Wasted Warnings ~ 1 Kings 13

“Even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways.” 1 Kings 13:33a NIV

              You can find the microcosm of all human behavior in a 3-year-old.  Throughout our many years serving in the church, Margie and I have been afforded the blessing of working in many different children’s classes.  Whether it be 3-year-olds, kindergartners, or grade schoolers, there is one constant at play, our inherited sin nature pokes its ugly head out in a more than obvious way.  I’ll never forget one of the first times I asked a toddler to cease some disobedient behavior to only have them immediately turn and do the very same thing again.  I remember the mental disconnect this exchange caused amongst my synapses.  Did I not just tell them to stop that poor behavior?  Yet here they were, doing exactly what they were told was harmful to them and others.  And folks, I wish I could say that as we mature we somehow outgrow this childish, sinful behavior.  But alas, it is sadly not the case.  You see, without the proper posture of the heart towards the Lord, we are all simply sinful rebellious 3-year-olds living in larger bodies.

              The beginning of the two books of Kings (1 Kings, 2 Kings) brings a new level of torment and frustration to the reader.  For almost the entirety of the 47 chapters, we read of prideful, insubordinate, disobedient hearts that simply will not open the ears of their heart and listen to the instruction and correction of the Lord.  And within this pattern, one of the greatest examples lies in the first king to take the throne after his father Solomon, Rehoboam.  Rehoboam is what the world would call “his own man.”  He has his own ideas, his own thoughts, and his own methods.  But folks, all this means is he is a man of the world.  For you are either a man or woman of God or a man or woman of the world.  Sorry if you think you are immune to this and live in some gray no man’s land in between the two…but there is no in between. (1 John 2:15-17, James 4:4, Ephesians 2:2)

              As Rehoboam follows his own worldly way it takes him in the way it takes everyone that chooses this path, directly away from God.  He pollutes the altar of God, fouls the office of priest of God, wrongfully promotes himself to high priest, and corrupts the ways of worship to the Lord so clearly outlined in the Word of God that lay at His very feet. And amid this rebellious disobedience, God does what He always does…calls out the disobedience in hopes His corrective Words will fall upon the soil of a tender repentant heart.  But the correction of the Lord is rejected by the hard heart that beats within the chest of Rehoboam.  Even after seeing God send a prophet with a message of judgment and causing his very hand to dry up and shrivel in real time, Rehoboam, just as 3-year-old child, simply turns immediately back to his old ways.  Oh, the rebellious behavior of the human heart is indeed something that cannot be understood. (Jeremiah 17:9)

              Folks, today, what heart beats within your chest and how does it respond to the correction of the Lord?  You see, any believer that is deeply abiding in Jesus Christ, will be carefully guided by the very Holy Spirit of God.  And the job of the Holy Spirit of God is to make Christ real to us in our daily walk.  And folks, the Holy Spirit will not condone feet that are quick to run towards sin. (Proverbs 6:18) And if sin is the intended destination of the believer, the Holy Spirit will intervene with correction.  Herein lies the great moment of Christian decision.  Hear the correction, turn away from evil, and pursue righteousness or, just as Rehoboam, waste the warning and instead choose to go your own way?  Friends, I pray that today you are deeply abiding in Christ each and every day...engaging Him in His Word, exercising a robust prayer life talking to your Creator, seeking out enriching fellowship with other believers, and then serving Him with all that you are.  And as a result of this connection to Christ, that you are ever so ready to hear His correction, flee from sin, and choose His perfect path in place of your worldly way.

There is only one path of true righteousness…the way of the Lord…may you choose it in this day.

Blessings to you ~ Dan

“Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.” Psalm 86:11

“For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:16-17

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