Sunday, August 12, 2007

2 Kings 8

2Ki 8:3
It came to pass, at the end of seven years, that the woman returned from the land of the Philistines; and she went to make an appeal to the king for her house and for her land.

Do we remember too, that we are sojourners on earth? Though the woman went and live among the Philistines for seven years during the famine, when the time has come for her to return home, she remembered. She came back for what was rightfully hers, and the king restored all that back to her, including all the proceeds of the field from the day that she left the land until now.

From the day Adam sinned against God and was cast out of the garden of Eden until now, all men have lost the status as sons of God. But today, if we accept Christ as our mediator and return to God, He will restore back to us that which was rightfully ours (before the fall of man) - the status of sonship.


2Ki 8:18
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.

2Ki 8:27
And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the LORD, like the house of Ahab, for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab.

Verse 18 is talking about Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, whereas verse 27 is talking about Ahaziah, son of Jehoram. Both served as the king of Judah, Ahaziah after Jehoram. I found it interesting that in both verses, the reference was made to the house of Ahab, stating the relation with Ahab.

"for the daughter of Ahab was his wife"
"for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab"

So what if they are related to Ahab?

It contributed to their sins. Whoever we mix with daily or whoever we have close ties with has a very significant role to play in moulding each of our characters and personalities. Peer influence. More or less. I think God understood this clearly and know the impact it can cause, steering us away from the truth to sins. That is why it encouraged in the Bible not to be yoked with unbelievers.

I think the underlying message is to have nothing to do with evil. None. Not at all. Not even a teeny-weeny bit.

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