July 4, 2012 … And the Beat Goes On … And On and On!

Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 2nd Kings 12-13 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link - 
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 Passage of the Day #2: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 2nd Chronicles 24 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link - 
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 Highlight Passage: 2nd Kings 12: 1-3:[NIV] … 1 In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother's name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba. 2 Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3 The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. 
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Highlight Passage #2: 2nd Kings 13: 1-3; 22-23 :[NIV] … 1 In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord by following the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit, and he did not turn away from them. 3 So the Lord's anger burned against Israel, and for a long time he kept them under the power of Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad his son. … 22 Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. 23 But the Lord was gracious to them [the northern Israelites] and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from His presence. 

My Journal for Today: It’s July the 4th as I read though this segment of ancient Jewish history today in 2nd Kings 12-13 and 2nd Chronicles 24, two parallel passages of the historical accounts of the some of the later Kings of Israel and Judah. Today, and here in these times so-called “modern” times, we live in a day when we celebrate the birth of our nation; and here I am reading about how the Jewish nation, which was birthed by God for God’s glory just as we were in America, keeps reminding me, insidiously ingloriously, of God’s children and how they repetitively treated to the one, true God, the One Who gave birth to their nation. My historical and realistic question today is … “Are we any different now than Israel was then?”

And as the title of my journal entry implies, by repeating the title of an old Sonny and Cher song, the Jews, following their deliverance from Egypt under Moses, just kept recycling their selfish, disobedient, and idolatrous ways over and over and over again. Hence, is my remembrance of that old 60s song, “And the Beat Goes On!” And here, …. Today, on our remembrance of our country’s birthday, I harken back to that same title because of the way we, in America, keep doing so much of the same thing which Israel – and even Judah – kept repeating … over and over again … disobedience >> repentance >> selfishness >> repentance >> sinfulness >>  repentance.

 In the ministry I lead, I call this repetitive recycling of the same pattern, “The Repentance Roller-Coaster.” And we here in America are headed toward much the same idolatrous patterns which were being meted out in the life of the Jewish nation in the times I’m reading about in these scriptural passages. And I hope we all can see that we individual believers as well as we, here in America, can get caught in the repetitive chorus of “And the Beat Goes On” … just like nation of Israel, who got caught in the repentance roller-coaster centuries ago.

 Oh, don’t you wish, in reading through these repetitive patterns of sin and disobedience, that the Jews could see what they were doing and break through with a victory of obedience and righteousness. But, NOOOOOOOOOO .... !!! … the beat just kept going on and on and on for Israel in those days. We can only hope we, in the here-and-now, see where we’re headed this July 4th and break the cycle of sinfulness and selfishness in our government, perhaps voting for men with Godly values in our next major election this year; …and in that regard, let us pray that the beat will not keep going on!!!

My Prayer Today: … Help us, Lord, as a nation to see that Your way is the only way to go. Amen