The other day I was reading my Bible and stumbled across 2
Kings 17:1-23. That passage talks about the exile and unnecessary suffering the
Kingdom of Israel experienced because of their constant disobedience to God.
These people who were so privileged and hand-picked by God from all other nations
of the earth forfeited the good plans and destiny God had marked for them
because of their sins.
Their sins did not just include idolatry and getting
entangled with pagan nations, they also committed the abominable act of human
sacrifice of their own children to these idols.
As a mother, I can’t begin to imagine how low these people
must have sunk to kill their own children for some god. Why did these people
who were once destined for greatness reduce themselves to such savage beasts?
I don’t think the Israelites ever imagined they would become
so depraved. I can imagine them many years ago being shocked at the detestable
practises the neighbouring countries committed. Sadly, in no time they too became
involved. So how did this descent start?
The answer is that they allowed themselves to become enticed
by the appeal of sin. It may have started as a harmless curiosity to see how
the other nations lived their lives, or honouring an invitation to a ceremony
or getting married to an idol worshipper.
Regardless of how their romance with foreign gods started, I
believe the Israelites must have felt powerful and thought of themselves as invincible
to the temptations of their pagan neighbours. They must have thought, “we are God’s
chosen people, there is no way we would ever bow down to idols.” Sadly, not
long after, they were not only bowing down to idols, but killing their children
to please the idols.
And that my friends, is the way sin and destruction wraps
itself around people. It never shows you its true colours. Oh no, not at all. It
comes as a friend, as a decoy, it never tells you that it will destroy you. It
looks harmless and tells you that many others are involved in the same
situation. But like the Israelites, what may seem right, may turn out to be
destructive at the end.
So how can we escape the snare of sin and destruction? These
are some of the lessons I have picked up from the tragic story of this once
great nation:
You are
not invincible: Most of us think we are really strong and can
overcome temptations. But that’s not true, many great men and women of God have
fallen because they thought too highly of themselves. The Bible warns us in 1
Corinthians 10:12, “if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you
don’t fall!” Always be on the lookout for ‘occasions of sin’. You
can’t play with fire and not get burnt. Make sure the music, movies, books and
friends you love are not a source of temptation.
God has a
plan for your life, so also does the devil: The Bible tells us in
Jeremiah 29:11 that God has great plans for our lives. But do you know the
devil also has plans for you? His greatest desire is that you never enjoy the
plans that God has for you. He will try to distract you from fulfilling God’s
plans by using things that you like. But you must resist him. It is only by
living in accordance to God’s plans that you will truly enjoy your life and be
fulfilled. Like Jesus said in Luke 12:15 “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's
life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
Listen to
correction: The disobedient Israelites were warned, over and over again
by different prophets. But they rarely listened. They seemed too preoccupied
with their lives to turn away from their sins. It’s the same way with us today,
God often tries to get our attention by using different means to appeal to us.
But so often we pretend not to hear Him, we become deaf and blind to His
warnings. Then when we begin to reap the consequences of our sins, we are quick
to blame God.
You have
power over your thoughts through Christ: It’s common for some
Christians to blame the devil when they fall into temptation. But before that happens, they
usually have the thoughts and desires to do it like James 1:15 tells us. The good news is, you and I have
power over our thoughts and feelings. You
are no more a slave of your thoughts and feelings, you have authority over them
in the name of Jesus. When sinful thoughts enter your heart, recognise it as the
bait of the devil. Refuse to dwell on those idle thoughts, pray against them
and replace them with something useful and more productive. Don't be caught napping, be on your guard!
I pray that God will help us fulfil the plans that He has for our
lives, amen.
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