Weekly Devotional 4-29-24 Tolerant or Intolerant
During Samuel’s early years (1st Samuel, chapters 1-7) Eli was the high priest of Israel and he had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who desecrated Israel’s ceremonial sacrifices by taking the best of the meat of the animals set apart for those sacrifices. Rather than punishing his sons, Eli looked the other way, and may have taken part in this desecration. Because of this sin 30,000 men of Israel were killed in a battle against the Philistines, including Hophni and Phinehas. The ark of God was also taken by the Philistines in that battle. Eli, when hearing that the ark had been taken, had a seizure and fell backward off the cart he was sitting upon, broke his neck and died.
The Philistines held the ark captive for seven months and during this time the Israelites lamented that they had not, before it’s taking, been faithful to Jehovah God. At the end of seven months the Philistines were caused to return the ark to Israel because God visited upon them a very painful disease resulting in the death of many, and continued distress to many others. When they realized that the cause of this death and distress was their possession of the ark, they returned it to Israel.
From chapter seven of First Samuel we learn that the ark was returned to the family of Abinadab and held by them on behalf of Israel for approximately twenty years. As a result Israel repented of their sin of insincerity and idolatry and returned to worshipping God. This was a result of Samuel’s admonishment toward them, note; “If you return to the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines” (1st Samuel 7:3).
Now someone may say, well that was then, and it concerned Israel, but we live in a different age. We are not under the Law but under grace. To he or she that would have such a determination, I would ask; is anything less expected of us who claim to be followers of the Lord? Many of the professing church worship idols. Not idols of stone, plastic, or whatever, but idols made of people, of family, possessions, or activities. Whatever comes before God is an Idol.
One test of living an idolatrous life would be time. If we spend more time with family, accumulating possessions, or some activity than we do in worshipping the Lord, could this not be idolatrous? Yes, it could be. This is not to say that we should not be involved with these things, but it is to say that even in those pursuits we should be considering Him. Jesus’s letter to the first of seven churches mentioned in Revelation 2 & 3 highlights such an attitude or lifestyle. Consider:
“1 To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,’ These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place– unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God” ‘(Rev. 2:1-7)
The congregation of Ephesus were church people and had started off well, but as time went on, they began focusing on practices of the church rather than on the Lord. Carried to an extreme, those things, whatever they were, could and did lead to lessor consideration of Jesus. We know that, because when we come to the last of the seven churches, the church of Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) our Lord said of them; “14 And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation 4 of God: 15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’–and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked–18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ‘
The attitude of those of the Ephesus church who did not return to their first love bore the devastating fruit found in the church of Laodicea. This need not be so in our lives, or in the church we represent. May we repent and recommit ourselves to the One who gave His life that we could live lives that glorify Him.
Steve
Stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; the Work of God on Behalf of Man