A House of Cards

Some this will be a warning to all of his word to be a challenge to follow the plan God even when we cannot see a result, even when it doesn't seem to pan out or be of any benefit still follow the word of God here 1401 Oracle there will come a day when he will fulfill his word and give you your promise place in the kingdom and in heaven. One of life. Well, we can safely add 1/3 item to that list the judgment of God. Most people don't like to talk or think about God's judgment, but it's best we consider it now before it's too late.

People who live as they please and ignore God.

Our building a house of cards. Sooner or later in this life or the next.

It collapses.

This is wisdom for the heart. Today Stephen David concludes his series on Elisha with this message, called a house of cards in second King after nine and 10. The large path and were going to in a large way overview today.

As we continue our study through the book I were given the gory details of Jezebel's death and the death of the dynasty of Ahab in the middle of chapter 9 and 10 is what we call hinge verse it's itself at the summary verse around which all of the narrative is connected like spokes in a wheel to the hub want to show you the hub of this passage to chapters it in chapter 10 verse 10.

Everything will relate to this. No, then, that there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word of the Lord which the Lord spoke concerning the health of Ahab for the Lord has done what he spoke through his servant Elijah night if you remember our study of first Kings. Elijah had pronounced judgment on the house of Ahab and Jezebel. They had murdered Naboth in cold blood.

They had ripped the vineyard from the possession of his family and placed it into the royal family which was a violation of so many of God's laws and in God freely. Elijah had pronounced the judgment would come upon the house because of it. Now in chapter 9 we are introduced to the instrument of God, judgment.

His name is Jay, who is been the butt of jokes with the way that he drove his chariot. He drove it furiously, literally, like a madman. What he is secretly anointed with oil by one of the licenses. Younger prophets in training of rabbinical tradition believe that that younger prophet with none other than Jonah but pick it up in verse six the latter part and he poured the oil on Jay his head and said to them, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, I have anointed you king over the people of the Lord, even over Israel and you shall strike the house of Ahab your master. Now notice the purpose laws here that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord. I want to stop here and give three truths that you can insert into your notes if you care before we get any further on the subject of God's judgment. Truth number one. Even when God seems slow to act as people are never forgotten. You may remember the Jezebel had gone on a killing spree, she had taken the lives of prophets she had murdered those who follow God and refused to bend their needs and veil one point in time the true prophets of God were hiding in a cave. Their lives had been taken like cheap cattle.

The Jezebels of that world and this world still think the gods silence means God is powerless and nothing could be further from the truth. The Bible refers specifically to the blood of the martyrs God take special note. In fact, there is a special crown known as the martyrs crown.

God never forget the second truth even when God's children. You can insert the word because even when God calls seems overwhelmed. God is at work preparing the instrument of judgment.

Jay, who was nothing more than a common footsoldier in the Army. At one point in time.

In fact, he was one of Ahab two bodyguards when the Oracle of God through Elijah came pronouncing judgment upon Ahab. It's ironic to me that an ordinary bodyguard was being prepared in the mind of God. At the very height of Ahab dynastic rule, the most powerful house on planet Earth that known world at that point in time he would be the instrument in God's hand against Ahab's house and he would bring it crashing to earth like a house of cards would never thought that it would be this ordinary common soldier not want you to notice what all the other captains of the Army do in response to J Hughes secret annoyingly verse 13 then they hurried in each man took his garment and placed it under him on the bear steps. That's an ancient way of implying submission to the right of a person to tread upon your life so it is a surprising thing that all of these captains instead of jealously bitterly opposing him. They throw their coats on the ground and the latter part of the verse says they blew the trumpet, saying J who is King action that these military leaders would throw their entire support behind a man who had risen through the ranks who started out as a bodyguard.

God prepares his instruments of judgment and his timing in unleashing them perfect third through even though God warnings seem distant and hypothetical judgment. Eventually, that's been 14 years, God, Oracle, and judgment came through Elijah against his house. Undoubtedly, in an in Jezebel's mind.

She was off the hook guy hadn't done anything for 14 years and course he didn't believe him anyhow and and and the absence of judgment simply solidified her belief that if he existed he forgot. I don't work at home, you were raised in but I can remember growing up in the sky the home. I can remember on several occasions. My mother tell me that soon as we got home from church I was going to get a spanking at never forget seeing say it this way.

I'm going to where you out she had a way with words.

I can remember on one occasion, I think even twice.

Of course I straighten up and Sunday lunch came and went. Nothing happened.

The reference to it.

The busy household for kids and usually somebody over mom and dad and I was the politest kid on planet Earth course during that period time. I knew that if she forgot on Sunday I wouldn't get it on Monday and that she forgot. On occasion, you multiply that by million times in and I and I wonder if when the first sign or the first signal of God's judgment came. Jezebel didn't clean up wrecked a little bit you been maybe she called offer hitmen for a week.

Told him to lay low. Let let's see what occurs and maybe the death of Ahab was coincidental and that he won't come after me over the passage of time or boldness.

I'm sure return is will soon see, there is a popular concept today as well that strips God of his judicial character other than anything about him really is holy or righteous is it pertains the command. Certainly he would require anything of man kind and once his is righteous.

Holiness is stripped away, he is close by our secular society, with only one attribute and that is the attribute of love. He is a God. It seems to our country who is perpetually smiling like some Cheshire cat in his is most common utterance is something like all that's all right but the on failing unchanging word of God says it is appointed on the man once to die, and after that the judgment and there are two categories of people or categories who will define their eternal state. There are those who are in Christ, as it were, they are in the one hidden in the one who is already faced the judgment of God on their behalf and their safe and are those who remain independent of their own pride and belief who are outside of that which would protect them and they will bear the judgment of God himself forever. God's word about the future.

Ladies and gentlemen is as certain as his word past and we see the fulfillment of his word. In the past occurring. Look at verse 21.

Then Jordan said it could be spelled Jeff Gorham get ready and they made his chariot ready and Jordan King of Israel. That's Ahab's son by the way, and Isaiah, king of Judah.

That's Ahab's son-in-law by the each in his chariot and they went out to meet J who and they found him.

Note this in the property of Naboth just realized do you think for a moment that the coincidence know this is the judgment of God being fulfilled to the T and it came about when Jordan saw J who verse 22 that he said is at peace. J who and he answered what peace so long as the harlotries of your mother, Jezebel and her witchcraft's are so many so Jordan reigned about and fled and set Isaiah. There is treachery all had Isaiah J, who drew his bow with his full strength and shot Jordan between his arms and the arrow went through his heart sank in his chariot. J who said the big car.

His officer taken off and cast him into the property of the field of Naboth Jezreel light for I remember when you and I were riding together after Ahab's father. That is when we were his bodyguards. Remember that big car that the Lord laid this Oracle against him. Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his son, says the Lord, and I will repay you in this property, says the Lord now than taken cast them into the property. According to the word of the Lord, you get the many repeated references to the word of the Lord. This is what God said this is what God would do, and this is what God indeed did the keyword. I think is in verse 26 work, he says, surely I have seen yesterday but underline that word yesterday. You. You may think that God has forgotten God is not forgotten. He has seen yesterday the blood of Naboth in the blood of his sons, and now today he will take action in fulfilling his word. There is another principal of Scripture that doesn't get much press lately is the principle of reaping what you are sowing.

I can call it that the principle of spiritual agriculture I can define it this way.

While sin is immediately cleansed.

Upon confession, according to first John 19 it produces consequences that may last a lifetime now or if I were addressing a company of unbelievers. The talk of judgment from God would make those uncomfortable but I think is equally true and interesting to my own heart, that the talk of consequences. The talk of of life long reaping makes the believer uncomfortable but does the Bible never says the blood of Jesus Christ. God son cleanses from all consequence is from all sin is certainly that the eternal consequences of sin and guilt of been paid for by the sacrifice of Christ, but there is the principle. As Paul declared it to the believers in Galatia, which he said be not deceived you need to remember that written the Christian God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, that will he also reap. And then he goes on to exhort the believers in light of that sows seeds not in the flesh sows seeds to the spirit. There is this law of sowing and reaping and sowing and reaping that exist in the life of a believer. I have read statistics recently that reveal among college students. There is an alarming rise of a virus sexually transmitted called HPV will hearing about it because of the much more dangerous virus.

HIV, the virus is growing at what is called an epidemic rate. It is causing cancer among women. The statistics I read said that nearly 30% of college age girls have, it will produce barrenness God will forgive fornication, but you may one day we over the inability to bear children. We can fill four Super Bowl size stadium with teenagers who are involved in prostitution to pay for their drug habit. God will wonderfully save a person out of that addiction, but there may be life long physical and mental consequences. Did you know that the population 10 times the size of Carrie will line up for abortions this year among girls unwed conceive, God will forgive that if they confess it, but we are raising ladies and gentlemen, our generation that we are now beginning to the and golfed with grief at what our generation has legalized which is nothing less than sitting there with the principle of sowing and reaping.

I must've heard it a thousand times for my father who would say to his four sons.

He say this way you cannot plant wild oats and then pray for a crop failure. J.

Vernon McGee wrote about an evening he spent with Mel Trotter, Mel Trotter was an evangelist who in his earlier days of been an alcoholic God wonderfully save this man. He would eventually preach the thousands of people and have an effective ministry. McGee wrote that one night he spoke of Mel Trotter spoke at McGee's church where he pastored in LA after the service, they all went out to up to a restaurant and they were all ordering milkshakes in Ballston Sundays on stuff and Mel Trotter ordered a little bitty glass of carbonated water and they were raving about it.

Joking with him. All we must be on a diet or something and and that he just smiled and finally McGee said why you just getting that. And McGee wrote that I never forgot Mel Trotter's answer. He said this when the Lord gave me a new heart conversion.

He did not give me in the stomach.

I'm paying for my years of direct see this truth makes us as believers uncomfortable, but it is the truth. There is the law of spiritual agriculture is a strong reminder, ladies and gentlemen, that all of us in this auditorium are in deep need of the grace of God we lean on it. We abandon ourselves to it. None of us are exempt but it is also a challenge to a believer if you are even thinking of walking away from your marriage. Beware, for the rest of your life, you will reap those bitter seeds. If you are even thinking of immorality or promiscuity via wire. Watch out you will bear the harvest of guilt and broken trust. If you are even thinking of stealing a liar and whatever else it might be God's has is not blind is not deaf, and he has told us in his word. If you plant that seed will reap it and somewhere in maybe that's why John Wesley Road is one of his resolutions for life. A century ago resolved never to do anything I would be afraid of doing worth. The last hour of my life will there is judgment that will occur on this day in the life of Ahab's house but in verse 30 when Jason came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it and she painted her eyes and adorned her head, she isn't trying to entice Jake to.

She's an old woman here, but she is she's literally preparing herself to die. She will look like the queen that she is and there is an IC stubbornness that comes from the way she she acts and and what she says there is no remorse there is in a guilty conscience knows what she says. The J in verse 31 is j2 entered the gate she said is it while simmering your masters murderer. She columns every case is that the first kings where's Emery usurped the throne and he only lived for seven days and he died in the in the flame of the palace. She's taunting him. She said you're no better than you, you steal the throne, but I will lift us to enjoy it only no longer than is every seven days. That's what all of that seven days and you'll be finished there's any doubt my mind that she knows of the anointing it has spread to the kingdom of the prophet of God said he will bring judgment to the house of Ahab is the underlying this is a woman whose name means bails Princess. She's refusing even their death.

Verse 32.

Then he lifted up his face to the window and said he was on my side and two or three officials looked down at him and he said throw her down so they threw her down, and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses and he trampled underfoot. When he came in he ate and drank and said, see now to this cursed woman and bury her, for she is a kings daughter and they went to bury her, but they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands.

Therefore, they returned and told him and he said this is the word of the Lord which he spoke by his servant Elijah that despite say in the property of Jezreel. The dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel in the corpse of Jezebel shall be as dung on the face of the field and the property of Jezreel so they cannot recognize or say this is Jezebel. The word of God, with all its horror was fulfilled. Now I have.

I studied this week on this passage and discovered early on in the week. This is one of the reasons why preachers don't preach first and second Kings.

It seems so remote and distant glory. But I want to give you what I believed to be at least three principles of application for us number one when God's word is rejected. The wickedness in a person's life can be unbelievable. Who would've ever thought that Israel would follow a woman like this sacrificed their children the idols as we studied the involved in religious promiscuity.

Yet whenever you reject the word of God, then by the word of a prophet or today as you read it as you hold it in your hand your opening the door to unbelievable wickedness that you and I will be able in our minds to justify to rationalize to defend their people who treat this book like a bus, they will get on it and take it for a ride, as long as it's going where they wanted to go. The trouble is, the way is downward. Apart from this word they are heading for a tragic life of self centered people second truth when God's authority is denied, the wasting of a person's life is inevitable. One of the most wonderful things about Christianity as it rescued you and me from wasting our lives ourselves think of Ernest Hemingway who was a brilliant genius with his pen, but a man who denied God's authority and even on one occasion, rewrote I'm sure you know the Lord's prayer say our Nada Nada is Spanish for nothing. Our Nada, who art in Nada. Imagine his life ended when he put a bullet in his own head, I will ask you a question. My friend are you building a house of cards today is the mortar mixed with pride and independence are the bricks colored with cherished unconfessed sin you are sowing seeds to the flesh, the word tells us, we will reap a harvest of bitterness third truth when God's plans are obeyed. The difference in a person's life is unmistakable to some, this discussion will be a warning may be a wake-up call to all of us. His word should be a challenge to follow the plan of God even when we cannot see the results even when it doesn't seem to pan out or be of any benefit. We will follow the word of God. Sometimes he thinks here's to fulfilling 14 for this one Oracle there will come a day when he will fulfill his word and give you your promised place in the kingdom and in heaven.

But one of life today. I recall he he said on a number of occasions because he said you know if the entity was not true.

If there really wasn't a God was in the future. Heaven for us. Believe he said I still live the kind of life. This book describes is the right way to live. Still, because it is the only thanks for joining us today, Iran, wisdom with this lesson. Stephen concludes a nine part series called Elisha living the impossible life. If you missed any of the lessons in this series along the way. The full-length version of these messages and the printed manuscripts are available to you free of charge. Anytime visit wisdom online.org for information or call us today at 86 648 Bible 48664824253 when we return next time Stephen begins a series through Jonah make plans to join us for that right here on wisdom