Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Kings 17:1-6.

“In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea the son of Elah became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned nine years.  He did evil in the sight of the LORD, only not as the kings of Israel who were before him.  Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against him, and Hoshea became his servant and paid him tribute.  But the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea, who had sent messengers to So king of Egypt and had offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year;  so the king of Assyria shut him up and bound him in prison.

Then the king of Assyria invaded the whole land and went up to Samaria and besieged it three years.

In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and settled them in Halah and Habor, on the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.”  2 Kings 17:1-6.  

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We like to think we are independent and free.  But, our actions have substantial bad or good consequences on others.  This is the theme of today’s devotion.

In today’s Scripture, the action by Hoshea king of Israel of stopping payment of tribute to the king of Assyria had a very bad consequence for Israel.  The king of Assyria decided to invade Israel and carry them away from their land into exile in Assyria.  

In the following Scripture, the LORD details His sovereign reasons for why “this came about”. See 2 Kings 17:7-23.  But, just because the LORD’s “sovereignty rules over all” (Psalm 103:19) does not negate man’s responsibility for his actions, nor does it negate certain consequences according to the will of the LORD.  

Do good!  “… Abhor what is evil;  cling to what is good.”  Romans 12:5. 

“Therefore, just as through one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—”  Romans 5:12.

But, there is hope!  

“But the free gift is not like the transgression.  For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.  The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned;  for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.  For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.  For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.  The Law came in so that the transgression would increase;  but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Romans 5:15-21. 

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Kings 16:10-20.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Kings%2016&version=NASB1995

I quote only the following verses.

“Now King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and saw the altar which was at Damascus;  and King Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the pattern of the altar and its model, according to all its workmanship.  So Urijah the priest built an altar;  according to all that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus, thus Urijah the priest made it, before the coming of King Ahaz from Damascus.  When the king came from Damascus, the king saw the altar;  then the king approached the altar and went up to it, and burned his burnt offering and his meal offering, and poured his drink offering and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings on the altar.  The bronze altar, which was before the LORD, he brought from the front of the house, from between his altar and the house of the LORD, and he put it on the north side of his altar.  Then King Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, “Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering and the evening meal offering and the king’s burnt offering and his meal offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land and their meal offering and their drink offerings;  and sprinkle on it all the blood of the burnt offering and all the blood of the sacrifice.  But the bronze altar shall be for me to inquire by.”  So Urijah the priest did according to all that King Ahaz commanded.

Then King Ahaz cut off the borders of the stands, and removed the laver from them;  he also took down the sea from the bronze oxen which were under it and put it on a pavement of stone.  The covered way for the sabbath which they had built in the house, and the outer entry of the king, he removed from the house of the LORD because of the king of Assyria.”  2 Kings 16:10-18.

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We remember from earlier in the chapter these two points.  First, we remember how bad Ahaz king of Judah was.  See 2 Kings 16:2-4.  Second, we remember how “Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to wage war; and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.”  But, we also remember how Ahaz sought help from Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, by giving him silver and gold, and that he helped Ahaz by going up against Damascus and captured it, and carried the people of it away into exile to Kir, and put Rezin to death.  See 2 Kings 16:5-8.

With this in mind, we can better understand today’s Scripture although it may be more difficult to understand than other Scripture.  For whatever reason, with bad or good intentions, Ahaz arranged Urijah the priest to build one altar, the “great altar”, upon which offerings would be made, but Ahaz cut off parts of the bronze altar.

The bronze altar is a symbol of salvation just as we have received salvation through the sacrificial offering of Christ.  

Today’s Scripture brings to mind what some preachers and teachers do to distort the gospel just as King Ahaz cut off parts of the bronze altar.  

There are those preachers and teachers who give lip service to the Canons of Dordt and the Five Points of Calvinism (sometimes called “TULIP” or “the doctrines of grace”) but they cut off some of the points and distort the gospel.  So to speak, they present another altar, a “great altar”, as a substitute.  It is like an altar call in church where salvation depends on the will of man to “accept Jesus” and the work of man to walk up to the front of the church for the altar call and do whatever else they require.

Those preachers and teacher give excuses for not fully teaching the “TULIP” or “the doctrines of grace” such as “we first need to build up attendance and some basic knowledge”, but they never get around to fully teaching “TULIP” or “the doctrines of grace”. 

Or, they state or at least infer that love is more important than truth. They claim or infer that doctrine is unnecessary, divisive, or worse.

Or, they present an endless journey of man’s works or man’s will as the path to salvation. They cling to man’s continuing free-will to accept or reject Jesus, back and forth, all during his life time. They present an impotent god who wrings his hands only in hope, only wanting. They do not present the God of Scripture: “Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’; Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.” Isaiah 46:10-11.

They do not present God’s work of salvation from the beginning to the end:  from the beginning of “Unconditional Election” through “Limited Atonement” through “Irresistible Grace” to the end of “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.  This true doctrine of salvation is more fully taught in the Reformed creed Canons of Dordt.

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people;  for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.”  Matthew 23:13.

“I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;  which is really not another;  only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.  But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!  As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!”  Galatians 1:6-9.

“Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.”  Matthew 24:11. 

But, there is hope!

We have one true sacrifice:  Jesus Christ.  Jesus will save only and every one of God’s elect.

Consider the following Article 8 from the Canons of Dordt from the section titled SECOND HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men Thereby.

“Article 8.  For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of his Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation:  that is, it was the will of God, that Christ by the blood of the cross, whereby he confirmed the new covenant, should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation, and given to him by the Father; that he should confer upon them faith, which together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, he purchased for them by his death;  should purge them from all sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after believing;  and having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the enjoyment of glory in his own presence forever.”  

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” Romans 8:29-30.

“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”  1 Corinthians 1:30-31.

“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”  Hebrews 10:14.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Kings 16:1-9.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Kings%2016&version=NASB1995

I quote only the following verses.

“In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham, king of Judah, became king.  Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem;  and he did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD his God, as his father David had done.  But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and even made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had driven out from before the sons of Israel.  He sacrificed and burned incense on the high places and on the hills and under every green tree.”  2 Kings 16:1-4.  

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Today’s Scripture warns us from drifting away from the LORD.  

First, Ahaz the king of Israel drifted away from doing “what was right in the sight of the LORD his God, as his father David had done.”  Second, Ahaz drifted away, so to speak, even from the general morality of Israel.  Third, Ahaz “even made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had driven out from before the sons of Israel.”

We can drift away from the what we consider are too strict teachings of our parents.  At first, we may try to be as good as most people in our church.  Then, we may think our church and our denomination are also too strict, and we want to be more loving and inclusive and cool as we see other churches and other denominations are.  Then, we may think that we can quit attending church altogether and only* “stream” worship services from YouTube.  Then, we think it is better to focus more generally on good self-help teachings, and we leave altogether the LORD and focus on being the best me.  We become wise in our own eyes.  

(*As a quick side note, it is certainly not bad to stream worship services from YouTube. There are profitable worship services and other content to stream from YouTube. I am emphasizing that we should not “only” stream worship services from YouTube as an excuse for quitting attending congregational worship services altogether.)

“For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Professing to be wise, they became fools,”  Romans 1:21-22.

“For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.”  Hebrews 6:4-6.

“But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.”  Hebrews 6:9.

Our hope is not in the works of man, and our hope is not even in as little as the will of man.  

Our hope is in the LORD Who provides all the “things that accompany salvation”.

Reformed Doctrine accurately summarizes Scripture and teaches that salvation is a work of God alone, by grace alone, and that God provides all the “things that accompany salvation” from beginning to end:  from the beginning of “Unconditional Election” through “Limited Atonement” through “Irresistible Grace” to the end of “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.  This true doctrine of salvation is more fully taught in the Reformed creed Canons of Dordt.

In the words of the Canons of Dordt in Article 9 of the section titled FIRST HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of Divine Predestination, “election is the fountain of every saving good;  from which proceed faith, holiness, and the other gifts of salvation, and finally eternal life itself“.  

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”  Ephesians 1:3-6. 

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;  and these whom He predestined, He also called;  and these whom He called, He also justified;  and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”  Romans 8:29-30.

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;  seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”  2 Peter 1:2-4. 

“For who regards you as superior?  What do you have that you did not receive?  And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”  1 Corinthians 4:7.

“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”  1 Corinthians 1:30-31.

“But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;  for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD;  you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.”  1 Peter 2:9-10.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Kings 15:32-38.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Kings%2015&version=NASB1995

I quote only the following verses.

“In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel, Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah became king.  He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem;  and his mother’s name was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok.  He did what was right in the sight of the LORD;  he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.  Only the high places were not taken away;  the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.  He built the upper gate of the house of the LORD.”  2 Kings 15:32-35. 

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“Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 13:6.

“12 For whom the LORD loves He reproves,
Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

13 How blessed is the man who finds wisdom
And the man who gains understanding.” Proverbs 3:12-13.

“He who withholds his rod hates his son,
But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.” Proverbs 13:24.

But, there is hope!

“It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons;  for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?  But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.  Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them;  shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?  For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.  All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful;  yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”  Hebrews 12:7-11.

And, there is the promise!

“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  Matthew 5:48.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Kings 15:13-22.

“Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned one month in Samaria.  Then Menahem son of Gadi went up from Tirzah and came to Samaria, and struck Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria, and killed him and became king in his place.  Now the rest of the acts of Shallum and his conspiracy which he made, behold they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.  Then Menahem struck Tiphsah and all who were in it and its borders from Tirzah, because they did not open to him;  therefore he struck it and ripped up all its women who were with child.

In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel and reigned ten years in Samaria.  He did evil in the sight of the LORD;  he did not depart all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin.

Pul, king of Assyria, came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver so that his hand might be with him to strengthen the kingdom under his rule.  Then Menahem exacted the money from Israel, even from all the mighty men of wealth, from each man fifty shekels of silver to pay the king of Assyria.  So the king of Assyria returned and did not remain there in the land.  Now the rest of the acts of Menahem and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?  And Menahem slept with his fathers, and Pekahiah his son became king in his place.”  2 Kings 15:13-22.

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What qualities did Shallum and Menahem, these kings of Israel, have that might inspire us?  I cannot even discern any from today’s Scripture.  Even the action of Menahem in paying Pul, king of Assyria, a thousand talents of silver which resulted in Pul pulling out of Israel was done for Menahem’s sake, “so that his hand (Pul’s hand) might be with him (Menahem)” to strengthen the kingdom under his rule (Menahem’s rule)”. 

“When the righteous increase, the people rejoice,
But when a wicked man rules, people groan.” Proverbs 29:2.

It is easy for us to point our finger at whom we consider to be the wicked man and groan, and many will only see that point in this verse.   But, there is hope!

Notice carefully the rest of this verse.  “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice”.  

We, all the citizens and other occupants of the land, have the hope and the duty to increase the righteous by both doing righteousness ourself in all of our actions and by supporting the righteous to make sure that they increase in numbers and increase in power in our land.  

My father was a medical doctor, a surgeon.  When he died, at his funeral service, I asked a primary care physician (who referred patients to my father and who was one of my father’s best friends) what he thought of my father.  I thought he would be effusive and warm, lovingly praising all the qualities of my father.  But, he simply and coldly said:  “He was competent”.  

I learned that above all what we need from each other, citizens and other occupants of this great land, is to do a good job.  So to speak, doing a good job is the beginning of righteousness. 

We all have weaknesses and excuses.  Just continue to do a good job even when your boss and coworkers not only do not do a good job but also make also it more difficult for you to do your job.  Do a good job even when you are tired and cranky.  Do a good job even if you do not like who is leading your nation, state, or city.  

Consider that others also have weaknesses and excuses, but we want, and even depend on them, to do a good job for us.  

If Scriptures makes the following demand on even slaves, consider that we too have the same hope and duty.

“Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;  not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.  With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.”  Ephesians 6:5-8. 

“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”  1 Timothy 2:1-2.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Kings 14:17-29.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Kings%2014&version=NASB1995

I quote only the following verses.

“In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel became king in Samaria, and reigned forty-one years.  He did evil in the sight of the LORD;  he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin.  He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, which He spoke through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was of Gath-hepher.  For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, which was very bitter;  for there was neither bond nor free, nor was there any helper for Israel.  The LORD did not say that He would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, but He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.”  2 Kings 14:23-27.

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The LORD sees our suffering and has compassion on us.  

“8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
9 He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
14 For He Himself knows our frame;
He is mindful that we are but dust.” Psalm 103:8-14.