Coffee With The Lord

How dumb can a person be? …Really dumb!!!

I just finished reading the story of a King in Judah, who really fits the bill!! King Ahaz (the story is found in 2 Kings 16)

The Bible says he was twenty years old when he became king (young enough that it might have been a good idea if he would have sought and accepted some good godly counsel).

But instead, this is what we read… “Unlike David his forefather, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God. He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire (a gruesome, heathen practice), engaging in the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.” (vss. 2-3)

It gets worse… Two kings march out and lay siege to Jerusalem. Where does Ahaz go for support and help? Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria!! An evil, conniving, power-hungry king, infamous for his cruelty and violence. And what does Ahaz do? He takes “the silver and gold found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it to the king of Assyria,” bribing him to help him.

Temporary relief!

After the immediate crisis is over, Ahaz goes to Damascus to meet Tiglath-Pileser. He sees an altar there he likes, draws a sketch of it (we’d take a picture with our mobile phones) and sends the picture and plan for it home to Uriah, the priest. Had the competing altar (to God’s altar in the temple) built, moves God’s altar out of the way to be used only occasionally.

That’s not all… “In deference to the king of Assyria” (I guess Tiglath-Pileser commented that he really didn’t like the temple arrangement and how it was furnished) temple furnishings were dismantled, refurbished to “Assyrian standards” and rearranged!

How dumb can you be! How foolish leaders become that reject God and His word!! Praise the Lord that “Hezekiah, Ahaz’s son, succeeded him as King!” (vs. 20 … read about this marvelous leader in 2 Kings 18!!)

This morning in my Bible reading I was reminded why I am so grateful for what Jesus accomplished for me (and you) when He died for our sin on the cross!

Under the old system, described in the Old Testament, a human high priest, burdened with the same sin we all bear, was required to offer sacrifice for sin. A single sacrifice for sin wasn’t adequate – many sacrifices were required and had to offered repeatedly. The only authorized place for sacrifice was a sacred place – the tabernacle or temple. And the sacrifice had to be provided at the sinners own expense… I could go on…

Listen to (read) these words from Hebrews and be grateful!!

“Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. He came with his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves. He entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever!

“Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the Living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered Himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins… for without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.“ (From Hebrews 9:11–22 New Living Translation)

If you read those verses thoughtfully and prayerfully, I’m just pretty sure you should be ready to join me in a grateful “Spiritual sigh” and a sincere expression of thanksgiving and praise to the Lord!

I don’t know about you, but I need “a Great High Priest” like this: “He holds His priesthood permanently, because He continues forever! Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them! (Hebrews 7:24-25)