Today's Bible Reading: 1 KINGS 22:41-50; 2 KINGS 1:1-18, 3:1-27, 8:16-22; 2 CHRONICLES 20:31-37, 21:1-7
2 Chronicles 21:7
Yet the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and since he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.
Obviously good people are not good all the time and some bad people do good things. That’s just the way it is. This is how it is with believers as well. Believers can get caught up in corrupt conduct. Whether it is slander or something more sinister, we can all fall prey to the schemes of the deceiver and be drawn in to behavior that is unbecoming a believer. We can be seduced and sucked into sin. Those that are godly can begin to think and act ungodly. That’s just the way it is.
But even if those that are faithful followers succumb to the seductiveness of sin, it doesn’t destroy the security they have in their covenantal relationship with the Lord. Obviously, those that are pseudo believers, who have no authentic faith, have no surety of salvation if they live unrestrained and unrepentant in their sin. As Paul comments after listing a long list of fleshly traits, “those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God”. (Gal 5:21) On the other hand, true believers who fall into sin but repent and renew their faith will find forgiveness and cleansing for their sins (1 Jn 1:9). Their confidence is in their covenant keeping God.
The text tells the story of a king of Israel whose life took a drastic turn. His father Jehoshaphat and his grandfather Asa were Godly kings who “did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord” (2 Chron 20:32). But that was not how Jehoram, Jehoshaphat’s son, behaved. Instead, he chose to follow the wicked ways of his father-in-law Ahab, the king of Israel, by doing “evil in the sight of the Lord” (2 Kgs 8:18). His corruption led to severe consequences. The prophet Elijah was instructed by God to pen a letter to the King detailing his sins and declaring his sentence (2 Chron 21:12-14). His sins included walking in the evil ways of the kings of Israel, leading his people into idolatry, and killing all his brothers, except the youngest. God’s sentence for his shameless behavior involved God bringing a great plague upon his people and his family, a loss of all his possessions, and a severe sickness that would fall upon him that would cause his intestines to slowly seep out of his body until he was dead.
But even with all these consequences for his corrupt behavior, God did not cancel His covenant with David. The promise that God made to David was that his throne would be established forever (2 Sam 7:16). This was both a literal and figurative promise. David’s dynasty would not depart from Judah (Gen 49:10). So, the nation of Judah would perpetually have someone on the throne whom was of the line of David and from the tribe of Judah. Thus, no matter how bad the enthroned king behaved or how much the wrath of God rested on him, David’s house and dynasty would continue. The promise “to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever” (1 Kings 11:36) could not be broken even by the evil actions of Jehoram. God could not renege on His promise. He could not destroy the royal line even though they were crooked. A promise is a promise. And, “since he had promised, God had to make good on what He promised.
So that gives us great hope in those times when we fall into gross sin. When we entered into a covenant with Christ to save us, that covenant became solid and secure. Nothing that we think or do can break God’s covenant with us in Christ. You see, Jesus is of the line of David and of the tribe of Judah. He is the one to whom God was referring to when He said that there would perpetually be a descendant of David enthroned as king. Jesus is that king that can never be dethroned. As such, He will always be our king who will vouch for us. Jehoram sinned and suffered the consequences for his sin and so will we, but the covenant was not cancelled by his corrupt behavior and neither will ours be. Our sin is forgiven forever having been nailed to the cross of Christ. Our salvation is secure because His covenant promise is sure. Jesus promised to those who put their faith and trust in Him, “I give them eternal life and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28). He will keep what He promised.
Today rejoice that no matter what, God keeps His covenant promises. Thank Him that His promises are not contingent on our character or conduct but on His commitment to keep what He promised. Ask Him to help you avoid being seduced by sin. Ask Him to help you quickly repent and return to Him when you have turned toward sin.
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