King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Monday, July 05, 2021
Chapters: II Chronicles 22-24
Message: Beware of The Wolves
Hello My Friend,
When I dedicated my life to Christ it was on September 16, 2006, that was the day that I got baptized and became as Independent Baptist. My first pastor was and still is unlike many that you see today, he knows every member by name and takes the time to personally get to know them. In fact, he even entrusted his own kids with us outside of church, that is how close we had gotten as a church family. I attend a different church now, that I am learning is quite similar, but as I was reading the chapters for today it reminded me of my first pastor and how he could spot the wolves and was quick to remove them before the entire congregation could get devoured by them. You see, when we give our lives to Christ and join His Church we actually make a covenant, not only with God, but the pastor, and church as well. We become family, when one is rejoicing, we all rejoice, when one is grieving, we all grieve, and when one bad wolf gets in the sheep get devoured. Why? It is a domino affect. Sadly, there are many wolves disguised in sheep’s clothing right among the church, [Matthew 7:15-17 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.]
2 Chronicles also gives an account of Jehu when he destroyed, not only the house of Ahab, but his family as well under God’s direction. Under the worst move that Jehoshaphat had made when he joined Jehoram to help him fight Moab, and brought on another union in which he allowed his son, Jehoram, to marry Ahab’s daughter. Jehoram was killed because he brought Baal worship into Judah, which was under the influence of his wife, Athaliah, and now Ahaziah reigned for about a year.
[2 Chronicles 22:1-4 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned. 2 Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri. 3 He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly. 4 Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction.]
[for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly.] This is exactly why even Christians must be yoked with likeminded Christians as being saved that does not mean we all follow Christ the same way. Believe me, I am learning the hard way of how much grief and pain it causes when your mate does not follow Christ the same way that you do, [Romans 15:5-6 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.]
When I am posting these devotions, it may seem as though I am inconsistent in my time with God as I have been posting them at different times lately. The truth is, I read the Bible the same time every day, but some days it literally takes four to five hours to finish writing them because of how much Scripture I am going through and how God wants me to word things. Some of these subjects are very intense and as much as I would love to copy and paste from one year to the next to save time like so many do, God does not want me to do that. I even asked him why He gives me such hard topics to discuss He said, “Someone has to.” So, when you have the Almighty God telling you that words matter, then you must comply. Now, since Athaliah was so wicked, it was nothing for her to kill her own grandchildren, which is what she did when she found out that he son was dead.
[2 Chronicles 22:8-12 And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them. 9 And he sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him: Because, said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no power to keep still the kingdom. 10 But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah. 11 But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not. 12 And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.]
[So the house of Ahaziah had no power to keep still the kingdom.] Athaliah made sure that no one from the house of Judah could be king and that was how she was able to make herself queen. The wicked always think that they are in control, and to honest, they are for a while. And as I had mentioned yesterday, it must have been horrible those six years, but during that time something else was happening, more people were coming to God and joining together to come up with a plan to get rid of Athaliah.
[2 Chronicles 23:1-3,8,11 And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him. 2 And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief of the fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. 3 And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the LORD hath said of the sons of David. 8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded, and took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that were to go out on the sabbath: for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses. 11 Then they brought out the king’s son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king.]
[And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself,] All it takes is one person to stand up in the strength of Christ and things will happen. I will tell you what, before this president came into office, $25 would fill my car with gas for the week, now takes $40 to make a dent. On top of that, groceries are higher, not to mention more taxes are coming out of my paycheck. We would not even have been in this situation if Senators and Congress had the backbone to stand up to the wicked, four years ago, including those within their own party. So many people are feeling defeated right now, but we must not give up. I know that Jesus is coming and things are going to get much worse, but I do not believe that God has turned His back on America just yet. And I know this is true due to the fact that my governor is not afraid one bit to stand up to the corrupt and is making a difference in our state. Jehoiada not only captured Athaliah once Joash was made king, she was executed as anyone who followed her.
[2 Chronicles 23:14-19 Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth of the ranges: and whoso followeth her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest said, Slay her not in the house of the LORD. 15 So they laid hands on her; and when she was come to the entering of the horse gate by the king’s house, they slew her there. 16 And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD’S people. 17 Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. 18 Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordained by David. 19 And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in.]
[that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in.] All it takes is one wolf to come into the church and devour the entire congregation. That is why it is very important that those who join the church are: One, saved, born again Christians; Two, likeminded Christians; and three, keep the world from getting into the church. This is what separation from church and state is all about, it keeps the government from getting into the church and controlling it otherwise, the church itself will be corrupted. And that sadly, is what we are seeing today, [Luke 20:22-25 Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no? 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? 24 Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar’s. 25 And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.]
Speaking of giving God the things that are His, there is an importance to giving tithe to your church. Beside it being one of the duties of a Christian, it is what is needed in order to keep the church building maintained. If we do not give our tithes the church suffer because it needs electricity, water, and common repairs that we all need to maintain our houses. In the beginning, Joash did very well as king, under the direction of Jehoiada he did right in the eyes of God. One of his first acts as king was to have the Levites repair the temple.
[2 Chronicles 24:1-5 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2 And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 3 And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters. 4 And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the LORD. 5 And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.]
[Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.] For a long time I did not understand why they did not make the repairs, that was until I read the account given here in 2 Chronicles. They could not make any repairs because they had no money to purchase the things needed nor hire professionals able to make the repairs. While it is perfectly fine to donate supplies and our own time, without money coming in, the necessary things that are needed to maintain the building can only come from the tithes we give. Now, since the Levites had no way of paying for these things, they came up with a plan to get the money they needed. They built a chest and had the people put money in it for an offering.
[2 Chronicles 24:11-14 Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king’s office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king’s scribe and the high priest’s officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance. 12 And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD. 13 So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it. 14 And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the LORD, even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.]
[and gathered money in abundance.] You could say that this was the very first offering plate, although it was not passed around the congregation. They did not have to give a specific amount, they just gave what was on their heart. When you hear people saying that you need to give ten percent of what you earn that is actually not what God requires. Ten percent is a number that Jacob came up with, [Genesis 28:22] and the church just followed suit. God really does not give us an exact number to give, it is really not the amount, rather what we give willingly, [Luke 21:2-4 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. 3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: 4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.]
Let me tell you, it does not matter how strong we are in our faith, if we do not have a Godly minister to guide us and keep ourselves accountable we will fall away from it. All it takes is one step into the world for a Christian to backslide, Satan is all too willing to lead us away into its web. After Jehoiada died, everything went downhill as Joash allowed his worldly cousins to influence him.
[2 Chronicles 24:17-18,20-22,25 Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them. 18 And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass. 20 And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you. 21 And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD. 22 Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it. 25 And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.]
[Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness] This is exactly what happens to a save soul that does not keep themselves grounded and accountable in the Word of God. The only way that we can become accountable is to be a faithful member of a church with strong, God fearing pastors, teachers, and ministers, guiding them. It also makes a difference when we become a part of the church by serving in the church, just like we need to give tithe to maintain the church, we need to get involved in the church to maintain our faith. While we cannot lose our salvation once we are saved, there is a reason why Jesus says that we must hold on to our faith until the day we die. Those who fall away from the faith literally become more wicked than the wicked. Keep in mind also that it is probable that they believed in vain, [Matthew 12:43-45 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.]
Jesus Christ Magnified: [2 Chronicles 23:18 Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordained by David.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for loving me and not giving up on me. Even when I am at my worse, You still see the best in me. I can never thank You enough for catching me from my fall, and for the life You have given me since I made the choice to live my life with Your Son in it. You are my strength, I know that I mess up a lot, but You never stop watching over me and defending me. Thank You for Your endless mercy and grace, and for never letting me go. You are the key to a blessed and prosperous nation, when we fear You as one nation, we are powerful, but when You are forsaken we become impoverished. Lord, Lead us and guide us, open the hearts of Your faithful, backslidden, and the lost, let us all rise up together as one, and fight for the freedoms that You have given us. Raise up Godly leaders that are grounded in Your Word to keep us free, and remove those from office who are set to destroy us. Let us all be willing to learn and teach the truth. Protect and watch over us, give us Your power to stand up and boldly do what we need to do to take back our nation at least until Your Son returns. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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