THE LORD GOD CAN MAKE OUR ENEMIES BE NICE TO US

PROCLAMATION

“In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year Awel-Marduk became king of Babylon, he released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison. … He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor … and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table.”  2 Kings 25:27-29 (NIV)

                     

EXPLANATION

After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon laid seize to Jerusalem, Jehoiachin king of Judah surrendered to him and he put him in prison. (2 Kings 24:10-12)  Thirty-seven years later the new king of Babylon released Jehoiachin and was nice to him.  He even gave him a regular allowance for the rest of his life. (2 Kings 25:27-30)

APPLICATION

The Lord God can move on the heart of our enemies and cause them to be nice to us for no apparent reason.  He can use our enemies to provide blessings for us.  This unmerited favor happens only by the grace of God.  When unexpected good things happen to us, we should accept them and thank God for them.

THE FALL OF JUDAH AND JERUSALEM

PROCLAMATION

“At that time the officers of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon advanced on Jerusalem and laid siege to it, and Nebuchadnezzar himself came up to the city while his officers were besieging it.  Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his attendants, his nobles, and his officials all surrendered to him.”  2 Kings 24:10-12 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

After Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt put Josiah king of Judah in chains, took him to Egypt, and made Eliakim son Josiah the king, Necho changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. (2 Kings 23:33-37)  While he was king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded the land and he made Jehoiakim his servant.  After three years he rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar and The Lord sent Ammonite, Aramean, Babylonian and Moabite raiders against him to destroy Judah. (2 Kings 24:1-4)  Jehoiakim died and his son Jehoiachin succeeded him as king of Judah. (2 Kings 24:6)  Jehoiachin also did evil in the eyes of The Lord just as his father before him had done. (2 Kings 24:9)  Nebuchadnezzar attacked and sieged Jerusalem and took Jehoiachin, his family, and all of his officers as prisoners.  Then he took all of the gold and treasures from the temple and the palace.  He also took all of officers, fighting men, skilled workers and artisans of Jerusalem with him into exile. (2 Kings 24:12-16)  Nebuchadnezzar made Jehoiachin’s uncle Mattaniah king of Judah and changed his name to Zedekiah. (2 Kings 24:17)

APPLICATION

There is a price to pay for disobeying The Lord God, for doing evil in His sight, especially the shedding of innocent blood as Manasseh king of Judah had done. (2 Kings 24:3-4)  This is true even today.  Believers are saved but we will pay a price for our sins even though we will not lose our salvation.  Suffering will draw some closer to The Lord God, but it will harden the heart of others.  A good spanking will change the behavior of some of us while others will die before they will change.  Salvation changes us and the indwelling of The Holy Spirit of God changes our behavior and our thoughts.  We fall down but we get up.  We still commit sins, but we do not enjoy them like we used to, and we feel guilty afterwards.  We are saved by the grace of God and that grace will make us want to be more like Christ.  We have the power to grow spiritually because of His grace, but we also have free will and we must choose to follow His call, to study His Word, to fellowship with the saints, and to use our time, talent, and treasure for His benefit and glory.

ONE STEP FORWARD AND THEN TWO STEPS BACKWARDS

PROCLAMATION

“The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of The Lord, to follow The Lord and keep His commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in The Book …”  2 Kings 23:3 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

Josiah son of Amon became king of Judah after the assassination of his father. (2 Kings 21:23-24)  As king, Josiah did that which was right in the eyes of The Lord. (2 Kings 22:2)  It was during reign while the temple was being repaired that The Book of The Law was found. (2 Kings 22:8)  After The Book was read to him, he called together all of the elders, priests, and prophets of Judah and he read The Book to them. (2 Kings 23:1-2)  Then he renewed his covenant with The Lord vowing to keep all of His commands, statutes, and decrees with all of his heart and soul. (2 Kings 23:3)  He then went on a campaign to remove and destroy all of the articles of idol worship to Baal, Asherah, and all the starry hosts in and around Jerusalem.  He also did away with the idolatrous priests, the shrine prostitutes, and the high places of idol worship and incense burning. (2 Kings 23:4-15)  He slaughtered all of the idolatrous priests and ordered the people to celebrate the Passover as it was written in The Book. (2 Kings 23:20-23)  Josiah went into battle with Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt, without consulting The Lord God, and he was killed and his son Jehoahaz became king of Judah. (2 Kings 23:29-30)  Jehoahaz did evil in the eyes of The Lord.  Pharaoh Necho put him in chains, took him to Egypt, and made Eliakim son Josiah the king.  Necho changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim.  As king of Judah Jehoiakim did evil in the eyes of The Lord. (2 Kings 23:33-37)  One good king followed by two bad kings.

APPLICATION

It seems that the kings and the people of Judah would take one step forward and then follow it with two steps backwards with respect to pleasing The Lord God.  They would do that which was right in the eyes of The Lord God, then they would return to their sinful ways and do that which was evil in God’s eyes.  Before we judge the Israelites, we need to recognize that we are guilty of doing the very same thing.  We hear The Word of God, get convicted, and promise to do better.  Before too long we are back to our old sinful ways.  We need to obey God’s Word and turn from our wicked ways. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

THE BOOK OF THE LAW IS THE HOLY WORD OF GOD

PROCLAMATION

“Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have found The Book of The Law in the temple of The Lord.’  He gave it to Shaphan, who read it. … Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, ‘Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.’  And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.  When the king heard the words of The Book of The Law, he tore his robes.”  2 Kings 22:8-11 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

After the assassination of King Amon, his son Josiah became king of Judah and he did that which was right in the eyes of The Lord. (2 Kings 21:23 to 22:2)  He ordered the priest to use the money which had been entrusted to them to pay the workers who were to repair the temple. (2 Kings 22:3-7)  As work was being done on the temple, Hilkiah the high priest found The Book of The Law, the original Pentateuch, the first five Books of The Bible written by Moses. (2 Kings 22:8)  Hilkiah gave it to Shaphan the secretary who read it in the presence of the king.  Knowing the significance of The Book of The Law, Josiah the king of Judah sought the opinion of the prophet Huldah to learn the meaning of The Book for him and for the people of Judah. (2 Kings 22:12-14) 

APPLICATION

There is power in The Holy Word of God.  Reading The Word of God can change those who read it.  Reading it out loud can change those who hear it.  The Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword and it can pierce the soul and the spirit of man. (Hebrews 4:12)  We all need to read and study God’s Holy Word so that we know the truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)  We also need to become doers of The Word and not just hearers only. (James 1:22)

DON'T RETURN TO PAST EVIL WAYS

PROCLAMATION

“But the people did not listen.  Manasseh led them astray, so that they did more evil than the nations The Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.”  2 Kings 21:9 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

After the death of Hezekiah, his son Manasseh succeeded him as king of Judah. (2 Kings 20:21)  Manasseh did evil in the eyes of The Lord.  He rebuilt the high places for idol worship and incense burning that his father Hezekiah had torn down.  He also erected alters to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done.  He sacrificed his own son in the fire, sought omens, and consulted with mediums and spiritists. (2 Kings 21:2-6)    

APPLICATION

It is difficult to take someone’s belief in The Lord God seriously when they keep returning to their same old sinful ways.  While no believer is perfect, we are all still sinners. (Romans 3:23)  However, once we are saved, there is a change within us.  We become a new creature and some of the old sinful behaviors should be put behind us. (2 Corinthians 5:17)  If you are exactly the same after accepting Christ as your Savior as you were beforehand, then you should question your salvation.  Not only should you see a change in your behavior, but those around you should also see a difference in you.  The change that they see in you may help them to believe in God.  So, don’t return to your past sinful behavior, your Christian walk may be the only “Bible” that some people see or read.

A LONGER LIFE FOR DOING WHAT IS RIGHT

PROCLAMATION

“Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of My people, ‘This is what The Lord, The God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. … I will add fifteen years to your life.  And I will deliver you …”  2 Kings 20:5-6 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

Hezekiah got sick and became ill to the point of death.  The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what The Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”  After hearing this, Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed, and wept. (2 Kings 20:2-3)  Isaiah left the presence of the king but before he could get completely out of the palace, The Lord spoke to him and told him to go back to King Hezekiah and tell him that He would heal him and extend his life for fifteen more years.

APPLICATION

Hezekiah walked faithfully before The Lord with wholehearted devotion and did that which was right in the eyes of The Lord and He extended his life.  The Bible says that the days of our lives will be threescore and ten, seventy years old, but that could be lengthen or shortened. (Psalm 90:10)  The Bible also says that we can lengthen our days on earth by honoring our father and mother. (Exodus 20:12)  By honoring them we need to give them affection, reverence, esteem, obedience, and to give them assistance with the things that they need.  Hezekiah showed us that a good Christian walk can also extend our lives on earth.  We do not know the hour or the day when we will transition from labor to reward, but we now know that it is possible to get an extended stay here before we go home to heaven.

THOSE WHO DO WHAT IS RIGHT WILL STILL BE ATTACKED

PROCLAMATION

“In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. (2 Kings 18:13)

EXPLANATION

Hezekiah son of Ahaz became the king of Judah and he did that which was right in the eyes of The Lord just as David had done.  Unlike the other kings before him, Hezekiah tore down the idols and the high places for idol worship and incense burning. (2 Kings 18:1-4)  Hezekiah trusted in The Lord.  There was no one like him and The Lord was with him. (2 Kings 18:5-8)  In the fourth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, Shalmaneser king of Assyria attacked and seized Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom. (2 Kings 18:9)  In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked and captured all of the fortified cities of Judah. (2 Kings 18:13)  Initially Hezekiah offered to pay the king of Assyria to withdraw from Judah (2 Kings 18:14)  Then he went to the temple to consult with the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. (2 Kings 19:1-2)  Isaiah told him that The Lord said not to be afraid and that He will make the king of Assyria want to return to his own country. (2 Kings 19:5-7)  Then Hezekiah prayed (2 Kings 19:14-19) and Isaiah told him that The Lord heard his prayer. (2 Kings 19:20)  That night the angel of The Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand members of the Assyrian army and the king of Assyria withdrew from Judah, returned to Nineveh, and he stayed there. (2 Kings 19:35-36)

APPLICATION

Just because you are a believer, a child of The King, and a servant of The Lord, does not mean that the devil will not attack you.  In fact, believers should expect to be attacked.  The devil does not want us to do that which is good and right in the eyes of The Lord.  The people of the world will hate us because we are believers.  Jesus, The Christ, said that we would be hated by all men because of Him (Matthew 10:22) and that they hated Him before they hated us. (John 15:24)  So, when we are attacked, we should count it all as joy (James 1:2) and know that The Lord God is with us; He will never leave us, (Hebrews 13:5) and He will fight our battles. (2 Chronicles 32:8)

DO NOT WORSHIP OTHER GODS

PROCLAMATION

“When The Lord made a covenant with the Israelites, He commanded them: ‘Do not worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them.’”  2 Kings 17:35 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

When Ahaz son of Jotham was king of Judah and Hoshea son of Elah was king of Israel, and Judah had joined Israel in doing evil in the eyes of The Lord, He allowed Shalmaneser king of Assyria to attack and enslave the people of Israel and Judah. (2 Kings 17:5-6)  This happened because the Israelites had sinned against The Lord God. (2 Kings 17:7-17)  He had warned them through the prophets not to do this, and to turn from their evil ways but they would not listen. (2 Kings 17:12-14)  This was why The Lord rejected all of the people of Israel. (2 Kings 17:20)  He allowed them to be captured and taken away from their homes.  Then He let the king of Assyria bring in other people to live in the cities to replace the Israelites. (2 Kings 17:23-24)  The Lord God had commanded them not to worship, bow down to, serve, or offer sacrifices to any other god but they were stubborn and would not listen to Him.  They persisted in their sinful practices. (2 Kings 17:38-40)

APPLICATION

It is sad to admit that after all of the things that The Lord has brought us through, and the things that He has blessed us with, we still do not thank Him, praise Him, or obey Him as we should.  We only worship Him for a couple of hours, one day of the week.  The rest of the time we go on about our sinful, world-like, activities.  We put so many things ahead of Him.  While we do not call these things our gods, we “worship” them and give them the majority of our time, talent, and treasure.  If we count up the time that we spend giving The Lord God prayer, praise, and worship, and studying His Holy Word, we would be embarrassed by how little time we give Him.  Let us plan to give The Lord more of our time and let us stop worshiping the “gods” that we have placed before Him.  It is not possible to truly serve two masters. (Matthew 6:24)

DO NOT IMITATE OR FOLLOW THE WRONG PEOPLE

PROCLAMATION

“In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.  Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years.  Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of The Lord his God.”  2 Kings 16:1-2 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

While the kings of Israel in the northern section were doing evil in the eyes of The Lord, the kings of Judah in the southern section were doing that which was right in the eyes of The Lord until Ahaz became king.  Ahaz king of Judah followed the ways of the kings of Israel.  He even sacrificed his son in the fire and engaged in the detestable practices of the nations which The Lord had driven out from among the Israelites. (2 Kings 16:3) 

APPLICATION

There is a price to pay for doing that which is evil in the eyes of The Lord.  Just because our leaders are doing wrong does not mean that we have to follow in their footsteps.  We do not need to imitate or follow someone who is doing wrong.  We need to do that which is right in the eyes of The Lord.  Jesus, The Christ, told his disciples to: “Follow me.” (Matthew 4:19 and Matthew 16:24)  Today as believers we are His disciples and we should be following His example.  We should not be imitating or following the sinful people of the world.

WE WILL REAP WHAT WE SOW

PROCLAMATION

“Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah.  He attacked him in front of the people, assassinated him and succeeded him as king.”  2 Kings 15:10 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

After King Jehoash died, his son Jeroboam succeeded him as king of Israel in Samaria.  Jeroboam did evil in the eyes of The Lord. (2 Kings 14:23-24)  When Jeroboam died, his son Zechariah succeeded him as king and he also did evil in the eyes of The Lord. (2 Kings 15:8-9)  Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah.  He attacked him in front of the people, assassinated him and succeeded him as king.  This began a series of kings that did evil in the eyes of The Lord and were killed by their successor.  Menahem son of Gadi attacked Shallum, assassinated him and became king. (2 Kings 15:14)  When Menahem died, his son Pekahiah succeeded him as king. (2 Kings 15:22)  Pekah, one of the chief officers of Pekahiah, conspired against him, assassinated him and became king. (2 Kings 15:25)  Then Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah, attacked and assassinated him and became king. (2 Kings 15:30)

APPLICATION

These kings killed the king, in order to become king, and they were themselves killed by someone else who wanted to be king.  It is not good to put down others in order to get ahead.  As we sow, so shall we also reap. (Job 4:8 and Galatians 6:7)  That which we do to others, sooner or later it will be done to us.  But if we sow righteousness, we will reap blessings from The Lord. (Hosea 10:12)  Remember, the golden rule says that we should do unto others as we would have them to do unto us. (Matthew 7:12)

THE BATTLE THAT WE FIGHT WITHIN

PROCLAMATION

“They conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish, but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there.”  2 Kings 14:19 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

Amaziah son of Joash and king of Judah initially did that which was right in the eyes of The Lord. (2 Kings 14:1-4)  After he was firmly established as the king, he executed all of the officials who had murdered his father King Joash. (2 Kings 14:5)  Then he sent word to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel with a challenge: “Come, let us face each other in battle.”  In the civil war that followed, Judah was routed by Israel.  Amaziah was captured, the wall of Jerusalem was torn down, all of the gold, silver, and treasuries of the temple and the royal palace were taken, and some of the people were taken as hostages. (2 Kings 14:13-14)  After Jehoash king of Israel died, Amaziah escaped and fled to Lachish.  But his own men conspired against him and went after him.  They found him and they killed him in Lachish. Then they brought his body back to Jerusalem and buried him with his ancestors. (2 Kings 14:17-20)

APPLICATION

After the division of Israel into the northern and southern kingdoms, there were periods when they were at war with each other.  This civil war lasted for years.  Men will kill each other for ideological differences, greed, jealousy, envy, or out of anger for a perceived wrong which was done.  Today, not only do we see civil wars within countries, some of us experience civil wars within ourselves.  Like the apostle Paul, the good that we would do is sabotaged by our sinful human nature. (Romans 7:19)  The battle between good and evil within us is evidenced by our inconsistent behavior, at times we act like a child of God and other times we don’t.  Our behavior has an effect on the people and the world around us.  Let us pray for God’s help so that we do not harm others or cause them to stumble and fall into sin.

GOD IS GRACIOUS BUT THE PEOPLE STILL SIN

PROCLAMATION

“The Lord provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram.  So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before.  But they did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam …”  2 Kings 13:5-6 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

While Joash son of Ahaziah was king of Judah, the southern kingdom, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel, the northern kingdom.  Joash did that which was right in the eyes of The Lord but Jehoahaz did evil in the eyes of The Lord following the sins of Jeroboam and worshiping the golden calves. (2 Kings 13:1-2)  This caused The Lord to be angry with Israel and He allowed them to be attacked and captured by Hazael king of Aram. (2 Kings 13:3)  King Hazael severely oppressed Israel to the point where King Jehoahaz called on The Lord God for help. (2 Kings 13:4)  God heard his prayer and He graciously sent a deliverer for Israel and freed them from the king of Aram.  However, after they were freed and returned to their homes, they continued to worship the golden calves created by Jeroboam.

APPLICATION

Frequently we find ourselves in trouble because of our own sinful choices and we turn to The Lord God for His help.  We make promises to Him while we are in the midst of our troubles saying, “ Lord, if you will just get me out of this, I will do such and such.”  He hears our plea and answers our prayers, but all too often we are ungrateful and quickly return to our sinful ways instead of thanking Him and following Him.  We forget all about the promises that we made to Him.  That is why He said, “If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven …” (2 Chronicles 7:14)  Most of us can easily identify the sins of others but we don’t seem to see our own sins. (Matthew 7:3 and Luke 6:41)  We all need to recognize that we have fallen short (Romans 3:23) and ask for forgiveness.  And, we need to thank Him for getting us through the storm, as well as do a better job of following Him and obeying His word.

GIVE FOR THE UPKEEP OF THE TEMPLE

PROCLAMATION

“Let every priest receive the money from one of the treasurers, then use it to repair whatever damage is found in the temple.”  2 Kings 12:5 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

When Joash (Jehoash) became king of Israel, he did that which was right in the eyes of The Lord. (2 Kings 12:2)  He gathered all the priests together and requested that all of the money which was collected from the people be used to repair the temple. (2 Kings 12:4-5)  However, after twenty-three years no significant repair work had been done.  Then he ordered the priests to bring all of the money which was collected to him and he would see that it got to the workmen who were to repair the temple. (2 Kings 12:6-12) 

APPLICATION

All too often people complain about giving money to the church out of concern that all of their money is going to the preacher.  While some of the money which is collected does go to the man of God, the majority of the money goes to pay the bills for services which are necessary in order to keep the temple operational like the mortgage, utilities, cleaning, repairs, and upkeep.  We should not let the temple fall into disrepair.  Just like it costs to keep our homes operational, it costs to keep the church house operational.  There are also costs associated with the various outreach missions of the church.  The Lord devised a fair and equitable system whereby the members could support the financial obligations of the church by giving one tenth of all their increase. (Genesis 28:22 and Numbers 18:26)  There is an overflow of blessings in store for all believers that tithe. (Malachi 3:8-10)

GOD'S PROTECTION

PROCLAMATION

“When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family.  But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered.  She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed.”  2 Kings 11:1-2 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

After Jehu killed Joram king of Israel, he had his men to pursue Ahaziah king of Judah in order to kill him.  Ahaziah was wounded during the pursuit but he was able to escape and later died from his wounds. (2 Kings 9:27)  When his mother learned of his death she went on a rampage and attempted to kill the entire royal family.  Joash was not killed because his aunt Jehosheba kid him from Athaliah.

APPLICATION

The Lord God moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to unfold.  He protects us from hurt, harm, and dangers both seen and unseen.  There are times when He uses people in our lives to accomplish his purpose.  Our actions can be redirected by the influence of the people in our lives.  They may not be an angel 24/7 but God can us them for our benefit.  We need to thank God for the people in our lives, those that are a blessing to us and those that teach us a lesson.

GOD CAN USE ANYONE TO DO HIS WORK

PROCLAMATION

“So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel.  However, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit, the worship of golden calves at Bethel and Dan.”  2 Kings 10:28-29 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

After the prophet had anointed him king of Israel and told him that The Lord wanted him to destroy all in the house of Ahab, (2 Kings 9:1-8) Jehu got into his chariot and rode to Jezreel. (2 Kings 9:16)  When he got there, he killed Joram, king of Israel, (2 Kings 9:22-24) and Ahaziah, king of Judah. (2 Kings 9:27)  He also had Jezebel killed. (2 Kings 9:30-33)  Jehu had the seventy sons of Ahab killed, (2 Kings 10:6-8) then he killed everyone in Jezreel (2 Kings 10:11) and all of the relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah (2 Kings 10:12-14) and all the relatives of Ahab in Samaria. (2 Kings 10:17)  After that he claimed that he was going to offer a great sacrifice to Baal and summoned all of the prophets of Baal his servants and his priests, then he ordered his guards to kill all of them. (2 Kings 10:18-25)  Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel and he demolished the temple of Baal. (2 Kings 10:26-28)  However, even though Jehu was anointed king, he was not a believer and he still worshiped the golden calves.

APPLICATION

The Lord God can use anyone, believer or non-believer, to do the work that He wants done.  Just because He uses a non-believer to accomplish His purpose does not mean that the non-believer will be saved.  The Lord may even reward the non-believer for doing His work, (2 Kings 10:30-31) but that does not confer salvation onto him.  There is only one way to salvation and that is through belief in Jesus, The Christ. (John 3:16, John 14:6, and Acts 4:12)

THE ANOINTED MAN OF GOD

PROCLAMATION

“So the young prophet went to Ramoth Gilead.  When he arrived, he found the army officers sitting together. ‘I have a message for you, commander,’ he said. … Jehu got up and went into the house.  Then the prophet poured the oil on Jehu’s head and declared, ‘This is what The Lord, The God of Israel, says: I anoint you king over The Lord’s people Israel.’”  2 Kings 9:4-6 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

Elisha summoned one of the young men from the company of prophets that were with him and told him to take a flask of oil and go to Ramoth Gilead and anoint Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Israel. (2 Kings 9:1-3)  The young prophet did as Elisha had told him to do.  Jehu was to destroy the house of Ahab for all of the evil he had done in the eyes of The Lord.

APPLICATION

Not every believer is called by The Lord God to preach the gospel.  However, every believer has a purpose and has a work to do for The Lord.  Some are anointed, some are called, and some are assigned specific tasks to perform.  The Lord God can use an ordinary man to do extraordinary things.  Whoever He calls He also equips to handle the task.  If you are not sure of your God given purpose, then you need to pray and ask Him to reveal it to you.  You may want to also consult with your pastor for assistance.  None of us were born by accident, we are all part of God’s plan with a purpose to fulfill.  There is kingdom building work for all of us to do.