The Divine Epitaph of a Leader

Scripture: Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God. 2 Chronicles 36:5

Observation: Often repeated in scripture is this sentence summarizing the reign of a king of Israel or Judah. The sentence follows this same formula, only the names and dates are changed. ____________ was ____________ years old when he began to reign, and he reigned ____________ years in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God. An entire king’s reign is held up to one standard. Structures could have been erected, treaties signed, wars fought and won…all of these achievements are not important enough to make it into their divine epitaph. All of the things that would have been great or small in the eyes of men are immaterial. Only one criteria exists: Did they do right or evil in the sight of God?

Application: If this is the evaluation standard of my leadership, then I must be about doing what is right in the sight of the LORD my God. This means making the tough decisions, holding fast to the course. It means being willing to endure criticism from others, willing to act with integrity, expecting to be believed, and when I am not, trusting that the divine epithet to set things right. It means seeing my leadership as a temporary trust, one that I will one day hand off to another. What will my divine epitaph read?

Prayer: God, I pray for the eternal perspective of history and your final commendation. It is not history, but You that will determine my actions and decisions. May I be counted as one who kept the commandments of God and held to the testimony of Jesus.

When God Pummels the Earth

Scripture: Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28-29 ESV)

Observation: In Isaiah 24, God describes the future judgment in which he will pummel the earth. He says, “The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken. The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again.” (Isaiah 24:19-20) The earth will be like a punch-drunk boxer, or a battle weary bull, staggering and shaken. But in Hebrews 12, talking about this same shaking, God goes on to encourage us to be grateful that we believers have a kingdom that will not be shaken. This world will shake until it cannot rise again, but the kingdom of God will never be shaken, never be beaten. It will stand unbloodied, unbowed.

Application: I ought to be grateful for the kingdom I have received. Knowing I will escape the shake is reason for great joy and hope. And I should worship God, with reverence and awe, for the God that can shake the earth is a consuming fire.

Prayer: God, I am grateful today for your kingdom. Thank you for reminding me that the stakes are high, that the victory is sure. Sometimes I can get so lost in the world that the future becomes hazy. The promise of your coming judgment waves away the haze and reminds me to be sober and focused.

How Can I Stand on That Day?

Scripture: He will render to each one according to his works…For God shows no partiality. Romans 2:6,11

Observation: Paul is making the point that God judges us by our works. That it does not matter what your religious, racial, societal, or economic status is—in the end, we all stand on equal ground before the judgment. God is completely impartial, not having favorites, or letting some people off the hook because he likes them better. He judges solely by his own standards. Sadly, according to his standards, we are all guilty. If we try to stand before God on our own merit, we will be found guilty. And we cannot influence his decision by claiming special privilege.

Application: If this is true, then the only shot we have is mercy. That is the point of Christmas. That all of earth stands equally condemned, with no hope. But the good news is that through Christ, we have a way to stand before God. We can stand on Christ’s merit, and not our own. Our only hope at surviving judgment is Christ.

Prayer: God, I simply want to thank you for Jesus in my life. I can see how if I stood before you in judgment, I would fail miserably on my own. Yet, because of Christ, I will stand on that day, and survive. Thanks for my rescue and help me to extend that hope to others.

Judged By Deeds or Names?

Scripture: And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done…And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:12,15

Observation: One day people will be judged using these books. Either by their deeds or by their names. Either by what they have done in life, or by what Christ has done for them. This will be a pass-fail judgment. Sadly, everyone who tries to stand on his or her actions in life will perish at this judgment. Only those who stand on the act of Christ will survive.

Application: I must remember that the key to this judgment is faith in Christ. Do I believe this? Or do I think that somehow, God will grade on a curve? This passage reminds me that the only way is Jesus.

Prayer: God, thank you for delivering me from my sin and my deeds. Thank you that you wrote my name down in your book. Holy Spirit, help me to point others towards Jesus today.

What Shuts Heaven Up?

Scripture: When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Revelation 8:1

Observation: Revelation 8 is a breather, after the breaking of the seals of the seven scrolls. These scrolls reveal visions of God’s justice poured out on all who opposed him. Each scroll has been accompanied by terrifying sounds—thunder, cries of angels, voices of doom, earthquakes, and even people calling out for death to released them from the pain of judgment. But when the seventh scroll is opened, there is 30 minutes of silence.
Why silence? Was the angel so stunned by the words released that he was speechless? Looking ahead to what was revealed, we see horrors that even John cannot capture with limited human vocabulary. What will come—the trumpets and bowls of God’s judgment—is so unspeakable, that the angel is unable to speak.

Application: Reading through Revelation, the temptation is to dissect the book, to render it inert by the use of charts and diagrams. To not let the full force of its truth hit me. But what is coming one day is horrible—for those who have opposed God. Even though I know this means justice, I cannot help but hurt for those who have rejected God. Instead of gloating at their defeat, I shudder at a horror so great that they pray for death as a release.

Prayer: God, I have joined with others in attempting to share the love of Christ for 10 days. This truth from Revelation redoubles my effort. Help me to see people through your eyes—the love you have for them, the judgment that awaits if they reject. And let me be moved to pray for opportunities to tell them of your truth. Let the 30 minutes of silence motivate me to speak on the earth.

Slow to Anger and Great in Power. August 3

Scripture: Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard. Nahum 2:13
The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son. John 5:22

Observation: Nahum is describing the destiny of the Evil Assyrians and the fall of Nineveh. For their heinous crimes and deeds, Nineveh will be destroyed. Nahum gives graphic description of this powerful destruction—shields covered in blood, chariots of flashing metal racing through the streets, flashing swords and glittering spears. As one of God’s people who had suffered under the oppression of Assyria, I could see who welcome these words would be. Knowing that God does not clear the guilty. And although God is slow to anger, when he is finally roused to act, it is terrible and unrelenting. Bottom line: You do not want to have the Lord of Hosts against you. You do not want to be on the wrong side when his judgment comes.
Then we skip to John 5, where Jesus tells us that all of the power of the great judgment of God has been given into his hands. The terrible final ultimate judgment of the wicked, of all those who have rejected God, has been given to Christ.
Application: Sometimes we reduce the Old and New Testament to simplistic terms. God in the Old Testament is judgment; Jesus in the New is love and grace. But we forget that God is one, and that God never changes. The meek Jesus of the New Testament is not a wimp. He is a man of unlimited power and authority to judge, who restrains that power to give people a chance to hear of God’s great love and come to him. But in the end, those who reject God face a terrible fate, much like the Ninevites. Our God is good, as Nahum declares. And he is slow to anger. But when he finally does act, as Jesus will at the final judgment, his actions are terrible and swift and great.
How seriously do I take this? Serious enough to tell others of God’s love and judgment?
Prayer: God, forgive me for putting you in boxes. I worship you today because you are slow to anger, yet great in power. You keep wrath for your enemies and in no way will clear the guilty. Thank you that my guilt and your wrath towards me were dealt with at the cross. Help me share that with others so they may never be on the wrong side against you.