Observation: Jehu - who's stated purpose is to return Israel to the Lord - has now killed every remnant of Ahab's family line, every person who was obedient to Ahab's family, every priest of baal, and every individual who ever followed the baals. He has also destroyed the temple of baal and the significant idols representing that false god. He has cleansed Samaria of this false religion, and of the king that led their nation astray.
However, he fails to address the sin that started it all, the creation of the idols meant to represent Yahweh, created to be worshipped as idols representing the Lord, replacing the temple worship and sacrifice practices performed in Jerusalem as prescribed by the law. In other words, Jehu addresses the sin of worshipping other gods instead of Yahweh, but he does not address the sin of failing to obediently and properly worship Yahweh.
It was this act - failing to be obedient to the Lord - that allowed other sins to enter Israel. This act isn't as obvious as rejecting God. Rather, it is about creating false images and false practices to create security and hope on one's own terms, rather than humbly obeying the Lord and offering one's life as the Lord prescribes. The golden calves in Bethel and Dan were the gateway to this ... they created a model that told Israel they didn't need to follow the Lord as the Lord had prescribed, and that is just one logical step away from ignoring the Lord entirely.
Application: Humbly and obediently following the Lord as he prescribes ... it sounds straightforward, but in truth it is probably issue we all stumble over, which required the sacrifice of Jesus in the first place. It isn't that there are a lot of difficult rules, because there aren't. (I mean, how difficult was it for Israel to NOT build two idols?!) Instead, many of us - myself included - who declare ourselves faithful believers, fall short of obedience by doing things that actually make our lives more difficult, like getting angry at strangers instead of simply being peaceful, or allowing our mood to darken over minor issues instead of finding joy in the small elements of life.
One could say that the source of our sins lies in our extra effort to live wrongly. It is from that position - working to do things the Lord doesn't even want us to do - that we then find other sins, other frustrations, and a litany of earthly temptations that drive our behavior further and further from the Lord.
I know I do this. I get angry with total strangers for no real reason, when simply doing nothing would be easier, and being kind would also be easier and in turn produce better outcomes. When alone and frustrated, and will swear out loud, when there's no reason to say anything at all ... why waste my breath to offend the Lord in such a way?
I don't worship golden-calf idols, but I keep things in my life that create the 'gateway' to sin as such idols, things and actions and attitudes that simultaneously disobey the Lord AND make my life harder. Then I pray for forgiveness, with a heart of embarrassment and guilt I didn't need to have, and it is the source of that heart for which Jesus died. My life would be easier - and Jesus would have more honor - if I simply chose to not work so hard to do the wrong things in life.
Prayer: Lord, I do seek your forgiveness this day for my sins. I know I do little things that offend you every day, and I am sorry for this. As I have said before, may I take your hand and walk humbly with you, my Lord, every day, in every activity, and in so doing, living a wonderful life. Amen.
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