REDUCING GOD TO THE LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR II. KINGS 16:17-18
John the Baptist came into this world to facilitate a single purpose and that was to prepare the world for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus the Christ. One day as John was preaching he said – LUKE 3:9. The people then voiced their confusion – VERSE 10.
As John was called by God to prepare the people of his world for the coming of the Messiah, we are also called to prepare ourselves, the Church and the world about us for the 2nd Coming of Christ. Jesus gave us many “signs of the 2nd coming” (Matthew 24 is a good place to begin reading) and He essentially told us, “these signs will eventually make sense – pay attention to them because the closer My second coming, the more these signs will be understood.”
There is something important here that we must understand – these signs are only about the 2nd coming which precedes the Tribulation period. These signs have nothing to do with the Rapture or the catching away of the living Christians and the raising from the grave those who have died in the Lord. The Rapture will come without warning but yet, not entirely without warning.
According to the best Biblical interpretation, the chain of prophetical events will look something like this.
Ø The Rapture of the Church will occur first and then immediately following,
Ø The tribulation period of 7 years will begin –
· the first 3 ½ called the Tribulation and the
· latter 3 ½ called the Great Tribulation.
Ø At the end of the Great Tribulation, we believe that Christ’s 2nd Coming will take place.
We are, without question living in the last days – when will Jesus return – when will the Church be taken out of this world? I don’t know, but I know that there must be an acute sense of urgency in the Church
Ø An urgency to reach the lost before it is too late,
Ø An urgency to live in such a way that when Jesus returns He will be proud of the holy life that we have been demonstrating.
So here we are –
I say this carefully and without any political bias. Senator Obama’s record stands for itself and that record tells us that our President elect does not unilaterally endorse the values, which we believe to be Biblical values.
Please pay close attention. God has not given us permission of any kind to criticize or belittle him or to say anything negative about Senator Obama but rather God has called us to pray for him and to honor him as our president – we may or may not always agree with him but God
Ø Has called us to respond like Christ. MATTHEW 22:21
Our nation is in serious trouble and the choice that our nation just made may well prove to be another gigantic leap for liberalism and a massive attack upon Biblical values. Our nation is on a spiritual and moral toboggan slide and I would not be surprised that we have passed the point of no return.
This does not mean that Christians and the message of the Gospel are ineffective but rather it means that
Ø As our country slides down the slippery slope of secularism and liberalism that the Church must once again do that which she should have been doing all along and that is
· being passionate about reaching the eternally lost and
· living a holy life that displays the majesty of Christ and we must
· expect and pray for the majesty of God to be displayed through His miraculous power.
People don’t so much need to “hear” what God can do – they need to “see” what God can do and God has called us to be His hands and His feet and salt and light to a world that is lost in the darkness of sin. Unless the world sees God in us and unless the world hears about God from us, the world will die in its sin and go to hell!
The following is a quote from Dr. David Jeremiah’s book, “What In The World Is Going On?”
Regardless of its ultimate legacy,
I want you to hold onto those thoughts and for a moment and now let us go back to our key scripture to learn not only what happened but also to learn how it applies to our nation, the church and to us.
King Ahaz of
While Ahaz was visiting the King of
Ø Remember now, God gave clear direction as to how the original altar in the Temple was to be constructed, but for Ahaz, God’s altar was not fashionable enough – it was not fancy – it just was not as nice as the heathen altar in Damascus.
Ø Ahaz not only became infatuated with the architectural style of the heathen altars, he was also intrigued by their worship practices, which seemed far more interesting than the Hebrew practices.
Please pay close attention.
When God and the things that God has provided become unattractive, we are in grave danger of accepting the things of hell as of equal or greater value than the things of God.
Ahaz came home with new ideas – he was going to change things in
Ahaz was thrilled with this beautiful new altar and he began to offer sacrifices on it. He then informed the people that this new altar would be much better than the old one so then, from now on they would use this new, contemporary altar. Ahaz was not done – you see
Ø When people begin to move away from God, changes don’t take place slowly, they take place exponentially.
· 1 becomes 2 and 2 becomes 6 and 6 becomes 21 and before we know it
· We have forgotten where we came from and
· We no longer care about the God of our yesterdays.
What about the spiritual leader of the nation – Uriah the priest? Instead of holding firm to God’s way, he discovered that it was easier to roll over and accept the new way – VERSE 16
Let’s read about the other changes that Ahaz put into place.
II. KINGS – 18
So what? What is the big deal about moving and modifying an old cumbersome bronze basin? I’ll grant you this – it was big and cumbersome – in fact it was.
Ø 15 feet in diameter and 47 feet in circumference, 7 ½ feet deep and it held approximately 11,600 gallons of water – about 2500 gallons more than a typical tank truck holds!
Ø This massive bronze basin rested on the backs of 12 massive bronze oxen. This decorative, bronze basin, called “The Sea” held the water that the Priests used in the performance of their ministry.
Now catch this. God gave clear directions for the size and design for this basin and God gave clear directions as to how and why this basin was to be used in ritualistic cleansings during the times of sacrifice.
Ø What did Ahaz the reformer do? VERSE 17
It is very significant when we read these words “and placed it on a stone pavement.” Since the basin was of no more use and because it was too large to move he left it lay where it lay – junk!
Ø The God of the yesterdays was forsaken for something new and contemporary.
In our country, much of that which is called religious has developed because of us
Ø Becoming secular in our pursuit of the sacred and of
Ø The sacred being reduced to merely an appendage to our daily living instead of
Ø The sacred remaining as the driving force behind our behavior and pursuits.
The world, instead of becoming more like Christians has so infiltrated the Church that in many instances, the Church is now more like the world and there are times when the difference between the Church and the world is barely visible.
Ø Where – when - how did we lose our Biblical foundations?
Our President elect and his supporters do not unilaterally support marriage as a union as only between a man and a woman. They also endorse homosexual education in our school systems and support all gay pride endeavors. They support abortion rights even to the point of transporting minor girls across state lines and without parental knowledge or consent.
Where – when – how did we lose our Biblical foundations? I’m not going to go down the list and highlight any more of our moral and spiritual failures but don’t think for a moment that Mr. Obama is the instigator of this moral slide – he is only one player in a vast system!
Mr. Obama is a product of a liberal education, a liberal country, a secular humanistic philosophy, a Godless religion and of a country that has turned its back on God. Mr. Obama is not the Antichrist. He is not to be hated or despised. He will, in 66 days become our president and it is up to us to pray for him and to respect his office.
When our new President takes office, he will not have a honeymoon period because he will immediately inherit
Ø A war that has lasted longer than the 2nd World War.
Ø A 14 year high, nation-wide unemployment.
Ø Auto makers about to fold.
Ø Credit crisis.
Ø A faltering national and international economy and those are only the tip of the iceberg!
Our new President and his cabinet officers need our prayers.
Ø They don’t need the Church bashing them but rather they need the Church upholding them in prayer and being supportive of those things which are not Biblically contrary.
Ø Christians cannot afford to be patrician in their politics!
Senator Obama and millions of other Americans are not stupid –
Ø They’re sharp, highly intelligent people but they have unwittingly bought into satan’s lies –
Ø They have made choices, but we also have choices which we must make –
· AND WE MUST MAKE THEM TODAY!
Ahaz removed God’s altar and replaced it with a contemporary, heathen altar. He also removed the great bronze basin from its God-appointed purpose and, like a piece of discarded
Today’s Church may not have substituted a new altar or removed the great bronze basin to the ground but we have to a great extent frustrated God’s plans.
Ø We have discovered that it is much easier to send our money to the mission field than it is to personally reach our neighbors for Christ.
Ø We’ve discovered that it is easier to be served than to serve.
Ø We’ve discovered that placing our plans ahead of God’s plans and of doing our thing instead of worshipping Him on Sunday has become convenient.
Ahaz did not destroy and pulverize that great bronze basin but rather he lowered its level of importance. For him, the holy became as unimportant as discarded metal.
Oh dear God, have we walked away from the sacred and the holy in order to pursue lesser ends and goals?
Ø How about our homes? Are they truly Christ-centered?
Ø How about the Church? Is it more concerned about reaching the lost and discipling new believers than taking care of the saints?
Ahaz did not destroy and pulverize that great bronze basin but he rendered it useless. It laid there on the ground as a mute testimony to the fact that God’s design and plans were no longer valid because…
Ø New, contemporary things have now taken over.
Ø New interests and new pursuits had brought the corporate worship of God in the
Some things that we do or have done in the Church may have or may not have any particular relevance for today.
Ø It is a fact the things that we have designed will pass with the passing of time but
Ø Things that God has placed before us can only be changed when God changes them!
Ahaz treated the sacred things of God irreverently and we could, in a polite attempt to make it all seem legitimate, say that in order to preserve political and economic stability that Ahaz found it necessary to adopt some of the practices of the nation to whom they were indebted – Assyria. But that won’t work!
We can try to smooth it over by saying that what Ahaz did was culturally expedient because the nation was now more socially, culturally and intellectually enlightened than it was in the past. We can say that – but just saying it won’t make the wrong suddenly become right and the unholy, acceptable!
We could say that Ahaz led his country in this direction because he was genuinely afraid of the political implications if he didn’t. We can say that – but just saying it won’t make his actions valid!
We can say that fear of unseen and challenging circumstances often demands give and take. We can say that – but just saying it won’t make compromise with the unholy right.
Ø So where does all of this leave us today –
Paul, writing to the various Churches in the
Let’s take a peek at Paul’s response. GALATIANS 5:7 – 9 (The Message if you have a copy)
That was Paul’s response to the faltering Galatians’ Churches but what is our response to today’s challenge, which is -
Ø Are we to take God’s things and render them of little value or place
Ø Them on a list as simply another of the several ways that a person can live out their spiritual life?
Our country is in the moral and spiritual mess that she is in because God’s ways are no longer accepted as absolute and of singular importance.
Ø We have compromised.
Ø We have become ecumenical which means that we have reduced our religious principles to the lowest common denominator instead of
· proclaiming that Jesus Christ is the only way to God and that
· loving God with all our heart, mind and soul must be of first importance and that
· seeking first the
· living a holy life before a holy God is the only way that we can bring Him pleasure.
In Psalm 11 we read why we are hearing the popular call to compromise and we read of the fear that seems to be all around us and then we see that despite it all God is still in charge –
Only His ways are right and following His ways is the only way for us to be secure! I've already run for dear life straight to the arms of God so why would I run away now when you say, “run to the mountains; the evil bows are bent, the wicked arrows are aimed to shoot under cover of darkness at every heart open to God. Why would I run away now when you say, “the bottom’s dropped out of the country; and good people don't have a chance”? God hasn't moved to the mountains and his holy address hasn't changed. He's in charge, as always, his eyes see it all – thing escapes His attention He tests the good and the bad alike. Fail the test and you're out! God's business is putting things right; he loves getting the lines straight and when we're standing tall with Him we can look him straight in the eye.
I’m going to read in part and with some editorializing a famous speech and as I read this revised edition – let’s listen carefully to the Holy Spirit.
Now the trumpet summons us again - not as a call to bear arms…but a call to bear the burden of a long struggle, year in and year out, “rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation” - a struggle against the common enemies of man – satan – compromise and complacency.
Can we forge against these enemies a grand and national alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more Godly nation? Will you join in this heroic effort?
In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shank from this responsibility - I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. Our country is in more trouble than at other time in its… history.
This trouble has not come upon us because of the threat of Middle Eastern terrorists nor because of a flawed economic system and policies. This trouble has come upon us, because this nation that was at one time dependent upon God but has become dependent upon the created and not the creator.
The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this great and possible final endeavor will light our country and all who serve it and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.
And so, my fellow Christians: ask not what your Church can do for you - ask what you can do for your country through the Godly ordained power of His Church positively responding to God’s plan and not our devices. Italics added
Rise up O
Give heart and mind and soul and strength to serve the King of Kings.
Lift high the cross of Christ, tread where His feet have trod;
As followers of the Son of Man, rise up I Church of God!
