule over all the charge of the house of Joseph," which likely included all of the tribes except Judah and perhaps Benjamin (which does not follow him when he leads ten tribes to secession). A badge of his promotion is his "new garment," a signficant expense in those days.
Industry can be a good thing, of couse (Prov. 22:29), but a wise man once said, "Beware the barrenness of a busy life." Jeroboam's life shows that hard work and valour are not enough: God wants a pure heart above all (Mt. 5:8; 1 Tim. 1:4; 2 Tim. 2:22; 1 Pt. 1:22; etc.). I'll close with a placard that I have in my home, "Hands to work, hearts to God."
Stopping the Mouths of Lions
In Heb. 11:33, we read that certain of "the elders" (v. 2) "stopped the mouths of lions." In context, this may refer to more than Daniel's night in the lions' den (Dan. 6), since both Samson and David are mentioned in this passage, both of whom slew lions (Judg. 14:5-6; 1 Sam. 17:34-37), along with Benaiah, the captain of David's guard (2 Sam. 23:20, 23).
While the lion slayers all have help from God, even miraculous help (Judg. 14:6), there are two instances where God literally stops lions' mouths from devouring things fully in their power, even before the millenial reign, when they will all "eat straw like the ox" (Is. 11:7). The first I've already mentioned above: Daniel's night in the lions' den. Not Dan. 6:22, where the language is nearly exactly the same as that in Heb. 11:33, "My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths..." A genuine miracle, since two verses later these same beasts break all the bones of Daniel's false accusers and their families "or ever they came at the bottom of the den" (v. 24). In other words, they charge, leap on, and overcome these newcomers quickly, true to their ferocious nature (Gen. 49:9; Deut. 33:22).
But what is the second instance? Remember the man of God who was sent to prophesy against the altar that Jeroboam had erected at Bethel (1 Kings 13:1-6)? Remember his fate: slain by a lion for disobeying the word of the LORD (13:20-26)? Did you notice what the lion didn't do after slaying the man? (1) he didn't devour the man; (2) even more remarkable, he didn't devour the ass that the prophet was riding on! Another genuine miracle and demonstration of God's power, even over the "strongest among beasts" (Prov. 30:30)!
One more thought on stopping the mouths of lions. All of these passages are found in the prophetic/Hebrew scriptures (Hebrews is not written to the body of Christ, which is "neither Jew nor Greek"; cf. Gal. 3:28). But even Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles in the church age, is "delivered out of the mouth of the lion," in some sense, during his second imprisonment in Rome (2 Tim. 4:17). I take this literally, i.e. that he could have been thrown to the lions immediately, upon preaching (v. 17) to Caesar, but the Lord spared him that. Tradition has Paul being beheaded, I believe, certainly a less painful way to die than being torn by lions!
In conclusion, then, God has no trouble at all taming lions, the strongest among beasts, nor for that matter, commanding whales, the largest of beasts (Jonah; Mt. 12:40). "God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God" (Ps. 62:11).
While the lion slayers all have help from God, even miraculous help (Judg. 14:6), there are two instances where God literally stops lions' mouths from devouring things fully in their power, even before the millenial reign, when they will all "eat straw like the ox" (Is. 11:7). The first I've already mentioned above: Daniel's night in the lions' den. Not Dan. 6:22, where the language is nearly exactly the same as that in Heb. 11:33, "My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths..." A genuine miracle, since two verses later these same beasts break all the bones of Daniel's false accusers and their families "or ever they came at the bottom of the den" (v. 24). In other words, they charge, leap on, and overcome these newcomers quickly, true to their ferocious nature (Gen. 49:9; Deut. 33:22).
But what is the second instance? Remember the man of God who was sent to prophesy against the altar that Jeroboam had erected at Bethel (1 Kings 13:1-6)? Remember his fate: slain by a lion for disobeying the word of the LORD (13:20-26)? Did you notice what the lion didn't do after slaying the man? (1) he didn't devour the man; (2) even more remarkable, he didn't devour the ass that the prophet was riding on! Another genuine miracle and demonstration of God's power, even over the "strongest among beasts" (Prov. 30:30)!
One more thought on stopping the mouths of lions. All of these passages are found in the prophetic/Hebrew scriptures (Hebrews is not written to the body of Christ, which is "neither Jew nor Greek"; cf. Gal. 3:28). But even Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles in the church age, is "delivered out of the mouth of the lion," in some sense, during his second imprisonment in Rome (2 Tim. 4:17). I take this literally, i.e. that he could have been thrown to the lions immediately, upon preaching (v. 17) to Caesar, but the Lord spared him that. Tradition has Paul being beheaded, I believe, certainly a less painful way to die than being torn by lions!
In conclusion, then, God has no trouble at all taming lions, the strongest among beasts, nor for that matter, commanding whales, the largest of beasts (Jonah; Mt. 12:40). "God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God" (Ps. 62:11).
Sunday, April 20, 2014
The Conversion of the Queen of Sheba
In reading this chapter (1 Kings 10) today, I was struck by the phrase "concerning the name of the LORD" appended to "the fame of Solomon," and it impressed me that this passage deals with the queen of Sheba's conversion, not just a political enquiry.
I believe that the queen of Sheba came to Solomon as a seeker (cf. Mt. 12:42) regarding the LORD, not just to see how great Solomon himself was. Note that (1) the context of the "hard questions" that she proved Solomon with was "the name of the LORD" (v. 1); and (2) her conference with Solomon ends with her blessing the LORD (v. 9). She arrives with "spirit" (v. 5) to prove Solomon regarding the LORD, but loses that spirit after communing with Solomon (v. 2) and seeing the prosperity and glory given him by the God he worships (vv. 4-5; note the reference to "the LORD" in v. 5 along with those in vv. 1, 9). Note also Christ's reference to her in Mt. 12:42, in the context of vv. 38-42. That she was converted is implied, I believe, by comparison with v. 41, which mentions the Ninevites repentance under the preaching of Jonah. So the context here is repenting (or not repenting, in the case of Israel in Christ's day), and the queen of Sheba, which was located to the distant south of Israel (v. 42, "the south...the uttermost parts of the earth"), is included. It seems that she repented of her doubts regarding the LORD through her interview with Solomon and seeing the LORD's glory in his kingdom.
I guess, in a sense, we could call Solomon a "soul winner" (cf. Prov. 11:30, one of his own utterances) in this scene from his reign.
I believe that the queen of Sheba came to Solomon as a seeker (cf. Mt. 12:42) regarding the LORD, not just to see how great Solomon himself was. Note that (1) the context of the "hard questions" that she proved Solomon with was "the name of the LORD" (v. 1); and (2) her conference with Solomon ends with her blessing the LORD (v. 9). She arrives with "spirit" (v. 5) to prove Solomon regarding the LORD, but loses that spirit after communing with Solomon (v. 2) and seeing the prosperity and glory given him by the God he worships (vv. 4-5; note the reference to "the LORD" in v. 5 along with those in vv. 1, 9). Note also Christ's reference to her in Mt. 12:42, in the context of vv. 38-42. That she was converted is implied, I believe, by comparison with v. 41, which mentions the Ninevites repentance under the preaching of Jonah. So the context here is repenting (or not repenting, in the case of Israel in Christ's day), and the queen of Sheba, which was located to the distant south of Israel (v. 42, "the south...the uttermost parts of the earth"), is included. It seems that she repented of her doubts regarding the LORD through her interview with Solomon and seeing the LORD's glory in his kingdom.
I guess, in a sense, we could call Solomon a "soul winner" (cf. Prov. 11:30, one of his own utterances) in this scene from his reign.
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: Prophets, Priests, and Kings
My inspiration for this study comes from Ps. 105:8-15, especially v. 15. The context of this passage is the covenant that God made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Abramic Covenant; cf. Gen. 12-13, 15, 17, 22). So the antecedent of "mine anointed" and "my prophets" in v. 15 is these three patriarchs. I would like to now offer scriptural support that these men were not only prophets, but also priests and kings, making them all, perhaps, types of the Lord Jesus Christ to varying degrees, the ultimate prophet-priest-king (Deut. 18:18; Ps. 110:4; Rev. 1:5-6).
1. Prophets. (a) God calls Abraham a prophet in Gen. 20:7, even after he lies to Abimelech about Sarah. I think that an example of Abraham prophesying is found in Gen. 25:22-23, where Rebekah goes to enquire of the LORD. Abraham was still alive at this time (he fathers Isaac at 100, Jacob and Esau are born when he's 160, and he dies at 175; cf. Gen. 25:7, 20, 26), and was there really a need for Rebekah to go to anyone else, since her father-in-law was a prophet? Melchizedek was a king-priest (Gen. 14:18), but not said to be a prophet. (b) Isaac prophesies in Gen. 27:27-29, 37-40 concerning the futures of Jacob and Esau (Heb. 11:20). (c) Jacob prophesies concerning Joseph's sons, Manasseh and Ephraim (Gen. 48:14-20; Heb. 11:21), and then concerning his own twelve sons (Gen. 49).
2. Priests. Even though Melchizedek is called "the priest of the most high God" (Gen. 14:18), I would assert that priesthood was not limited to him at this point. Each of the patriarchs serve as priests of their households, with each of them building altars and offering sacrifices at various points in their lives (cf. Gen. 12:8, 13:4, 15:9-11, 22:1-19 (Abraham); 26:15 (Isaac); Gen. 33:20, 35:7 (Jacob)). Furthermore, the Levitical priesthood springs from the patriarchs (Heb. 7:9-11), rather than Melchizedek, whose priesthoood is distinctive from the Levitical, according to both testaments (Ps. 110:4; Heb. 5, 7).
3. Kings. This office may not stand out like the others do, but there is scripture to support it. When God called Abram in Gen. 11-12, he effectually made him the king of the world, since the fate of "all families of the earth" depended on their treatment of Abram, making him, effectually, their head (Gen. 12:1-3). Paul refers to Abraham as the "heir of the world" in Rom. 4:13, and Moses tells the Israelites in Deut. 4:40 that God gave them "the earth...for ever." Hence the reference (perhaps indirect) to part of the underworld as "Abraham's bosom" (Luke 16:23), since the earth was given to Abraham. So Abraham was "a king without a throne," as we say. Finally, in Ps. 105:14-15, we see the royalty of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob mentioned, since they are referred to as "mine anointed" in contrast to the "kings" in v. 14 (remember King Saul, "the LORD's anointed"; cf. 1 Sam. 24:5-6). Granted, anointing was also connected with the prophetic (1 Kings 19:16) and priestly (Lev. 6:20, Num. 35:25) offices, but in context "mine anointed" obviously speaks of their royalty and, perhaps, secondarily, of their prophetic office.
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were so much more than wandering shepherds, weren't they?!
1. Prophets. (a) God calls Abraham a prophet in Gen. 20:7, even after he lies to Abimelech about Sarah. I think that an example of Abraham prophesying is found in Gen. 25:22-23, where Rebekah goes to enquire of the LORD. Abraham was still alive at this time (he fathers Isaac at 100, Jacob and Esau are born when he's 160, and he dies at 175; cf. Gen. 25:7, 20, 26), and was there really a need for Rebekah to go to anyone else, since her father-in-law was a prophet? Melchizedek was a king-priest (Gen. 14:18), but not said to be a prophet. (b) Isaac prophesies in Gen. 27:27-29, 37-40 concerning the futures of Jacob and Esau (Heb. 11:20). (c) Jacob prophesies concerning Joseph's sons, Manasseh and Ephraim (Gen. 48:14-20; Heb. 11:21), and then concerning his own twelve sons (Gen. 49).
2. Priests. Even though Melchizedek is called "the priest of the most high God" (Gen. 14:18), I would assert that priesthood was not limited to him at this point. Each of the patriarchs serve as priests of their households, with each of them building altars and offering sacrifices at various points in their lives (cf. Gen. 12:8, 13:4, 15:9-11, 22:1-19 (Abraham); 26:15 (Isaac); Gen. 33:20, 35:7 (Jacob)). Furthermore, the Levitical priesthood springs from the patriarchs (Heb. 7:9-11), rather than Melchizedek, whose priesthoood is distinctive from the Levitical, according to both testaments (Ps. 110:4; Heb. 5, 7).
3. Kings. This office may not stand out like the others do, but there is scripture to support it. When God called Abram in Gen. 11-12, he effectually made him the king of the world, since the fate of "all families of the earth" depended on their treatment of Abram, making him, effectually, their head (Gen. 12:1-3). Paul refers to Abraham as the "heir of the world" in Rom. 4:13, and Moses tells the Israelites in Deut. 4:40 that God gave them "the earth...for ever." Hence the reference (perhaps indirect) to part of the underworld as "Abraham's bosom" (Luke 16:23), since the earth was given to Abraham. So Abraham was "a king without a throne," as we say. Finally, in Ps. 105:14-15, we see the royalty of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob mentioned, since they are referred to as "mine anointed" in contrast to the "kings" in v. 14 (remember King Saul, "the LORD's anointed"; cf. 1 Sam. 24:5-6). Granted, anointing was also connected with the prophetic (1 Kings 19:16) and priestly (Lev. 6:20, Num. 35:25) offices, but in context "mine anointed" obviously speaks of their royalty and, perhaps, secondarily, of their prophetic office.
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were so much more than wandering shepherds, weren't they?!
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