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We had a great bible study lesson last Sunday. We had stimulating conversation in our class about divine revelation. Sometimes as you are reading scripture, a truth from that scripture becomes crystal clear. It was there all along but suddenly God opened your eyes to see what you had not seen before. Some times I pray Psalm 119:18 before I do my bible reading...Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. I was reading in 2 Chronicles yesterday from the NIrV and verse above came to the surface and into the light. The Israelites didn’t want anyone ruling them. They were a stubborn and obstinate people who craved independence. This would be well and good if not for one thing: they did not want to be ruled by God either. His plan for Israel was that they be a theocracy, ruled by God but the rejected Him as their King. The history that follows is interesting: as much as Israel wanted independence, they never attained it. God basically said to them: “You have two choices: serve Me or serves some foreign king. These are your choices but I will not allow you to rule yourself.” Think about Israel’s history, they were either serving God or someone else.
The golden era of Israelite history was the reign of David who never lost a battle. The land and territories that made of the kingdom of Israel during the reign of Solomon were acquired by David. David is referred to in scripture time and time again as “My servant.” When Israel ceased to serve Yahweh, they always drifted into bondage. There was Shishak and the Egyptians, then the Assyrians, then the Babylonians, then the Persians, and then the Romans. The LORD said through the Chronicler, “Shishak will become your master and then you will learn the difference between serving me and serving earthly rulers.” So Israel had a choice; they could serve God who loved them and had a wonderful plan for their life or they could serve an earthy king who cared nothing for them other than what he could get from them.
This truth doesn’t just apply to Israel, no one has more than the two choices. We either serve Christ or Satan. There is no third option. People who serve themselves do not realize that Satan uses the selfish desires of the flesh to control people. He is the supreme manipulator. When you reject the Lordship of Christ and do as you please, you are actually pleasing the devil. This is why Jesus, in all this teaching, never gave a third option. He said in Matthew 12:30, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.” There is no gray area in Jesus teachings, no third option: two gates, two ways, two kinds of men–wise and foolish, two masters, etc. Read the sermon on the mount and see if you can find a third option.
Another beautiful Spring Day and I got practically nothing accomplished. It was just one of those days where nothing worked right. My first three projects went fine and then after that, it was all down hill. The great thing about being retired is: I get to try again tomorrow, LORD willing.
Swamp Jack’s this Friday at the pavilion. We are having fish, hush puppies, slaw, and tators and it is all free. You can’t beat Swamp Jack’s prices.