Title: Two Blessed Paths of Saints
2 Kings (1) The Blessed Two Ways of Saints
(2 Kings 1:1-4)
< Two Blessed Paths of Saints >
In the last days of King Solomon, an unwise government brought Israel into great chaos. And when Solomon died, the people asked Rehoboam, Solomon's son, to lighten their labor. In refusal of that request, in 930 B.C., the ten northern tribes set up their own king Jeroboam, and Israel was divided into Judah in the south and Israel in the north.
Southern Judah was made up of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and Northern Israel was made up of the remaining ten tribes. Although four of the 20 kings were assassinated in Judah, the Davidic dynasty lasted 345 years before being destroyed by Babylon in 586 B.C. during the reign of the 20th king Zedekiah. Because nearly half of the 19 kings were killed by treason, nine dynasties were established and lasted for 209 years before being destroyed by Assyria in 722 BC during the 19th king Hosea.
In southern Judah, there were occasional godly reformed kings such as 3rd king Asa, 4th king Jehoshaphat, 8th king Joash, 13th king Hezekiah, and 16th king Josiah. There was not a single godly king. The Book of Kings begins with the story of Ahaziah, the eighth king of northern Israel, about 80 years after the division of North and South Korea. The text teaches the two most blessed ways for believers.
1. Path of Faith
After Ahab's death and the weakening of the nation's power, it was conquered by David (2 Samuel 8:2), and then Moab, a vassal of Israel, revolted (verse 1). About that time, Ahaziah fell from the parapet of his attic in Samaria and became ill, so he sent messengers to ask Baelzebub, the god of Ekron, if he would be cured of this disease (verse 2). Ekron was one of the five major Philistine cities, and it was the most northern Philistine city and the closest to Israel. .
How stupid are you? The accident he suffered was God's discipline to convert him into idolatry, and Ahaziah, unaware of it, asked the idol whether he was cured of his disease. Then God rebuked Ahaziah for his foolish behavior, saying, “Are you going to ask Bael because there is no God in Israel?” Ahaziah committed an ups and downs treacherous act of finding Baal-zebub instead of God to solve an urgent problem.
Do not seek idols when trouble arises, or be deceived by ups and downs or superstitions. In times like these, stick to the more true path of faith. Did God let Esther die when she said, “If you die, you will die!”? no. Rather, he opened the way for dramatic salvation. “If I die, I will die! If you do not fall for ups and downs or superstitions with a heart that says, "If you perish, you will perish!" If you firmly walk the path of faith, God will prevent you from dying and not perishing.
2. The Path of Mission
When we told the messenger of Ahaziah that he would surely die because of his unbelief, Elijah left without delay (verse 4). Declaring the judgment of death on an evil king who is in absolute power is usually difficult to do without faith and courage, but Elijah risked his life to carry out that command and immediately went on a mission.
If you go on the path of mission, suffering will follow, but joy and reward will follow after suffering. Also, the life of a missionary is lonely, but if you are prepared for loneliness, God miraculously assigns you a co-worker. When Moses stuttered, he gave him Aaron, who was a good speaker, and when Paul was weak, he gave him the doctor Luke. By attaching a calm John to Peter, who was quick-tempered, the two of them were the most attached to each other and did God's work. Without Peter, things will often break, and without John, things will not go well. Because the two of them worked together, they were given the best use.
When we boldly walk on the path of our mission, God will give us those who need us and provide for them. Man's work is done by calculation, but God's work is done by faith. Sometimes you need to be cautious, but being too careful can be a bystander. Don't just end up being a reflection intellectual, become an intellectual in action. Take the path of the few that opens up the environment rather than the path of the many that is accustomed to it. Faith is determination and adventure. Like the lyrics of the hymn, if you confess, “Make my will be like your will!” and risk and risk for a brilliant dream and vision, the history of good change will surely appear.