DCLM Daily Manna Saturday, July 2, 2022
TOPIC: Punishment For Disobedience
TEXT: 2 KINGS 10:28-36
28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
29 Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.
30 And the Lord said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.
31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.
32 In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;
33 From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.
34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
35 And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.
36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.
KEY VERSE: “In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel” (2 KINGS 10:32).
Jehu was among the kings of Israel. He was wonderfully helped by God to emerge as a leader to rule over Israel as a nation, and to wipe out the ruinous effect of idolatry that King Ahab and his family introduced in the land. In what looked like national military campaign, Jehu mobilised people of like minds who helped him to accomplish this feat by killing all the males in the lineage of Ahab.
These spiritual and national exploits attracted divine blessings for Jehu and God promised to uphold his family to rule Israel for the next four generations (2 Kings 10:30). However, Jehu’s heart was not perfect towards God. The Lord abandoned him and appointed his enemy, King Hazael, to pummel Israel in all quarters until most Israeli lands were lost to the Syrians.
God rejects and punishes His rebellious and disobedient children each time they flagrantly flout His commandments. He is no respecter of any man and does not have a favourite. You remain in favour with God as long as you continue to obey Him and live a life that pleases Him.
However, divine displeasure and punishment await those who disobey Him. But the good news is that God has also provided opportunity and avenue of reconciliation for penitent and humble followers who return to Him. Christ shed His precious blood to wash penitent sinners and restore them to fellowship with God.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft. Shun it!
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: GENESIS 4-6
