Kingdom Era

This past week we had a man named Charles Stolfus come and speak to our class about the Kingdom Era. The Kingdom era, beginning in 1052 B.C. is the time period in which the twelve tribes of Israel establish a new monarchy and are united under the rule of Saul, David, and then Solomon. In 931 B.C. a civil war breaks out which divides the tribes into the Northern Kingdom of Israel (10 tribes) and the Southern Kingdom of Judah (2 tribes).  Nineteen unrighteous kings ruled the Northern Kingdom for 250 years before the Assyrians conquered Israel. Of the twenty kings that ruled the Southern Kingdom, only eight were righteous before the Lord, and after 400 years He brought judgment upon them when the Babylonians conquered Judah. Two kings of Judah stuck out to me because of their enormous contrast in character- Hezekiah and his son Manasseh.

Hezekiah began his reign in 716 B.C. at the age of twenty-five and was the 13^th king of the Southern Kingdom in the line of David. He was a man of God who obeyed His commands, and because of that God blessed him and Judah during his reign. He brought together the Levites and priest and repaired the house of the Lord, he was a very successful military leader, and was the most righteous king of the Divided Kingdom Era ever saw. 2 Kings 18:3-6 “He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done. He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah (a wooden symbol of a female deity). He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan. He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. For he clung to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses.”  During his reign Hezekiah consistently went to the Lord in prayer and God answers. At one point Sennacherib, king of Assyria came to attack Judah. Hezekiah sought help from the Lord and peace from Sennacherib. When Sennacherib refused to relent Isaiah prophesied in 2 Kings 19:6,7 “Isaiah said to them, ‘Thus you shall say to your master, ‘Thus says the Lord, ‘Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land. And I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.’” The Lord struck down 185,000 in the Assyrian camp, Sennacherib returned to his land and was killed. Another example of God’s faithfulness is when Hezekiah gets sick and Isaiah tells him he is about to die. Hezekiah rose up a prayer and then 2 Kings 20:5 says, “Thus says the Lord, the God of your father David, ‘I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you.’” Hezekiah’s faithfulness to prayer is a great example to me. He did not do necessarily what the people of Judah wanted of him, but he listened to God to direct his decisions during his reign.

Toward the end of his reign Hezekiah had a son named Manasseh who became the 14^th king of Judah after his father. At this point we see one of the greatest kings of the time succeeded by one of the most evil kings Judah ever saw. Manasseh became king in 697 B.C. at the age of 12 and reigned for 55 years. Manasseh put an end to all the good that his father had put in place. He rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah had destroyed. He built altars for Baal, made idols and worshiped them, practiced witchcraft and other kinds of evil that provoked the Lord’s anger. God sent prophets to rebuke Manasseh and tell of His judgment but he didn’t listen. 2 Chronicles 33:11 says, “Therefore the Lord brought the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria against them, and they captured Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon.” We see God’s wrath toward and unbelievably wicked king who knew the great example of his father and knew God’s commands but completely ignored them. His story could have ended there in torment and judgment for his unrighteousness, but what happened next is incredible- 2 Chronicles 33:12,13 says, “When he was in distress, he entreated the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. When he prayed to Him, He was moved by his entreaty and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.” God showed this evil man mercy and his life was restored! Manasseh recognized his sin and unfaithfulness and took action to make things right in the kingdom. He removed from the city all foreign gods and idols from the house of the Lord and other alters that he had built. He made offerings to God and called the people to turn from their sin and serve the Lord. He was a changed man. Manasseh is another example of the grace God shows to ANYONE who comes to Him! Manasseh didn’t seem to care much for his fathers beliefs at the beginning of his reign, but toward the end of his life he could testify to the words his father spoke years early – 2 Chronicles 30:9 Hezekiah says, “For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.” Such a great reminder!

Throughout the study of Kingdom Era I was struck by God’s patience toward the kings and people of both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. His wrath was great but He gave the people many chances to turn away from their sin and follow His commands. God continually rose up prophets to speak to the kings and give warning of the coming judgment but they didn’t seem to care. The people of Israel and Judah were destroying the house of the Lord, worshiping wooden deities that they carved themselves, and practicing witchcraft and the Lord continued to speak to them and give them the opportunity time and time again to return to Him. And even in His entire wrath we see how merciful of God he is as he extended grace to Manasseh! God’s character is unchanging and I’m so thankful to serve the same patient, merciful, and just God that the kings of Israel and Judah served 3,000 years ago.

God is Love

What is your definition of love? How does our culture define love? Just turn on the TV, listen to the hit radio station, or look at what’s on the magazine covers and billboard and you’ll get a clear picture of what love is in America. We as a culture are in love with money, fame, fashion, rebellion, fun, independence, exterior beauty, and the illusion of happiness or having it all together. We use the word so carelessly that it can now be attached to almost anything… “I love your shoes!” “I love your hair!” “I love the St. Louis Cardinals!” “I love all of my Facebook friends!” The word “love” has become hugely commonplace and almost insignificant. Even saying, “I love you” doesn’t always seem to hold much value. America’s 50% divorce rate reflects that. Our culture has twisted the meaning of love. Everyone has an inherent longing for love but our culture doesn’t know what true love is or where it comes from. Where is the devotion, the loyalty, and promise behind the word “love”?

What is true love and how do we show it not only in a marriage but also in every relationship? Throughout the week we answered this question and gained a lot of knowledge about personality traits, emotional intelligence, and what a healthy relationship looks like.

One of my favorite things we did this week was complete a spiritual gifts profile and Uniquely You Questionnaire that helped us discover why we act the way we do. It’s crazy how accurate the results came out to be and it was fun to learn the personality type of other people in the class. The way we act, think, and feel, and what motivates us are all so important to understand especially as it relates to the way we interact with other people of similar or different personality types. My personality type is passive and task-oriented, which is described as competent, compliant, cautious, and calculating. I was sitting next to my roommate whose personality is active and people-oriented, which is described as inspiring, influencing, impressing, and inducing. We were laughing because we are two extremely opposite personalities. It’s important to know the predictable pattern of people close to you because without that knowledge there is room for a lot of conflict. When you have an idea of why people act the way they do, you are then able to avoid conflict, more easily resolve conflict, and also better appreciate the person for who God made them to be.

The way we treat, interact, and communicate with people is a direct commentary on how we relate with God. If we are not right with God we will not be able to fully experience love in our other relationships. If we understand God’s love toward us we will better be able to show love to the people in our life because God is our example of love. Every day we are being transformed more and more into the likeness of God, and every day we must humble ourselves before the Almighty God who has shown us indescribable grace and love. James 4:6“But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” In the same way we should also humble ourselves before our peers and serve out of love. A good question asked was “Are you serving today out of an effort for love or are you serving out of an effort of love?

As we began to talk about marriage we learned more about how marriage is a picture of Christ’s love for the church. Ephesians 5:22-30 “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.”

In the same way that God has made a covenant with the church, so marriage is a covenant between a man and woman. A covenant is never to be broken except by death. A few weeks back while studying the life of Abraham and the covenant promise between him and God I learned that “Beriyth” is the Hebrew word for covenant; it is a solemn binding agreement made by passing through pieces of flesh. Genesis 2:21-24 describes the covenant of marriage: “So the LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.’’ For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.” Marriage is a commitment that requires responsibility.

Not everyone is called to marriage. Paul talks about how it is good not to marry so you can focus completely on your ministry. When you marry you are divided between your spouse and your work for God. One of the women who spoke to us this week talked about how ministry driven she was and how she thought she would be like Paul and for that reason not marry. But what’s great about marriage is that it is a process of sanctification that will result in better ministry for the glorification of God. Marriage is two people sharpening and pushing each other to be better workmen of the Lord!

I can’t say that at the end of the week I was any more or less excited about marriage, but I did come away with a better understanding of what God created marriage to be.  The biggest thing I took away from the week is that we should marry someone of proven character not potential. Sacrificial love does not start when the ring goes on the finger. I want to prove myself to be a woman of God before marriage. I can aim to be what Proverbs 31 describes starting today.

I can aim to be completely trustworthy.

I can aim to work hard in delight.

I can aim to walk with strength and dignity.

I can aim to gladly give to the needy.

I can aim to always speak in wisdom.

But above all these I need to daily come before God in fear and reverence. 

I can strive for these things in order to be a good wife but ultimately I should strive for these things in order to be a good follower of God who is the ultimate groom and the ultimate example of love. He is love and nobody’s love will ever compare to His.

So what is the definition of love?

1 John 4:8 “Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love.” 

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…As a little side note, Lauryn Hill is one of my favorite artists, she is a musical genius and her songs inspire me every time I listen to them. In fitting with this weeks topic of marriage, I thought I’d post her song Tell Him which is clearly completely influenced by 1 Corinthians 13.

Here are the lyrics-

Let me be patient let me be kind

Make me Unselfish without being blind

Though I may suffer I’ll envy it not

And endure what comes

Cause he’s all that I got and

Tell him…

Tell him I need him

Tell him I love him

And it’ll be alright

Tell him I need him

Tell him I love him

And it’ll be alright

Now I may have faith to make mountains fall

But if I lack love then I am nothin’ at all

I can give always everything I possess

But am without love then I have no happiness

I know I’m imperfect

And not without sin

But now that I’m older all childish things end

And tell him…

(Chorus)

I’ll never be jealous

And I won’t be too proud

Cause love is not boastful

Oooh and love is not loud

Tell him I need him

Tell him I love him

Everything’s gonna be alright

Now I may have wisdom and knowledge on Earth

But if I speak wrong then what is it worth?

See what we now know is nothing compared

To the love that was shown when our lives were spared

And tell him…

Silence is Deadly

Blame it on the artsy side of me, but these days I'm loving the poetry from P4CM, a church out in L.A. The honesty and power coming through these poets is crazy!
"Silence is Deadly" makes a very convicting point on what it means for believers to not be spreading the Gospel.

Compassion

A few months ago I read a compelling book called "Follow Me to Freedom" by Shane Claiborne and John Perkins. In a world dying for social justice and true freedom, this books inspires change in positive and effective ways. Many people and organizations fight for change having passion and compassion for a cause and end result but little compassion for the individuals affected. Genuine compassion for individuals is what we need more of in life. This is a quote by Henri Nouwen placed in the book that I had written down in my sketchbook and just ran across it again... thought I'd share...


"Compassion grows with the inner recognition that your neighbor shares your humanity with you. This partnership cuts through all walls which might have kept you separate. Across all barriers of land and languages, wealth and poverty. Knowledge and ignorance, we are one, created from the same dust, subject to the same laws, and destined for the same end. With this compassion you can say, 'In the face of the oppressed I recognize my own face and in the hands of the oppressor I recognize my own hand. Their flesh is my flesh, their blood is my blood, their pain is my pain, their smile is my smile. Their ability to torture is in me, too; their capacity to forgive I find also in myself. There is nothing in me that does not belong to them too; nothing in them that does not belong to me. In my heart, I know their yearning for love, and down to my entrails I can feel their cruelty. In another's eyes I see my plea for forgiveness, and in a hardened frown I see my refusal. When someone murders, I know that I too could have done that, and when someone gives birth, I know that I am capable of that as well. In the depths of my being, I meet my fellow humans with whom I share love and have life and death.'"
-Henri Nouwen


Aloha