365 Reflections

The 16th chapter of 2 Kings introduces us to Ahaz, perhaps one of the most wicked kings of the southern kingdom of Judah. He was vile and disreputable. He practiced not only the in vogue sins of high place worship his forefathers practiced, he even revived the practices of the pagan nations that pre-dated Israel's occupation of the land.  2 Kings 16:2–3 (ESV) Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD his God, as his father David had done, 3 but he walked in the way of the kings of Israel. He even burned his son as an offering, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel. We notice first this fact of Ahaz: He sought to be liked.  First, we see that he wanted to be like the hedonistic kings of Israel. Verse 3 states, "he walked in the way of the kings of Israel." It's ironically similar to what happens ...

"Finding your purpose" is a buzz phrase in Christianity. We like to know what our "purpose" in life is so that we can fulfill it and "live the dream" God gave us. Sometimes we fall into purpose idolatry . That is, we only serve God as long as the purpose we are assigned fits our liking. This is not Christianity. It is self-interested spirituality. You can find that anywhere. But it doesn't come from God. Satan wanted a very spiritual place in heaven. He wanted God's place. He was cast down forever because of it. Religious pretension may be the most horrible of all. Judges 13 introduces us to Samson's father Manoah. The deeper you read about his weird interaction with the Angel you get the idea that some of Samson's failings may have stemmed from his father's attitude about God and purpose. Judges 13:2 (ESV) There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. And his wife was barren and had no chil...

There's a danger to not understanding the grace of God. Jephthah is exhibit "A". His fear of an unsuccessful war led him to bargain with God for victory. Judges 11:30–31 (ESV) And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD and said, “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, 31 then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.” It was a needless bargain for Jephthah. He already had something from God far more valuable than any military success. Note how his military campaign begins: Judges 11:29 (ESV)  Then the Spirit of the LORD was upon Jephthah ,... Jephthah was anointed but sadly it wasn't enough for him. He wanted a self-centered guarantee that God would give him victory. He feigned good religious practice to garner divine intervention. Many Americans do the same exact thing every day.  His story reveals the danger of a relationsh...

Sometimes we have the best intentions and end up with terrible results. That is the lesson I find in Joshua 22. The three Transjordan tribes (Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh) are sent home to their families after the wars having followed through to fight with Israel for the land on the Western side of the Jordan. This is what happens next: Joshua 22:10–11 (ESV) And when they came to the region of the Jordan that is in the land of Canaan, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, an altar of imposing size. 11 And the people of Israel heard it said, “Behold, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built the altar at the frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that belongs to the people of Israel.” The built an enormous altar! This action was forbidden repeatedly by God. Thre was to be one altar, one temple, one place for God...