Good Morning “Worshippers According to Gods Design.” Today we are in 2 Kings 16.
“Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God. He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire, engaging in the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.” 2 Kings 16:2-3 NIV
As you read on in this chapter you will see Ahaz continues with acts of disobedience. He makes some changes / updates to the Temple, and even instructs Uriah the priest to build a “new alter” for the Temple. Uriah, with much at stake to disobey the king - complies. I would have liked to see him stand up to Ahaz wouldn’t you?
Perhaps as you are reading this chapter you find yourself holding your breath waiting to see what God does in response to Ahaz, Uriah, and Judahs disobedience. Judah, although perhaps “better” than Israel, was already merging pagan worship with True worship as a slew of kings continued to allow worship on the high places. Ahaz is part of the problem not the solution.
Consider the parallel in many modern day “Christian” churches. We’ve witnessed in some, the endless advancements in production. Step it up a notch! More lights, more smoke, more energy; pastor coming up from beneath the stage on a lift, repelling down from the ceiling, or perhaps zip lining in from the balcony to a thumping walking song! Dom da da dom!!! How about a slide into the baptismal? That’ll get more baptized! These are all actual changes we’ve seen by the way. And what about the worship music it’s self… less convicting, less focused on Jesus, more focused on us and our elevation. Give the people what they want, cloaked perhaps in the statement “The message doesn’t change but the method has to.” Sounds right doesn’t it? I don’t disagree if indeed it’s all still Biblical. Problem is when we attempt to bring The World and its allure into the church The Gospel is simply the next compromise in the line of compromises. We’re supposed to be about getting The Only Gospel into the broken world, not corrupting The Church with broken world’s “shiny things.”
Understand, I’m not in any way bashing Biblically grounded contemporary worship music or for that matter changed presentation approach. What I am saying is, if in that, we lose track of Gods design and heart for worship and we get off track with our teaching we, like Ahaz are part of the problem not the solution.
He’s quite clear in His Word. We have to know it in order to live it! We have to know it in order to recognize that which is contrary to it! Dig in! Love you all!
“Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God. He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire, engaging in the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.” 2 Kings 16:2-3 NIV
As you read on in this chapter you will see Ahaz continues with acts of disobedience. He makes some changes / updates to the Temple, and even instructs Uriah the priest to build a “new alter” for the Temple. Uriah, with much at stake to disobey the king - complies. I would have liked to see him stand up to Ahaz wouldn’t you?
Perhaps as you are reading this chapter you find yourself holding your breath waiting to see what God does in response to Ahaz, Uriah, and Judahs disobedience. Judah, although perhaps “better” than Israel, was already merging pagan worship with True worship as a slew of kings continued to allow worship on the high places. Ahaz is part of the problem not the solution.
Consider the parallel in many modern day “Christian” churches. We’ve witnessed in some, the endless advancements in production. Step it up a notch! More lights, more smoke, more energy; pastor coming up from beneath the stage on a lift, repelling down from the ceiling, or perhaps zip lining in from the balcony to a thumping walking song! Dom da da dom!!! How about a slide into the baptismal? That’ll get more baptized! These are all actual changes we’ve seen by the way. And what about the worship music it’s self… less convicting, less focused on Jesus, more focused on us and our elevation. Give the people what they want, cloaked perhaps in the statement “The message doesn’t change but the method has to.” Sounds right doesn’t it? I don’t disagree if indeed it’s all still Biblical. Problem is when we attempt to bring The World and its allure into the church The Gospel is simply the next compromise in the line of compromises. We’re supposed to be about getting The Only Gospel into the broken world, not corrupting The Church with broken world’s “shiny things.”
Understand, I’m not in any way bashing Biblically grounded contemporary worship music or for that matter changed presentation approach. What I am saying is, if in that, we lose track of Gods design and heart for worship and we get off track with our teaching we, like Ahaz are part of the problem not the solution.
He’s quite clear in His Word. We have to know it in order to live it! We have to know it in order to recognize that which is contrary to it! Dig in! Love you all!
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