Nougat 23

Why do we sometimes feel that we can ignore God’s directive and are then surprised when God follows through as promised? We also seem to be equally surprised when humans follow through on their threats/promises. Perhaps we need to examine our expectations of integrity or what we do in similar circumstances. Whatever it is, we definitely need to listen keenly when God speaks. Consider Today’s Holy Nougat, where Solomon gets yet another clear warning in his vision from God.

1 Kings 9:6, 9 CEVDCI

[6] But if you or any of your descendants disobey my commands or start worshipping foreign gods,

[9] Then they will answer, “We know why the Lord did this. The people of Israel rejected the Lord their God, who rescued their ancestors from Egypt, and they started worshipping other gods.”

Hearing God 5

There is a saying that suggests that if the head of a stream is polluted, the entire stream is poisoned. This is true in nature and with humans. So we find that when corruption is the hallmark of a company, it is not easy to find integrity thriving. And even where it exists, it is overshadowed by the corruption of the leadership. Similarly, we tend to judge people groups based on our first impression of others from that group. This may lead to unfair generalisations, but unfortunately, that’s how we often process relationships in our world.

Self-Check

How does this reflect our reaction to others after a single experience of them or someone from their culture? What impressions do we give others of our culture/family based on their experience of us?

Deeper Dive

If Solomon and his sons failed to live for God, their actions would colour the life and livelihood of Israel. The destruction of Solomon’s Temple would not be the last penalty for their disobedience. There would be the accompanying disgrace, ruin, and condemnation that would follow. It was not an individual destruction that would follow. The entire nation would be affected.

Yet Solomon flirted with idolatry by marrying all those women from various nations. What happened to ‘keeping Israel’s heritage pure’? For if the royal lineage was primarily comprised of mixed nations, that ‘very exclusively chosen’ people of God that Israel understood itself to be would be diluted. Moreover, these wives were from different religious backgrounds. If they did not convert to Judaism, then those who attended to them in the palace were at risk of being converted by them.

By building temples to other gods to accommodate the worship lives of some of his wives (see 1 Kings 11:7-10), Solomon no longer flirted with idolatry, he entertained it. That placed him firmly in line to violate his covenant with God. And, it sent a message to his heirs – whose mothers may/may not have been committed to YHWH – that idolatry was perfectly acceptable. Worse yet, it suggested that they could renege on their promises.

Siblings, I could trace the other actions of Solomon, and those of his sons, but what is even more critical is our lives. What happened with Israel is but a warning, rather a word to the wise. (The elders used to say that a word to the wise is sufficient, or that we should take sleep and mark death; meaning we can learn from others’ experiences.) If God was steadfast in maintaining God’s Word/promise to Solomon, let us not assume that God will fail to keep that which God says to us.

Whether it is a word of warning or of encouragement, we know that God keeps God’s word. When we hear from God, we must ensure that what we have heard is all that God is saying to us. For, where there are added details – where good or bad – we must get all the details. From God’s messenger. Or God’s Word. Most definitely, from God.

Undiluted.

Clear.

With all caveats.

Then we respond in humility and worshipful obedience. That’s our own proof that we’ve heard God for ourselves.

Point to Ponder

Have we heard God recently and tried to ignore/deny what God is saying? What shall we do to improve our record?

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May all we seek be found in Christ