2020-9-21

Psalms 97:1-12; 2 Chronicles 10:1-19

Psalms 97:1-12

Key verse:  The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory. (Psalms 97:6)

Psalm 97 is praising the kingship of our LORD; for His righteousness and glory, we rejoice.  How do our lips and lives agree on His kingship and be joyous? In Matthew 6, we have a life application instructed by Jesus:

(Matthew 6:33) But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

We may have hundreds of millions of legitimate ways to seek his kingdom and his righteousness. But they all need a starting point – as a Christian, do I recognize (seek) the kingship and lordship of Christ in my life? Who sits on the throne of my heart? Do the burdens of pride, pretense, and artificiality still bother us and make us self-righteousness that forbids our hearts to sing this praise?

Living for Jesus| Thomas O. Chisholm (1^st Verse)
　　Living for Jesus, a life that is true,
　　Striving to please Him in all that I do;
　　Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free,
　　This is the pathway of blessing for me.
Refrain:
　　O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,
　　For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me;
　　I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne;
　　My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.

2 Chronicles 10:1-19 About Kingship

Key verse: So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from God, to fulfill the word the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite. (2 Chronicles 10:15)

2 Chronicles 10 is the record of Israel rebelling against Rehoboam. With the help from the details in 1 Kings 11, we understand that the rising of Jeroboam and the rebel of Israel did not come from nowhere, but the fulfillment of the prophecy.  King Solomon tried to protect his son’s kingship by attempting to kill this future opponent upon learning about the prophecy (but not learning from his own mistake). Rehoboam managed to flee to Egypt and after King Solomon died, he was welcomed back by the Israelites.  When the young and inexperienced king Rehoboam enthroned, he did another disservice to his own kingship by listening to the bad advice, further fueled the tension that empowered Jeroboam.  Men’s own effort to retain the power ended up with losing it fast; God’s purpose and plan will not be thwarted.

Prayer:

Lord, all glory and mighty power go to you. Please help us to submit to you without holding back, help us to lead our lives in the way you want.  May your kingdom come.  In the name of Christ we pray,  Amen. —- Ivy Lin