Got to Have Hope - 2 Kings 18:28-32; 19:5-7,15-19

I do not like the word hopeless and only remember a couple of times in life when things really seemed that way to me. In 1943, the war was raging and I volunteered for the Air Corps, knowing that as a graduating senior I would have to go. I was turned down and placed in classification 4-F, and really thought that I was safe from the draft. Juanita and I got married in April of 44. In August, 44, I got my summoned to appear for the Infantry, and was drafted, and ordered to report for duty in 30 days. That was my first hopeless day.

In October, 1946, I sustained a back injury and entered Kennedy Hospital in Memphis. In April, 6 months and 5 days later I returned home to a wife and one daughter, unable to work, and was sitting in a swing on my front porch watching traffic pass by. I felt hopeless. Within the next two years every thing changed. God chose to reveal his love to me in a personal way. For the first time in my life I walked into the presence of God, not as a boy brought up in a Christian home, but I had become a Christian, Joined First Baptist Church, finished 72 hr. of college work, and had my first teaching job. When you have no hope, Christ is the answer.

The lesson this week is intended to help us rely on the saving power of Almighty God even when we are in what appears to be a seemingly hopeless situation. Jesus Christ has packed the New Testament with a bundle of promises that are ours for the asking—if we will only believe. I HOPE that I can show you just how easy it is to place your HOPE in Christ the Lord who never fails you. He even knows the number of hairs on your head.

U-Turn Here—and Now! - 2 Kings 17:5-9a,13-15,18-20

In recent lessons we have discussed the problem in America concerning homosexuality, same sex marriages, and abortion, all are sinful in the sight of God. All are sinful because they defy the will of God regarding the family and God’s reason for creating both man and woman and establishing the proper relationships they should maintain. We must realize that it is just as sinful and also hypocritical for anyone to condemn these people, while they are married and at the same time are involved in extra-marital relationships; committing adultery, and causing their partner to be adulators as well.

Our lesson this Sunday is regarding the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Because God loved these people He sent his prophets to warn them, but they adamantly refused to repent of their sins; and it ultimately resulted in the demise of the entre kingdom. Had they repented of their sins, God would have protected them against their enemies and the nation would have been saved. It was their refusal to repent and serve Him that brought His final judgment. Our goal in the lesson today is to examine our own attitudes and actions that are against God’s will and seek forgiveness before His judgment falls on us. No lesson has ever had a title that fit America any better than this one does. This country needs to make a quick U-TURN HERE AND NOW.

Space and time prevents the listing of all related scripture; however, it is necessary for you to know what God says in his word regarding sin and its consequences. Just remember that there is always a pay-day some-day. Please read the background and lesson passages as listed above in the heading. The Israelites refused to listen to the priest sent to warn them and persisted in their sins, and the punishment included the total destruction of their country. This lesson is a warning that is applicable to us today in America and in my opinion we are following the same destructive path that they traveled.

The central story related throughout both first and second Kings has always been regarding the one important issue; God’s claim for loyalty. The list of their sins is long and regarding many things but the cause for God’s indictment was basically the breaking of the first commandment; “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me” [Exod. 20: 2-3].

We have come to the third and final invasion of Assyria into Israel [The first two are recorded in the 15^th chapter, verses 19 and 29, and the people should have learned from them—but didn’t.] This time they were taken captive and moved to other nations, and replaced by foreigners. God did what he had warned that he would do in Deuteronomy 28. He had given Israel ample warning, but they still ignored God and went their own way. Their challenge was to honor God and be a light to the world. Their failure resulted in the birth of Christ and his redemptive power nearly 6000 years later.

Israel’s judgment came because the people copied the evil customs of the other evil nations surrounding them, worshiping false gods, accommodating pagan customs, and following their own selfish desires. It is not safe to create your own religion because it creates selfishness. Living selfishly always brings serious consequences from God. It is not easy to always put God and others first; however you can either live for God or die for yourself. What God thinks is much more important than what others think of you—see: Romans 12: 1-2, and 1 John 2: 15-17.

See 2 Kings 17: 9-15, sins are both public and private, wickedness and idolatry in public, and private sins that people do not want others to know about. God always knows what people believe and what they are doing. God’s mercy and patience are always beyond our ability to understand. He will constantly pursue us until we respond or by our own choice [each person must accept or reject God’s mercy], become unreachable. His judgment is swift and sure. My choice, your choice, America’s choice is to do a U-TURN to God before our sinful ways and stubbornness puts us out of His reach. The bible teaches us that “God’s spirit will NOT always strive with man.” He does have a limit, beyond which He will not hear our prayers.

Far too many Americans are willing to compromise their faith by participating in interfaith worship where it is admissible to pray to God, but the name of Christ cannot be mentioned. There are some religious leaders today that say that our belief that Jesus Christ is the Only Way can be compared to the terrorist of September 11, who believe that their religion is the only way. I sense a movement in America [to my sorrow condoned by the main-stream media] to embrace a pervasive tolerance that would finally rule our belief in one God as being arrogant and even oppressive. It is our place as Christians not to condemn or oppress, but to present an open invitation, to all that will believe, to come to Christ. Those who support the “one church” idea must remember that God demands exclusive loyalty, and Jesus Christ plainly told us that He alone—“is the Only Way to the Father.

I realize that there is a need for Christians to accept and extend a helping hand to others, because there will always be diversity, and we must share Christ with the world. We also must be carefully aware that the religious confusion in our society today bears a close resemblance to the conditions in Samaria 600 years BC, as described in the lesson for today. They paid a price, and it was the complete loss of their country. A corrupt view of God and corrupted practice of worship will lead any nation to destruction.

How did early America, the weakest nation on earth, sustain against some of the strongest nations, England, France, and Spain? I know! Our soldiers with bare feet, wrapped in paper and cloth, bleeding as they crossed the Delaware, were successful because of a profound belief in God and conviction that they were right. The founders of this nation called on God for His protection and help in every document that was written including our constitution. We need a U-TURN back to those same beliefs and practices.

We can not afford to compromise our faith because it leads to further compromise and corruption. God will not accept, or even tolerate, anything less than exclusive loyalty to Him; and there is no doubt that we become what we worship. We must guard our hearts against anything that compromises the truth of God, and our biblically based convictions. I truly believe that our greatest threat in America today is the temptation of the masses to syncretism—a combination of different forms of beliefs and practices, many of which have ignored our Creator. God bless America!

I invite you to worship in my church next Sunday. Make sure that you go to the church of your choice and worship regularly. Even more importantly, make sure that the teachings of the church you attend is that there is only one God, one faith, and one baptism; and that salvation is by grace, through faith in Christ Jesus. Christianity is not a religion; it is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. In order to be born again, you must believe in Jesus, repent of your sins, and invite Him to come into your heart and live through you.

Danger! Unbridled Passion - 2 Kings 9 -10

There are two unbridled passions in our country today that would require a nation-wide poll directed by competent and unbiased experts, to determine which is the most deadly; is it sex or religion? These are not new problems. For example, uncontrolled sexual desire cost King David his reputation and came back to haunt him the rest of his life. His son, Saul, followed in his father’s foot steps; his desire for foreign women resulted in his worship of other gods. His example illustrates both of the problems, sex and religion. Jezebel’s religion [worship of false gods] cost the earthly lives of many who refused to bow to her gods; and also condemned for eternity those that worshipped along with her.

In America today, the growing passion for sexually oriented activity is no longer restricted to late night television. Even the advertising of necessities like food and clothing now exploit the minds of young people during prime time. There are only a very few movies made, or modern music written that does not use explicit sexual references. There may be as many false religions in our country today as there were false gods worshipped in the days of the Kings.

The numbers of cult leaders have grown rapidly, many during my life time. Their congregations have a sincere passion to follow the leader; their passion is so great that some have taken their own lives. We are made to wonder; and it is a question we do not desire to answer—would we give up our life rather than to deny Christ? We, all must realize that Christianity is a relationship and is not a religion.

The nature of man is somewhat like that of the animal cat family. They seek out a dominant leader and follow him until he is old, weak and replaced by a new lion king, and their mind is never aware that there is a higher power. Man develops a zeal or passion to follow the leader and not the will of God. We must remember that zeal or passion—even for the Lord is not an acceptable substitute for obedience of the Lord. I am very concerned that some Baptist relies too heavily on their sincere belief in the security of the believer. The doctrine is biblically sound and I believe it. However, I also know that Christ said that any man that loves him will keep his commandments. That simply means that a believer will obey God. If man could have kept all of the commandments, using his own power, the death of Christ on the Cross would not have been necessary. I am so glad that Christians who are disobedient can repent and Christ will forgive—70 x 70.

[NOTE: One of the greatest sermons I have ever heard—“PAY-DAY SOME-DAY,” by Dr. R.G. Lee, former pastor of Bell-View Baptist, in Memphis, was based on the passage of scripture in our study today. It was taped and I have a copy, and will be happy to share it.] Unbelievers, be aware! Your pay day will come. You can either dine with Christ, at his expense—the price he paid on the cross—or pay the bill yourself!]

Our lesson today proclaims the great danger of unbridled passion. Pharaoh, king of Egypt ruled his kingdom with an unbridled passion for the people to be submissive to him and see him as their god. Both he and his people paid a terrible price before he was convinced to let God’s people go free. A historical review of the Old Testament reveals many other examples, but none surpass the passion of Jezebel and King Ahab in their zeal to promote Baal [idol] worship and show no mercy for anyone that did not follow their wishes. Their pay day was coming. There is always a limit beyond which God will not allow disobedience to continue. They did not just break—they shattered—the commandment that states “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

Perhaps the straw that broke the back of God’s tolerance came when Jezebel had Naboth [a good and Godly man] and his boys murdered because he would not sell them his vineyard. It was in Jezreel, near their palace, and she was determined to take it for her husband. She had Naboth killed because he would not sell; and she had his sons murdered to prevent them from inheriting the land. God’s judgment came and the penalty seems very harsh. Many would die as a result.

God commissioned Elisha to carry out his instructions to eliminate Idol worshipers. Elisha summoned a man from the company of prophets told him to anoint Jehu, son of Jehoshaphat, and instruct him to attack and kill King Ahab and all of his followers, including Jezebel. Prophets had predicted that the dogs would lick the blood of Ahab and dogs would eat the body of Jezebel, and it happened just as had been prophesied. This is a vivid story that reveals the wrath of God, and the extreme, but just, punishment that was pronounced, and this very interesting and detailed story is recorded in the ninth chapter of 2 Kings— our lesson for today—and I hope you will read it.

I must remind you again that the bible is true. This detailed story does not paint a pretty picture. It was not included in the Word for our enjoyment—but as a warning that God does not condone sin in the lives of his people and there is no escape except through the acceptance of Christ as our Savior. The wheels of justice grind slowly at times but there will be a ‘pay day someday.’

Two years passed before Ahab shed his blood in the chariot in which he was riding, and before he could be removed the dogs had licked his blood clean. It was twenty years before Jehu drove his chariot under the palace window and demanded that Jezebel be thrown to the ground. Because she was a queen, Jehu instructed his men to take her body and bury it, and they reported back and said that the dogs had eaten all of her except her head, hands and feet. No doubt the dogs rejected the head that had connived against God, the hands that had worked her ungodly scheme and her feet that had trod in Naboth’s holy vineyard.

The question of the day is which passion is most prevalent—is it sex or false religions? Fifty million babies have been aborted, murdered, since Roe vs. Wade and a majority of these were conceived because of sexual passion. In my opinion there are more false religions, some bearing the names of prominent denominations, than there are churches that preach Christ who was crucified for the salvation of man kind. You alone are responsible to know the difference. You can find the truth in God’s word. You can find a Christ centered church if you try.

There are churches that preach and teach the truth; and that is that, salvation comes through the Grace of Jesus Christ [it is free, unearned and not deserved]. His grace must be accepted by faith—you just simply must ‘believe’ and call on the name of Jesus to save you.

Right Not to Remain Silent - 2 Kings 6:1 - 8:29

Christians have the right not to remain silent on any occasion when God has expressed his love and care for His people, especially when it is a personal experience. My experience tells me that we Baptist are reluctant to show our appreciation at times when our applause, a heart felt amen, or a personal testimony would be a profound witness for God. Our New Testament Commission is to “Go, and teach others” about God’s love for people. It is not only our right, but also our obligation to express our personal God-related experiences and individual dependency upon the Lord and Savior that we worship.

God has always expressed his individual and personal love and care, and used different ways to intervene in the lives of his people. Many times his blessings come in disguise, hidden from those who do not know Him personally, and even at times, the recipient does not realize the significance, or even the presence, of his actions. Many do not know about the promise Christ made in Romans 8: 28; and some know what it says, but are unable to relate this passage to what is happening in their own lives. Please remember that “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

From the day Christ started his worldly ministry along the banks of the Jordan, he used a plan of intervention in the lives of people he met; he called the disciples, invited the lost to believe, healed the sick, and raised the dead. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever; therefore He is in the same business today. Some of the time when Christ intervenes in our lives today, it is not only obvious to the recipient, but also to others that are present who can recognize His intervening presence. At other times the recipient knows that God is present and working, but for him to tell others, or openly show his approval and happiness, is very difficult for fear of what others will think. Miracles still happen! And any Christian who has experienced a miracle from God not only has the right to tell others of his experience, but is obligated to speak out for the cause of Christ.

I can recall numerous times in my life when I am absolutely sure that Jesus has worked things out for my good. However, since I could not prove this to someone who may have a doubting mind, I have remained silent. This is not so any more, and I can proudly give examples of God’s intervention. In October of 1947, I sustained a back injury that required what was then a new procedure in back surgery. I was in the Kennedy Hospital, in Memphis for six months and five days in traction, surgery, re-hab, and physical therapy. I know, the skeptic will ask, ‘how could this possibly be for your good?” I now know that God called me to be a teacher and this was his way to have me give up a lucrative business and start to college, and that is why I chose education as a profession. Actually God chose my profession for me!

In our lesson today, there are what would appears to be ‘unbelievable miracles’ sent by God through Elijah and Elisha, that worked for good to the recipients of that day and as a witness to the observers. However, I truly believe that they were recorded in God’s word as lessons meant to strengthen the faith of 21^st century Christians and also grow faith in unbelievers. In 2 Kings 2: 9, Elisha requested a double portion of Elijah’s faith and spiritual power; and it was granted. Elisha performed twice as many miracles during his life. Floating a steel ax head is just one of these.

The house where Elisha and his company of prophets lived was too small, and the prophets volunteered to cut the timber and build a larger one. They had to borrow the tools to work with, and while one was cutting a tree near the Jordan River, the ax head disengaged and dropped into the river. The prophet cried out “Oh my Lord, it was borrowed” for he was worried about how he could return the ax. God, through Elisha and a limb of wood caused the ax to float and it was retrieved. Unbelievable, you say? Then how can man make a ship float when it is built from hundreds of tons of steel? How can man make a submarine made of steel, both sink and float?

The real lesson behind this story lies in the fact that there was a famine in the land [they happened often] and during difficult times people borrows a cup of oil, a bag of meal or some other necessity, and it was to be returned or replaced. It was the honest and important thing to do. This prophet was very concerned in that he would not be able to return the borrowed ax. God met a great need allowing him to return the ax. I can remember during the Great Depression when my parents had to borrow, a cup of flower, meal, salt or sugar, and the same amount or a little more was always returned with gratitude. Be ware: it could happen again, if the economy does not turn around soon. If you borrow anything, make sure you return it, as soon as possible—if it is a car; be sure you fill the tank to replace his gas you used.

The army of King Ben-Hadad of Aram besieged Samaria, cut off all supplies and the people were starving to death inside the walls. Times were so bad they had started practicing cannibalism. The price of smuggled food was so high no one could afford to buy; the head of an ass, the most undesirable part of the most undesirable animal sold for 80 shekels, or about $50 dollars. The king of Israel blamed Elisha for the famine and proposed a remedy—that was that the head of Elisha be taken from his shoulders even though beheading was against Jewish law. God protected Elisha by giving him a vision of how food would come soon.

In chapter seven, verse one, Elisha announced that God would come to their rescue. “About this time tomorrow, a seah’ of flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.” The King and his officers doubted, and said it could not happen—but it did. How? It came through a miracle that most people do not understand. Here are my thoughts, using the Word. The fulfillment of this prediction is found in the incident of the lepers which you can read in the bible record.

Four leprous men stood at the city’s gate in a dilemma as they were facing death. They knew the people inside the city were out of food, and even if they could gain admittance they would surely die from starvation. If they stayed outside, with no help they would die. So they decided to go over to the enemy’s camp [Ben-Hadad’s soldiers] as a last resort; it was their only chance and they thought it was a slim one at that.

During the previous night, God had arranged for a mighty wind to blow. It made the sound of a rushing army that awakened the soldiers in the camp, and they were startled and ran for their lives. They left all their food, bedding, and other needs behind in the camp. When the four leprous men arrived at the camp, there were no soldiers to hinder them from walking in unharmed. They were very surprised, and began immediately to eat and take care of their other needs. After acquiring plenty for the time, they decided to loot the place and hide the stolen food and supplies for their own use in the future, just in case the army would return.

God’s spirit intervened [the leprous men realized their selfishness and that they were doing wrong] and they decided to take extra food back to the gate of Samaria and share it and the good news with the starving people inside who did not realize that the enemy army had vanished. When the starving inhabitants learned about the available food, they also went and confiscated food and the famine was broken, food sold cheap just as the prophet had predicted.

To me, this lesson of this incident is illustrative of the condition of the sinner today. Spiritually starved souls, when convicted of their sin, will ask: “Why sit we here until we die?” Their present condition and position means eternal death. They have no other choice but to go to the great provider, redeemer, and seek spiritual food.

This lesson is for the redeemed who have just found the spiritual food needed for the soul of man. They should be anxious to go and share the good news with others that are on spiritual starvation, thus obeying the Great Commission that tells us to go preach, teach and baptize the lost.

I keep repeating; you must believe God’s word to be total truth. The bible is by writers who were men, yes; but ever word was inspired by The Holy Spirit [God], and is meant for our good. God appeared, unseen by man, but most assuredly in his spiritual person, two specific times in this lesson. The steel ax head floated! And the mighty rushing wind that sounded like an army of soldiers appeared at the right time to frighten Ben-Hadad’s army causing them to leave camp and all the food and supplies that the starving people inside the city walls needed for survival.

God sent his Son, who died on the cross to pay your sin debt, the price for your sins; and all it will take for you to be saved is a little faith—the size of a mustard seed. The leprous men had only a little faith, but it saved them and the whole city that believed their good news.

Building a Culture of Life - 2 Kings 22 & 23

I write these lessons as my labor of love for the Lord; it is published weekly in two newspapers and is sent to about two hundred e-mail addresses that I refer to as my computer Sunday School Class. I receive no compensation and so I sometimes use material written by other bible scholars. Today I want to give Dr. Wayne VanHorn credit for the introduction, since it is taken from his writings in the Explore the Bible Commentary from LifeWay, winter edition, 2010-2011. Southern Baptist have adopted the practice of dedicating one lesson each year to the sanctity of life movement, and this commentary regarding the abortion problem is one of the best I have ever read.

Dr. Vanhorn says that there is a house built of steel framing and thick glass walls in Jackson, Mississippi, about ten miles from his home. It is in a family neighborhood, but was not built for family living. Over the years the “glass house” has been filled with 50 million pennies, worth at least $500,000. It was built by the Baptist people of Mississippi, and dedicated as the “Memorial to the Missing.” The Baptist Church families, and others interested in helping, have donated the pennies “To fill the glass house as a symbolic way of remembering babies who never had the privilege of enjoying even one moment of God’s warm sun caressing their sweet cheeks.”

Dr. VanHorn says that he saw the house when it was only a few inches deep in pennies, but the pennies: “Kept rolling in and piling up. The reinforced glass bulged under the weight of the so many pennies. The weight of the memorial is equivalent to at least 150 tons or 100 automobiles [3,000 pounds each] piled on top of another…One penny for every [each] baby aborted since Roe vs. Wade legalized abortion on demand in 1973. Fifty million voices never heard; 50 million lives never lived. The pennies are an endowment for pro-life issues; their silent but effective witness represents the voices of 50 million [dead] babies.” These babies were intentionally and deliberately murdered. If the parents did not want the child, they could have been placed for adoption into a loving family who wanted and needed children.

The author says that Osama bin Laden [the terrorist] is quoted as saying, “We love death. The US loves life. That is the big difference between the two.” As I ponder this quote today—and based on the fact that Americans have killed 50 million babies since 1973; my question is “do Americans really love life?” How can 100 million parents choose to kill their child and still claim to love life? We know that an uncontrolled passion, usually out of wedlock, is the primary reason for the birth of these babies; sin breeds more sin.

The movie industry and even the prime time-day time TV programs are, more often than not, loaded with sexually-explicit scenes and even the best programs use sexually suggestive images. The popular bent in society today is toward sexual promiscuousness; sadly it is happening among the very young. I contend that we have a different culture of life to what it was prior to the Great Depression and WWII. Unwanted pregnancies were far fewer then than they are today and most of the babies were allowed to live, even during the Great Depression when parents were unable to afford the cost.

During the days following WWII and especially during the 1960’s to 1980’s America adopted a horrible culture of life, and Rowe vs. Wade made it legal by man’s law to murder. The rotten courts and heathen judges have added several other decisions that have added other unacceptable conditions. Gay rights and same-sex marriages now threaten the sanctity of the home. The legal support and promotion of homosexuality spits in God’s eyes because He said that homosexuality was an abomination in the sight of God. Evidently there is far too many who do not believe that Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed because of this practice. The city was destroyed as a warning to all that read the record of this historical truth.

The murder of innocent children is not new. Sometime during the 7^th century B.C. Manasseh, King of Judah, sacrificed his own son to the fire god, Molech, also known as Milcon. People, including the king, worshipped as their children were consumed by flames. This carnage took place in the Southern Kingdom [Judah] which was not considered to be as carnal- minded as the nation of Israel. [This story is recorded in 2 Kings 21 to 24.] Seven hundred years later, Christ came along and posed a threat to the Roman King Herod who ordered that all boy babies in the country two years and under be murdered to protect his political hold on the people. In those days Kings [government] ordered babies killed. Today government simply makes it lawful for those that do not want the child to murder it. I doubt seriously that God sees much difference; I don’t.

Chapter 21: 16 says: “Moreover, Manasseh also shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end—besides the sin that he had caused Judah to commit, so that they did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” Manasseh [one of, if not the most evil of all kings] died and his son, Amon, succeeded him. He was twenty-two years old and reigned for two years. “He did evil in the sight of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done. He walked in all the ways of his father; he worshiped the idols his father had worshiped, and bowed down to them—he did not walk in the way of the Lord.” Amon was murdered and his son Josiah, his eight year old son, became king, and reigned in Jerusalem for thirty-one years. “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the ways of his [spiritual] father David, not turning aside to the right or left.”

You must read chapters 22 and 23 to find all the things Josiah did to compensate for the evils his father and grandfather had done. God had announced his wrath and made known that there would be total destruction because of their sinful ways. Josiah was protected and the country was saved because he openly repented by tearing his robe and promising God that he would obey. He declared a personal war against all the gods, and idols that represented them. Every thing connected with the idol worship, including those who had sacrificed their children, were dealt with during his reign. Sin has a price; and the guilty will pay the penalty. God will see to it!

Rowe vs. Wade is an evil law; it has a price and someone will pay the penalty. America needs another man like Josiah, elected to be President, who will demand that God fearing judges interpret the law in favor of innocent unborn babies. Our constitution was written by the people and for the people—and babies are people! Amon was king for only two years, simply because he did not choose to correct the errors made by his predecessor. History repeats itself. Today we are witnessing the demise of many elected officials because of their approval of un-fair and some un-godly laws which they have supported, even against the will of the people. These officials should be concerned about the rejection of the people who elected them; however they should be much more concerned about the penalties that come from the hand of God.