Michiana Covenant Presbyterian Church

We saw last time that Manasseh is best described as "an idolatrous Solomon on steroids." We saw last time that when Manasseh made Judah to sin God declared that it was time to pull the plug on the house of David. We've been seeing for the whole series that the message of the book of Kings is that Israel and Judah must die. Tonight we see very poignantly that there is nothing that can save Judah from death. All of God's blessings to Israel are found in the reign of Josiah in 2 Kings 22-23: - a reforming king, - a faithful priest, - a true prophetess, - a cleansed and properly functioning temple, - and renewed obedience to the law. But the story of Josiah makes it abundantly clear that none of these things is enough: - A reforming king cannot save them. - The temple cannot save them. - A prophet cannot save them. - A faithful priest cannot save them. - Even obedience to the law cannot save them. Israel's hope is not that they will escape death - Israel's hope is that there is life beyond the grave. Israel's hop

[Sung Psalm: 105] In 1 Peter 2 the apostle says that it is a gracious thing in the sight of God when we suffer unjustly in his service. A gracious thing?! How is it a gift of grace to suffer unjustly?! Remember the story of Joseph! In Genesis 39 we certainly hear about Joseph's unjust suffering. He does what is right – and is punished for it! And yet this is a gracious thing – because God will use all these sufferings to bring salvation for his people! The problem is that we tend to be forgetful... and so we respond to unjust suffering with grumbling and groaning – and we turn away from the LORD and we forget him...

One commentator describes Manasseh as "an idolatrous Solomon on steroids." (Leithart) The other way of saying it is, "the Ahab of the South." Think back to the Omri – and his dynasty (the third story in the book of Kings). Omri was a parody of David. Everything about Omri reminded us of David – he was the general of the previous king, and a few years after he took power he built a new capital city. And then Omri's son built a temple for his god. Omri's son was Ahab. And we saw that Ahab was very much like Solomon – except the temple he built was for Baal. If Hezekiah is the greatest king since David, one would expect his son to be like Solomon. And Manasseh was a great temple builder – but his building projects are all idolatrous. Indeed, Manasseh is rightly compared to both Solomon and Ahab – he is truly an idolatrous Solomon on steroids! Manasseh reminds us – over and over – for 55 years – that the wages of sin is death, but – for 55 years – this most wicked king in all of Jerusalem's history – refuses to d

We have come to the final section of the book of Kings: the end of the house of David (at least as a ruling power). And the last chapter of Hezekiah's life is the first chapter in this final story. It is the beginning of the end. Because in those days, Hezekiah became sick...

[Sung Psalm: 67] In chapter 1, Peter showed us the eschatological hope of salvation – as God "has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance is that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1:3-5) And this eschatological hope is rooted in the Christological substance of salvation – the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1:3), or in 1:18-19, "you were ransomed…with the precious blood of Christ" And all of this comes to us through the preaching of the gospel (the kerygmatic means of salvation – since kerygma means "preaching"). Then at the beginning of chapter 2, Peter shows us how we are living stones, being built up in Christ, the chief cornerstone, into a dwelling place for God. Peter tells us that we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation – drawing on the language of Exodus 19 – w

Last time, we saw that Hezekiah was the best king in Jerusalem since David – "he trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him." His father, Ahaz, had renounced his Davidic sonship, acknowledging Tiglath-pileser – King of Assyria – as his father, but Hezekiah is a true son of David. After the death of the house of Ahab, the house of David renewed the covenant under Joash; and now after the death of the northern kingdom, the house of David renews the covenant under Hezekiah. God is faithful to his promises to David. And even when he brings judgment against his people, his purpose is to restore his people under the son of David forever...

[Sung Psalm: 34] At the end of chapter one, Peter said that you have been born again "not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God." "And this word is the good news that was preached to you." So we have the eschatological hope – that's where we're going! We have the Christological core – we are born again in Christ – joined to his life. And we have the kerygmatic means! Kerygma is the Greek word for "preaching." It is through the preaching – it is by means of the proclamation of the word - that we are born again to this living hope. As Paul says, faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (Rom 10:17) And so because of this – because of the eschatological hope (the goal), because the Christological core – the substance of our faith, and the kerygmatic means of grace in preaching – that Peter opens Chapter 2 telling us to crave pure spiritual milk...

Does this language ring any bells for anyone? "they stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the highway to the Washer's Field." Have you heard of this place? It is the place where, thirty years earlier, God had sent Isaiah the prophet to meet Hezekiah's father, Ahaz, "at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer's Field." It was here, thirty years earlier, that Isaiah told Ahaz to ask for a sign, "But Ahaz said, 'I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.'" And so Isaiah replied, "The Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:3-14) So this is the place where God had promised Immanuel – God with us. In a very real way, Hezekiah himself was a partial fulfillment of this promise. Verse 7 of 2 Kings 18 tells us this: "The LORD was with him" Truly, with the coming of Hezekiah, there was at least a partial beginning of what God had promised: that he would be with his people!

The overarching pattern of the book of Kings communicates clearly that the wages of sin is death. Israel is going to die. Judah is going to die. And there is nothing you can do to stop it! Reforming kings are great! But their sons do not follow in their paths – and so the relentless tide of destruction continues. Godly priests are wonderful! But all it takes is one weak link to break the chain of succession. And faithful prophets who proclaim the word of the LORD are essential! But as we saw in the central stories of Elijah and Elisha – all they can do is bear witness to the word of the LORD! They cannot change the hearts of man! But Elijah and Elisha do bear witness to the solution! Yes, Israel is going to die. Yes, Judah is going to die. Yes, the wages of sin is death! Israel's hope is not that reforming kings can save them. Israel's hope is not that faithful prophets will deliver them! No, Israel's hope is that God will raise the dead! That's why Elijah raises one son from the dead. And Elisha raises anoth

[Sung Psalm: 99] "You shall be holy, for I am holy." How do you react to this call? Do you say, "that's impossible!"? On one sense, that's the right reaction – for no one can be holy exactly the way God is. But that is NOT what Peter is saying. God is not saying "be holy exactly as I am holy". No, God says, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." Because I am holy, therefore you are to be holy. This sort of holiness is what God calls us to. And if God has called us to be holy, then let us believe his promises, and in faith, obey his commands. So what does it mean to "be holy, for I am holy"?...

[Sung Psalm: 66] The English Standard Version says: "To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, etc., according to the foreknowledge of God the Father." Every previous translation has separated the idea of election from the idea of exile. All previous translations give you the sense that you are elect in spite of the fact that you are an exile–or a sojourner–or a stranger. They suggest that your sojourning or exile is something incidental to your election. The key point is that you are elect, and for now you are also an exile or sojourner. But that is not what Peter is saying. And it's not a question of the Greek being complicated. Peter is saying that it is precisely in your exile that you are elect. Your election and your exile–your sojourning–are bound up together. In other words, it is of the very character of the elect that they are exiles or sojourners. It is probably worth noting that all these translations – from the King James through the 20th century – were translations from the stan

Throughout the book of Kings, we have seen that our author has one basic test for a king: Does he do what is right in the sight of the LORD – or not? And what it means to do what right (or evil) in the sight of the LORD is always focused on worship. Worship will have profound consequences on everything else in life! Why do you do what you do in worship? Tonight we watch Ahaz conform his worship to the standards of the nations around him. "Ah! I like that altar! We should do it that way!!" The last four kings of Judah have all been "good" kings. Joash, Amaziah, Azariah, and Jotham – all worshiped Yahweh at his temple. They had their problems (often described as allowing worship at the high places) – but for more than 120 years, Jerusalem was governed by four reasonably good kings. Until Ahaz. Ahaz is the one king of Judah of whom it is said, "He did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD" There are several kings who did evil in the sight of the LORD (e.g., Jehoram and Ahaziah back in chapter 8 – or Man

Do you see what Paul did with Psalm 68? "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." In Psalm 68, God ascends on high and receives gifts from men. In Ephesians 4, God ascends on high and gives gifts to men! But Paul is not mis-quoting Psalm 68. Rather, Paul is thinking about the whole of Psalm 68 – not just verse 18. He blends verse 18 with verse 35 – because in Jesus God has arisen and ascended – and Jesus is the God who gives power and strength to his people Today is sometimes called "Ascension Sunday." Technically Thursday was Ascension Day – since Jesus ascended to heaven 40 days after his resurrection. We could have a special service on Ascension Day – or we could remember it on the following Sunday – which then also sets up Pentecost Sunday next week! But why do we celebrate the Ascension?

We're back to the short, swift, boring narrative. One boring king after another. There are two periods in Israel's history where you see this rapid-fire style: 1 Kings 15-16 and 2 Kings 14-16. Both start with a Jeroboam, and then run quickly through seven kings. There are lots of conspiracies, coups, and dynastic changes. Israel is in turmoil. But of course, if you look at the layout of the book of Kings, we were due for another boring section! Many have noted that these "boring" sections seem very intentional. Our author wants you to understand that sin is boring. Rebellion against God is not interesting. It's boring. And so he tells the story of rebellious kings in a very formulaic, boring way. The interesting stories are told about the prophets – or faithful kings who sought to return to the LORD...

We have come to the end of our journey through Psalm 119. As we come to the concluding pair of stanzas, we find a word that we have not heard much in the whole Psalm: "Praise" (verses 164, 171, and 175). In all of the intimate conversation between the Psalmist and the LORD, the word "praise" only arises here at the end. Even as the Psalter as a whole ends with a crescendo of praise (Psalms 146-150), so also Psalm 119 ends with praise as well. Another unique phrase is found in verses 166 and 174: "your salvation, O LORD." The word "salvation" has been used a couple of times in the Psalm, and the name of Yahweh has frequently occurred. Last week we saw that the Psalmist cried out to the LORD to save him (v145-146), and pled with the LORD for mercy in the context of talking about salvation (v155-156). But only here does "your salvation, O LORD" become the central theme. The connection between stanza Shin and stanza Taw is made especially clear because this phrase "your salvation, O LORD" occurs in the sixth line

Have you ever noticed that the death of Elisha seems to be hanging in the middle of nowhere? We haven't heard from Elisha in the last four chapters. Indeed, after the anointing of Hazael and Jehu, Elisha disappears. Elisha had been anointed during the reign of Ahab. He took Elijah's place just after the death of Ahaziah. The bulk of his ministry was focused on the 12 years of Jehoram, the son of Ahab, and his last act was to send a son of the prophets to anoint Jehu. Jehu reigned for 28 years, but we hear nothing of Elisha for those 28 years. Jehoahaz reigned for 17 years, but we hear nothing of Elisha for those 17 years. For 45 years, Elisha is silent. Only now on his deathbed does Elisha break his silence. Elisha's ministry was very focused. In life he fulfilled the ministry of Elijah – reminding Israel that they were going to die, but pointing them to a hope beyond the grave. And in death Elisha points them to that same hope: in the face of their enemies, Israel's only hope is that the Word of the LORD wil

As we draw near to the end of Psalm 119, the Psalmist makes it clear that the point of this prayer is a matter of life and death. A dozen times in Psalm 119 the Psalmist says "give me life." Four of those times are in today's two stanzas: verses 149, 154, 156, and 159. God created Adam after his image and breathed the breath of life into him. But in his rebellion Adam forfeited life. And ever since the sin of Adam and Eve death has haunted all of humanity. Death stalks you, too. It lurks around every corner, waiting to ensnare you. Your time here is limited. Your time is running out. Will you spend it seeking after vain and empty pleasures? Or will you spend it seeking after the One who has conquered death and gives life to those who seek him?!

2 Kings 11 starts off with a bizarre episode of a grandmother killing all her descendants. We've heard in recent years of mothers killing their children, or children killing their parents, but it's rare that you ever hear of a grandmother killing her grandchildren! What is going on? Athaliah guarantees that she will have no legacy. All she cares about is what happens in her own lifetime. I suppose you could say that she was the original Ayn Rand – "the universe dies with me!" But all this takes place to fulfill the word of the LORD. We have now reached the end of the house of Omri. Jehu has slaughtered everyone belonging to Omri and Ahab in the northern kingdom. And now in chapters 11-12 we hear about how the curse of Ahab affects the house of David. Because Joram, the son of Jehoshaphat, married Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab (and probably of Jezebel as well: while the text does not state the name of her mother, Athaliah was certainly raised in a house where Jezebel was the dominant force). But either way, t

And so now in the last half of Psalm 119 we are looking at life in the "already" and the "not yet." Jesus Christ has established his kingdom. He is seated at the right hand of the Father as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. But we do not yet see all things in subjection to him, rather, "we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death." (Heb 2:9) And in this time in between the resurrection of the Christ and his return in glory, our hope is in the righteousness of God as it is clearly revealed in Jesus Christ...

"I hate the double-minded" Is hatred ever appropriate for the Christian? The last line of our text today, verse 128, "I hate every false way," is much easier to handle. Of course we hate every false way. Of course we hate evil generically considered. But to hate the "double-minded" means that we are hating people. Is this just an Old Testament mindset? Or is it ever appropriate for a Christian to say, "I hate the double-minded"? Let me start by reminding you that Jesus said that we are to love God with all our hearts, and that we are to love our neighbors (even the least loveable) as ourselves. So there is no way that Psalm 119:113 will contradict the command to love God and neighbor. As we will see, it is your love for God – and for the double-minded themselves – that requires you to hate the double-minded...