Want Peace? Put Aside Your Harlotries

            Sorcery, palace intrigue, political power, bloody retribution, and a government coup. Kings and queens, powerful, influential families, honest men and conniving liars. Sounds like an hour of HBO’s “Game of Thrones”, doesn’t it? But it’s not; it’s the Bible. (I really don’t know why people spend their time watching that kind of stuff on television when they could be reading the real thing.) Anyway, that’s what we’re looking at today in our pursuit of peace. And what we learn is that peace requires that we cast aside, or even demolish, those things in our life that God finds detestable. When we don’t He does some serious house cleaning.

           

           

            As we open our treasure map today, we’ll journey forward in it to the second book of Kings, chapter 9. In it we find King Ahab has died and Ahaziah—Ahab’s son-in-law—has ascended to the throne of Judah. And Ahab’s son, Joram, rules over Israel. Even though the country has split in two, these two relatives maintain good relations with one another.

           

            But there is BIG problem for Joram. He’s reigning over Israel, and God has hand-selected another man, named Jehu, to rule over Israel. God wants Joram OUT. The problem for Ahaziah is that he has continued in the evil ways of Ahab. The Bible says in chapter 8, verse 27: “And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the LORD, like the house of Ahab…”

           

            And Ahaziah and Joram have another problem. Her name is Jezebel, and she’s the surviving wife of Ahab, the former queen, Joram’s mother. She’s really why Judah, and the Israelites, started down a horrid path of idol worship. Baal worship to be exact. The Canaanite god.

           

            Jezebel was not an Israelite. She was the daughter of the King of Sidon, and she did more influencing of Ahab than the other way around. She had a man named Naboth murdered because he refused to sell his prized land to her. And it is she who incited Ahab to, if not outright abandon, worship of God, to at least combine it with the idol worship she’d been raised to practice. And that worship was Baal worship.

           

            On the website “The Voice: Biblical and Theological Resources for Growing Christians”, they explain some of what occurred in Baal worship, which was focused on a cosmic war between the gods and bountiful crop production.

           

            “The actual worship of Ba‘al was carried out in terms of imitative magic

            whereby sexual acts by both male and female temple prostitutes were

            understood to arouse Ba‘al who then brought rain to make Mother Earth

            fertile (in some forms of the myth, represented by a female consort,

            Asherah or Astarte).”

            Another practice Baal worship is known for is sacrificing first born children to Baal, in a horrifying practice of placing the infant on the red hot outstretched hands of the idol. I suppose it was their version of offering up their “first fruits” to their god.

           

            In essence, they practiced state sanctioned and promoted prostitution, public demonstration of sex acts, which everyone was invited to view and participate in, and child sacrifice.

     

      If you read the other accounts of Jezebel in Scripture, you’ll learn that she is an evil, vengeful, conniving, bloody, demonic woman who got her daughter married into the House of David and ran the country with an iron fist. She killed God’s prophets. And God’s has plans for her.

           

            In verses 6-10 of chapter 9, you’ll read the words of direction given to Jehu by the servant of the prophet Elisha after he anoints Jehu king. ‘“Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I have anointed you king over the people of the LORD, over Israel. You shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel. For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and I will cut off from Ahab all the males in Israel, both bond and free. So I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahjah.”

           

            And if that’s not enough, then the prophet gets to the really gory prophesy. “The dogs shall eat Jezebel on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her.’”

           

            Wow! Yuck! When God says he won’t stand for any idol worship; that His people must NOT compromise in their worship of Him, He isn’t kidding. And we should take note of it. Serious note.

           

            From that point on, Jehu is on a covert mission to overthrow Joram and Ahaziah. He knows that there will be no peace until these two men are killed, along with their descendants. He doesn’t want a civil war, so to avoid that and succeed in his coup, he must take Joram and Ahaziah totally by surprise.

           

            In verses 20-22, we find Jehu riding his chariot furiously toward King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah riding out in their chariots to meet him, ironically, on the very property that Jezebel killed Naboth for. When Joram sees Jehu, he asks him if he comes in peace (Shalom).

           

            And Jehu’s response scares Joram to death. “What peace, as long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcraft are so many?”

           

            And that’s the issue wrapped up in a nutshell. The effect this evil woman has had on an entire nation, God’s people, and her children and grandchildren. God will not be mocked. Eventually His patience comes to an end. He may put up with evil for a while, but eventually He does something about it, and He does it swiftly.

           

            Joram turns his chariot around and takes off, and as he fleesd, Jehu kills him with an arrow shot from his bow, straight through Joram’s heart. After watching this happen, Ahaziah speeds off in his chariot and is pursued by Jehu and his men. Jehu gives the order to kill Ahaziah, which the men do. Then Jehu goes searching for Jezebel.

           

            Someone has passed on the information to her that Jehu is on his way to Jezreel. And what does she do? She prepares for his visit by putting on her eye makeup, adorning her head, and then peeping out through the upstairs window at Jehu. Kind of a pathetically funny picture, isn’t it? An old woman either getting herself all dolled up to try to influence a man with her looks, or putting on her war paint and royal robes to remind him of who she is. But I’ll let Dr. J. Vernon McGee describe the scene for you.

           

            “This is one of the most sordid and sadistic chapters in history. It is gruesome, it is ghastly, and it is a gory sight. Added to that, it is grizzly. It is one of the most revolting and repulsive scenes on the pages of Scripture. Jezebel is the queen mother. She has been living in luxury in the palace at Jezreel. The terrible prophecy [of her death and how she would die] of that horrible [prophet] Elijah has not been fulfilled. [And, since it has been fourteen years since the prophecy and Ahab’s death, Jezebel probably thinks it never will be.] Suddenly out of the north came a swift chariot. It was Jehu driving furiously. He had just slain two kings, the king of Judah and the king of Israel—her own son, Joram. What does she do? She paints her eyes and arranges her hair, and looks out of a window. This proud queen still thinks she can seduce her captor—captivate him with her charms. She had a grandson twenty-three years old. She is no longer young; she is an old woman. No secret formulas for lotions, powders, sprays, and creams can make this faded queen look attractive.”

           

            But Jehu is not taken by her looks or her words, and he commands three eunuchs, who are on her side, to throw her out of the window. They do, and the result is horrific. Like a melon being dropped from a height, she splits open. Her blood splatters on the building wall and on Jehu’s horses. Then he shows his utter contempt for her, and his hateful coarseness, when he runs his chariot over her body, trampling her. After he has a meal (more evidence of his crudeness and hate), he gives the order for her body to be buried, because she was “a king’s daughter.” Only then does he show any kind of respect for Jezebel.

           

            But when the servants go out to gather her body for burial, all they locate are her skull, her feet, and her palms. The dogs have made a meal of everything else. Just as the prophet said would happen. And Jehu reminds the people of it. “This is the word of the LORD, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; and the corpse of Jezebel shall be as refuse on the surface of the field, in the plot at Jezreel, so that they shall not say, “Here lies Jezebel.”’ There will no place for admirers to go to worship her, no place for anyone to pay their respects. (Didn’t I tell you that “Game of Thrones” has nothing over true stories?)

           

            It is a bloody end to a very bloody, evil woman.

           

           

            What are some of the truths we can take away from this gory story?

           

            First, this story, and Jezebel’s violent end, should strike fear in the hearts of unbelievers who stand in direct defiance of God and actually promote anti-God worship and practices, and those who worship other Gods. Particularly those who practice human and child sacrifice, which is still being carried out in parts of the world. All we have to do is read the Book of Revelation to learn how bad things will be in the end times. So bad people would rather have rocks fall on them to avoid the pain and suffering God rains down from Heaven.

           

            And I think it should also strike fear in the hearts of believers who play around the edges of their faith and hedge their bets. They’re playing with fire by adding godless practices to their faith. What might godless practices look like? Getting involved in séances to contact the dead (also known as necromancy), study of astrology, Taro card reading, visiting fortune tellers (who practice what’s known as divination), witchcraft, and cultic magic. They would also be things hidden, things in darkness, practices of divination and sorcery. Channeling spirits, New Age practices, and, yes, Transcendental Meditation (TE). Some theologians even include yoga in this list. And abortion.

And the serious question to ponder is the same type of question Jehu poses to Joram: Can we really have peace (Shalom) as long as we’re practicing harlotries? As long as we’re compromising in our personal lives and in our nations? As long as we’re worshiping other gods and standing in direct defiance to God’s will and direction?

What are we reading, watching, doing that contribute to these practices. How have we compromised? If you can't readily identify anything, take the question to God in prayer. He'll give you the answer.

We can never enjoy true, lasting peace (Shalom) until we put these things away.

           

            When God says you shall have no other gods before Me, He really means it.

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So, until next Monday, may your week be full of blessings that you receive and give, your heart be full of joy and thankfulness, and your days be filled with laughter. Build a little heaven in your life right now, and watch your heavenly garden grow!

Blessings,

Andrea

When the eyes of the soul looking out meet the eyes of God looking in, heaven has begun right here on earth. ~ A. W. Tozer

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Want Peace? Be Obedient and Do Something Simple

           

            Sometimes attaining peace is as easy as being obedient and doing something simple.

           

            Today’s story is about a man named Naaman, the supreme commander of the king of Syria's army. He’s got a lot of good character traits, but he’s also got one, big looming problem. He’s got an embarrassing and dreaded disease that overshadows all of his finer points. Aside from knowing Naaman is the army’s 5 star general, we know some other things about him:

1. Naaman is a great man, a man of high social standing. A superstar.

2. Naaman is considered to be an honorable man by the king of Syria. Because of Naaman’s military victories, the king has great respect for him.

3. Naaman is very brave and very wealthy.

4. And Naaman has the dreaded skin disease leprosy, which he hopes to have healed by a prophet from a country he’s disdained, raided, and conquered.

           

            On one of Naaman’s raids into Israel, he has captured a young Israelite girl who ends up serving Naaman’s wife. And it is this girl who passes on critical information to her mistress about who can heal Naaman of his leprosy. But let’s stop right there for a minute.

           

            A young girl who Namaan has captured is passing on information that will be of benefit to her captor. What she says to Naaman’s wife is: “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.” She expresses complete confidence that the prophet (Elisha) can and will heal Naaman, if only Naaman can get an audience with him.

           

            Fast forward some verses, and we learn that Naaman does get an audience with the esteemed prophet of Israel, Elisha. Well, sort of.

           

            Naaman shows up at Elisha’s door with his horses and chariots. I’m going to guess he’s outfitted in all of his full military regalia, in order to impress Elisha with his standing. But Elisha doesn’t come out himself. Instead, he sends a messenger out to Naaman. The message from Elisha is: Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.”

           

            Well, old Naaman doesn’t respond well to that treatment, and he stomps off in a real huff. He’s an important man, his ego’s been bruised, and he’s having a tantrum. Scripture says he became “furious.” And then, after he stomps off, he says, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’ Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?”

           

            Let’s look at what Naaman is really saying: First, he outright rejects what Elisha has instructed him to do out of feeling slighted. He expected the prophet to give him his full attention, and that’s what he’s going to insist upon. He wants protocol followed, he won’t stand for less. Elisha’s going to do it Naaman’s way. (Since Naaman’s the one with the skin issue, that sounds ridiculous and childish, doesn’t it? Who’s the one with the problem?)

           

            Second, Naaman says that Elisha is going to come out and “call on the name of the LORD his God…” Catch that? Naaman calls the LORD his God—Elisha’s God. Not Naaman’s God. So Naaman is stating his unbelief in the One who is actually going to do the healing. Just exactly how is Naaman going to be healed if he doesn’t believe?

           

            Third, Naaman says, “…and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.” Uh, wave his hand over the place? Not wave it over me? Naaman presumes to instruct Elisha in how to heal, the procedure he’s going to follow, which is laughable. And it also seems clear that Naaman still can’t bring himself to admit that he’s a man with a problem. He won’t state it plainly.

           

            Fourth, Naaman admits the low opinion of Israel and its resources when he compares the Jordan River to the great rivers in his country. He’s arrogant, and, I think, he finds the suggestion and process embarrassing and beneath him.

           

            Fifth, and probably one of the most important reasons: Naaman thinks the cure is too simple. If all he had to do was wash, why couldn’t he just have stayed home, not subjugated himself to an Israelite, and dunked his ulcerous bod in his own rivers?

           

            Then Naaman goes away in a rage. Thankfully, though, Naaman’s got some wise servants, who evidently aren’t afraid to speak their mind to their master. The fact that they feel comfortable doing this, and the way they address him when doing it says a lot of Naaman, I think. I think it’s also the reason his wife’s Israelite slave is so concerned about Naaman. Naaman’s servants draw near to him and say, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”

           

            His servants know Naaman well. They know he’s a mighty man of valor, not the kind of guy to shirk from a fight. They know he’s quick to demonstrate bravery and greatness. They know he’s willing to do anything to be cured. And they address him as “father.” An unusual title of affection from a servant to his master. They must have had a tremendous amount of respect and love for him. And they effectively tell him that there’s nothing to be ashamed of by doing something simple to be cleansed. What do you have to lose?

           

            And Naaman must have the same kind of respect for them, because, without saying another word, he gets up, goes down to the Jordan River, dips himself seven times in it, just as Elisha had instructed him to do through his messenger, and Naaman’s flesh is so perfectly restored that it looks like that of a child’s. And Naaman was clean.

           

            Not only does Naaman arise from the Jordan River cleansed from his skin disease, he is a changed man. Whatever pride, arrogance, disdain, distrust and disbelief he had for the nation of Israel, its God, and its prophet, was washed away from Naaman’s soul and heart while he was dipping himself and was left behind in the Jordan River.

           

            Naaman, with his super shiny body and his new heart heads back to Elisha to thank him. And this time Elisha goes out to meet him. And Naaman stands before Elisha and makes a profound profession of faith. “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.”

           

            Wow! Naaman humbles himself before God’s prophet, confesses that there is only one God—the God of Israel—and he wants to offer a gift to Elisha for the healing. Naaman now denies the pagan gods of his own people and stands with Israel and the one true God. Naaman is indeed a brave man and is not afraid to take a stand for truth when he discovers it.

           

            Even though Naaman urges him to take it, Elisha refuses the gift, in order that Naaman can see the honor of God only. Then Naaman asks what seems to us a funny request. “Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD. Yet in this thing may the LORD pardon your servant when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the LORD please pardon your servant in this thing.”

           

            As Dr. John MacArthur points out in his study Bible, “In the ancient Near East it was thought that a god could be worshiped only on the soil of the nation to which he was bound. Therefore Namaan wanted a load of Israelite soil on which to make burnt offerings and sacrifices to the Lord when he returned to Damascus. This request confirmed how Naaman had changed—whereas he had previously disparaged Israel’s river, now he wanted to take a pile of Israel’s soul to Damascus.” Even though Naaman believes in the one true God, he still holds some pagan beliefs from his native land. His heart and devotion have abruptly switched, and he now considers himself bound to Israel, which needs to be demonstrated by having a mound of the country’s dirt in his possession. He’s a “baby believer” and still has much to learn about God and His ways. Two mule loads must have been a lot of dirt. But Elisha doesn’t fault or ridicule him for the request.

           

            I think Elisha understands the gravity of Naaman’s situation. He has switched spiritual alliances, but that hasn’t changed his position, his authority, and to whom he answers and protects. Naaman is returning to a pagan country ruled by a pagan king, who worships a pagan god. He is both a man of authority and a man under authority, and he will return to his country, stand before his king, and say, “Oh, king, live forever!” He will be expected to attend to the king when the king goes to his pagan temple to worship, and he will be expected to display the same honor to that god by bowing down. He knows he must do it or suffer the consequences. And he asks the Lord ahead of time to forgive him for the outward action.

           

            And what is Elisha’s response? Does he chastise Naaman for not having any faith? Does he tell him that he must stand up to the king and beat him over the head with his new faith, set the king straight?

           

            No, Elisha simply says, “Go in peace [Shalom]. It’s okay, Naaman. I understand your position, and so does God. After all, He’s the one who put you there. He knows your heart. You don’t need to worry about it.

           

            Because, after all, isn’t the heart where God concentrates His gaze?

 Questions to Ponder  

1. Pretend for a moment that you’re Naaman’s captured Israelite servant girl. I can’t imagine you’re thrilled about being wrenched from your family, dragged to a different country where a strange language is spoken, and being conscripted into the service of a wealthy woman and the commander who snagged you. Would your heart be filled with hate and hopes of retribution? Or do you have the pure heart of this servant girl, who seems to respect Naaman and not wish him any ill. In fact, she goes one better than not wishing him ill. She passes on important information about how he might be healed. Instead of repaying evil for evil, and watching him suffer and possibly die of the disease, she repays evil with good.

            And I think it is at this point that the process of Naaman finding peace begins. Have you ever found yourself in a difficult situation you felt dragged into? A situation you didn’t want to be in and hoped you could get out of? Did you withhold information because you felt you’d been unfairly used? Or did you alter the focus of your heart by reminding yourself that God knows where you are and has allowed you to be dragged there, and it just might be because He wants to use you as an instrument of good for someone else’s benefit? Without you, your unbelieving boss would never learn about how he can be healed and saved. You are actually in the right place at the right time, all orchestrated by God himself. (Naaman eventually becomes a God-fearing man, so I can imagine that the atmosphere in his household changed after that experience and the servant girl felt more joy and some satisfaction. She certainly seems to be a girl of great faith.)

            Uncle Mordecai said about the same thing to his niece, Queen Esther, when she was facing a life or death situation. “Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

           

            It’s a phrase I pass out to my husband and boys when they’re facing difficult situations at school or work, usually with people. “For such a time as this, Mr. Owan! For such a time as this.” (I need to remind myself of it more often, though!) Maybe, just maybe, we are the vessel God will work through to bring someone else to salvation. To be cleansed and healed. Instead of being miffed about it, maybe we should be humbled and thank God for choosing us to be used in such a miraculous way.

2. Naaman was an important and successful man, and he held prejudices, but he knew how to listen to reason, even when it was coming from his subordinates. That’s pretty impressive, considering Naaman was in the middle of having a temper tantrum and pity party and might, instead, have dismissed the wisdom in order to save himself further embarrassment. But he didn’t. He knew truth when he heard it, and he was desperate. And the change of heart and humble reaction—his obedience to God’s instructions—open the door to complete healing, and a heart conversion. Not only does Naaman receive physical healing, but he also receives spiritual healing. Wow! How very like God to give us far more than we ask!

            But my question is: Are we as willing to listen to reason dispensed to us by those we feel are subordinate, like our kids? Are we smart and humble like Naaman? Our family members see the good and the ugly parts of us. Parts we’ve possessed so long that we don’t identify them as ugly. Character or behavior warts that they can see but we can’t. My kids and my husband have exposed a lot of my ugly parts that I would not have admitted were ugly if I had not bit my lip, stifled my defensive response, and listened—really listened—to their imparted wisdom about it.

            Of course, Naaman’s servants didn’t call him an idiot or chew him out; they approached him in a kind, logical way. They just laid out the facts. And, in some way, they also appealed to Naaman’s ego in the words they chose. What does Scripture say about getting someone’s attention with honey? Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and health to the bones (Proverbs 16:24). They were both to Naaman—the wise words prompted him to do what he’d been instructed to do, and they gave him health.

            Are your words timely and gentle? Logical? Or do they sound snarky, sharp and critical, displaying your wit and snappy comeback? Do they make the hearer feel more like a fool or someone you’re trying to have a productive conversation with? Think about how your tone and choice of words affect the hearer. Do they cause him to encase himself in defensive armor, or listen to your good judgment?

3. Part of Naaman’s problem was that he expected something grand and glorious to happen in the healing process. He wanted all of the bells and whistles, the fanfare. Dunking himself seven times in a muddy river didn’t meet his expectations. Which so is what happens to us so often. We’re so busy looking for and expecting the BIG thing, that we miss the miraculous blessing available to us in the little thing perched on the end of our nose. We miss the healing, the change of heart, the change of life because we go to God with expectations about how He should accomplish something. And sometimes our refusal to do the little thing ties His hands from providing us with the answer or resolution we seek. And we trudge away from Him, frustrated and dejected because we don’t think He’s heard our prayers or cares enough about us. As Oswald Chambers said,

           

            “All God’s revelations are sealed until they are opened to us by obedience…

            Obey God in the thing He shows you, and instantly the next thing is opened

            up… God will never reveal more truth about himself until you have obeyed

            what you know already.”

            What simple thing has God told you to do that may be keeping you from receiving He wants to bless you with? Naaman knew that what his servants said was true, so he obeyed. He didn’t like it, but he obeyed. And God’s revelations were immediately opened to him. Obeying is not always easy, but it is simple. And Naaman did something simple: he obeyed and then he dunked. In the process he met God, was cleansed by him, and was physically healed.

How like God it is to give us more than we could possibly ask or imagine!

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So, until next Monday, may your week be full of blessings that you receive and give, your heart be full of joy and thankfulness, and your days be filled with laughter. Build a little heaven in your life right now, and watch your heavenly garden grow!

Blessings,

Andrea

When the eyes of the soul looking out meet the eyes of God looking in, heaven has begun right here on earth. ~ A. W. Tozer

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