In 2 Chronicles 16:1-18:27, we see a kingdom progression in Judah from the last years of Asa’s reign into the reign of Jehoshaphat, Asa’s son. Both kings were good kings. However, “in the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah” (verse 1), whereupon Asa removed the silver and gold from the temple treasury “and sent it to Ben-Hadad to make a treaty with him” (verses 2-3). This was a lapse of Asa’s faith. He should have entrusted into the Lord’s hand and care the problem of Baasha’s war – a classic illustration of trusting in man and his strength rather than trusting God. “Hanani the seer came to Asa and said, ‘Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. When you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand'” (verses 7-8). Sharing a beautiful truth, Hanani continued, “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him … you have done a foolish thing” (verse 9). Then, Asa’s anger got the better of him, and he imprisoned Hanani. So Asa was afflicted with a foot disease, but “even in his illness he did not seek help from the LORD” (verse 12). My question is this: How hard is it to ask the Lord for help? In the next chapter, we see Jehoshaphat – “who walked in the ways of his father David” (verse 5) - come to the throne. “His heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD” (verse 6). In chapter 18, we see his alliance with Ahab, and his desire to receive a singular message from “a prophet of the LORD” before making any momentous decisions (verse 6). Again, I ask, how hard is it to seek help from the Lord?
In Psalm 102:1-11, the Psalmist lifts up a “cry for help” because he is “in distress” (repeated twice in verses 1-5). Life itself, as a result of sin, is replete with stress. We also sense with the writer that “our days vanish like smoke” (verse 3). To me, it seems that the older I get, the faster my life passes by, and my days seem quickly to “wither away” (verse 11). When I was a young person, I remember old people telling me how quickly they aged. Back then, it seemed to me that time passed slowly, and I couldn’t grasp how things could be any other way; attaining 70 or 80 years of age seemed forever into the future. Yet, all those old people agreed that, one day, I “would understand this.” And … they were right! Indeed, now my days have become “like the evening shadow” (verse 11). God has so ordered life, that unless we are really careful about it, life itself overtakes us and passes us by – before we know it.
In 1 Corinthians 15:1-34, we come to the tenth and last major problem in the Corinthian church – misunderstanding the resurrection of Jesus Christ. These problems reveal how out-of-order the Corinthian church really was, and for our benefit. We should pay attention to these problems so that we don’t duplicate them in our churches today. Paul’s emphasis is on restraint. A failure to grasp the Corinthian departure from biblical standards for order contributes to confusion about these problems today – thus to further disorder – in the contemporary church. Order requires restraint. Anything that produces chaos and disorder in the church must be restrained and avoided, and this applies to the resurrection. Years ago, when we lived in Dallas, I remember talking to a man who told me, “When you die, that's it!” I want to emphasize, no - that's not it. Here, Paul reminds us of the importance of the gospel and its relationship to the resurrection - the good news is that death is not the end. God raised up His Son unto newness of life which is therefore guaranteed for us, too. I praise God that, in my present state, I can look forward this newness of life which God has promised.
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