As we venture into another week of The Story, I invite you to pray with me over the message about the Fall of the Northern Kingdom.
I once heard a story about a pastor who preached the same sermon week after week. After the 3rd or 4th week, a member in the congregation asked why he was preaching the same sermon every week. The pastor replied with saying, ?you aren?t living out the message I preached, so I figured I would keep preaching the same message until you do. Once you start listening to what I preach, then I will move onto the next topic.? Communicating, listening, hearing, responding? obeying?it seems to be something that is not always easy to do, especially when we think we are right.
One of the things I have learned about communication is that you need to say the same message over and over again?in seven different ways and in seven different mediums. In addition, once you think you have said it enough, most people will just begin to internalize it and then you need to start saying it again, in a different way, seven more times?And one of the things I learned last summer in some reading, was that for something to happen in a church and for the culture of a church to change, you need to say the same message for 18 months. By the end of the 18 months, that those in leadership would be so sick of saying the same thing over and over again, but the congregation will just hit the point of truly beginning to get on board and are beginning to integrate the message into their lives. In this scenario, the same message is being shared consistently from all those in leadership. If someone veers from sharing the same message, then sharing the message takes longer and it takes a longer amount of time for the whole congregation to be on the same page.
Now, one of the things that is difficult is getting the same message agreed to by the leadership so that everyone is on board. In addition, determining what the same message needs to be takes lots of time, trials and error, and energy. And then there are other times when the message is discovered, movement begins in that direction, then the realization that this direction might not be right is glaring. It takes time to determine truly what is next, what the message needs to be, and how to move forward with a concise message. Especially if the message that you are trying to communicate involves what God is desiring for you and the people of God. Communication is something that takes work. Communicating with God takes work. God communicating with us, means we have to be ready to listen.
As we have ventured through the Old Testament, there is one thing that God is?God is just, God is consistent, and God doesn?t mess around. In addition, God has a pretty clear and consistent message for the Hebrew people. I think it is summed up pretty well in this passage from 2 Kings 17:7-9,11b-15- ?All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods and followed the practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced. The Israelites secretly did things against the Lord their God that were not right. They did wicked things that aroused the Lord?s anger. They worshiped idols, though the Lord had said, ?You shall not do this.? The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: ?Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.?
But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God. They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, ?Do not do as they do.?
I think God was pretty clear. God said don?t sin against God, don?t worship other gods, don?t worship idols, and you must observe my commands and decrees. If you don?t, there are consequences. And if we remember, this is not the first time God has offered these warnings through the prophets, through kings, through judges, through seers, and in person?God has been communicating the same message over and over again for hundreds and hundreds of years?yet, the people weren?t hearing the message.
Last week we talked a little about the northern and southern kingdoms. How 10 of the tribes of Israel were in the Northern Kingdom and the tribes Judah and Benjamin were in the Southern Kingdom. I mentioned how the prophets spoke to the different kingdoms, sharing the same message, but trying different approaches to get the message across. Yet, it didn?t work. Every angle led to the same old same old. God hit a point of being done. To me, that is pretty hard to imagine. So God decided that it was time for the Northern Kingdom, the 10 tribes to truly live with the consequences of not following the commands and decrees of God. This is what happened. ?The Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left (2 Kings 17:18).So the people of Israel were taken from their homeland into exile in Assyria, and there are still there (2 Kings 17:23).? In Assyria, the king exported the Israelites even further and into smaller groups so they would not be able to rebel against Assyria.
Yet, the Southern Kingdom, where the tribe of Judah and Benjamin were, had a good king. King Hezekiah came into power at the age of 25 and ruled for 29 years. ?He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done. He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him (2 Kings 18:3-4, 7).? As Hezekiah was faithful in listening, obeying, and leading the people to serve God, God gave the people strength against the King of Assyria. So much that when the Assyrian army was camped outside of Judah ready to attack the people, God sent an angel of the Lord and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. Camp was broken and what was left of the Assyrian army withdrew.
During the reign of King Hezekiah, the prophet Isaiah spoke the word of the Lord. Isaiah offered words of poetry that contained good and bad news. Isaiah walked next to Hezekiah during his reign and the people turned their ways back to God. The lines of communication were opening again, the people were attempting to follow the commands and decrees of the Lord, and for another time period, things were a little better. But Isaiah had to let the people know of something that would happen in the future. In the future, Judah would fall. Even in sharing this message, there was a hope for a better future. It was almost as if Isaiah was telling the people that you, Judah, my chosen ones, have to fall in order to live. ?This is what the Lord says: ?In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, ?Come out,? and to those in darkness, ?Be free!?? (Isaiah 49:8-9).?
How is this story connected to our story, our lives and our world today? First, if we think about everything that is happening in the Middle East, the Refugee Crisis, the wars, the hatred, the fear, and even how people follow and don?t follow God?s decrees and commands. Second, on a more personal level and a question to think about, if someone were to ask you, ?On what are you basing this confidence of yours?? (2 Kings 18:19) what would be your answer? Are you allowing for God to communicate with you in your life? Or are you relying on other gods, idols, and different commands and decrees? Does the sin of your past as an individual or as a congregation guide where your confidence comes from?
As you reflect this week on where you are basing your confidence, I hope you create space for God to communicate with you. Rely on creating a space for engaging God on a daily basis, through prayer, scripture reading, and quietness. As we all do so, our relationship with God will grow each moment and so will the faith of all of us as we go forward in this year of internal stability and external growth.