King James Bible Study – “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.” – Mark 8:34
Date: Saturday, July 04, 2020
Chapters: II Kings 9-11
Message: True Liberty
Hello My Friend,
On March 1775, at St. John’s Church in Richmond, Virginia, as the Virginia convention debated whether to send troops to fight in the Revolutionary War, Patrick Henry gave a speech before Congress, that included this, [It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfil the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason toward my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings…Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!] These people would have rather died for their faith and freedoms than live under the rule of a nation that dictates their every move. Today, while all these fools are out destroying monuments and landmarks that stand for our freedoms, they are oblivious to the fact that those people died defending their freedom.
[II Peter 2:18-19 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.]
I do not have to tell you that there are a lot of people in this world that abuse their positions, including elected officials, and while it may seem as though they have all the power, someone else taking note, and in His time He will get them all out of office one way or another. God may deal with His people His way, but let them attack His people, and see what happens. Remember, Ahab, and his wife Jezebel, God told him of the judgment placed on his family and that all of them would die for what they did to His people. Now, the time has come, first, Elisha sent one of the prophets sons to anoint Jehu as king of Israel.
[II Kings 9:1-3,6-7,10 And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead: 2 And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber; 3 Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not. 6 And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel. 7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel. 10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.]
[Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.] Saved, born again Christians have one job that we are sent out in the world to do, and that is to preach the Gospel of Jesus to the lost. We are not out there to make friends with them or do the things they do, we are there to preach the Gospel and leave, [Matthew 10:7-14 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. 11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. 12 And when ye come into an house, salute it. 13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.]
[And whosoever shall not receive you,] We are sent out only to preach the Gospel, if they do not accept it, then we move on to the next person the Holy Spirit guides us to. It is not our job to save them, only Jesus can do that, it is our job to tell them the Gospel, and then Jesus will take care of the rest if He sees their faith. Jesus never denies anyone the opportunity to get saved, it is all up to them. Now, as soon as Jehu was anointed as king, he immediately went to work, starting with both kings, Israel and Judah, who were both related to Ahab
[II Kings 9:22,24,27,30,32-33,35 And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many? 24 And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot. 27 But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there. 30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window. 32 And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. 33 And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot. 35 And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.]
[Smite him also in the chariot.] No one escapes God’s judgments, that is unless they repent, and turn to Him. God wants to see no one in hell, but He will not bow to or give in to anyone who goes against Him, especially if they are worshiping other gods. There is no mercy in ignorance or rebellion when it comes to our salvation, [John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.] Let me tell you why God allows these, what we know as terrorist attacks, and there are two reasons. One; it is to get His people to turn to Him completely, and two; it is to get vengeance on those who attack His people. Remember, God handles His people, His way, and while He is a just judge, He also defends His people when they are being attacked. Now, after the deaths of the two kings everyone else in the Northern Kingdom feared for their lives, they did not hesitate to obey Jehu when he told them to bring the heads of all Ahab’s kin to him.
[II Kings 10:4-7 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand? 5 And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes. 6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king’s sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up. 7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel.]
[If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice,] Now, I do not imagine that God is going ask us for the heads of wicked people to get vengeance on those who turned His people away from Him, but He is our KING, and if we say that we are His, then we need to do the things that He asks us to do. If that means he wants us to preach the Gospel to our enemy, then so be it. God does not want us to become friends with them, He wants us to love them just as His Son does, [John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.]
Take a good look at all those nations and even states in this country that reject Christ, you will see that they are ruled by the real dictators, who enforce harsh laws and their own religion or it will be to their death. If God has chosen a nation as His, and their leaders have turned their backs on Him, He will remove them from office, and it will not be subtle. Now, Jehu did not just stop at the execution of the seed of Ahab, all the worshipers, priests, and prophets of Baal were executed also. This was for all the prophets and servants of God were executed.
[II Kings 10:18-19,23-25 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much. 19 Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal. 23 And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only. 24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him. 25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.]
[But Jehu did it in subtilty,] The devil thinks he is sly, but he is oblivious to the fact that God knows his every move and is always one step ahead of him. The wicked always think they can outsmart God, they too find out the hard way that they cannot escape His judgment, especially when it comes to getting vengeance on His people. Now, there was still one more person still left of the seed of Ahab, and that was Athaliah, who was the mother of Ahaziah. II Kings gives another look at what happened when Athaliah had her own grandchildren executed in an attempt to destroy the royal seed of Judah, and then was executed seven years later.
[II Kings 11:1-4,13-14,16 And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. 2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. 3 And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land. 4 And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and shewed them the king’s son. 13 And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the LORD. 15 But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD. 16 And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king’s house: and there was she slain.]
[and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD,] When we choose Christ as our Saviour, we take an oath with God, Jesus agrees to save our soul from hell, and we agree to believe that until He brings us home or returns. Liberty is not black or white, it is not who we choose to worship, it is not fulfilling every lust of the flesh, and it is not rebelling against the authority of the laws of the land. Liberty is having the same freedoms and rights for all, without someone dictating what we get to believe and choose. Freedom is never free, it always comes with a price, and it is usually at the cost of another persons life. And this is what America was founded on, we were set free from the rule of dictators who choose who we worship, and what we do. As we celebrate freedom in America let us take a moment to reflect on the men and women who gave their lives for us to be a free nation. And remember that true freedom does not come from man, it comes from Jesus Christ, [John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.]
Today’s Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for sacrificing Your life so that we can be freed from the bondage and penalty of our sins. All we need to do is believe in You, and receive You as the payment for our sin debt, and we will be forever Yours, and one of God’s people for eternity. Lord, You gave is liberty when You set us free through our faith in You, lead us and guide us, give us Your power, protection, and Your mercies and grace to live in this world by Your example. Let us not use our liberty as an occasion to fulfill every lust of the flesh, rather use it for preaching Your Gospel so that others can know how to be free as well. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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