August 3
2 Chron 33:14-34:33 | PS 26:1-12 | Prov 20:19 | Rom 16:10-27
Ignorance is simply never an excuse. People can quote all sorts of things, can develop an expertise on many topics, so why do so many, in fact, the overwhelming majority make a choice to remain ignorant about God's Word. When I ask people if they read or would like to read God's Word there is no shortage of reasons why they cannot do it. This is not to discredit the busyness of anyone's life: spending time with spouses, children, grandchildren; studying in school, devoting oneself to their job or vocation, enjoying their favorite pastime, etc. But please understand when these are raised higher than your relationship with God, they have become your idols. God, and His Word which helps you to know Him, is or is not the most important part of your life. Please never minimize idolatry. Basically every king in the line of Judah was judged according to this one standard (it wasn't worth using this for the kings of Israel since they all failed according to this measure). Concerning Manasseh, a very evil king, we read in 2 Chronicles 33:3-5, "He rebuilt the pagan shrines his father, Hezekiah, had broken down. He constructed altars for the images of Baal and set up Asherah poles. He also bowed before all the powers of the heavens and worshiped them. He built pagan altars in the Temple of the Lord, the place where the Lord had said, “My name will remain in Jerusalem forever.” He built these altars for all the powers of the heavens in both courtyards of the Lord’s Temple." Concerning evil king Amon, we read in 33:22, "He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, just as his father, Manasseh, had done. He worshiped and sacrificed to all the idols his father had made." But concerning the good king Josiah we read in 34:3-4, "During the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David. Then in the twelfth year he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, destroying all the pagan shrines, the Asherah poles, and the carved idols and cast images. He ordered that the altars of Baal be demolished and that the incense altars which stood above them be broken down. He also made sure that the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images were smashed and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them."
For those who state it isn't fair, that they don't know all the things that God approves or disapproves of, again ignorance is no excuse. The Scriptures were actually hidden under the reigns of King Manasseh and Amon, but when they were finally found under all of the wreckage that was allowed to be placed into the Temple, we read what King Josiah did once he read them in 2 Chronicles 34:19, "When the king heard what was written in the Law, he tore his clothes in despair." Realizing the importance of God's book, we then see what the king of Judah did next in 34:29-30, "Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. And the king went up to the Temple of the Lord with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, along with the priests and the Levites—all the people from the greatest to the least. There the king read to them the entire Book of the Covenant that had been found in the Lord’s Temple." Notice, the entire book was read, not favorite portions.
We must stop, especially in the church, to be willingly ignorant to the entirety of God's Word. Don't focus on commentators or you will likely elevate them and their interpretation to idolatrous levels. You don't need seminary, as they tend to elevate their theological stances above the actual Word of God. Paul wrote about such divisions as we read in Romans 16:17-18, "And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people." If one chooses to know part of the truth, if one chooses to focus on their favorite portions of Scripture at the expense to the entirety, if one chooses to simply follow a pastor, an expert, etc. they could very well find themselves walking down the wrong path. The entire counsel of God, no shortcuts, year in and year out, this will keep one in the full counsel of God. The veil was torn, the only intermediary now needed is Jesus Christ. Avoid any form of idolatry and embrace God's Word, the source of truth, and God will simplify our lives and illuminate our minds.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: