Rev. Don Campbell

1 Kings 15:25-16:34; 2 Chronicles 17

THOUGHT FOR TODAY, June 26, 2019

“THERE IS NO STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS OF GOD’S JUDGMENTS”

The following kings of Israel are not household names. Their place in Bible history is that each of them did evil in the sight of the Lord, walking in the ways of Jeroboam who had done more evil than all who had gone before him (1 Kings 14:9): Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, Ahab.

The record says of Ahab, “And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him” (1 Kings 16:33). Asherah was the female consort of the heathen god Baal. We shall see more of this scoundrel, but for now, I call your attention to the following words: “In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun” (1 Kings 16:34). Joshua had spoken these words after Jericho had fallen to Israel. Roughly, half a millennium has passed since Joshua had spoken. However, there is no statute of limitations on God’s judgments or God’s promises.

Two millennia have passed since Jesus spoke the following words, but believers can rest on his promise and unbelievers should heed the warning: “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment” (John 5:25-29).

CONNECTIONS

1. In our ever-changing world which seems to be getting progressively worse and worse, what comfort do you derive from 2 Peter 3:8-13
2. Paul says that God chose believers in Christ before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). Two times Paul uses the words “fullness of time” (Ephesians 1:10; Galatians 4:4). From the foundation of the world to the present moment, God has been at work to bring what blessings to us? (Ephesians 1:7-10)?