1000 BC - David is on the throne - Kingdom Rise
931 BC - Rehoboam comes to power - Kingdom Split. Jeroboam immediately institutes idolatry in the north (Israel) - Calf worship
722 BC - Israel Falls - conquered by Assyria
586 BC - Judah Falls - conquered by Babylonians, exiled into Babylon for 70 years
Our story (Jeremiah prophesying) - from 621 BC to 586 BC = 35 years.
Review: 2 Kings 22:1-13 - Vs. 8 - is probably the book of Deuteronomy. This followed by:
(1) great reform (13 years) - greatest reforms Israel had ever seen
(2) Josiah's death - at age 39
(3) 4 "evil" kings (Josiah's 3 sons, 1 grandson)
(4) Jerusalem and temple destroyed
(5) Judah into Exile
Question: How did all this happen? in light of Deut. 14:2? To a people - chosen to reveal and represent God to a lost world?
-- given the law and Prophets (God's Revelation)
- to guide, instruct, order life, establish nation
Answer: 1 MAJOR FACTOR. 2 Kings 22:8 - High Priest didn't even know it existed. This is not misplaced!! It = ignored leading to unknown to unpracticed (people ignorant of its content and unconcerned for the loss)
So... the handbook of the Kingdom, the Record of the Covenants, history of election and establishment in the Promised Land, self revelation of God and His will ... LOST!! And nobody notices? cares? seeks? They accidentally found it. Had neglected and ignored the Law!
Question: How could this nation (with this attitude) expect to retain it's place in God's favor??? When they ignored and didn't even recognize that the blessings (favor) were gone.
Note: Ex. 19:3-6 - "IF...."
Amos 3:2 - "therefore..."
Without knowledge of or concern for God's law, Israel slipped into:
(1) Idolatry - which = spiritual adultery - ie: the violation of an exclusive relationship
(2) Syncretism = blending of religious beliefs and practices. Didn't abandon Yahweh. = added to, took from prescribed worship forms, laws
Why other gods??? (1) pagan gods made NO moral demands
(2) they often encouraged sinful behavior - ie: fertility gods, god of wine, etc.
Yahweh has moral guidelines for his people.
(3) Ignorance - Hosea 4:6 = Self imposed ignorance!! - not the inability to know, but the choice NOT to know.
Before "application to us" - the "Ism".
Note: "THE LAW"
Mosaic Law = Ceremonial - Civil - Moral
(1) We are NOT obligated to Their ceremonial/civil laws
(ceremonial laws fulfilled in Christ, civil - for their culture and time.)
(2) We ARE obligated to the Moral laws (which = eternal, unchanging)
so.....
(3) these Moral Laws (God's laws) should shape and direct OUR Worship and our Civil Laws!!
In other words, IF we shape our 'ceremonial practices' (worship) AND our 'civil laws' APART from God's MORAL Law(s), THEN we are doing exactly wheat they did!!!
Example: From Solomon's death to the fall = 345 years. from 1776 to today = 245 years.
Some Observations:
#1 - Ignorance of God's law(s) is ignorance of God. He has revealed Himself (His character) and His will in His laws. (not only in the Mosaic Law but throughout Scripture - ex. Sermon on the Mount)
#2 - God's law is compromised when we ''add to" or "take from" it. Deut. 4:2, Rev. 22:18-19 - if do, are compromising His law.
#3. Civil law created apart from God's law (moral) is faulty law. like a body without a skeleton. We are not supposed to make laws. We are supposed to discover God's laws.
#4. Worship apart from Knowledge is faulty worship. incomplete at best. heretical at worst - John 4:19-24 - woman at the well.
On one hand, sincerity matters - God looks on the heart. However, sincerity is not a substitute for truth! We in the US are without excuse!
#5. A nation's knowledge of God cannot exceed the people's knowledge of God.
On one hand, not called to be a prophet
However, ARE called to be "salt" - Matt. 5:13 "if salt loses it's saltiness...."??
You are called to Make an Eternal Difference! How will you do that... without knowing God's Law(s)? Judgment will begin with the house of God.
Closing: Matt. 5:13-16
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