Three kinds of death

After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.” But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus says the Lord, You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’ ” So Elijah went. (2 Kings 1:1–4)

In the Bible, there are three kinds of death. One is the physical death, usually first thought of for this word;

By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:19) 

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, (Hebrews 9:27)

As my hubby often says, we are all terminal. This thought helps us make decisions in daily life. For instance, the accumulation of useless stuff is meaningless because we cannot take it with us. Unless our stuff has meaning for the time we are here, or can be helpful for others, possessing it has no meaning. Pragmatic thinking comes from recognizing this kind of death.

This physical death is the separation of the soul from the body yet the second one is of greater significance, spiritual death. This is the separation of the soul from God. In Genesis 2:17, God tells Adam that in the day he eats of the forbidden fruit he will “surely die.” Adam does fall, but his physical death does not happen at that point. However, he is separated from God. Because of that sin, all who have not been redeemed and regenerated are alienated from God by sin. 

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:1–7)

By faith in Jesus Christ, anyone who is dead in sin passes from that death into spiritual life, a life that is no longer lived apart from God. 

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8–9)

The third death mentioned is really the second one. It is eternal death or eternal separation from God after physical death. This is true for those who reject God’s gift of forgiveness of sin and eternal life. They remain eternally separate from the One who loves them and died for them.

Jesus, You died for a brief time and then were raised from the dead because You didn’t want me to remain separated from You. I shake my head in amazed wonder at the sacrifice You made for me and millions more. How utterly wonderful that Christians cannot be killed! I will live forever with You. 

 

 

God's incredible power

And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.” 
But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I will speak.” 
And when he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?” 
And he answered him, “Go up and triumph; the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” 
But the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” 
And he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. 
And the Lord said, ‘These have no master; let each return to his home in peace.’ ” 
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” 
And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left; and the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’ Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you.” (1 Kings 22:13–23)

This part of history reveals the power of God to control what to say and do. The prophets told a lie so the king would do what God wanted him to do. By his action, he would go where God wanted. Even though he had Jehoshaphat disguise himself to look like him, this king did not escape and died in the battle.

This reveals the power of God. Since He never changes, I feel confident in His will being done even in the many messy conflicts in today’s world. He can put words and attitudes in people’s hearts so that things happen that He wants to happen.

While many think that the God of the OT is more violent and not the same as the God of love as revealed in Jesus Christ, His word says:

“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.” (Hebrews 1:10–12)

This God can still speak and put His will into the hearts of kings and prophets, even anyone. I could fill pages with names and stories that I have seen occur only because God did something remarkable. In our church, we often marvel at events and changes with, “Only God” for otherwise such things would never happen.

Jesus, I am glad You are “the same yesterday and today and forever.” You do not always let us see what You are doing, but “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) Because of grace, You grant faith to trust You with good things, and even with things we don’t understand. You are an amazing God, worthy of all praise.

 

Robbing God of His glory

In the spring, Ben-hadad mustered the Syrians and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. And the people of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went against them. The people of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Syrians filled the country. And a man of God came near and said to the king of Israel, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The Lord is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’ ” 
And they encamped opposite one another seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle was joined. And the people of Israel struck down of the Syrians 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. And the rest fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell upon 27,000 men who were left. Ben-hadad also fled and entered an inner chamber in the city. (1 Kings 20:26–30)

At times I’ve prayed for something that seemed impossible and God surprised me by granting my prayer. He also attaches an obedience to the answer, generally to tell the story with praise for Him. However, if I somehow use the answered prayer to say “Look at me” in any way, then He may withdraw the glory of it in someway. He did this with Ahab. Instead of letting the defeat show the power of God to Syria. . . .  

Ben-hadad said to him, “The cities that my father took from your father I will restore, and you may establish bazaars for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” And Ahab said, “I will let you go on these terms.” So he made a covenant with him and let him go. (1 Kings 20:34)

Ahab compromised with the enemy. Closer to home, I can do the same thing by taking credit for God's surprises (as if I deserved them) instead of letting others see that He is the Lord.
As for Ahab, God sent a prophet who said to him:

“Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.’ 
At that, Ahab should have repented for his sin but instead he “went to his house vexed and sullen and came to Samaria.” (1 Kings 20:41–43)

My old nature can do that too — be annoyed that I get no glory for my praying, or for any other obedience. How silly. Apart from the Lord there would be no praying, no obedience. A quick search tells me several reasons, one is that I so quickly forget that glorifying God is for my joy and satisfaction too. My easily distracted mind plus lingering pride wants to be in charge, to do things that make me feel good. That old nature defies what God wants from me. I can sing that I want to be like Jesus and then wonder if I really do — or would I rather do what I want to do? Being so easily distracted does not help, nor does knowing I cannot overcome the obstacles by myself.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12–13)

Far too often, work is the word for obedience, and the pressure of aging and many new challenges often dampen the pleasures once enjoyed

Jesus, You know my heart and as You test my faith, I must trust You for the will and the power to pass the tests — even when my head aches, my mind wanders, life is full of distractions, and I’d rather do something else but talk to You. 

A final defiance?

In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, and the troops who were encamped heard it said, “Zimri has conspired, and he has killed the king.” Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. So Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. And when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king’s house and burned the king’s house over him with fire and died, because of his sins that he committed, doing evil in the sight of the Lord, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and for his sin which he committed, making Israel to sin. Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and the conspiracy that he made, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? (1 Kings 16:15–20)

A brief study on suicide tells me that some societies have a positive view of suicide that is done for culturally approved reasons; for example, in Japan, if one shames one's family, suicide can be an act of honor. On the other hand, some cultures and faiths see suicide as an unforgivable act, yet a few who believe this do not apply it to suicide bombers, who are seen as martyrs.

 As for its cause, up to half of all who die by suicide have a major depressive disorder such as bipolar or other mood disorders, and often have an increase risk. 

Stats show that middle-aged adults have the highest numbers, yet suicide is also a leading cause of death among younger people. 

Some give the following reasons for taking one’s own life:

Egoistic: being inadequately integrated into society, thus feeling lonely, detached, and and feel life is meaninglessness. Those who have an attitude of "excessive individuation" can suffer from a lack of social support.

Altruistic: A high social integration where a person is heavily integrated into a group that they will sacrifice their life for the group's interests or beliefs. This can also apply to individuals. A dear friend had many illnesses and became overwhelmed by the burden on her husband who often had to take her to the hospital in the middle of the night. She choose to die rather than making him suffer.

Anomic: For some, a lack of “social regulation” or other issues during sudden and profound social or economic changes create a sense of normlessness and disillusionment. One dictionary says this can evolve from a conflict of belief systems that causes a breakdown of social bonds between an individual and their community.

Fatalistic: Excessive regulation can be deeply oppressive and restricted making a person feel hopeless and seek escape. 

In studying the Bible, sin is seems rooted in “I will govern my own life” and when that does not work out well, a person either gives up and turns to their Creator for answers and help, or they refuse to trust God’s way, including how and when their life ends, therefore take that matter into their own hands as well.

Zimri failed as a king. He sinned against God and caused others to sin. He could have confessed and been forgiven but would rather die than yield to God. For a person who knows the freedom and joy of redemption, this seems such folly, yet I also know the pull and stubbornness of wanting to rule my own life. Apart from the grace of God, I could create my own list of why it has seemed better to end it.

Jesus, You are the only answer to all those reasons people feel like taking their own life. Trusting You is a big deal, yet so entirely worth it. I’m so thankful that You stepped in and changed both my heart and so often my circumstances. I’m old even though my parents were told I’d not get past 16. My body hurts at times, but I can laugh and enjoy life, do things, make things: cook, quilt, clean house, encourage others, obey You. The idea of suicide being the only answer has hit me, but You swept it away by Your outstretched arms. For all this and more, I love You. Amen.

 

My way = big losses

At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. And Jeroboam said to his wife, “Arise, and disguise yourself, that it not be known that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh. Behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who said of me that I should be king over this people. Take with you ten loaves, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what shall happen to the child.” . . . .  
Ahijah could not see. . . . The Lord said to Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to inquire of you concerning her son, for he is sick. Thus and thus shall you say to her.” When she came, she pretended to be another woman. But when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be another? For I am charged with unbearable news for you. Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: “Because I exalted you from among the people and made you leader over my people Israel and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, and yet you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart, doing only that which was right in my eyes, but you have done evil above all who were before you and have gone and made for yourself other gods and metal images, provoking me to anger, and have cast me behind your back, therefore behold, I will bring harm upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both bond and free in Israel, and will burn up the house of Jeroboam. . . . When your feet enter the city, the child shall die. And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found something pleasing to the Lord. . . . The Lord will raise up for himself a king over Israel who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam today. And henceforth, the Lord will strike Israel. . . .   And he will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he sinned and made Israel to sin.” 
Then Jeroboam’s wife arose and departed and came to Tirzah. And as she came to the threshold of the house, the child died. And all Israel buried him and mourned for him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the prophet. (1 Kings 14:1–18)

I had an early appointment today with time to only read this sad story. Imagine being told your child would die because his father sinned even though he knew not to. Not only that, this was that man’s only heir so he also lost the throne that he had inherited from his father. 

That the child would be buried rather than slaughtered was “because in him there is found something pleasing to the Lord” is a startling statement to those who tend to think of death as a punishment, but that child must be trusting God, and that would please Him. His mother may have taken comfort in that later.

This backs up the importance of NT teaching for wives: “. . . .  let the wife see that she respects her husband.” (Ephesians 5:33) This isn’t just an attitude. Respect has a way of making someone desire to be respectable. It means an attitude of regard that would not encourage sin, or go along with it trying to trick a prophet. Being submissive to someone does not mean obedience that disobeys God. Being a helper includes encouragement to do right.

Jesus, You have convinced me that I am free to make choices but cannot choose the consequences. How foolish to go against Your plain teaching as this father did and lose his child, his throne and legacy, and having his enemy win over him. Worst of all, making You angry enough to release his enemy against him. Therefore I’d like to read more about the positive side of obeying You.

God’s ways are not our ways. . . .

And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen.” And the Lord raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite. He was of the royal house in Edom. (1 Kings 11:9–14)

Trials are part of life. Some of them are allowed to test my faith and build it, making me more mature:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2–4)

In contrast, some trials are God's way of chastening me for errors in my thinking that are rooted in selfishness. Both are important activities of God as He uses everything for my good, that I might be more like Jesus.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:28–29)

Those trials to correct are almost always a surprise. I didn’t realize that I was wrong (stubborn and stupid?) but this was not the case for Solomon. He was warned about idolatry and did it anyway. This meant severe chastening from an enemy that had previously escaped death when David and his army of men destroyed the people of Edom.

In some ways, this Edom/Israel is a centuries-old conflict. Edom is where Esau lived, the twin of Isaac who had little interest in God or godliness. For generations, the descendants of these two men have been in conflict. If they are seen as types, they would point to the Christian battle between flesh and Spirit, a war often at the root of struggles in my life and a war often involving idols — or to put it bluntly, a war between me, myself and I and the Spirit of God. The only way to win it is by yielding my I wants to the will of God. 

Solomon started out by yielding to God, but was turned aside by idols. Ironically, Hadad was also the name of an idol, and of several kings of Edom. God was using this enemy to chasten this ‘wise’ king. Could it be that a trial to rebuke me is somehow connected to the reason I need the rebuke?

Jesus, Your wisdom and understanding always seem to use the events of life to match up and speak to my needs, even to use as shaping and correcting me. I am amazed at You, and even rejoice that You can use enemies to glorify Yourself in the lives of Your children. I’m glad that nothing is impossible for You.

No gods

The Lord appeared to Solomon a second time. . . . And the Lord said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules, then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. And this house will become a heap of ruins. Everyone passing by it will be astonished and will hiss, and they will say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the Lord their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore the Lord has brought all this disaster on them.’ ” (1 Kings 9:2–9)

Although keeping the Law never was not nor could be the means of salvation, obeying God always is the means of blessing. This is because God's way is good for us. Just one example is the results of serving Him rather than other gods. He is Almighty and nothing is impossible for Him. As for other gods, what are they? Carved images? Imaginary creatures? Stone carvings? Forces of weather and nature controlled by what? (Or Who?) Mere humans? Me, myself, and I?

Other gods boil down to no gods, just human invention and imagination? The NT says as much, yet also attributes the idea of gods to demon forces and Satan. Jesus defines him, and other passages speak of demonic powers whose task is to discredit the truth He brings:

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Matthew 16:23)
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41)
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44)
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

Just writing these words makes me shiver. Satan whispering suggestions to rule my own life gives me more reasons to avoid anything that is not from my Lord and Savior. 

Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. (1 Corinthians 8:4–8)
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain. (Galatians 4:8–11)

From Scripture and experience, the power of obedience is clear, as is the power of the enemy who disguises himself as an angel of light and uses subtle lies in his attempts  to destroy me.

Jesus, because of You, I cannot be destroyed, but my witness to the world and ability to glorify You can be messed up by disobedience. Today You again ask me to do several things I’d rather not do. I’m thankful for the encouragement to say yes, and to rely on You for all that I need to obey.