1/16 Infanticide – burning of children as a sacrifice, was a despicable practice among the nations God had commanded Israel to drive out (Deut 18:10). True worship consists of treating each other as image bearers. “How can you claim to love God whom you have never seen when you don’t love your neighbour?” the writer of 1 John asked in 4:20. #TweetsfromKings
2/16 The only constant amidst the royal profiles of 1 & 2 Kings is God. Each Royal account often begins with a number of years reigned, the practice of wickedness or righteousness and the phrase “buried with his fathers” life was transient, but the ancient of days wasn’t – and isn’t, “yesterday, today and forever.” (Heb 13:8) #TweetsfromKings
3/16 As if Jeroboam’s home-bred idolatry in Bethel wasn’t enough, generations later King Ahaz takes it deeper to emulate an altar in Damascus (16:10-16). Idolatry took on new depths when the previous didn’t satisfy. #TweetsfromKings
4/16 Yet again, the high places set up around their towns and under “every green tree ” (17:9-11) invite God’s judgment. Idolatry took various forms and still does. #TweetsfromKings
5/16 Taking over the promised land called for godly discernment amidst Canaanite gods. “In the world but not of it “(John 17:16) #TweetsfromKings
6/16 Unbelief didn’t happen in a vacuum, before God’s people failed to “believe in the Lord their God” (17:14) they “set up for themselves pillars and Asherim on every high hill and every green tree” (17:10) #TweetsfromKings
7/16 “…but they would not listen but were stubborn as their fathers had been who did not believe in the Lord their God.” (17:14) The struggles of the people of the promised land are still the struggles of the people of the promised land.#TweetsfromKings
8/16 Their fear and worship of the Lord were for a reason—deliverance from Egypt (17: 36). Children of the promise worship, fear and sacrifice because they’ve been delivered, not “in order” to be delivered. (Rom 6:2) #TweetsfromKings
9/16 “However, they did not listen, but did according to their former manner.” (17:40) What the Israelites did demonstrated what they heard, if faith comes by hearing the word of Christ (Rom 10:17) it certainly disappears for a lack of it. #TweetsfromKings
10/16 Having failed to teach their children what is true according to the Deuteronomy 6:7 mandate, Israelite children emulated their parents’ idolatry anyway. “Their children did likewise, and their children’s children…” (17:41) #TweetsfromKings
11/16 The bronze serpent God instructed Moses to set up (Num 21:8) became a snare, as Israel sacrificed to it. (2 Kings 18:4) The noblest religious practice can become an idol. #TweetsfromKings
12/16 Commandments were not just commandments, but “commandments that the Lord commanded Moses” (18:6), closely knit with their deliverance from Egypt. The Israelites’ obedience was rooted in their deliverance from Egypt. Christians’ obedience is rooted in Christ’s deliverance too! #TweetsfromKings
13/16 King Hezekiah’s righteousness not only involved keeping God’s commandments, but also a rebellion against Assyrian King. To follow Jesus calls for watchfulness too, “watch and pray” (26:41) Jesus would tell his disciples. #TweetsfromKings
14/16 Hezekiah’s ultimate goal was that “all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Lord, are God alone.” 19:19 — In the face of Assyrian mockery and rage, a clarification of God’s sovereignty was key. #TweetsfromKings
15/16 After witnessing 185,000 of his own struck down by the angel of the Lord, (19:35) Sennacherib King of Assyria still retreats to worship in the house of Nisroch his god. (19:37) warning —Witnessing the Lord’s power is not guarantee that we will always worship. #TweetsfromKings
16/16 If you want a witness account of the constant fluctuation between Idolatry and true worship, read 1 & 2 Kings. You might be surprised by the reflection in the mirror. A people like us, tempted by idols like us, needing a saviour like us. #TweetsfromKings
