Today's reading in the One Year Bible Chronological Reading Plan is 2 Kings 5-8:15.
Today's passage continues with more stories of Elisha and the many miracles he performed for the famous and commoner alike. Where Elijah's ministry was more of a stance against evil, Elisha's was one more of compassion for the people. Different times, and perhaps different personalities, call for different ministries.
Anyway, something that struck me in today's passage are the parallels between the stories themselves and the gospel message.
Naaman didn't want to go bathe in the dirty little Jordan River as it was too beneath him. The whole thing just seemed to easy. His servants reminded him that if the prophet had asked him to do something great he would've done it, so why not do this?
I see several parallels to how many people respond to the gospel. Some people view it as a crutch, or that it is beneath them. Others view it as too easy, too good to be true, to just believe seems too simple And yet if God asked them to do something great, they would do it.
Just as Naaman's bathing in the Jordan required him to humble himself, coming to God requires humbling ourselves - recognizing that there is nothing we can do to save ourselves and that we must accept the gift of the sacrifice of the perfect God-man Jesus as the penalty for our own sin.
The seige of the Arameans against Samaria resulted in a famine so severe the people resorted to cannibalism (as Moses prophesied would happen as a result of disobedience and turning away from God). But instead of acknowledging his sin, the king blames Elisha!
We have the same tendency to put the blame on anyone but ourselves. Taking personal responsibility against involves humility, putting aside our pride and admitting our mistakes. It is even harder to do when we were not the only ones to blame and the other party has not attempted to make things right. But, as I preach to my kids all the time, you're not responsible for what anybody else does, you're responsible for doing the right thing yourself.
The last passage that reminded me of the gospel message and our response to it was about the lepers discovering the bounty left behind by the fleeing Aramean army. Their initial response to hoard was later followed by their realization that they needed to share this good news.
We, too, need to remember how vital it is that the Good News is shared. People's souls are starving, they are dying in their sin - and we know the Good News that could save them. It doesn't matter if they are skeptical (like the King was when the lepers first shared the news). We are not responsible for people's response to the gospel, but we are responsible to share it. Are we willing to share the Good News with urgency and rejoicing?
Tomorrow's passage: 2 Chronicles 21:8-20, 2 Kings 8:23-29, 2 Chronicles 22:1-7, 2 Kings 9-10:17, 2 Chronicles 22:8-9, 2 Kings 10:18-31. For less flipping read 2 Chronicles 21:8-22:9, 2 Kings 8:23-10:31
2 comments:
Great post, Tammy. I've heard many or most of these stories before, but I'd forgotten a lot of it. What an amazing thing for Elisha to have God reveal so much to him. It must also have been, at times, a terrible burden to bear.
I was noticing the NT parallels too. It made me wonder, if God used so many signs and miracles at the birth of the church to spread the gospel, what was the importance of this surge of the Spirits miracles through Elijah? It must have been a time when God was really trying to get his peoples attention. The last few days of passages have had one impossible trick after another. It really reminds me to ponder the God who can bring practical, physical provision out of sheer NOTHING.
It's scary to realize the depravity of a desparate people who would cook and eat their own children. I know I'd rather die first. It tells me how far the idols of the time and practices to those idols had taken them from their view of human life.
"Others view it as too easy, too good to be true, to just believe seems too simple And yet if God asked them to do something great, they would do it." SUCH a good point! Isnt' that true that with most people if God had said "do this one noble thing and I'll let you into heaven" they probably would indeed do it. We want to feel we sacrafice, not that He did. We want to feel that we gained victory, not that He did. Man, such a good point.
Post a Comment