Dad's Are a Big Deal

What kind of car did dad pick out to drive the family to Church?

Honda, because he read in Acts 2:1, they were all in one accord.

Why did grandpa keep his eyes open when he prayed.

Because the Bible says, “Watch and pray” Mt. 26:41.

Where do you keep all your dad jokes?

In the dadabase of course.

Okay, enough of the obligatory Father’s Day dad jokes.

If you want to find a good parking spot and the best seat in the House of God, Father’s Day is the best day to go to Church.

Statistics say, Father’s Day, is the least attended Church service all year.

Mother’s Day, on the other hand, is one of the most attended services all year, only behind Christmas and Easter.

Which is interesting because statistics show:

If a father attends Church regularly, regardless of what the mother does, between 66-75% of their children attend Church as adults.

If a father does not go to Church, even if his wife does, only 2% (1 child in 50) will become a regular worshiper as adults.

Another study, focused on Sunday School, found similar results on the impact of fathers:

• When both parents attend Bible study in addition to the Sunday service, 72% of their children attend Sunday school when grown.
• When only the father attends Sunday school, 55% of the children attend when grown.
• When only the mother attends Sunday school, 15% of the children attend when grown.
• When neither parent attends Sunday school, only 6% of the children attend when grown.

Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Charles Spurgeon said it like this: Train up a child in the way he should go—but be sure you go that way yourself.

Another survey found that if a child is the first person in a household to become a Christian, there is a 3.5% probability everyone else in the household will follow. If the mother is the first to become a Christian, there is a 17% probability everyone else in the household will follow. However, when the father is first, there is a 93% probability everyone else in the household will follow. 

90% of homeless, and run away children, come from fatherless homes.

85% of behavioral disorders in children are from fatherless homes.

63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes.

71% of teen pregnancies are from fatherless homes.

85% of youth in prison are from fatherless homes.

Children from fatherless homes are:

Four times more likely to live in poverty.

Ten times more likely to use drugs.

14 times more likely to commit rape.

32 times more likely to run away.

Dad’s, don’t get a big head, but you’re a big deal.

You make a big difference, for better or worse, as evidenced by statistics.

You’re made in the image of God, like everybody, but becoming a father, is the biggest promotion of your life.

God created family. He set it up with the father as the head. (1 Corinthians 11:3, Ephesians 5:23, 6:4, 1 Timothy 3:4-5).

The job of a father is to reflect The Father.

For God so loved the world that He gave... John 3:16.

Ephesians 5:25. Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself...

Characteristics of a father: loving, giving, selfless. A giver, not a taker. A fountain, not a drain. John 4:14, 7:38.

Being a father bears the responsibility of allowing The Father to flow through you as, provider, protector, leader, teacher, helper, encourager, and friend. (Psalm 127, Proverbs 13:22, 1 Tim. 3:4-5, 5:8, Eph. 6:4).

A large part of being a father, is showing up.

It’s a big job.

But you can handle it because God can.

Philippians 2:13
For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Galatians 2:20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life I live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God, who loves me, and gave Himself for me.

The roles change quickly as we grow older.

Don’t blink, they grow fast.

Grandpas, you are a lighthouse.

You’re not retired from fatherhood you’re promoted to a father of fathers.  

The kids and grandkids are living life, out there having fun in the sun, dancing high from wave to wave.

You’re boring like a tree, rooted, grounded, planted. Just steadfast, stable, standing, on the shore. Not going anywhere. Easy to ignore.

They’re out having fun, chasing dreams, living large and laughing loud, sailing carefree from shore to shore. (Just like you used to do).

But night falls, storms rise, waves they once danced with, threaten to sink them. They have no idea what to do or which way to turn.

It’s then, like the light of a lighthouse, through the wind and the rain and the waves, your prayers pierce the darkness, your words finally hit home, and they lift their eyes, and see the Light, and find their way Home.

STAND Grandpa.

SHINE on Papa.

Let your light so shine that they see and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16.

Don’t you dare think you’re out of the fight.

If you’re still breathing, God’s got a reason.

Grab grandma’s hand if you can and pray.

Even if you’ve never done it, it’s not too late. Start today.

You have a calling. You have a position.

Your family, your neighborhood, your Church, your nation, need you.  

Rise! Shine!

Be that shining beacon God’s called you to be.

Don’t worry about your weakness. Give the Father your past, mistakes, regrets, failures, wasted years.

Give it all to Him and watch how it turns it into wisdom from above.

It’s not too late for you to finish strong and finish well.

Yeah Doug, easier said than done. I’ve burned too many bridges with my kids. Those relationships are too far gone.

Doesn’t matter. Don’t try to figure it out. That’s your Father’s job.

If you’re hearing this message God is offering you a mission.

Everybody needs a father.

Be one.

Trust Him for Divine Direction and Connection.

Knowing nothing is impossible with God.

He is a Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows and sets the lonely in families. Psalm 68:5-6b.

Speaking of Divine Direction and Connection.

Deland McCullough was adopted as a baby, into a two-parent home, but his adoptive father left when he was only two.

So, Deland was raised by a single mom, in Youngstown Ohio.

After a knee injury ended Sherman Smith’s NFL playing career, he wound up coaching at Miami University (Oxford Ohio).

He recruited 17-year-old Deland McCullough from high school to join Miami U as a running back.

Coach Sherman took Deland under his wing and became more than a coach; he became a mentor, a father figure, a friend.   

That’s why it was so sad when Coach Sherman moved away for another coaching position, nevertheless, they kept in touch.

Deland stayed the course and had a successful football career at Miami University, then went on to the pros, until, like Sherman, a knee injury ended his playing career. He also went into coaching. Currently he’s running back coach for Oklahoma Sooners.  

In 2017, when Deland was 44, he connected with his birth mother. He found out she was only 16 years old when she had him and gave him up for adoption so he could have a better life.

When he asked about his dad, she said he was someone she dated a little while in high school, but he never found out she was pregnant. His name was Sherman Smith.

The very same Coach Sherman Smith that had been more than a coach to Deland, he was a mentor, father figure and friend.

WOW!

He is a Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows and sets the lonely in families. Psalm 68:5-6b

Deland and Sherman, knew that God orchestrated their Divine connection, but they had a DNA test done, just for documentation. It was a 99.9% match.

Over the years Deland had gone to Coach Sherman’s multiple times, but then he went for the first time, to Dad Sherman’s.

When Deland’s dad, opened the door, he simply smiled, invited him in, and said the two words Deland longed his whole life to hear from his dad...

“My son.”

1 John 3:1
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!

Dear Fathers, we all have the same top line on our family tree.

Adam was the son of God. Luke 3:38.

You have a Good Good Father.

Your Source is Him.

Thus, you lack nothing.

In Him, you have everything you need for life and Godliness. (2 Peter 1:3).

You have a calling, a position, a mission.

Seek Him with all you’ve got.

Stay the course, do not quit, and you will not fail. (Galatians 6:9).

Fathers, rise. Allow the Father and Fountain of Living Waters flow through you. (John 4:14, 7:38).

Father of fathers, shine. Let the Father of Lights shine through you. (Matthew 5:16).

Fathers, stand united, under the one banner of our Father, encourage, and pray and hold each other accountable.

Let’s pray.  

Heavenly Father, thank You for the honor of being Your children. We love and honor You. Please flow through us, and shine through us, so all those You’ve given us, will be drawn to You and hear You say, “My child, well done.”

Thank You.

We love You, forever.

Amen.

Prayer Requests:

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This was feed for you to read. Now it’s Seed for you to sow.

Thank you for sharing. 

 

Let Your Yes Be Yes, James 5:12

James 5:12
But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.

But above all...

Think about who is saying this.

James opens his epistle by revealing his heart. He considers it the greatest honor to just be known as a bondservant to his older Brother.

James was half-brother of Jesus (same mom, different Father).

He grew up with Jesus. He heard Him talk about normal stuff, like carpentry, and chores, whose turn it was to fetch the water.

James watched the Omniscient, ask questions, learn stuff. Heb. 5:8.

At first James (and his family) couldn’t believe that Jesus was the Messiah.

They watched Him grow up, without ever sinning. Never disrespected mom and dad. Never coveted greedily or selfishly. Never lied. Never stole. Never said a sinful word.

He was tempted but never yielded.

Always honored His Father.

Even still, the family didn’t believe Jesus was the Messiah, the Anointed One, the One the prophets pointed to, the One they prayed for, longed for, believed for...

The sin of familiarity is strong.

John 7:5, even His own brothers didn’t believe.

Mark 3:20-21, they thought He was out of His mind.

However, after He died, sinlessly and rose victoriously, then, everything changed. Then they believed.

So don’t give up, don’t get discouraged, keep on believing, and praying and Seed planting. The Seeds you plant will keep growing, blooming, even after you’re gone.

1 Corinthians 15:7, after His resurrection, He appeared to James. And to all of them for 40 days providing many undeniable proofs.

Acts 1:14, His mother and brothers were among those in one accord in the Upper Room who were all filled with His Holy Spirit.

James became leader of the Church. Gal. 2:9, Acts 12:17, 15:19.

James and his brother Jude both wrote a book of the New Testament.

This James, who wrote this book, who was nicknamed, Ol’ Camel Knees, because his powerful prayer life could be seen in his calloused knees.

This James, wrapping up his epistle, says:

But above all...

Above all what?

Everything the Holy Spirit through James said up to this point.

James 1

2-3 Count it all joy when you fall into various trials..

Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing

⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, ⁶ ...in faith 

⁹ Let the lowly glory, ¹⁰ and the rich be humble

12-15 Blessed is he who endures temptation...

Temptation never comes from God, but by one’s own lusts from within.

16-18 Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of Lights

19-20 Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.

21 Lay aside filthiness, receive with meekness the implanted Word.

22-25, Be doers of the Word not hearers only

26, The religion of anyone who does not bridle their tongue is useless. 

James 2

1-9 If you show partiality, you commit sin.

10-12 He who keeps all the law, but one, is guilty of all.

13, Mercy triumphs over judgement.

14-26, As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.

James 3

2 Anyone, who does not stumble in word is able to bridle the whole body.

3-6, As bits for horses and rudders for ships, the tongue turns great things.

 Like a spark, the tongue can ignite, a world of iniquity.

7-12, No man can tame the tongue, it’s unruly, full of poison, spewing blessing and cursing. These things ought not so to be.

13 Who is wise and understanding? Show it by good conduct in the meekness of wisdom.

18 The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

James 4

2...You have not because you ask not. ³ You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts.

4...Whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

6...“God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

7 Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee.

8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

11 Do not speak evil of one another.

13-16, Do not say, “We shall go here or there and do this or that” all such boasting is evil. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

17 Him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

James 5

7 Be patient like a farmer.

8 ...Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

9 Do not grumble against one another, lest you be condemned.

There. That's the highlights of James. And, after saying all that, James says, “But above all...

The Holy Spirit through James repeatedly addressed the power of the tongue.

He will conclude this chapter and book in verses 13-20 by repeating seven times the most powerful use of the tongue and its glorious Eternal Outcome.

But first, before that, above all, He must establish one final guardrail:

But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.

James heard this from his Lord, his Savior, his half-brother:

Jesus,

Matthew 5:33-37

³³ “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ ³⁴ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; ³⁵ nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶ Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷ But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

There’s many Old Testament Scriptures referring to what Jesus is talking about, but here’s a couple:

Numbers 30:2. If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

Deuteronomy 23:23. That which has gone from your lips you shall keep and perform, for you voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth.

But now, Jesus, and James, say don’t swear at all, don’t make oaths, just be true to your word. Let your let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,”.

Lest you fall into judgment.

For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

Swearing an oath is a powerful and dangerous thing. Jesus, and James, command we avoid it altogether.

Now, let’s look at three examples to confirm the wisdom of their words:

Zedekiah’s broken oath

Joshua’s mistaken oath

Jephthah’s foolish oath

This past Sunday we looked at an example of this in Ezekiel 17.

Zedekiah’s broken oath

Ezekiel 17

Because of Judah’s ongoing idolatry, God allowed Babylon to conquer them.

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon made a covenant with Zedekiah and set him as king of Judah.

Zedekiah swore an oath by God to abide by the terms of the covenant. But he broke the covenant and tried to get Egypt to help him break the yoke of Babylon.

(Side note: We don’t have time to go into detail now, but this is an eerie foreshadowing of the oaths being sworn with Iran).

So, God said about Zedekiah:

Will he prosper? Will he who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and still be delivered?  Ezekiel 17:15.

The questions were rhetorical.

The answers were obvious.

The Lord takes oaths seriously, and personal, saying: Since Zedekiah despised My oath, and My covenant and committed treason against Me, his men will be killed, and he will die in captivity in Babylon. Ezekiel 17:16-21.

Zedekiah and his men tried to escape during the final siege in 586 BC, but they were caught and his men were killed. Zedekiah’s sons were slain before his eyes, then his eyes were taken and he was led in chains to Babylon where he remained captive until the day he died. Just as the Lord had said.  

2 Chronicles 36:12-13. But Zedekiah did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and he refused to humble himself when the prophet Jeremiah spoke to him directly from the LORD. He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, even though he had taken an oath of loyalty in God’s name. Zedekiah was a hard and stubborn man, refusing to turn to the LORD, the God of Israel.

Zedekiah’s broken oath caused him to fall into judgement

If we say we’ll pray, but don’t, are we breaking an oath? Are we a no show for the appointment we said we’d have with God?  

Joshua’s mistaken oath

Joshua 9:10-27

2 Samual 21

Go back about 800 years from Zedekiah to around 1,400 BC and meet the Gibeonites.

Joshua was leading Israel victoriously through the promise land. They had conquered Jericho and Ai, and the next target was likely Gibeon.

So, Gibeon dressed up in old clothes and took old moldy bread and wineskins and went to Joshua looking worn and weary and humble.

They said they were from a land far, far, away, and when they heard of how God was with Israel, they traveled all this way just to say they wanted to be their servants, their allies.

So, without asking counsel of the Lord, they believed them and made a covenant with them and the rulers of Israel swore an oath to the Gibeonites.

Then, three days later they discovered that the Gibeonites deceived them.

They couldn’t destroy them because of the oath. So, they made them their servants. The Gibeonites honored the arrangement.

But when five kings in the area heard about Gibeon joining Joshua, they joined forces against them.  

Gibeon sent word to Joshua. Hurry come and save your servants!

So, Joshua and his men, true to their oath, went to fight for, those they would be fighting against, had it not been for being tricked.

But God honored their integrity and told Joshua, not to be afraid, for He would fight for them.

After having marched all night, they routed the enemy, chased them and killed them with a great slaughter. As the five kings armies fled, the Lord cast large hailstones from heaven and more died by the hailstones than the sword.

Then Joshua said,

“Sun, stand still over Gibeon;
And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
¹³ So the sun stood still,
And the moon stopped,
Till the people had revenge
Upon their enemies.

Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. ¹⁴ And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel.

Joshua 10:12-14..

God dropped hail bombs and stopped the sun, to honor those who honored their word.

Even though Israel didn’t seek the Lord and mistakenly entered covenant with the Gibeonites, they were still bound by their oath.

Even several generations later, God remembered and considered this covenant still valid.

2 Samuel 21:

When David was king there was severe famine in the land.

The Lord said it was because when King Saul was alive, he broke the Gibeonite covenant by slaughtering many of them.

To end the famine, King David asked the Gibeonites what he could do for them.

They asked for the execution of seven of Saul's male descendants.

Their request was granted.

The famine ended.

The covenant was restored and the Gibeonites, eventually helped King Solomon build the temple and aided Nehemiah in rebuilding Jerusalem's walls after the Babylonian exile.

Then, finally, there’s Jephthah.

Jephthah’s foolish oath

Judges 11:30-40

Jephtha was the son of a prostitute. His brothers disowned him because of it.

But God looks on the heart and calls him a mighty man of valor. Judges 11:1.

While on his way to battle Israel’s enemies, the Ammonites, he made a vow to the Lord, and said: If You will deliver the people of Ammon into my hands, then whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace, shall be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering. Judges 11:30-31.

Jephtha defeated the Ammonites with a very great slaughter. Judges 11:32-33.

When Jephtha returned home, his daughter, his only child, ran out to meet him with singing and dancing.

Jephthah was broken. He told her his vow and said, I have given my word to the Lord, and I cannot go back on it.  Judges 11:34-35.

His amazing daughter said: My father, if you have given your word to the Lord, do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth...” Then, she asked for two months to wander the mountains with her friends and bewail her virginity. Judges 11:36-37.

So, she went and bewailed her virginity and returned after two months, and he carried out his vow. She knew no man. Judges 11:38-39.

Wait! Did Jephthah offer his own daughter as a sacrifice to God?

That question is highly debated, but wouldn’t be, if we follow some basic rules of Biblical interpretation.

1.    Big picture. The best commentary on the Bible is the Bible.

2.    Context.

3.    Original text. It was Divinely inspired, not our multiple English translations.

4.    Character of God.

Scripture says Jephthah’s daughter bewailed her virginity, not her death, not her shortened life. When she returned Jephthah carried out his vow and she never knew a man. She never got married, she never got pregnant, she never had children to carry her father’s legacy. Judges 11:39.

The Bible calls Jephthah a man of valor in Judges 11:1, and then, he is honored in the New Testament Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11:32, alongside Sampson, David and Samuel.  

If Jephthah killed his own daughter, he should’ve been stoned to death, not honored, according to the Law of Moses which explicitly forbids offering human sacrifices. Leviticus 18:21, 20:2, Deuteronomy 12;31.

The Character of God takes no pleasure in sacrifices or burnt offerings (Psalm 51:6) or in death, not even the wicked. Ezekiel 33:11.

The original text brings clarity that the English translations do not give.

Judges 11:31 ...whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the people of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.

“and I will offer it up” begins with the Hebrew letter, Vav.

וְהַעֲלִיתִ֖הוּ

(wə·ha·‘ă·lî·ṯi·hū)

and I will offer it up

Vav

Vav at the beginning of a word is a conjunction like “and” however it can also mean, “or”, depending on context.

Context is king in Biblical interpretation and considering the whole context of the Word of God, Jephthah vowed that whatever or whomever (the original word could mean either) came out of his house first would be the Lord’s or offered up as a burnt offering.

Hope that answers your question.

Now, let’s wrap up our Bible Study.

Zedekiah broke the oath that was within God’s will.

However, Joshua, honored the oath that was made by mistake, and Jephthah fulfilled his oath, even though it was made foolishly.

The Lord condemned double minded Zedekiah, but honored Joshua and Jephthah who swore to their own hurt and did not change. Psalm 15:1-4.

Jesus tells us out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

If Jesus is abundantly in our heart, there’s no need to overcompensate with oaths.

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, thank You for these examples showing why making oaths is not a great idea. Please help us to be people of Your Word, speaking Truth in Love, letting our yes be yes and our no, no. Use us to be soul winners and disciple makers.

Thank You.

We love You, forever.

Amen.

Prayer Requests:

Call or text: 612-554-2522

Email: pray4measap@aol.com

Facebook: Church at WPV

Books: amazon.com/author/dougspurling

Watch online:

Facebook: Let Your Yes Be Yes, James 5:12

You Tube: Let Your Yes Be Yes, James 5:12

This was feed for you to read. Now it’s Seed for you to sow.

Thank you for sharing. 

The Eagles and the Vine, Ezekiel 17

 

Let’s go back to somewhere around 590 BC and listen to the Lord give us a riddle, followed by an explanation, and then, a powerful, hope filled prophecy.

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ² “Son of man, pose a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel, ³ and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God:

“A great eagle with large wings and long pinions, full of feathers of various colors, (King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon) came to Lebanon (Implies Jerusalem with the royal palace and temple largely made of majestic cedars of Lebanon) and took from the cedar the highest branch. ⁴ He cropped off its topmost young twig (Young 18 yr old King Jehoiachin of Judah, only 3 mo. on the throne) and carried it to a land of trade; he set it in a city of merchants. (Jehoiachin was taken captive to Babylon in 597 BC. This was the same time as Ezekiel. So, it’s possible he heard this prophecy and perhaps recognized himself in the story, as the topmost young twig).
⁵ Then he took some of the seed of the land and planted it in a fertile field; he placed it by abundant waters and set it like a willow tree. (Nebuchadnezzar took “seed of the land” Jehoiachin’s 21 year old uncle, Zedekiah, and planted him in Jerusalem as his puppet king of Judah. 2 Kings 24:17).

⁶ And it grew and became a spreading vine of low stature (the land of Judah was no longer a majestic cedar, but a growing vassal vine under Babylon); its branches turned toward him (they were subject to Nebuchadnezzar), but its roots were under it (but at least they were standing on their own soil, in their own homeland, Israel). So, it became a vine, brought forth branches, and put forth shoots. (Zedekiah and the land of Judah prospered peacefully, as long as they remained subservient to Nebuchadnezzar).

⁷ “But there was another great eagle with large wings and many feathers; (Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt); and behold, this vine (Zedekiah) bent its roots toward him, and stretched its branches toward him, from the garden terrace where it had been planted, that he might water it. ⁸ It was planted in good soil by many waters, to bring forth branches, bear fruit, and become a majestic vine.” ’

Even though life was good for Zedekiah, good soil, many waters, bearing fruit, growing into a majestic vine, in his homeland, even still, Zedekiah wasn’t happy as a vine, he wanted to be a majestic cedar.

Even though the prophets, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and others, told him what was happening was God’s discipline for their wickedness.

Even though he was told to repent and endure and not despise or rebel against God’s chastening.

Zedekiah wouldn’t listen.

2 Chronicles 36:12.
But Zedekiah did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and he refused to humble himself when the prophet Jeremiah spoke to him directly from the LORD.   

Instead, he turned to Egypt (Jeremiah 37), asking for help to get out from under the thumb of Babylon, (and the Divine discipline of God).

The deceiver always offers a counterfeit.

Instead of staying the course, receiving the Promises of God through faith and patience, the tempter hisses, don’t wait, you’ll miss out if you hesitate, taste the forbidden fruit today.

Here’s what God has to say:

⁹ “Say, ‘Thus says the Lord God:

“Will it thrive? (the vine: Zedekiah, Judah).
(NO!) Will he not pull up its roots, cut off its fruit, and leave it to wither?
All of its spring leaves will wither, and no great power or many people will be needed to pluck it up by its roots. (It’ll be so weak and withered that it won’t take much to pluck it up).

¹⁰ Behold, it is planted, will it thrive?
Will it not utterly wither when the east wind touches it? (East, from Babylon).
It will wither in the garden terrace where it grew.” ’ ”

That’s the second time we’ve heard the words “garden terrace”. The Lord, making a point that His Divine discipline is seasoned with love, mercy and grace. Zedekiah was planted in a beautiful place to thrive, a land flowing with milk and honey, fruited plains, where God shed His grace on thee. 

John 15:5-6.  I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

All he, they, we, have to do, is willingly, humbly, patiently, abide in Him, covenant with Him, accept God’s chastening. Follow His leading.

If you’re in a pickle, drying, dying, on the vine, having problems, (especially of your own making), whatever the pickle, whatever the problem, the Answer is always the same. Abide in Him. Covenant with Him.

How do I do that?

TRUST. DELIGHT. COMMIT.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Proverbs 16:3
Commit your works to the Lord,
And your thoughts will be established.

Which is a Sunday School Picnic compared to what happens when we rebel. My yoke is easy, My burden is light. Matthew 11:30.

¹¹ Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ¹² “Say now to the rebellious house: ‘Do you not know what these things mean?’ Tell them, ‘Indeed the king of Babylon went to Jerusalem and took its king and princes, and led them with him to Babylon. ¹³ And he took the king’s offspring, (“Offspring” in KJV and NKJV, is not a good translation. Most other translations accurately say something like: a member of the royal family. Which, as we already mentioned was Jehoiachin’s uncle, Zedekiah) made a covenant with him, and put him under oath...

Nebuchadnezzar made a covenant with Zedekiah.

Covenants are a big deal.

Currently, another eagle, America, is trying to make a covenant with the devil, I mean, Iran and friends, which they will break.

Soon, the antichrist will make a seven-year covenant (which he will break).

Don’t you love God’s object lessons being played out in living color?  

Zedekiah swore an oath by God to abide by the terms of the covenant.

Akin to when we place our hand on the Bible and say: “I swear to tell the Truth the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth, so help me God.”

It’s serious. If you lie under oath, you’re not only committing perjury to the court, but breaking a covenant with God (more on that in a moment).

 ¹³... He also took away the mighty of the land, ¹⁴ that the kingdom might be brought low and not lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand. 

Nebuchadnezzar stacked the deck in his favor.

To keep the people in check, Nebuchadnezzar took captive the mighty of the land, the leaders, the elite, the priests, the royal, the skilled, the best and brightest.

But to keep the land from becoming desolate, he left the poorest to serve him and take care of the land.

To oversee it all Nebuchadnezzar made a covenant with Zedekiah and planted him, as his puppet king.

¹⁵ But he (Zedekiah) rebelled against him (Nebuchadnezzar) by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and many people... 

Zedekiah swore an oath by God and then broke covenant with Nebuchadnezzar and asked the other eagle, Egypt, for help.

This was evil in the sight of God.

Covenants are a big deal.

2 Chronicles 36:13. He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, even though he had taken an oath of loyalty in God’s name. Zedekiah was a hard and stubborn man, refusing to turn to the LORD, the God of Israel.

¹⁵... Will he prosper? Will he who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and still be delivered?

The questions are rhetorical.

The answers are obvious. No! he cannot break covenant and be delivered, escape and prosper.

God takes covenant seriously.

The moment you intentionally, sincerely, ask Jesus to be Lord of your life, you are signing a Divine Eternal Covenant, with God, written and sealed by the blood of Christ.   

In that instant you are in covenant with Him, a child of the King.

You are officially an ambassador for Christ.

Thus, required to represent Him with integrity and honesty.

Your word is your bond.

Psalm 15:1-4
Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

² He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart;
³ He who does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
⁴ In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the Lord;
He who swears to his own hurt and does not change

What does walking in covenant with God look like?

When you say you’ll do something, you do it.

Your handshake is an unbreakable contract.

When you commit to it, you finish it.

Let your yes be yes, and your no, no. Matthew 5:37, James 5:12.

God takes covenant seriously.

¹⁶ ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke—with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. ¹⁷ Nor will Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company do anything in the war, when they heap up a siege mound and build a wall to cut off many persons. ¹⁸ Since he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, and in fact gave his hand and still did all these things, he shall not escape.’ ”

Since Zedekiah despised the oath by breaking the covenant, there was a horrific eighteen month siege, ending in 586 BC when Nebuchadnezzar breached the walls of Jerusalem and destroyed the city.  

Zedekiah was captured and taken to Babylon where he spent the rest of his life in captivity.

¹⁹ Therefore thus says the Lord God: “As I live, surely My oath which he despised, and My covenant which he broke, I will recompense on his own head. ²⁰ I will spread My net over him, and he shall be taken in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon and try him there for the treason which he committed against Me.

Wow!

In God’s eyes, Zedekiah committed treason against Him, by breaking a sworn covenant with Nebuchadnezzar.

Notice God calls it “My oath” and “My covenant” which Zedekiah despised and broke. And He said, “I will recompense... I will spread My net over him, and he shall be taken in My snare...for the treason which he committed against Me.”

Zedekiah and his men tried to escape the Jerusalem siege through a hole in the wall but were captured near Jericho. What a bunch of low life cowards, the king and his soldiers, leaving the citizens, the women and children, to fend for themselves.  

Once they were caught, Zedekiah’s sons were slain before his eyes. That was the last thing he ever saw because then, his eyes were taken, and he was led, blind and in chains, to Babylon. 2 Kings 25:4-7.

Life is so much better to walk in covenant with God and humbly, patiently, accept His loving chastening, rather than despise it and be turned over to wicked tormenters.

God takes covenant seriously.    

As a Christian, representing Christ, if we break our word, we break our covenant with God to represent Him with integrity and honesty.

When we commit to Christ we are swearing to tell the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth.

If you set your hand to the plow, and then turn back, Jesus says you’re not fit for the Kingdom of God. Luke 9:62.

²¹ All his fugitives with all his troops shall fall by the sword, and those who remain shall be scattered to every wind; and you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken.”

A tragic end for Zedekiah and his men.

NOW, they know beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Lord has spoken.

NOW, they forever wish, they would’ve listened.

NOW, for them it’s too late.

But not for you, not for anyone hearing this message, or anyone you give it to.

NOW, the Lord extends Hope with a powerful prophecy.

²² Thus says the Lord God: “I will take also one of the highest branches of the high cedar and set it out. I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender One, and will plant it on a high and prominent mountain. ²³ On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it; and it will bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell birds of every sort; in the shadow of its branches they will dwell. ²⁴ And all the trees of the field (nations of the world) shall know that I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish; I, the Lord, have spoken and have done it.”

I will plant in Israel, on the mount, on the tree, in the shape of an old wooden cross, the Seed, from which will grow the most bountiful Eternal Harvest the world has ever known.

Take note the Lord’s words, “I will...I will...I will” and then He closes by saying, I have done it.

As on the day, on that mount, upon that tree, He said:

IT IS FINISHED!

NOW, it’s up to us... you.

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, even though You’ve been so Good, we, like Zedekiah, have despised Your chastening and have turned to Egypt rather than You. Yet, even now, like Ezekiel, Your Word comes to us. Thank You. Please forgive us, covenant with us, as we trust You, delight in You, commit to You. Please shine through us to draw others to You. So of all those You’ve given us, none are lost.

Thank You.

We love You, forever.

Amen.       

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