Psalm 81: 1-16 The festival song. Sing for joy to God our strength; shout in triumph to the God of Jacob.2 Chronicles 31:1, 2 Kings 18:4 Idols destroyed. He removed the high places and shattered the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into piece the bronze snake that Moses made, for Israelites burned incense to it up to that time. He called it Nehushtan. Below is a very interesting link to this word Nehushtan. For those who visit this blog do take the time to read the full link on this word and it's meaning through out the Bible.
Nehushtan (Download the PDF and read the full version)
“He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent
that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.”
II Kings 18:4
Introduction:
1. God told Moses to make a brazen serpent to protect the living from fiery serpents (Numbers 21:1-9).
2. Jesus referred His hearers to this historical event to describe His death of crucifixion (John 3:14-15).
3. While considering this comparison, it is important to remember a few facts that tell the whole story.
a. God had already made choice who would die by the serpents, and there were many (Num 21:6).
b. God told Moses to make a brasen for the repentant living, so they could stay alive (Num 21:7-9).
c. The brasen serpent did not do any good for those already dead and judged by God (Num 21:6).
d. Our Lord’s use showed (1) the means of death on a tree and (2) faith to lay hold of eternal life.
4. What happened to the brasen serpent after it was used to save the living? We are not told in Numbers.
a. We are told in II Kings 18:4. Hezekiah destroyed it after about 800 years for its use for idolatry!
b. In contempt of this idolatrous abuse and corruption of something good, he called it, “Nehushtan!”
c. This contemptuous name means, “A thing of brass.” He mocked those who thought it had power.
5. We want to identify any idols in our lives and break them in pieces (Genesis 35:2; Ezekiel 14:1-11).
6. We want to hate superstition in any form, where we exalt anything out of its proper place before God.
7. Walking with God and serving Him correctly, worshipping in truth, includes using things correctly.
a. We want to make sure that our use of each aspect of Jesus Christ’s religion is done appropriately.
b. We do not want to confuse priorities, miss the object or intent of a thing, or make sacred cows.
c. We do not want to put confidence in things, facts, or tradition, rather than the living God Himself.
d. We do not want to become out of balance, where we abuse any doctrine by exaltation or neglect.
e. We do not have a known problem, but we do not want one, and we want to know the lesson well.
2 Chronicles31: 2-21 Hezekiah's further reforms. Hezekiah did this throughout all Judah, He did what was good and upright and true before the Lord his God. He was diligent in every deed that he began in the service of God's temple, in the law and in the commandment, in order to seek his God, and he prospered.
Micah 3L 1-15 Israel's leaders denounced.
2 Kings 17: 3-4 Hoshea taken prisoner
Hosea 5: 11 &:2 Israel's wickedness
Hosea 7: 3-7 Conspiracy in the palace
Hosea 7: 8-16 Israel and the nations
Philipians 2: 12-13 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to will and to act for His good purpose.
Blessings
Kathleen.
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