I am Seventy-six years old and have seen ¾ of a century of life on this planet. I have observed the ebb and flow of my culture and Christianity over the years. While reading through the Bible again this year and rehearsing the walk of (mankind), specifically the plight of the Jews in the early century, I got to chapter 17 of II Kings. I found myself lost in this verse:
“Even while these people were worshiping the LORD, they were serving their idols.”
Thisverse is included in what I call a “summary or review” Chapter. The Israelites had begged for a King. God was their KING, but the people insisted on an earthly king. God gave them their desire and what they deserved in Saul. A man who proved that earthly kings are fallible and are blind to the reflection of our God, as KING, perfect and infallible in comparison! The evil heart of man revealed itself over and over as the kings came and went. With few exceptions, they were bent on their desires, unrighteous, disobedient, idol worshipers, murderers of their own children on heathen sacrifices to false gods of stone, rebellious to God’s ways, resistant to God’s Purpose, His Wisdom…
“…they have done evil in my eyes and have provoked
me to anger from the day their forefathers came out of Egypt
until this day.” (vs. 14, Chapter 21)
The nation divided and fought each other and the surrounding towns. The kings were competitive and combative. They strayed from God’s will, purpose, desires, wisdom, and righteousness. They rejected the true God, lost the blessing of the covenant God had made with Abraham and David and in its place, experienced the penalty and its replacement…the curse of disobedience.
In Chapter 17 the culmination of many years of rejecting God and His ways are realized by the King of Assyria. God sent lions to consume the ignorant generation…!
“The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthuh, Avva, Hamath and
Sepharvaim (remember this group…they burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Drammach!!) and settled them in the town of Samaria to
replace the Isrealites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns.
When they first lived there, they did not worhip the Lord…
so HE sent lions among them…” (vs. 25,26)
When the report that the people were being killed by lions came to the King of Assyria, it was noted that “the people that had been deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE GOD OF THAT COUNTRY REQUIRES.” The lions came because the people DID NOT KNOW WHAT HE REQUIRES! Sooo, what does this heathen king do?
“Have one of the priests who had been exiled from
Samaria come and live in Bethel and teach them how to worship the LORD!!” (vs. 28)
We are that heathen nation that has rejected our LORD God!
When we gather with our family on Sunday nights or when we meet with couples or small groups, we are the old guard…the exiled priests, called by our living God to teach the newer generation how to know and worship our GOD.
Hence the title… a royal priesthood…
Are you busy living and teaching your prince and princesses God’s will (not their own),
God’s purpose for their life, God’s Desires (no entitlement…what’s on HIS heart),
God’s Wisdom and Godly righteousness???
What’s your plan…?
~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America. Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California. My passion is discipling and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights.
