26/04/12

Idolatry and rebelling against God

2 Kings 15:1
In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah (Uzziah) son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.


In today's message we are been warned with two bad examples - Jeroboam and Uzziah.

Jeroboam was the first king of Israel after the revolt (that split into Israel and Judah).

Solomon found Jeroboam as a very diligent person of great valour therefore promoted him and made him a ruler. But Jeroboam later set a foundation that destroyed the kingdom of Israel. There were 2 things which he started and was followed by almost all the other kings of Israel.

1) He bought idols and other gods into the lives of God's people. No doubt Solomon caused the people to worship 3 gods - Ashtoreth (goddess), Chemosh and Milcom. These 3 gods are even today worshipped by many so called Christians i.e. Easter is the celebration of the birth of goddess Ashtoreth which was induced into Christianity by the Catholic church and it replaced Resurrection Day. The concept of Easter eggs, bunnies and cross buns were all part of the pagan celebration of this goddess. The name Ashtoreth means star and we still have an idol of the Catholic Church who is also called as a star of the sea as Ashtoreth was. They assume she is the Mary the mother of Jesus, not knowing she is a spirit deceiving them. She still holds all the titles she held earlier like Queen of Heaven, Mother of God etc...

Chemosh was also known as 'Baal-peor' or 'Baal-zebub', a god connected to the planets (astrology), symbolizes people who do not know the plan of God in their lives. They believe in destiny and not what the Word of God has to say. Their understanding of Heaven and earth, life and spiritual life is fully corrupted i.e. they introduced a female gender into Heaven so as to balance it, because Father, Son and Spirit are referred as male, not knowing that Heaven is a spirit world and genderless. They also do not know the reason why the Father, Son and Spirit are referred in the male gender.

Milcom means great king. It denotes the position man is given over God. What this man says overwrites God's Word. This sect of Christians have again and again edited and re-edited the Word of God and its understandings because of this man (position) whom they have lifted up over God. Even though he speaks against God they think he speaks on behave of God and thus change the Word of God making God to be a god who is not of his word, a god who makes errors, tolerates everything, sleeps mostly, does miracles mostly through the dead etc...

Jeroboam other than bringing idols into the worship of the Israelites he also rebelled against God's instructions and chose priests from the lowest of people to be priests (this is what happening today among this sect of Christians, their priests hardly believe in God and have not even an ounce of faith or spiritual understanding, yet are set to spiritually led the congregation).

We also have on the other Uzziah who did well till the time Zechariah guided him. But after Zechariah's death Uzziah became strong headed and did things profane to God. Thus God struck Uzziah with leprosy till his last days. This is the state of the leaders of the Believer Churches. In the start they do well when they are in tune with the Holy Spirit but when prosperity and self glory becomes their agenda they become strong headed and do profane things which cause God to take action against them.

Let us learn from Jeroboam and Uzziah, the things we should refrain from in our spiritual lives.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, there are many things which You tolerate for long. In most weaknesses You give us time and your grace to overcome. But things which are Holy unto You and things that would lead to spiritual destruction of your people, You take up very strongly. You do not hesitate to rebuke or express your wrath. Lord, open the eyes of people and bring them out of Jeroboam and Uzziah...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
1 Kings 11:28-33
28 The man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor; and Solomon, seeing that the young man was industrious, made him the officer over all the labor force of the house of Joseph.
29 Now it happened at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him on the way; and he had clothed himself with a new garment, and the two were alone in the field.
30 Then Ahijah took hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it into twelve pieces.
31 And he said to Jeroboam, "Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: 'Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to you
32 '(but he shall have one tribe for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel),
33 'because they have forsaken Me, and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the people of Ammon, and have not walked in My ways to do what is right in My eyes and keep My statutes and My judgments, as did his father David.

1 Kings 12:32 - Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And at Bethel he installed the priests of the high places which he had made.

1 Kings 14:14-16
14 "Moreover the LORD will raise up for Himself a king over Israel who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam; this is the day. What? Even now!
15 "For the LORD will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land which He gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the River, because they have made their wooden images, provoking the LORD to anger.
16 "And He will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who sinned and who made Israel sin."

2 Chronicles 26:3-5
3 Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
4 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did.
5 And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.

2 Chronicles 26:17-21
17 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:
18 And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God.
19 Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.
20 And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him.
21 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)