Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Chronicles 29:19-36.  Here is a link to this Scripture –  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chronicles+29&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“Now at the completion of the burnt offerings, the king and all who were present with him bowed down and worshiped.  Moreover, King Hezekiah and the officials ordered the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and Asaph the seer.  So they sang praises with joy, and bowed down and worshiped.”    2 Chronicles 29:29-30.

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Today’s devotion focuses on singing praises to the LORD with Psalms which are “the words of David and Asaph the seer”.  Verse 30.

“Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving,
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.”  Psalm 95:2.

“speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;  always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;”  Ephesians 5:19-20.

“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”  Colossians 3:16.

Other doctrine prefers to only use their own words.

But, Reformed Doctrine prefers to use the words of the Psalms, some exclusively and some not exclusively.  The purpose of this devotion is to not take sides on that specific issue.  I would be a hypocrite if I advocated exclusive use of the words of the Psalms to sing praises.  I use them far too little.  But, I do want to generally encourage people to at least use the words of Psalms more to sing praises.

At least in the beginning of every devotion as I begin to write, I listen to the following song.  There is a YouTube link below if you want to listen to it.

Psalm 90 – Psalter 247 God Our Help and Hope by Psalm Choir

The Protestant Reformed Psalm Choir has put together performances promoting the Psalms for 17 years and has produced 16 recordings.

“1 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
2 Oh let Israel say,
“His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
3 Oh let the house of Aaron say,
“His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
4 Oh let those who fear the Lord say,
“His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

5 From my distress I called upon the Lord;
The Lord answered me and set me in a large place.
6 The Lord is for me; I will not fear;
What can man do to me?
7 The Lord is for me among those who help me;
Therefore I will look with satisfaction on those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
Than to trust in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
Than to trust in princes.”  Psalm 118:1-9.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Chronicles 29:1-19.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chronicles+29&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem.  And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.  2 He did right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done.

3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them.  4 He brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them into the square on the east.

5 Then he said to them, “Listen to me, O Levites. Consecrate yourselves now, and consecrate the house of the Lord, the God of your fathers, and carry the uncleanness out from the holy place.  6 For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done evil in the sight of the Lord our God, and have forsaken Him and turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the Lord, and have turned their backs.  7 They have also shut the doors of the porch and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel.  8 Therefore the wrath of the Lord was against Judah and Jerusalem, and He has made them an object of terror, of horror, and of hissing, as you see with your own eyes. 9 For behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.  10 Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that His burning anger may turn away from us.  11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to minister to Him, and to be His ministers and burn incense.”  2 Chronicles 29:1-10.

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Being chosen is not only the basis for salvation;  being chosen is the basis for service to the LORD.

When we pound the table on the importance of “Unconditional Election” in “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation, we are not only pounding the table to declare why we are saved, we are pounding the table to declare why we serve the LORD.

“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;”  1 Peter 2:9.

Jesus chose his twelve disciples.  “And He *went up on the mountain and *summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him.”  Mark 3:13.

Even Jesus Himself was chosen by God.  “Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, My Chosen One;  listen to Him!”  Luke 9:35.

Jesus chose those whom He said:  “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” as in “I do not speak of all of you.  I know the ones I have chosen;  but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’  From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He.  Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me;  and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”  John 13:18-20.

“But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he (Paul) is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;”  Acts 9:15.

“Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near, for the Lord your God has chosen them to serve Him and to bless in the name of the Lord; and every dispute and every assault shall be settled by them.”  Deuteronomy 21:5.

“Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you (Solomon) to build a house for the sanctuary; be courageous and act.”  1 Chronicles 28:10.

“Therefore He said that He would destroy them, Had not Moses His chosen one stood in the breach before Him, To turn away His wrath from destroying them.”  Psalm 106:23.

“You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”  John 15:16.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Chronicles chapter 28.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chronicles+28&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah (king of Israel) slew in Judah 120,000 in one day, all valiant men, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. 7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king’s son and Azrikam the ruler of the house and Elkanah the second to the king.

8 The sons of Israel carried away captive of their brethren 200,000 women, sons and daughters;  and they took also a great deal of spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.  9 But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded;  and he went out to meet the army which came to Samaria and said to them, “Behold, because the Lord, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has even reached heaven.  10 Now you are proposing to subjugate for yourselves the people of Judah and Jerusalem for male and female slaves.  Surely, do you not have transgressions of your own against the Lord your God?  11 Now therefore, listen to me and return the captives whom you captured from your brothers, for the burning anger of the Lord is against you.”

…

15 Then the men who were designated by name arose, took the captives, and they clothed all their naked ones from the spoil;  and they gave them clothes and sandals, fed them and gave them drink, anointed them with oil, led all their feeble ones on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers;  then they returned to Samaria.”  2 Chronicles Chapter 28:  Verses 6-11 and 15.

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Reformed Doctrine most clearly recognizes that we all have transgressions of our own against the LORD our God as shown by its teaching of “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.  In our natural condition, we all are dead in sin, hostile to God, enslaved to sin and Satan.

Reformed Doctrine most clearly recognizes that all that is good that we have received (forgiveness, mercy, and other blessings) is by God’s grace alone.

Such a sound doctrine foundation most clearly leads us to forgive others and to also otherwise be kind to them.

“21 Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him?  Up to seven times?”  22 Jesus *said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

23 “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.  24 When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.  25 But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made.  26 So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’  27 And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt.  28 But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’  29 So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’  30 But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed.  31 So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened.  32 Then summoning him, his lord *said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.  33 Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’  34 And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him.  35 My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”  Matthew 18:21-35.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven;  for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?  Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others?  Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  Matthew 5:43-48.

Today’s Scripture comes from 2 Chronicles chapter 27.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chronicles+27&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.  And his mother’s name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok.  2 He did right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Uzziah had done;  however he did not enter the temple of the Lord.  But the people continued acting corruptly.  3 He built the upper gate of the house of the Lord, and he built extensively the wall of Ophel. 4 Moreover, he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and he built fortresses and towers on the wooded hills.  5 He fought also with the king of the Ammonites and prevailed over them so that the Ammonites gave him during that year one hundred talents of silver, ten thousand kors of wheat and ten thousand of barley.  The Ammonites also paid him this amount in the second and in the third year.  6 So Jotham became mighty because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God.”  2 Chronicles 27:1-6.

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We remember a similar verse in the preceding chapter.  “He continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding through the vision of God;  and as long as he sought the Lord, God prospered him.”  2 Chronicles 26:5.

Some doctrine would be content to rest here.  “Do good, and it will go well with you.”  “Obey the Law and prosper.”

But, Reformed Doctrine does not rest in man’s ability to obey the Law even though the Law is good and obeying it makes perfect sense.  “Total Depravity” of man, the first point of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation, humbles man and makes Reformed Doctrine always look to God for hope and deliverance such as is declared in the rest of the points of “TULIP”:  “Unconditional Election” to “Limited Atonement” to “Irresistible Grace” to “Preservation of the Saints”.

So then, what about the Law? 

“… the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.”  Romans 7:12.

“But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind;  for apart from the Law sin is dead.  I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died;  and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me;  for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.”  Romans 7:8-11.

But, there is hope!

“Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.  For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.  But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.”  Romans 7:4-6.

“Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God?  May it never be!  For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law.  But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”  Galatians 3:21-22.

“Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.  But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.  For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”  Galatians 3:24.

“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 5:20-21.

“What shall we say then?  Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?  May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?  Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?  Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.  For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;  for he who has died is freed from sin.”  Romans 6:1-7.

“But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin?  May it never be!  For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor.  For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God.  I have been crucified with Christ;  and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;  and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.  I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”  Galatians 2:17-21.

“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;  and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”  Ezekiel 36:26-27.

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.  For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh;  for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.  Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are:  immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such things there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”  Galatians 5:16-23.

So, what does it mean to order your ways before the LORD your God?

“In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice;
In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.”  Psalm 5:3.

“22 “Now consider this, you who forget God,
Or I will tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver.
23 “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me;
And to him who orders his way aright
I shall show the salvation of God.”  Psalm 50:22-23.

In summary, to order our ways before the LORD does not mean that we will try harder to obey the Law.  To order our ways before the LORD means that we will first humble ourselves.  “… God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  James 4:6.  1 Peter 5:5.  Reformed Doctrine helps us do that through its teaching of “Total Depravity”.  Second, we look to God for deliverance from “A” to “Z”, from “Unconditional Election” to “Preservation of the Saints”.  As stated in the above Psalm 5:3, as in the morning order of the day, we pray to God in the morning and eagerly wait for His salvation.  As stated in the above Psalm 50:22-23, we do not forget about God.  Rather, we give thanks to God.  As stated in the above Galatians 2:20, we “live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Finally, today’s Scripture gives us a hint that our hope is not based on the Law.  We note that Uzziah “did not enter the temple of the Lord”.  Verse 2.  No wonder!  He considered what happened to his father in the previous chapter.  And yet, today’s Scripture summarized that “He did right in the sight of the Lord” and (Verse 2) and “he ordered his ways before the Lord his God.” (Verse 6).  Of course, this is no excuse for us to skip attending church.  But, it should help us consider what it means to truly order our way before the LORD our God.  It is not about attending church or trying harder to obey the Law.  It is about humbling ourselves and living by faith in Christ.  “Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.”  Romans 7:4.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Chronicles chapter 26.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chronicles+26&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 And all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah.  2 He built Eloth and restored it to Judah after the king slept with his fathers.  3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Jechiliah of Jerusalem.  4 He did right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father Amaziah had done.  5 He continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding through the vision of God;  and as long as he sought the Lord, God prospered him.

…

16 But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the Lord his God, for he entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.  17 Then Azariah the priest entered after him and with him eighty priests of the Lord, valiant men. 18 They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense.  Get out of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful and will have no honor from the Lord God.”  19 But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged;  and while he was enraged with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the altar of incense.  20 Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous on his forehead;  and they hurried him out of there, and he himself also hastened to get out because the Lord had smitten him.  21 King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death;  and he lived in a separate house, being a leper, for he was cut off from the house of the Lord.  And Jotham his son was over the king’s house judging the people of the land.”  2 Chronicles chapter 26:  Verses 1-5 and 16-21.

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As we approach Thanksgiving, Hannah’s Song of Thanksgiving helps us to both give thanksgiving and to remember that we should not be proud and arrogant as King Uzziah was in his later days.

“1 Then Hannah prayed and said,

“My heart exults in the Lord;
My horn is exalted in the Lord,
My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies,
Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
2 “There is no one holy like the Lord,
Indeed, there is no one besides You,
Nor is there any rock like our God.
3 “Boast no more so very proudly,
Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth;
For the Lord is a God of knowledge,
And with Him actions are weighed.
4 “The bows of the mighty are shattered,
But the feeble gird on strength.“Those who were full hire themselves out for bread,
But those who were hungry cease to hunger.
Even the barren gives birth to seven,
But she who has many children languishes.
6 “The Lord kills and makes alive;
He brings down to Sheol and raises up.
7 “The Lord makes poor and rich;
He brings low, He also exalts.
8 “He raises the poor from the dust,
He lifts the needy from the ash heap
To make them sit with nobles,
And inherit a seat of honor;
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
And He set the world on them.
9 “He keeps the feet of His godly ones,
But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness;
For not by might shall a man prevail.
10 “Those who contend with the Lord will be shattered;
Against them He will thunder in the heavens,
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
And He will give strength to His king,”  2 Samuel 2:1-10.

Other doctrine boasts proudly about its alleged free-will, wisdom, and strength.

But, Reformed Doctrine is humble based on “Total Depravity” and boasts only what the LORD has done for them from “Unconditional Election” to “Limited Atonement” to “Irresistible Grace” to “Preservation of the Saints” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Like Hannah, Reformed Doctrine exults in the LORD and rejoices in His salvation.

““My heart exults in the Lord;
My horn is exalted in the Lord,
My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies,
Because I rejoice in Your salvation.”    2 Samuel 2:1-2.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Chronicles chapter 25.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chronicles+25&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“5 Moreover, Amaziah assembled Judah and appointed them according to their fathers’ households under commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds throughout Judah and Benjamin;  and he took a census of those from twenty years old and upward and found them to be 300,000 choice men, able to go to war and handle spear and shield.  6 He hired also 100,000 valiant warriors out of Israel for one hundred talents of silver.  7 But a man of God came to him saying, “O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel nor with any of the sons of Ephraim.  8 But if you do go, do it, be strong for the battle;  yet God will bring you down before the enemy, for God has power to help and to bring down.”  9 Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?”  And the man of God answered, “The Lord has much more to give you than this.”

…

14 Now after Amaziah came from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought the gods of the sons of Seir, set them up as his gods, bowed down before them and burned incense to them. 15 Then the anger of the Lord burned against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of the people who have not delivered their own people from your hand?”  16 As he was talking with him, the king said to him, “Have we appointed you a royal counselor?  Stop!  Why should you be struck down?”  Then the prophet stopped and said, “I know that God has planned to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”  2 Chronicles Chapter 25:  Verses 5-9 and 14-16.

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Amaziah king of Judah looked to Israel for help to wage war rather than seek the LORD.  Amaziah was rebuked by a man of God for seeking help from Israel rather than seeking help from the LORD:  “God has power to help and to bring down.  …  The Lord has much more to give you than this.”  Verses 8-9.

Later, Amaziah “brought the gods of the sons of Seir, set them up as his gods, bowed down before them and burned incense to them.”  Verse 14.     Amaziah was rebuked again, this time from a prophet, for seeking help from the gods of the people rather than seeking help from the One and Only God:  “Why have you sought the gods of the people who have not delivered their own people from your hand?”  Verse 15.

Sadly, seeking others for help rather than seeking help from God was a common practice for Israel and Judah.  The following Isaiah Chapter 31 summarizes the woe to those who do so.  And, it provides a lesson for us today who seek help from others rather than seeking help from God.

“1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help
And rely on horses,
And trust in chariots because they are many
And in horsemen because they are very strong,
But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord!
2 Yet He also is wise and will bring disaster
And does not retract His words,
But will arise against the house of evildoers
And against the help of the workers of iniquity.
3 Now the Egyptians are men and not God,
And their horses are flesh and not spirit;
So the Lord will stretch out His hand,
And he who helps will stumble
And he who is helped will fall,
And all of them will come to an end together.

4 For thus says the Lord to me,

“As the lion or the young lion growls over his prey,
Against which a band of shepherds is called out,
And he will not be terrified at their voice nor disturbed at their noise,
So will the Lord of hosts come down to wage war on Mount Zion and on its hill.”
5 Like flying birds so the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem.
He will protect and deliver it;
He will pass over and rescue it.

6 Return to Him from whom you have deeply defected, O sons of Israel.  7 For in that day every man will cast away his silver idols and his gold idols, which your sinful hands have made for you as a sin.

8 And the Assyrian will fall by a sword not of man,
And a sword not of man will devour him.
So he will not escape the sword,
And his young men will become forced laborers.
9 “His rock will pass away because of panic,
And his princes will be terrified at the standard,”
Declares the Lord, whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.”  Isaiah Chapter 31.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Chronicles chapter 24.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chronicles+24&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zibiah from Beersheba.  2 Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

…

17 But after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and bowed down to the king, and the king listened to them.  18 They abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols;  so wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their guilt.  19 Yet He sent prophets to them to bring them back to the Lord;  though they testified against them, they would not listen.

20 Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest;  and he stood above the people and said to them, “Thus God has said, ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord and do not prosper?  Because you have forsaken the Lord, He has also forsaken you.’”  21 So they conspired against him and at the command of the king they stoned him to death in the court of the house of the Lord.  22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which his father Jehoiada had shown him, but he murdered his son.  And as he died he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!”

23 Now it happened at the turn of the year that the army of the Arameans came up against him;  and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, destroyed all the officials of the people from among the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus.  24 Indeed the army of the Arameans came with a small number of men;  yet the Lord delivered a very great army into their hands, because they had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers.  Thus they executed judgment on Joash.

25 When they had departed from him (for they left him very sick), his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and murdered him on his bed.  So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.  26 Now these are those who conspired against him:  Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess.”  2 Chronicles 24:1-2 and 17-26.

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As long as Jehoiada the priest was alive, Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord.  Verse 2.

But after the death of Jehoiada, Joash listened to the bad counsel of the officials of Judah.  “They abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols”.  Verses 17 and 18.

Even though the LORD sent good prophets to bring them back to Him, Joash would not listen to the good prophets from the LORD.  Joash even murdered the son of Jehoiada the priest.  Verses 19-22.

But, Joash and his people suffered the consequences of forsaking the LORD.  “Now it happened at the turn of the year that the army of the Arameans came up against him;  and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, destroyed all the officials of the people from among the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus.”  And, “his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and murdered him on his bed.”  Verses 23-25.

We are reminded of the importance of good friends, good counselors, good elders, good spouse, and good rulers that was the theme of a recent devotion.

“He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm.”  Proverbs 13:20.

We should avoid foolish friends, foolish counselors, foolish elders, foolish spouse, and foolish rulers.

We wonder if part of the problem was that some Jews married foreign women of different religions.  “Now these are those who conspired against him:  Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess.”  Verse 26.

Despite the wisdom of King Solomon, foreign women turned his heart from the LORD.

“Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh:  Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the sons of Israel, “You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods.”  Solomon held fast to these in love.  He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away.  For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.  For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and after Milcom the detestable idol of the Ammonites.  Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not follow the Lord fully, as David his father had done.”  1 Kings 11:1-6.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Chronicles chapter 23.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chronicles+23&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“16 Then Jehoiada (the priest) made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king (Joash), that they would be the Lord’s people.  17 And all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down, and they broke in pieces his altars and his images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.  18 Moreover, Jehoiada placed the offices of the house of the Lord under the authority of the Levitical priests, whom David had assigned over the house of the Lord, to offer the burnt offerings of the Lord, as it is written in the law of Moses—with rejoicing and singing according to the order of David.  19 He stationed the gatekeepers of the house of the Lord, so that no one would enter who was in any way unclean. 20 He took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of the Lord, and came through the upper gate to the king’s house.  And they placed the king upon the royal throne.  21 So all of the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet.  For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword.”  2 Chronicles 23:16-21.

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Jehoida the priest carried out righteous reforms including making Joash king.  Jehoida said:  “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the Lord has spoken concerning the sons of David.”  Verse 3.

“So all of the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet.  For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword.”  Verse 21.

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

“When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting.”  Proverbs 11:10.

“The light of the righteous rejoices,
But the lamp of the wicked goes out.”  Proverbs 13:9.

“By transgression an evil man is ensnared,
But the righteous sings and rejoices.”  Proverbs 29:6.

“10 The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance;
He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 And men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
Surely there is a God who judges on earth!”  Psalm 58:10-11.

There are those who wish that people would simply rejoice in diversity.

But, the real cause of rejoicing is when the righteous increase and things go well with the righteous.

There are not many diverse saviors.  There is only one Savior Who is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

“6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.”  Isaiah 49:6-7.

There are those who do not want this Savior, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to reign.  But, they will be like Athaliah.  “But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.”  Luke 19:17.

“2 The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,

3 “Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”  Psalm 2:2-9.

But, there are those who rejoice greatly in the LORD and the righteousness that He gives us.  

“In Your name they rejoice all the day,
And by Your righteousness they are exalted.”  Psalm 89:16.

“But let the righteous be glad;  let them exult before God;
Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.”  Psalm 68:3.

“10 I will rejoice greatly in the Lord,
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up,
So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
To spring up before all the nations.”  Isaiah 61:10-11.

There are those who rejoice greatly in the reign of God and the salvation that He brings to His people.

“7 How lovely on the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who announces peace
And brings good news of happiness,
Who announces salvation,
And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
8 Listen!  Your watchmen lift up their voices,
They shout joyfully together;
For they will see with their own eyes
When the Lord restores Zion.
9 Break forth, shout joyfully together,
You waste places of Jerusalem;
For the Lord has comforted His people,
He has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord has bared His holy arm
In the sight of all the nations,
That all the ends of the earth may see
The salvation of our God.”  Isaiah 52:7-10.

“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.”  Psalm 32:11.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Chronicles chapter 22.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chronicles+22&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem.  And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri.  He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly.  He did evil in the sight of the Lord like the house of Ahab, for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction.

He also walked according to their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to wage war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead.  But the Arameans wounded Joram.”  2 Chronicles 22:2-5.

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“He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm.”  Proverbs 13:20.

We should walk with good friends, good counselors, good elders, good spouse, and good rulers.

We should avoid foolish friends, foolish counselors, foolish elders, foolish spouse, and foolish rulers.

But, sometimes foolish friends, foolish counselors, foolish elders, foolish spouse, and foolish rulers are more interesting, fun, and cool.

But, in the end, if we walk with them, we will suffer harm.  Ahaziah walked according to their counsel and foolishly went into war and suffered injury.

That is all pretty obvious, and we all would probably nod our heads in agreement.

But, where it becomes more subtle is with good doctrine.

We may be tempted to stay in a church just because our family and friends are there.

Or, we may like the music or the youth program or the service opportunities.

But, the doctrine is bad.  And, we continue to walk with the bad doctrine in the church.

Although I grew up with Reformed Doctrine in Western Michigan, in 1977, I moved to Florida to go to law school, and I stayed here in Florida.  I attended and was a member, even a lay leader, in a large range of churches from Assembly of God to Baptist to Calvary Chapel to United Methodist to nondenominational churches and small fellowships.  At first, I thought Reformed Doctrine would be preached in all Christian Protestant churches.  When I heard some strange preaching or teaching, I first thought that the problem was just with that particular minister or teacher.  Eventually, a childhood friend, who remained in Western Michigan, asked me if I remembered “TULIP” which is also known as the Five Points of Calvinism and the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.  I studied the differences between Calvinism and Arminianism.  That study made me aware that often what bothered me was not just bad preaching or teaching, but rather the problem was caused by bad doctrine (Arminianism) that broadly and deeply affected that church and its denomination which at some time of its history strayed away from Reformed Doctrine.  Through God’s grace, I came back to walk the good paths of Reformed Doctrine.

“16 Thus says the Lord,
“Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths,
Where the good way is, and walk in it;
And you will find rest for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17 “And I set watchmen over you, saying,
‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’
But they said, ‘We will not listen.’
18 “Therefore hear, O nations,
And know, O congregation, what is among them.
19 “Hear, O earth:  behold, I am bringing disaster on this people,
The fruit of their plans,
Because they have not listened to My words,
And as for My law, they have rejected it also.”  Jeremiah 6:16-19.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Chronicles 21:8-20.

“8 In his days Edom revolted against the rule of Judah and set up a king over themselves.  9 Then Jehoram crossed over with his commanders and all his chariots with him.  And he arose by night and struck down the Edomites who were surrounding him and the commanders of the chariots. 10 So Edom revolted against Judah to this day.  Then Libnah revolted at the same time against his rule, because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers.  11 Moreover, he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot and led Judah astray.

12 Then a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet saying, “Thus says the Lord God of your father David, ‘Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father and the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot as the house of Ahab played the harlot, and you have also killed your brothers, your own family, who were better than you, 14 behold, the Lord is going to strike your people, your sons, your wives and all your possessions with a great calamity;  15 and you will suffer severe sickness, a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the sickness, day by day.’”

16 Then the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabs who bordered the Ethiopians;  17 and they came against Judah and invaded it, and carried away all the possessions found in the king’s house together with his sons and his wives, so that no son was left to him except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.

18 So after all this the Lord smote him in his bowels with an incurable sickness.  19 Now it came about in the course of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels came out because of his sickness and he died in great pain.  And his people made no fire for him like the fire for his fathers.  20 He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years;  and he departed with no one’s regret, and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.”    2 Chronicles 21:8-20.

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Other doctrine is surprised at the behavior at Jehoram.

Other doctrine thinks that the LORD needs to be on His toes to react to evil.

But, Reformed Doctrine is not surprised at the behavior at Jehoram.  The very first point of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation is “Total Depravity”, the natural condition of man.

Other doctrine teaches that God loves everybody.

But, Reformed Doctrine teaches that God hates all who do iniquity and will punish them.

Reformed Doctrine teaches that the LORD exercises justice on earth for He delights in justice to the extent that the LORD has established His throne to carry out judgment.

“4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness;
No evil dwells with You.
5 The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes;
You hate all who do iniquity.
6 You destroy those who speak falsehood;
The Lord abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.”  Psalm 5:4-6.

“Thus I will punish the world for its evil
And the wicked for their iniquity;
I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud
And abase the haughtiness of the ruthless.”  Isaiah 13:11.

“5 You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemy has come to an end in perpetual ruins,
And You have uprooted the cities;
The very memory of them has perished.

7 But the Lord abides forever;
He has established His throne for judgment,
8 And He will judge the world in righteousness;
He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.”  Psalm 9:5-8.

“Article 13:  Of Divine Providence.

We believe that the same God, after he had created all things, did not forsake them, or give them up to fortune or chance, but that he rules and governs them according to his holy will, so that nothing happens in this world without his appointment:  nevertheless, God neither is the author of, nor can be charged with, the sins which are committed.  For his power and goodness are so great and incomprehensible, that he orders and executes his work in the most excellent and just manner, even then, when devils and wicked men act unjustly.  …”  Belgic Confession.

“Q. 10. Will God suffer such disobedience and rebellion to go unpunished?

 A. By no means;  but is terribly displeased with our original as well as actual sins;  and will punish them in His just judgment temporally and eternally, as He hath declared, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.”  Heidelberg Catechism.

“Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.

“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “that I will punish all who are circumcised and yet uncircumcised— Egypt and Judah, and Edom and the sons of Ammon, and Moab and all those inhabiting the desert who clip the hair on their temples;  for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised of heart.”  Jeremiah 9:23-26.