Rewriting history
Seeking the Lord only in
time of need
Jeroboam's sin, v. 9.
Like so many people, Jeroboam had two religions: the religion of prosperity found at Bethel and the false altar, and the religion of sickness—the Lord God and his way.
Willcox and Owen, but the list is endless. People who worship in the way they feel is best, but when the need arises, they try to correct their ways.
When things go downhill, they "worship" as they know they should. They know there is no power nor healing at the altar at Bethel, even though it is popular and prosperous. The hard times bring them to God, but as soon as the hard times are over, off they go again.
Of course, this view of the Lord God as an insurance policy not as the Lord of all creation as well as Lord over all men is the common Christian religion of our day. The Creator has the right to be Lord over everything he created, and all men need to submit to that right.
I like what Jephthah told the Ammonites, Judges 11:24: Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the Lord our God shall drive out from before us, them we will possess.
You possess what your gods give you to possess, and we will possess what our God gives us. Of course, he knew Chemosh was powerless, and did not give his worshipers a thing, which has been the story throughout history. The gods of humanism has given nothing but nervous breakdowns, wars, fightings, divisions, VD, shortness of life, disease and death of every description, along with corruption and filth beyond words, poverty and hopelessness.
The Christian God of the Bible, revealed in Jesus, gives only good things to his faithful servants, things that will bring glory to Himself.
The ungodly dedicate themselves in taking over the areas that the Christian God gave to his people, and then rewrite history to show that their false gods gave it all to them. And Christians sit back and let them take the institutions and rewrite history, and even finance the theft of history and institutions. Ammon attempted to hijack history, but Jephthah called his hand, and refused to let it happen.
Their god is the god of "good times", but the god of the good times leads to death. As their areas of life start to die, they move to take over living areas from God's people.
As we have said previously, the ungodly have hijacked every major college that was started by Christians and founded on Biblical principles. Then they rewrote history to say that they have an legitimated claim on those institutions.
They have taken over our nation, and have rewritten its history to say that it was theirs to start with.
Sunday, 10/14/84, pg 3, Indianapolis Star. Walter Mondale tried to discredit Regan in reference to Supreme Court justices. He accused Regan of planing to set "religious standards" for their appointment, and that will be their stand on abortion. He went on to say that this would be the first time in history this has been done — a religious standard set for public office.
He needs to get his head out of the sand, or at the least, be honest. This nation was founded by Christians for the furtherance of the Christian faith. Up until the drafting of the Constitution and beyond, state laws forbade anyone from holding office unless he was a Christian. As late as 1864, the Maryland constitution required that a citizen desiring public office must have declared "belief in the Christian Religion, or of the existence of God, and in a future state of reward and punishment. As late as 1877, N.H. required senators and representatives should be of the Protestant religion". In 1820, an old man was imprisoned for 60 days in Boston for publishing a paper he wrote stating he did not believe in their orthodox God."
Our nation in 1776 was founded on the Declaration fo Independence, not the Constitution, with the articles of Confederation as the guide for government. In 1787, the Constitutional Convention was called when it was seen that the articles would not work. (Separation Illusion, pp. 18, 23.)
We are not the first generation to require a religious statement. We are of a time when NO religious statement is required. Which is a prime example of the antichrist taking over what God gave to his people, and his people don't even know they have been robbed. History has been rewritten.
When Jeroboam's boy fell sick, Jeroboam did not go to Bethel to his alter. He went to Judah, and sought the man of God. When the Humanist system starts failing, they don't go to their false gods, but turn tot he Lord God to usurp what is not theirs.
14:1, At that time... A phrase connecting this with chapter and Jeroboam's sin with his altar of "you can serve god just as well here".
V. 2, Arise,... and get thee to Shilo. As we have said, he did not send to Bethel and his priests which he made of the lowest of the people. (13:31, 33.)
While I am think of it here, notice, of the lowest... AS the ‘church' gets away from the Lord, it attracts the lower sort of people into the ministry. When it leaves off the true gospel of Christ, then it becomes another job, like selling vacuum cleaners. The people in it are there for their own benefit.
Also, when the king, or central government gets to appoint the ministers, this will be what they appoint. The further away from local control the church gets, the more of these of the lowest people will be involved. People know where the truth is, but very few want the truth all the time. Only when needed —we had a couple in LA who would come to church on SN, but never on SM. They went to their social, liberal church on SM, then came to here how the other half lived on SN.
Jeroboam knew he did not have the answer. People will turn to the Lord in time of need, and to often, turn back to Jeroboam's altar of convenience when the need is over. Jeroboam knew whose word was true and honest, and truth was not found with his priests, but was with the prophet of the Lord, Ahijah.
V. 3, Tell you what shall become of the child. Notice he did not want to know why and how to cure, nor what to do about the child so he would live. Was it because he knew what the problem was, and he had no intention of changing anything?
Was it because he hoped to play on the sympathy of the prophet in asking for the result, and having his child cured without his having to make a commitment.
How many people have I met who will tell me their problems, but never offer any commitment at all, hoping to get help from the church or from God without a commitment on their part? When we do not help, they accuse the church of being unjust when all they are doing is reaping the result of their own wickedness and indifference. People want the benefits and results of being right with God without having to be right with God.
V. 4. Disguise thyself... Could not see. Oh my, this one will chase all over the lot. His eyes were bad, hindered his vision. So Jeroboam and his wife thought they could deceive God's man.
People must think we (pastors) are blind to what is going on in their lives. They seem to think if the outside looks right on Sunday mornign, then we will think the inside is all right on Tuesday morning.
V. 5, the Lord said... Behold... These people (v. 4) forget we are put here by God. They forget God gives us insight from his word. They want a man of God on call, but they don't want to call on the man of God fo find the real problem.
They believe the man of God is here only if things get so bad they are "out of their control". God is an emergency exit, a medicine bottle on the shelf to be used in case of an emergency. Two religions like Jeroboal:
1) the good times religion, According to the heart's desire.
2) The bad times religion, As God said.
The thing is, if the man is a man of God, he can see this attitude. He can see the sickness and death in the families. He can see wha tis going on even though the people do not want him to know.
Jeroboam did not even think of the Lord until sorrow and sickness visited his house. How like modern man.
V. 6, NO matter how well disguised, God knows.
Heavy tidings... Just what did they expect?
People wait until their life or the lives of their children are on the line before they try to get they act together, but then it is too late. There is no magic that can undo years of worshiping at the false altar of Jeroboam. See Ez. 14:4... Whatsoever a man soweth...
Their children are gone. Their family is gone, and they want some soothing words that will cure it all , and make everything OK.
Garbage in, Garbage out.
V. 7, ... I exalted thee... 1 Samuel 15:17, when thou wast little in thine own site, God said to Saul. It was Solomon's problem, 11:19, and David's problem, 2 Samuel 12:8, 9.
Throughout human history, including today, this problem can be traced: I will exalt my throne...
"Exalted to heaven, brought down to hell". We must remember the rock from which we were hewn, the pit from whence we were digged.
And this is the biggest problem I know of today — people that are struggling to make ends meet have time to serve and seek the Lord. The more prosperous folks become, the less time they have to serve God.
V. 8, (Remember Ahijah's first meeting, 11:31, where he held David up as an example to follow? This time, David is held up as an example that he did not follow.
God knew that Jeroboam would do wickedly. God is not a reactionary God. He has it all planned from the start to finish. God accomplished his purpose here. The people had turned from God (11:32) in their prosperity, and God raised up Jeroboam to deal with their sin (11:39). God knew what Jeroboam wold do.
Note: The people had started serving God in their own way and in their own time, so the Lord gave tehm a king who served God in his own way and in his own time, which was not God's way and time.
God sees that the people get leaders after their own hearts. They get just what they deserve. Man is determined to do his own thing, and god will allow man to do that . In these wicked kings though in Israel and Judah, God would interject a good godly king once in a while, e.g., Asia, to give the people one more chance to return. But no, the people were determined to go their own head-strong way.
Does God do the same for churches in the pastors he sends to them? Maybe several, indifferent ones in a row, and then interject a good consistent one to try once again to call the people back to him. Then he finally lets the people go their own way if they refuse to heed the call to return to him. If course, I do not know the mind of God any more than the next man, but I believe there is a principle laid down here in these kings from which we should learn.
V. 9, JEROBOAM'S SIN
Josephus sais something that really fits in here with Jeroboam's other god. Josephus attributes the following to Jeroboam:
4. (225) When, therefore, Jeroboam had built him a palace in the city of Shechem, he dwelt there. He also built for himself another at Penuel, a city so called; and now the feast of tabernacles was approaching in a little time, Jeroboam considered, that if he should permit the multitude to go to worship God at Jerusalem, and there to celebrate the festival, they would probably repent of what they had done, and be enticed by the temple, and by the worship of God there performed, and would leave him, and return to their first king; and if so, he should run the risk of losing his own life; so he invented this contrivance: (226) he made two golden heifers, and built two little temples for them, the one in the city of Bethel, and the other in Dan, which last was at the fountains of the Lesser Jordan {b} and he put the heifers into both the little temples, in the before mentioned cities. And when he had called those ten tribes together, over whom he ruled, he made a speech to the people in these words:— (227) "I suppose, my countrymen, that you know this, that every place has God in it; nor is there anyone determinate place in which he is, but he everywhere hears and sees those who worship him; on which account I do not think it right for you to go so long a journey to Jerusalem, which is an enemy's city to worship him. (228) It was a man that built the temple: I have also made two golden heifers, dedicated to the same God; and the one of them I have consecrated in the city of Bethel, and the other in Dan, to the end that those of you that dwell nearest those cities, may go to them, and worship God there; and I will ordain for you certain priests and Levites from among yourselves, that you may have no need of the tribe of Levi, or of the sons of Aaron; but let him that is desirous among you of being a priest, bring to God a bullock and a ram, which they say Aaron the first priest brought also." (229) When Jeroboam had said this, he deluded the people, and made them to revolt from the worship of their forefathers, and to transgress their laws. This was the beginning of the miseries to the Hebrews, and the cause why they were overcome in war by foreigners, and so fell into captivity. But we shall relate those things in their proper places hereafter. (Josephus, Book VIII. 8.4. Online Bible.)
Thus, Jeroboam deceived the people into revolting against God, which was the beginning of the Hebrew's miseries, and the cause why they were overcome in war by foreigners, and so fell into captivity. We must say, however, that people cannot be deceived unless they want to be deceived.
Josephus made no claim of being a Christian, yet even he could see Jeroboam's sin was the sin that destroyed God's people, and does today. Josephus said they forsook the laws of their God, and as God's people do so today, they will meet the same doom as they did then.
All Jeroboam did was do on the outside what God's people had already done on the inside.
The Church today is a powerless institution of the state (king) because the people of God forsook their Lord and Master in their hearts. Look at Jeroboam's statement. If it is not typical of God's people today, do not know what is.
"Now we know, brethren, we do not really have to go through
the law to please God now that we are one of his children."
"Now we know brethren, God is everywhere. We do not really
have to go to a place made by men's hands to please him. We can
please him here just as well as there."
* Bro Dixon said he went to Mayor Lugar when ‘Hair' was playing at the Circle Theater. Lugar told him, "It is not my responsibility. You are the preacher. Why haven't you closed it down as God's people?"
1 Kings 14:9. The Lord God identified this as OTHER gODS, Idolatry.
It is time God's people got back to the book and God's plan. "Now we know brethren..." These words mean the same as these words, "Ask Jesus into your heart..." Now we know brethren, it all means the same thing.
There is only one God, and one way to that One God, Jesus, and trust in his finished work. There is only one way to please him after we are his, and that is doing the things that are pleasing in his sight, as defined in his word.
GOD CALLS THINGS AS THEY TRULY ARE, NOT AS WE WISH THEY WERE.
V. 10, I will bring evil... will cut off... will take away. God reveals here his feelings concerning the actions of v. 9.
Again, God knew Jeroboam was going to do all of these evil deeds. Jeroboam revealed the people's hearts, but he was still responsible for his actions.
Compare with 12:27: Jeroboam started his religion of v. 9 because he was afraid the people would still go to the true God, and worship at Jerusalem.
They shall kill me... The very thing that Jeroboam did to secure his throne is what caused his fall.
If we allow the Lord to build the house, then it will be secure no matter what might come against it. How many of God's men have compromised to keep the people from going to another church? The compromise killed them: "If I just compromise a little here in this area, I can keep them..."
If God put us where we are as we claim he did, then there is no need to feel threatened by another church, pastor or work down the road. God will give us who he pleases, and he will remove those he pleases.
MIGHT NOTICE THE VERY THING WE WILL COMPROMISE TO PREVENT FROM HAPPENING, MAY WILL BE WHAT WILL KILL US.
V. 11, The LORD hath spoken it, and it will come to pass just like he said. God said it, and that settles it.
V. 12, When thy feet enter the city the child shall die. Because of Jeroboam's idolatry of v. 9.
Compare to 13:3, And he gave a sign that same day.
1) V. 4, his hand (Jeroboam's) dried up.
2) V. 5, the altar also was rent and the ashes poured out.
3) V. 6, and the king's hand was restored him...
4) V. 26, it is the man of god who was disobedient.
Four signs were given to Jeroboam the same day, not counting the word of the Lord (v. 2), and with all the signs, Jeroboam returned not. Because Jeroboam returned not, now he gets another sign: The child shall die.
Jeroboam reigned 22 years. This chain of events did not happen overnight. Do you suppose Jeroboam thought God had forgotten about what was going on? God does not forget.
If Jeroboam had only listened at the first, his child would have lived.
The boy's name was Abijah–my father is Jah. (He may not
have been the first-born.)
The son who ended up with the kingdon, the next in line, was Nadab—liberal,
willing.
V. 13, all Israel shall mourn for him, v. 18.
He escaped not only the evil that was to come, but the murder of Baasha. (15:27.) How old was the child? I do not know. Was he next in line for the throne, and Nadab got it instead? It looks like God allowed Abijah to die because he is going to deal with Jeroboam's wickedness, and Abijah was a good boy, and God was not going to submit him to Baasha (15:27).
V. 13, God found some good thing in the house of Jeroboam, Abijah. Only by the grace of God is any good thing found in any household. The good thing toward God would prevent the Judgment that was coming. God was not going to judge the good with the bad here, so in this case, he removed the good. It was better to die like this than to die as his brother died later.
V. 14, who shall cut off.. You cannot have both: Either serve God God's way and have peace, or serve God at Bethel and have destruction. We might keep it in mind that at one time, Bethel was the place to worship God, but not now. Jerusalem was that place appointed by God.
God used to ‘wink' at some things years ago that he will not ‘wink' at now. (Acts 17:30.)
A man will not be held near as responsible for what he does not know as for what he does know. A man will be judged to what he hath, not according to what he hath not.
V. 15, For the LORD shall smite Israel...
1) the king made the altar, Made Israel to sin. But the people
loved to have it so. (12:30, 11:33.)
2) Jeroboam's calves and sanctuaries would have been useless without
priests.
3) his priests would have been worthless without worshipers by
the thousands.
Jeroboam headed the false worship up, and payed first for it (he died before Israel was judged). But the people loved to have it so, and they also will pay for the false worship.
15:9, And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah. V. 11, And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.
If it had been in Israel's heart to serve the Lord, all they had to do was return to Asa, but they did not. They enjoyed Jeroboam's kind of worship. Israel could have avoided 14:15 very easily. All they had to do was go to Judah under Asa. Pride kept them back? Lust of the flesh prevented it? Just enjoyed the worship of the Lord God in their own way? (See v. 9)
Israel here has a warning. Does v. 14 take place before or after Asa?
V. 15. Beyond the river... Here we see Galatians 6:7 acted out as clearly as the nose on your face. Be not deceived: God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Jeremiah 5:19 spells it out...And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the LORD our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours.
I just do not see how it could be any plainer: God tells them they are going to reap exactly what they have sown:
You have served strange gods in your land.
Now you will serve strange gods in a land that is not yours.
Keep in mind here—the strange gods of Jeroboam were gods of "you can worship the Lord God in your own way, as you see fit, at your convenience." (14:9.)
The people who enjoyed Jeroboam's altars were not the ones who had to serve a strange people in a strange land, but their children did.
Jeremiah hits the nail on the head here with the prophecy against Jeroboam and the people. Jeroboam offered them a "Better, easier way to worship the Lord". (Jeremiah 5:31, and my people love to have it so.) The Children were carried away beyond the river.
Preachers have compromised the message, and the people love
it.
Preachers have compromised with the civil government, and the
people love it because they do not have to stand and fight.
Preachers have quit naming some specific sins, e.g., the SB church
in Houston according to UNN&WR, which no longer naming drunkenness
as sin, and the church is growing like crazy. So did Jeroboam's.
God's message did not change. His temple is still at Jerusalem. He did not move. Another group came along, Jeroboam's group, and offered something a little better, easier and more convenient, and the people loved it, flocking into this easy religion. They were also scattered beyond the river. God's message did not change. The messages do, and the people loved it.
As you have served strange gods in your land
So shall you serve strange gods in a land not your own.
But the children are the ones who went beyond the river.
God's people today serve God in a way that seems best to them, and they seem to prosper at Jeroboam's altar at Bethel (and Dan), which was at one time the proper place to serve the Lord. But the children grew further and further from the Lord.
V. 17, And Jeroboams wife arose and departed...
Think of the anguish between arose and departed and when she came to the threshold of the door, knowing that her son would die. Think of what ran through her mind. Was it, "Ah, he doesn't know what he is talking about. I don't believe it", and as she walked into the house, she cried out to her husband, Jeroboam, "Honey, you will never guess what that wild eyed fanatic told me over in Judah. That's the last time I wil ever go hear him preach. He upsets me every time I hear him. He only speaks ruff to and about us. I think we ought to find us another church to attend where the preacher is not always pointing his finger at us and saying, ‘Your kids are going to pay the price'. I think we are dong all right with our altar at Bethel. Honey, he got carried away this time. You should have heard him. He said our boy was going to pay the price for our indifference about going to Jerusalem to worship as God requires. I still think we can worship God in our own way here at Bethel. Honey, I think he is crazy. Maybe we should report him to the authorities."
To which her husband, Jeroboam, replies, "Our son just died when you came in the door".
V. 18, And they buried him... mourned for him, according to the word of the Lord.
His wife says through her tears of grief, "I'm sure what he told me had nothing to do with this. It jut happened this way. Because look at how God is blessing us with the altar at Bethel. The attendance is large and there is such a loving feeling there".
"I am sure the doctor bills just happen to be this high".
"I am sure these other problems just happen to be coming
our way because look at how prosperous we are in other areas".
"I just know these difficulties cannot be the result of our indifference over worshiping at Jerusalem. Just look at how well we are doing here in other areas".
How do we know this was Jeroboam's response along with his wife's?
V. 19, And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he reigned, behold... 2 Chronicles 13:1-20. V. 20, and the Lord struck him, and he died.
Jeroboam never repented and turned to the Lord, even at the death of his son. He just would not believe his child's illness was a result of his false altar of worship at Bethel.
He just would not believe the high doctor bills and the illnesses that came along that attacked his family were a result of his false altar. He would not give up the idea that "we can worship god just as well here".
Why could he not see God's hand in the whole affair with his child? I believe it is because of the popularity of his false altar at Bethel. I believe that because Jeroboam was prosperous in other areas, he refused to believe the words of the prophet that God was judging his false worship.
Jeroboam's spirit is very much with us today.
He remembered the Lord in his time of need, sickness. But that memory did not help his child, nor cause him to change. It is good to remember past mercies, but that memory should call us to repentance. There is no way we can claim past mercies for present needs unless we are willing to deal with sin.
Jeroboam wanted mercy without repentance, Proverbs 28:13, 14.
V. 22, And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD... 2 Chronicles 11:5-17, Rehoboam, despite his threat to be more brutal than his father, Solomon, wasn't. He started his reign serving God. AS he did, all of those in Israel who wanted to serve the Lord came to Judah. These people who wanted to serve the Lord caused Rehoboam's kingdom to be strengthened, and the Lord to establish it. For three years, his kingdom had God's blessings and protection.
2 Chronicles 12:1ff. Rehoboam was lifted up with pride, and forgot God in his prosperity. Things get good and easy, and we also forget the God who made them good and easy.
Rehoboam forsook the Lord after only 3 years.
The king of Egypt came against him two years latter with 1200
chariots, 60,000 horsemen and foot soldiers without number.
Put 2 Chronicles 11 & 12 with 1 Kings 14:22, and it seems that the people's heart was set on doing evil, and Rehoboam tried to prevent it. Notice 1 Kings 14:28 that Rehoboam still went to the house of the Lord. He held the departure from the Lord in check for three years, and God blessed him. He finally gave in to the people's demands.
V. 23, For they also built... Here in Judah, the people build the altars and images. In Israel under Jeroboam. The king build the altars, and encouraged the people to use them.
Here with Rehoboam, his favorite wife was Maachah (2 Chronicles 11:21), the daughter of Absalom. She was a wicked woman (2 Chronicles 15:16) who loved her idols and groves. Rehoboam loved her, so he allowed her to pursue her idols and groves. In doing this, he could not very well enforce the death penalty against the people for doing what she was doing (1 Kings 14:23).
Rehoboam loved this women as did his father, Solomon. What his father permitted, now rules his son, Rehoboam. Not only does it rule him, but ruins him and brings down the judgment of God upon him.
V. 25, the king of Egypt came against him...
10/28/84, used to put together incorporation material.
V.25-- King of Egypt came against--- (Inc.)
To me this is sad.
1. 3 years after the death of David, the foundation of the temple was laid. The glory of that age. Really, nothing like it before or since.
2. 5 years after the death of Solomon, the glory is gone -- carried off.
3 years after the death of Solomon, the Kings of Judah turn from God because of pride. 42 years after the foundations laid, 33 years after its completion, and 20 years after its dedication, all the treasures are carried away.
Solomon married the daughter of the King of Egypt to prevent this very thing (I Kg. 3:1) from happening. Solomon sought man's ways to protect himself, and the very thing he sought (human means) is what destroyed his son, just 40-43 years later.
Note for me, 10/27/84.
The heavy thing on my heart thin morning is not only S.S. form 8274 but the Incorporation. Church Incorporation was passed off about 40 years ago as the means of protecting the church from any problems that might arise.
There were three reasons given for incorporating the church:
1. Liability-- Can't be sued.
2. Respectability-- State to recognize us as a living person.
a. The State creates a fictitious body, person, after its own image to exist according to the State's standards and to do its bidding. This 'person' or 'body' exists at the will of the State to do what the State allows it to do, and in so doing, it receives the State's protection. The State sets the limits upon the liability, and then insurance is bought to cover this liability within these limits.
Not only does the state create a living person in the eyes of the law, but it can also put this person to death by refusing to recognize its disobedient child, or fictitious person any longer.
Not only then does the State create a 'body' or a 'person', setting the limits of the responsibility (liability) but in the corporation, the State creates a never dying person.
3. Perpetuity--- Instead of the organization dieing with the death of its founder, the State has created a never dieing person in the eyes of the law.
In the corporation, here is what we have:
1. The State, at it's will, creates a 'person'.
2. This 'person' will live forever at the grace of the State and
by the power of the States.
3. This 'person' is given a set of laws by which it must live,
and if this 'person' does not live by the State's laws, "Thou
shalt surly die " (they say) as the State refuses to recognize
the person, Corp. any longer.
More Churches than we can count have gone to the State and sought to be created as a 'person', corporation.
Problems:
1. Respectability--- Respected as a person, an obedient creation, created by the breath of the State.
a. Who's grace is the Church to exist by?
b. Who brought the Church into existence?
c. From whom must the Church seek its respectability? God or man?
d. Who must the Church see is its creator?
e. The Church, through incorporation, sought the States permission
to exist. By whose permission must it exist?
2. Liability--- As this State's created person obeys its creator's laws, the State places its umbrella of protection over its creation, telling any enemies of it's child "You can come this far and no further.
a. Who is to protect the Church?
b. "Who the Father loveth he chastenth". Does the
State defend it's child from the chastening hand of the Father?
Observe: "If a man will not work he should not eat."
But because of the protective hand of the State (welfare, food
stamps, unemployment, social programs of all call or description),
this law of God can be violated even
by God's people, and they will be fed.
"Hunger is Gods cure for slothfulness", but when the State intervens with its social programs, then the slothful man proliferates.
How can pastors preach against the social programs of the State which prevent God from carrying through his cure for slothfulness, when their churches, through incorporation, have sought provision and protection from the State from "acts of God" that might call them to repentance?
Instead of the corporation looking to the FATHER for safety and protection, it looks to the State in the eyes of the law for its protection and safety.
Who is to protect the Church?
3. Perpetuity-- In the creation of the obedient body, person, child, the State not only tells the 'child' it can live forever, but it tells anyone else who might be waiting to take over the 'childs' possessions, "This is my never dying child, who has my protection as long as it lives, and its life span is not dependent on a creature created by God, human person, but its life span is dependent on my word, not God's."
a. If the Church is founded on the teachings such as Moon, Mary Baker Eddie, Ellen G. White, Joseph Smith, Mohammed or any other of those rascals who died, then they need to be a product of the State for the States protection. However, the founder of the Church is still alive, and he will outlive any human creation, any State creation or any STATE, Government, social order or race of people.
b. The Church's perpetuity is based on, or found found in the life of our founder, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matt. 28:18-20). Either he is still alive to guide the Church, protect it and establish its laws, or the church as nothing better than Mohammed, and it needs the State's protection from its enemies.
1 Kings 3:1-3
Solomon married Pharoah's daughter for his protection before he built the temple, before the glory of God filled the temple, before his beautiful prayer, before the Queen of Sheba came, before his prayer for wisdom and before his wise use of the Sword. Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father. David no sooner had appointed Solomon king, when he died. Then Solomon married the king of Egypt's daughter. Egypt, as we teach it, represents the world; Solomon made an affinity with the king of this "world" by marrying Pharaoh's daughter. He sought Egypt's, the world's, protection.
Notice, however, that Solomon had no enemies: His name means 'peaceable'. Soloman had the promise of God's protection even in his name, so he did not need to make a deal with the world, Pharaoh, for his protection.
Solomon met her conditions, (7:8) even building a separate house for her, so she could worship her idols outside the city of David. Why? So he would keep Pharaoh's protection.
I Kg. 14:25.
The very thing Soloman sought safety in, the king of Egypt, now moves in, and removes the treasure from the temple about 40-45 years after Solomon married Egypt.
From the temple, the house of the Lord, Shishak, king of Egypt, removed the gold, the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the Kings house.
Vv. 27-28. Judah's king still went to the house of the Lord, but the glory, beauty that had been there was gone.
Incorporation
Churches have sought to become children of the State as they have sought the State's protection. Churches (as did Solomon) have prospered under the State's wing, but now the State is moving against Jerusalem to take away the treasures.
God's people married Pharaoh's daughter in the 60s for his protection. Now he is about to extract the price. The Church had better get a divorce and start seeking God's protection. The Church will have to stay prayed up and right with God to have His protection where all they have had to do is send $10.00 a year to get the King of Egypt's protection. But .the $10.00 a year is going to increase to ALL THE TREASURES of the house of the Lord if the tie is not cut.
It's time for churches to give a 'writing of divorce' from Pharaoh's daughter, and renew their vows before the Lord God. (II Kg. 20:3-6; II Chron. 13:12-18, 15:2,7,9,15, 16:9, 20:6,12,15,17,20 etc.)
Remember II Chronicles 24:20: Because ye have forsaken the Lord, he hath also forsaken you. The marriage to Pharaoh's daughter forsook the Lord's protection, and the chickens will come home to roost. (2 Chron.25:8, and more verses here than we can count.)
Where will churches look for safety and protection. We must keep in mind that even though Christ was perfect in every area, the State still put him to death (for God's glory). Even if we get every area in line with God's word, there is still the chance that God will receive more glory by our death than by our life. It is better to die for being right than for being wrong.
LORD HELP US TO BE RIGHT. GIVE US THE COURAGE TO DO RIGHT EVEN WITH "The death of the cross" seen ahead. Look at the Saints of God who died for being right because Christ was their example. John 15 If he was hated for doing right, how how much more will we be hated for doing right?
With incorporation a church can put men in leadership, pastors, deacons, elders, &c., who are unqualified and the State will still protect the church from the chastening of God. Without the corporation, the Church must have Godly men in each office doing that duty and only that duty of his office as outlined in the Word of God because now they must depend on their Lord and their relationship to him for their protection.
(pg. 130 Church--- and Freedom) Churches in New Testament had no corporate charters. Any time a church goes to court as a corporation, then it must defend itself on strictly legal terms (excessive entanglement), not biblical. The Consitution, as does the Bible, only protects convictions not conveniences, and the corperation is for the convience of State protection.
Churches many times want the best of both worlds, but choices must be made. Corporation – take all the State has to offer. Church – take all the Lord has to offer. Can a church serve two masters, the State according to its corporate charter, and God according to every word that proceeds out of his mouth?
This was the problem William Ball had with the B.J.U. case. (see tape of Silivan in Anderson)
Note — Which is right? When a Church seeks the protection of the State corporation, it MUST abide by the laws dealing with the corporation. That incorporated church cannot say that the State has no authority over it, for it has willingly placed itself under the State's rules and laws.
Note the numbers on the "Corp Form.jpg" file (find the actual form in a file folder; there should be a corporation book file folder somewhere with the original form). Item #:
2. This requires an itemized statement... a list of all who gave to the corporation, and how much. (Would not anti-Christian groups like to have this information?)
5. List of all debts and names of persons owed to, payments, &c.
6. List of all property value.
13. Any funds left over $1000 at end of year–purpose of such funds must be explained.
1 KINGS 14:25
Reasons the land and temple were invaded.
1. Solomon's sins.
a. Greed, pride – he multiplied silver and gold to himself.
The very thing he was known for in his strength (riches) was the downfall of the land — motivated Shishak to invade the land and the temple.
b. Solomon's idolatry.
c. Solomon's desire for more. He multiplied horses, a direct violation of God's law. The horse trading with Egypt only paved the way for the 1,200 chariots and the 60,000 horsemen to come. But Solomon needed none of those instruments of war.
d. Solomon's love for women–his many wives. You do not have to look very far behind a man's destruction for a woman.
2. Rehoboam's sin and folly.
a. pride — rejected any compromise.
b. infidelity — rejected any compromise.
3. Israel's sin.
a. Judah did evil, Rehoboam followed.
V. 30 WAR. God uses the ungodly to chastize his people, and to punish the heathens.