Take Two: 2 Kings 25, Proverbs 26

Well, today I start with a retraction from yesterday, since I made a factual error in my post. I stated that it was Nebuchadnezzar’s uncle who was installed as ruler over Judah following the seige. I was not, but was the uncle of the king (Jehoiachin), Josiah’s son Mattaniah. He was a puppet ruler of Nebuchadnezzar and ruled under Babylonian sovereignty until he rebelled in 588 BC. (NOTE: Part of the picture indicating Babylonian sovereignty is driven home with the name change by the Babylonian ruler…demonstrating his authority over Mattaniah/ Zedekiah.)

After about a decade, Zedekiah rebelled against Babylon, inciting them to lay seige to (surround) the city. After withstanding for some two years and having their food supply cut off, Jerusalem fell. Zedekiah fled and was captured later by Babylonian forces. They killed his descendents (insuring that no heir to the throne arose) and then gauged out his eyes, invoking fear in the people and insuring that he could not/would not be able to rebel again or lead another rebellion.

The balance of the chapter records the plundering of the Temple and the fall of Jerusalem (587/586 BC).

APPLIED: It is important to keep all of this in perspective. The current judgment was ordained many years before as judgment for the sins of the people and particularly the king. The choices made prior elicited a strong response of judgment from God…because He is righteous and holy and is a jealous God…and demands that those who call on Him yield to Him as Lord of their lives.

This is not due to some character flaw in Him (because He is God and is perfect; therefore, anything He does is also perfect.). It actually is for our benefit and for His glory.

Our choices have consequences. None of the kings along the way considered themselves to be wrong in their decisions or “bad people” in their own self-assessments. Had they known of the consequences of their actions…I imagine that they might have considered a changed course of action.

While we do not know the future and cannot change the past, we are accountable for our present and our instructions are simple: Know the will of God for our lives…and do it. No more profound challenge exists for our lives.

Proverbs 26:23 is the takeaway today. “Like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross are burning lips and a wicked heart.”

I feel led to go back to the NT for study beginning tomorrow, but to do so in a book we did before. I hope you will join me in the Gospel of John beginning tomorrow!

Take Two: 2 Kings 24, Proverbs 25

In ch.24, we find the rise of the Babylonian Empire and the captivity of Judah. V.7 reminds us that Egypt was losing power in the region and the Babylonians were seizing control of everything from North Africa up.

After the seige of Jerusalem, the king surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar and he, along with his officials, prominent citizens, and his family are deported to live in Babylon. The common people were left in Jerusalem and Nebuchadnezzar installed his own uncle as king of Judah. (NOTE: Don’t think of him as an autonomous ruler, but in the form of a “governor” in the Babylonian administration.)

The Temple is plundered and much of the wealth of Jerusalem is confiscated and taken to Babylon’s treasuries.

Why? V.20 states explicitly that this occurred as judgment from God following Manasseh’s actions…according to the prophetic Word given Josiah (see 2 Chr 22:18 ff).

APPLIED: Consider for a moment the occurrence from the perspective of someone in Jerusalem at the time. For us…we read the account in a single sitting or over a couple of days and read the reasons. It makes sense. They rebelled and God punished them. But from the perspective of those living through it…it must have seemed much different. I suppose they asked:

• “Where is God when we need Him?”
• “Why would a good God allow such horrible things to happen?”
• “Why is there suffering among ‘God’s people’ if He really is so powerful?”
• “Why should we serve a God who allows such tragedy to occur?”

One thing I have observed through the years…and I think it is pretty accurate…is that most people have pretty short memories and have a difficult time seeing past their own struggles. When we have a stomach ache…the world seems incredibly smaller…in fact, it shrinks to a bubble just around us. We become consumed with our situations and our suffering. God goes on trial (in our thoughts) for how He deals with us.

We tend to forget that God is working a bigger plan (positive), or that we may be suffering for failures many generations before (negative). We also fail to see the connection between decisions we make and the consequences we feel much later.

An example may be the choice to pour ourselves into our work, which leads to neglect of a marriage, which results in vulnerability to temptation culminating in sin, which ends in divorce, which causes suffering for years for all parties involved…which…you get the point. Or, we choose to spend money on things we can’t afford, causing stress and strain, resulting in fights and more stress, leading to disobedience in our stewardship, which leads to limited engagement in the Kingdom purpose fo God…which leads to pervasive darkness and lostness…which…

The fact is, no decision is divorced from its consequences. What happens though…is we experience the consequences and we fail to connect the dots back to our actions (or those of people before us) and see that we actually caused the suffering we are experiencing.

From God’s perspective, He must (and will always) remain Just and will always glorify His own Name. If doing so means bringing judgment of disobedience…He will and will be glorified in doing so.

How do you make it through? Simply stated and without much explanation (due to the length of this post):

• Change. Make a decision to right the wrong
• Cry out to God admitting the failure and asking for forgiveness.
• Know that God is still Good and Holy even when you suffer.
• Rely on His goodness and grace to strengthen you as you do the right thing in the circumstance you are in.
• Bear witness of His grace and presence as you walk in the world you live in…even if you are suffering with judgment over sins (yours or others). [This is really key...since the world wants to know if you will trust God when everything crashes and not just when it is convenient.]

Proverbs 25:12 is the takeaway today. “Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear.”

Take Two: 2 Kings 23, Proverbs 24

In this chapter, we find the continuation of Josiah’s story. After receiving the word of prophesy regarding the coming judgment and the reprieve that Josiah would receive due to his humility before God, he calls for an assembly and reads to all the people, the Law as discovered in the Temple.

NOTE: It is significant that, the subject of the address was reading the Law of God. It is also significant that the “reader” was the king. (Picture humility in the king’s acknowledgment of the Law’s authority in his own life and in the kingdom.)

Notice then that the king entered into covenant with God and with the people (and obviously before the people) to: (1) walk after the Lord, (2) to keep the covenant in the Law that God had given, and (3) to CARRY OUT the covenant (v.3). The people followed suit and covenanted with their king.

The outworking of the “carrying out” of the covenant is seen, practically speaking, in the reforms to occur.

NOTE: What struck me was that the reforms were all focused on RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. The elements do not relate to human activity, morality, or other human-to-human conduct. These things are an outworking of right relationship with God, not vice-versa.

NOTE FURTHER: This is why I am ABSOLUTELY convinced that focusing on a person’s activity (smoking, drinking, cussing, gambling, manner of dress, etc.) actually does MORE HARM to the cause of Christ than good. Honestly…the more I think about it, the more my blood pressure rises. It seems that some would rather focus on another person’s conduct than on their own submission to Christ. We would do well to consider the requirement Jesus gave to us prior to our picking up stones to throw…

Following the reforms related to communion with God, comes the Passover which acknowledges, not solely the person of God and His worthiness of worship, but His actions of mercy toward us (vv.21-25).

Josiah’s actions earned him an incredible distinction in v.25…greater than any king before or after.

Josiah’s demise is noted in vv.28-30, but are given in further detail in 2 Chr 35:20-27. He involves himself in a dispute between Egypt and Charchimesh. As such, he is mortally wounded and is replaced by a son (reigned 3 months) and then a grandson. Both did evil and form the downward decline leading to the Babylonian exile.

APPLIED: Reform and restoration is always first and foremost about restoring our relationship with God. We restore His primacy in our lives and then focus on our salvation by His mercy. The order and particulars are SPECIFIC and INTENTIONAL. There is no salvation apart from God and His grace. We worship Him and give thanks for His grace…not the other way around. Our daily lives then are impacted by our relationship with Him. They are never the primary goal/objective/or focus of biblical revival.

Proverbs 24:13-14 is the takeaway today. “My son, eat honey, for it is good, yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste; know that wisdom is thus for your soul; if you find it, then there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.”

Take Two: 2 Kings 22, Proverbs 23

Well this chapter is incredible to me. (In fact, this story from 2 Chronicles is my text for Sunday morning.) Josiah did a great thing when he reversed course both personally and nationally following his father and grandfather. Notice that he walked after the example of his father David, not Amon or Manasseh (v.2).

He was 8 when he came to the throne so he was certainly influenced early on by advisors but the intent of his heart was pure and the changes reflected his own desires.

When you follow the account (especially in 2 Chronicles), you notice that Josiah instituted many of these reforms without the benefit of having the written Law of God available to Him. It was lost. There was, of course, the oral record…but there was no copy of the Law. So, in the Temple repairs…when the Law was found…the find was incredible and incredibly valuable. The point being…that no significant reforms take place without hearing and understanding the Word of God and humility in response to the Word as GOD’s OWN, SPECIFIC PURPOSE and WILL for you and I.

POINT: God’s Word is not a moving or changing target. It is specific, intentional, and authoritative in the areas it instructs us. How we apply God’s Word certainly shifts as we apply it to our lives in principle; however, it is certain, sure, and authoritative. Ultimately, our response to it, if it is to be powerful in our lives, must always be one of humility before it in the same way we are humble in the presence of God. There is no distinction between our response to who God is and what God says.

Josiah demonstrated humility before God upon hearing God’s Word (vv.11-13). He immediately sought understanding…having realized the sins of his people…so he sent messengers to the prophetess. God’s response was that the judgment for the sins would come…but not on Josiah…since he humbled himself before God (vv.14-20).

By the way…that’ll preach!!

APPLIED: Do you negotiate with God’s Word or take it at face value? Do you recognize that there are not authorities higher in Life than the Word of God (whether you are a believer or not)? Do you see yourself and your culture through the lens of Scripture as Josiah did? Do you humble yourself in obedience and cry out to God in repentance and for mercy when you recognize the condition of your life or that of your nation?

His Word is true. His judgment is just. His coming is imminent. It should impact how we live day by day.

Proverbs 23:17 is the takeaway today. “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but live in the fear fo the Lord always.”

Take Two: 2 Kings 21, Proverbs 22

In this chapter we find the stories of Manasseh and Amon. Manasseh gains the distinction of reversing all of the reforms of Hezekiah and embracing a truly polytheistic practice in his life. His embrace of idolatry accelerates along the way…from rebuilding the high places, practicing divination, …to putting false altars in the Temple (vv.1-7). As a result of his influence, much of Judah embrace idol practices as well (vv.8-9).

God spoke judgment against Manasseh and against Judah for the idolatrous practices. Upon his death, Amon, his son, reigns and does so in the image of his father (v.20). Ultimately he is assassinated by some of his servants…who are then executed by the people…who install his son Josiah to the throne.

REFLECTION: The good done by Hezekiah was lost in a generation. We cannot miss the fact that the nation followed the leader and that the leader’s influence was lost from father to son. Is it because of the failure of the father? Is it a cultural consideration?

NOTE: Many people do what I just illustrated by looking for a specific cause for sin and failure. His mom did not hug him…etc. Truthfully, while these are contributing factors…the real issue is clear: sin and the wickedness of man’ s heart. Anyone can fall. Anyone can miss the mark and act contrary to his or her foundational heritage. The fact is…the dominant heritage in our lives goes much further back…to the Garden, where sin entered into a perfect world.

How do we protect ourselves from this sin and propensity toward wickedness? A couple of things come to mind.

• First, we acquire a proper view of ourselves, our God, and the righteousness of Christ. No one stands righteous apart from Christ.
• Second, we acknowledge the heart and will of God, that we would live blessed lives that glorify Him and accomplish His great plans.
• Third, we intentionally erect boundaries/guardrails/habits/practices that provide reminders/instruction/and accountability to protect us and keep us from sliding into evil.
• Fourth, gracious restoration. We acknowledge that our restoration was by grace and that any other restoration…is also by God’s grace and not man’s merit. (IOW: We don’t think too highly of ourselves and too little of others. We are all desperately inept and lost apart from God’s grace.)

Nothing is scarier to me than to think that I might pour myself into my family, my ministry, some dear friends…and only watch it dissipate in an instant. At the same time, I recognize that I do not stand on my own merits…so I do the best I can for as long as I am able…and trust in God’s grace in the lives of others in the same way I trust in His grace in my own.

Proverbs 22:19 is the takeaway today. “So that your trust may be in the Lord, I have taught you today, even you.”

Take Two: 2 Kings 20, Proverbs 21

On the backside of the victory God brought over the Assyrians, we are now introduced to Hezekiah’s illness. We know it was a terminal disease, since God sent the prophet Isaiah to Hezekiah to advise him to “get his affairs in order” (v.1). Hezekiah cries out to God and God gives a change order to Isaiah before he even makes it off the property. God grants Hezekiah an extension to his life of 15 years (vv.5-6).

NOTE: Some may feel a bit conflicted wondering if Hezekiah “changed” God’s mind through his prayer…or if this was a test of Hezekiah…or if God was going to allow something less than perfect and corrected it. Here is what we know…we don’t know. (I know that makes you feel better.)

The bottom line is this. If the point was Hezekiah’s death…then God did not need to send Isaiah. Death happens. No advance notice is required. The fact that the writer records that this is a mortal illness (terminal and without cure) tells us that a miracle is about to take place. The display of humility and dependence on God shown by Hezekiah…as well as the subsequent deliverance is, in my opinion, the point of the story. Why?

Simply put…because of the contrast that follows. Hezekiah becomes prideful in the days/years following (vv.12-15). He starts to flaunt all of his wealth and to believe that he is pretty cool and is the reason for his own success. [NOTE: See the parallel in 2 Chronicles 32 for more clarity, esp. vv.24-26.] As a result, a prophesy is given him that Babylon will carry away his kingdom and all of his possessions in the generations that follow him.

NOW the next verse shocks the conscience: (to paraphrase) “sounds good…since it will be peaceful for me and only get bad after I am gone. (v.19).

Two observations:

First, the sin of pride. Hezekiah’s pridefulness reminds me of something my pastor used to tell me, “A preacher’s great danger is starting to believe his own press clippings.” It is not unusual to have people say kind things about the preacher to the preacher. Have some great successes and other preachers start to attribute the results to the man…rather than to the Lord. In a simplistic and idealistic sense…God works through the preacher/pastor/leader as his instrument…but He could as easily have done so through any person he chose, or even a donkey if He so desired. (my pastor’s advise: “Don’t pay any attention to what others say about you- for good or bad. Ultimately the only opinion you must concern yourself with is the One who called you to start with.”)

Second, the attitude of Hezekiah as recorded in v.19, while shocking, is not uncommon even today. I know many who care more about their comfort and preferences now than they do about the eternal state of the souls of the next generation. They want their financial security and provision now…even if it bankrupts Social Security. They want relief money NOW from BP, without any regard to whether it kills a global corporation which provides jobs/provision for hundreds of thousands of other people. Stated simply…there are a great number of people who would say quietly in the recesses of their hearts, “As long as I am cared for today, by whatever means, it is ok. The future will have to be worked out by those who come after me.”

QUESTION: Do either of the applications above describe you at all? Do you look at what you have or have experienced and start to believe how cool you are…or do you fall flat on your face and truly know that God could dry it up tomorrow?

Do you focus more on your likes, preferences, and traditions than you do your impact on a future generation?

I pray that you and I always act in this way: That we would give anything and sacrifice everything so that the generation behind us has the best opportunity ever. (By the way…that has real implications in every aspect of our lives.)

Proverbs 21:16 is the takeaway today. “A man who wanders from the way of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead.”

Take Two: 2 Kings 19, Proverbs 20

As we jump into this chapter, the Assyrians continue to threaten Jerusalem (and all of Judah). Hezekiah sends word to the Prophet Isaiah asking for intercession. Isaiah assures him that the Assyrians will not be victorious; rather, they will retreat and the Sennacherib will die in his own land. [NOTE: Put the comment in context. The most powerful nation and military force on the planet...will retreat before one of the smallest and least powerful nations...which they have been chipping away at for some time now...and the leader of that powerful nation will die in his own land...the place where he would arguably be the safest.]

Now what could cause this? A rumor (v.7).

One of the recurring themes in the chapter involves what is “heard.” The king heard and Sennacherib heard and Isaiah heard and God heard…you get the point. Now here is the application: the words spoken have no power. The power resides in how the hearer processes the information. Sennacherib’s field commander told Hezekiah’s men that Assyria would destroy them as they had all of the other lands and that their God could not save them any more than the other gods had saved the other lands. (vv.8-13).

Hezekiah, as king…and a realistic guy, had to be concerned…in fact…he may have been afraid. But, rather than succumbing to the fear…he chose to trust in the unrealistic promise through Isaiah and he carried the threat to the Lord (vv.14-19). God’s answer…”because you have prayed…I have heard you (v.20); Assyria will not come to this city or shoot an arrow there (v.32). Why? Because of God’s choice to defend the city for His own sake and for the sake of the promise to David (v.33).

OBSERVATION: Hezekiah prayed. He did not talk about the value of prayer or affirm the need for prayer or lay out a doctrine regarding prayer…he prayed.

APPLICATION: Perhaps…one of the greatest needs we have in our churches today (and in our homes, communities, and nation) is for folks to stop talking about the activity of the church and get active. We need humility…not talk about it. We need to pray…not talk about its importance. We need to share the gospel…not talk about tools to evangelize. We need to trust God…not talk about his trustworthiness or give our doctrine on how faithful He is. We need to…(NOTE: See how easily we can drop into speaking of what we need and not do it?)

The antidote to fear is not more information…but action. The strengthening of faith comes when we exercise faith. We don’t see the answer of God’s promise to provide until we act…trusting Him for provision. We don’t see the power of the Holy Spirit changing lives…until we live “on the edge” where only He can change them.

How did God accomplish this task? He sent an angel and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night…in such a way that those not killed did not even wake up. The next morning they retreated and Sennacherib…assassinated by his own people (vv.35-37). Now…who could accept credit for this victory? None other than God.

QUESTION/REFLECTION: DO you talk about trusting God…or do you act in faith toward Him? Do you talk about prayer being powerful and essential…or do you pray? If…you can be victorious without God showing up…you have yet to step out of the comfort zone of self and into the realm of faith and power. So…inquire of the Lord as to the next BOLD step and step out!

Proverbs 20:9 is the takeaway today. “Who can say, ‘I have cleansed my heart. I am pure from my sin’ “? It is by His work we stand and in His grace persevere…and not our own.

Take Two: 2 Kings 18, Proverbs 19

This chapter introduces us to a good king…Hezekiah. Unlike Ahaz who, as noted in CH 16, was one of the most notoriously evil kings in Judah’s history, Hezekiah walked in the ways of David (v.3). NOTE: Walking in the ways of David indicates more than an ideological position… but involves real work, risk, and reward.

He not only reformed Judah’s religious practices (their relationship to Yahweh), but he went the further step of removing the idols from the land (v.4)…even the bronze serpent that Israel had burned incense to.

NOTE: This is a clear picture of the propensity of man to seek an object of worship that he can see, touch, or talk to. “Treasure in heaven” is harder to grasp than “treasure on earth.” Though its value far surpasses earthly treasure…we tend to focus on the tangible more than the intangible. A good thing…given by God (the serpent) as a focal point of trusting Yahweh…became the focal point of the people’s faith. Perhaps it did so because IT IS ONE WAY THAT GOD DELIVERED HIS PEOPLE BEFORE. (Many today still worship the methods of revival meetings, camp meetings, sawdust trails, bus ministries, and other relics from previous eras. These are methods…not Jesus. They should be remembered fondly. They should not be worshipped.) Most of us would do well to rip out our spiritual “rearview mirrors,” and press forward in whatever direction God is leading today.

In vv.7-12 we see the downfall and exile of Israel by the Assyrians. The reason is given that they forsook the Lord (v.12). The reason for the repeat is the contrast to the actions of Judah.

Faith (like that of Hezekiah) always has a testing point. There is a place where it is examined and that examination carries with it risk. The Assyrian king came against Judah next and called Hezekiah out. He did it publicly in order to cause unrest among the people. He then enticed the people to abandon Hezekiah and his ideals and trust Assyria to care for them (vv.19-35).

NOTE: Real demonstration of faith requires that we trust God. Now some may have rationalized that God had opened a door of provision for His people by the hand of the Assyrians. (If you have a theology that asserts that God wants you to be happy, then this is an easy leap). However, a discerning ear realizes that the Assyrian king sought to take the eyes of the people off of trusting God and onto him. It is all about control.

APPLIED: Be cautious thinking that God is providing for you through the government or by way of a benevolent resource. Perhaps He is…and perhaps it is a deception of the enemy…trying to create a dependence of the resource rather than trusting in the Lord. How can you know? Does accepting the resource require to you go against any other of God’s instructions? For instance…if getting government protection means I agree to subordinate God’s Word under them (become silent and surrender my values)…then it is a trick and not part of God’s provision. We are called first to bear witness of Him…trusting in Him…and demonstrating that faith in Him, while costly, is far more valuable and precious than anything else…even provisions from the enemy.

Proverbs 19:8 is the takeaway today. “He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good.”

Take Two: 2 Kings 17, Proverbs 18

Two things “jump out” as we observe this chapter today…at least to me. First is the historical event of the fall of Israel to Assyria. This is declared in vv.1-6…and then explained/defended in vv.7-21.

Israel fell due to its tolerance for idolatry and it syncretism of worship acts. It embraced the traditions of the nations God defeated and the traditions of the Egyptians….and the traditions enacted by its kings through traditional observance. All of this was done in conflict with God’s standing and binding instruction to fear, bow down to, and serve only Him (vv.7-12).

God did not allow them to just “run their race” as they saw fit; rather, he sent prophets to warn them to turn back in repentance to God (vv.12-13).

NOTE: Notice the language of v.11…they did evil things PROVOKING the Lord. An image came to mind of the child that taunts the parent…flirting with disobedience while being told “no.” The child is testing…provoking the parent…seeking to discover if the parent means business. The same idea appears here with Israel.

So…the Assyrians take Israel captive and exile the Israelites (many, not all) to other places and repatriate the land with Assyrians. This leads to my second observation…

Notice that God sends lions to terrorize the occupiers of Samaria and the other cities (vv.25-26). As such…the occupiers assume that this turmoil is due to their not knowing how to appease the regional god. So, they appeal to the king who orders a priest of the exiled peoples return to educate the occupiers on how to fear the regional god…who is, in fact, the One True God of Israel (and the world!)

While the occupiers did not (as a whole) become followers of Yahweh…God insured that there was a witness of Himself among these people. The occupiers DID add God to their list of other worship objects; however God will not be one of many deities in a worshipper’s life. He is the sole object of our worship…or He stands to judge the unfaithful worshippers who fail to acknowledge Him as He is.

Proverbs 18:6 is the takeaway today. “A fool’s lips brings strife, and his mouth calls for blows.”

Take Two: 2 Kings 16, Proverbs 17

This is an incredibly sad chapter in the history of Judah. Ahaz is one of the most evil kings ever to reign in Judah…and one of two said to walk in the ways of the kings of Israel (v.3).

He is polytheistic and embraced syncretism (merging of different religious beliefs), thus abandoning the requirement to worship the God if Israel alone. We see that he practiced pagan religions from worship of Molech in sacrificing his son (v.3), to worshipping (and institutionalizing idol worship) the idols of the other more powerful nations in his region.

NOTE: Much like the preaching and elevation of our modern understanding of “tolerance,” Ahaz tolerated and participated in the worship of false gods as a “possible” means to a desired end. It is much like having no faith in God, but praying anyway…just in case and because you saw it work for someone else.

This openness to idolatry from the nations progressed. Ahaz formed a military alliance and subjugated his nation under the Assyrians (the rising world power of his day) and even robbed the Temple to pay the required tribute/protection money (v.8).

Following the fall fo Damascus, Ahaz even created a copy of an Assyrian altar and placed it in the Temple area in place of the bronze altar. He then required the high priest to sacrifice on it regularly and moved the bronze altar to the north side to become his personal “crystal ball” (vv.14-16).

Ahaz’s actions signal a major shift in worship practices in Judah. God’s judgment is seen manifesting against them and continues to be evident in the coming years. Ahaz opened the “Pandora’s box” of accepting other false religions as equal to the worship of Yahweh; or, at least, valuable to the human experience. Others after him…those he influenced…would build on his idolatry.

OBSERVATIONS: My thoughts this morning run to how the cultural pressures of today are to act as Ahaz did. It is culturally appropriate to at least respect other religions. We are to speak politely of other people who are “lost” and acknowledge their right to worship whatever god they choose.

I wonder though…how does it speak to our fidelity to the One, True God when we practice or fail to distance ourselves from them. It is one thing to sit quietly at a mosque or observe as a tourist. It is quite another to allow an Imam to pray for you in the hospital. It is certainly wrong to join in prayer with Muslim worshipper or Buddhist worshippers…or any false religion. Yes…taking a stand will invite persecution and possibly aggression…but failing to do so dishonors God and states (implicitly) that we see our God as one of many viable options. [NOTE: This is why, in part, I do not attend a Catholic Mass, or a mormon worship service, or worship with a Unitarian congregation, etc. I do not want to ever dilute the uniqueness of Jesus in the vast sea of objects of worship. I serve the One and Only Way. Heaven forbid that I might ever confuse an observer by respecting an idols altar and implying that it is anything other than a means to damnation by a Holy, Righteous, and Just God.] (Boy that sounded prophetic and maybe a bit preachy…hmm.)

Proverbs 17:10 is the takeaway today. “A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.”