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Genesis 2

Genesis 2

Genesis 2:1 So the sky and the land were finished, and all the army [1] of them.

Genesis 2:2 Then on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he stopped[2] on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.

Genesis 2:3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it special, because on it he stopped from all his work that God had done by creating.

Genesis 2:4 This is the history[3] of the sky and the land when they were created, in the day that Yahveh God made the land and the sky.

Genesis 2:5 Before any bush of the field was in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up – because Yahveh God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no person to work the ground,

Genesis 2:6 and a mist was regularly ascending from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground –

Genesis 2:7 then Yahveh God formed the first man from dust of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breathing[4] of life, and that man became a living throat.

Genesis 2:8 Now Yahveh God had planted a garden at Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground Yahveh God made every tree to grow up that one would crave[5] to look at and was good to eat. The tree of life was in the middle of this garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was also there.

Genesis 2:10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers.

Genesis 2:11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.

Genesis 2:12 And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there.

Genesis 2:13 The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush.

Genesis 2:14 And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

Genesis 2:15 Yahveh God took the human and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

Genesis 2:16 And Yahveh God commanded the human, and this is what he said, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,

Genesis 2:17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you will not eat, for in the day that you eat of it “you will be mortal, you will die.”

Genesis 2:18 Then Yahveh God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a partner[6] fit for him.”

Genesis 2:19 And out of the ground Yahveh God had formed every living thing of the field and every bird of the sky and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living throat, that was its name.

Genesis 2:20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the sky and to every living thing of the field. But for Adam there was not found a partner fit for him.

Genesis 2:21 Then Yahveh God threw down this Adam into a deep sleep, and while he slept took one of his ribs and shut up flesh[7] in its place.

Genesis 2:22 And the rib that Yahveh God had taken from this Adam he made into a woman and brought her to this Adam.

Genesis 2:23 Then this Adam said, “This finally is bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh; she will be called a woman, because she was taken out of a man.”

Genesis 2:24 Because of this a man will leave his father and his mother and hold fast[8] to his woman, and they will become as one flesh.

Genesis 2:25 And the man and his woman were both naked and were not ashamed.

[1] צָבָא = army. Genesis 2:1; 21:22, 32; 26:26.

[2] שָׁבַת = stop. Genesis 2:2, 3; 8:22.

[3] תּוֹלֵדוֹת = history, generation. Genesis 2:4; 5:1; 6:9; 10:1, 32; 11:10, 27; 25:12, 13, 19; 36:1, 9; 37:2.

[4]נְשָׁמָה = breathing. Genesis 2:7; 7:22.

[5]חמד = crave. Genesis 2:9; 3:6.

[6]עֵזֶר = partner Genesis 2:18, 20.

[7] בָּשָׂר = flesh, meat. Genesis 2:21, 23, 24; 6:3, 12, 13, 17, 19; 7:15, 16, 21; 8:17; 9:4, 11, 15, 16, 17; 17:11, 13, 14, 23, 24, 25; 29:14; 37:27; 40:19; 41:3, 4, 19.

[8] דָּבַק = hold fast. Genesis 2:24; 19:19; 31:23; 34:3.

Genesis 2 quotes

“The Hebrew words translated ‘work’ and ‘take care’ (Genesis 2:15) are both used later in the Bible in specifically religious contexts. “Work’ is often used to speak of the service of God — particularly, in some texts, the service of priests in the tabernacle.’’ ‘Take care’ is also frequently used of religious duties, especially the Levites’ task of guarding the tabernacle.’* These links underline the significance of our responsibilities in creation. When we ‘work’ the earth and ‘take care’ of it we are engaged in a high calling: the priestly task of worshipping God.”

Roberts, Vaughan. God’s Big Design : Life As He Intends It to Be. Inter-Varsity, 2005. p. 61.

” If God has the kind of power we see in this pericope, then we know not to take this language in any literalistic fashion: God does not get tired as we do (see also Isa. 40:28-31). Hence the language is analogical, and the import is that human work and rest are analogies of God’s work and rest.”

Collins, C. John. Genesis 1-4 : A Linguistic, Literary, and Theological Commentary. P & R Pub, 2006. p. 77.

“When we read the account of Adam’s creation in Genesis 2 in the context of the creation of the first man in Genesis 1, the suggestion that Adam functioned as a vicegerent is reinforced.”

Munther, Isaac. From Land to Lands, from Eden to the Renewed Earth : A Christ-Centred Biblical Theology of the Promised Land. Langham Monographs, 2015. p. 38.

[1] צָבָא = army. Genesis 2:1; 21:22, 32; 26:26.

[2] שָׁבַת = stop. Genesis 2:2, 3; 8:22.

[3] תּוֹלֵדוֹת = history, generation. Genesis 2:4; 5:1; 6:9; 10:1, 32; 11:10, 27; 25:12, 13, 19; 36:1, 9; 37:2.

[4]נְשָׁמָה = breathing. Genesis 2:7; 7:22.

[5]חמד = crave. Genesis 2:9; 3:6.

[6]עֵזֶר = partner Genesis 2:18, 20.

[7] בָּשָׂר = flesh, meat. Genesis 2:21, 23, 24; 6:3, 12, 13, 17, 19; 7:15, 16, 21; 8:17; 9:4, 11, 15, 16, 17; 17:11, 13, 14, 23, 24, 25; 29:14; 37:27; 40:19; 41:3, 4, 19.

CREATION AND MARRIAGE – jeffersonvann

JOB’S HOPE – jeffersonvann

Maranatha Daily Devotional – Friday, January 12, 2018
Maranatha Daily Devotional – May 12, 2015

GENESIS in Jeff’s library

Genesis 1

Genesis 1

Genesis 1:1 At first,[1] God created the sky[2] and the land,[3]

Genesis 1:2 but the land was unformed and unfilled, and the deep space was dark, and God’s Breath[4] was shaking up the water.

Genesis 1:3 Then God said, “Let light be,” and there was light,

Genesis 1:4 and God saw how good the light was. God separated[5] the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:5 God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. After evening was over and morning came, it marked the first day.

Genesis 1:6 Then God said, “Let a separator be placed in the midst of the water, and let it separate the water above from the water below.”

Genesis 1:7 so God made the separator and separated the water that was under the separator from the water that was over the separator. And it became that way.

Genesis 1:8 God called the separator “sky.” After evening was over and morning came, it marked the second day.

Genesis 1:9 Then God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry ground appear.” And it became that way.

Genesis 1:10 God called the dry ground Land, and the water that had been gathered together he called Seas, and God saw how good it was.

Genesis 1:11 Then God said, “Let the land sprout flora: plants producing seed,[6] and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the land.” And it became that way.

Genesis 1:12 The land produced flora: plants producing seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, and God saw how good it was.

Genesis 1:13 After evening was over and morning came, it marked the third day.

Genesis 1:14 And God said, “Let luminaries show in the separator of the sky to separate the day from the night. And let them serve as signs and distinguish seasons, and days and years,

Genesis 1:15 and let them serve as lights in the divider of the sky to give light upon the land.” And it became that way.

Genesis 1:16 And God made the two large luminaries- the larger luminary to influence the day and the lesser luminary to influence the night- and he also made the stars.

Genesis 1:17 And God set them in the divider of the sky to light the land,

Genesis 1:18 to influence[7] the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw how good it was.

Genesis 1:19 After evening was over and morning came, it marked the fourth day.

Genesis 1:20 And God said, “Let the water swarm with swarms of living throats,[8] and let birds fly above the land across the divider of the sky.”

Genesis 1:21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living throat that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw how good it was.

Genesis 1:22 And God blessed them, and this is what he said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the water in the seas, and let birds multiply on the land.”

Genesis 1:23 And After evening was over and morning came, it marked the fifth day.

Genesis 1:24 And God said, “Let the land bring forth living throats according to their kinds – livestock and moving things[9] and living things[10] of the land according to their kinds.” And it became that way.

Genesis 1:25 And God made the living things of the land according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that moves on the ground according to its kind. And God approved.

Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make humanity in our image, after our likeness. And let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the land and over every moving thing that creeps on the land.”

Genesis 1:27 So God created humanity in his own image, he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.

Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Bear fruit and become many and fill the land and subdue it and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over everything alive that moves on the land.”

Genesis 1:29 And God said, “Notice,[11] I have given you every plant producing seed that is on the face of all the land, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You will have them for food.

Genesis 1:30 And to every beast of the land and to every bird of the sky and to everything that creeps on the land, everything that has a living throat on it, I have given all flora for food.” And it became that way.

Genesis 1:31 And God saw everything that he had made, and noticed it was very good. And after evening was over and morning came, it marked the sixth day.

[1]רֵאשִׁית = first Genesis 1:1; 10:10; 49:3.

[2]שָׁמַיִם = sky Genesis 1:1, 8-9, 14-15, 17, 20, 26, 28, 30; 2:1, 4, 19-20; 6:7, 17; 7:3, 11, 19, 23; 8:2; 9:2; 11:4; 14:19, 22; 15:5; 19:24; 21:17; 22:11, 15, 17; 24:3, 7; 26:4; 27:28, 39; 28:12, 17; 49:25.

[3]אֶרֶץ = land Genesis 1:1-2, 10-12, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24-26, 28-30; 2:1, 4-6, 11-13; 4:12, 14, 16; 6:4-6, 11-13, 17; 7:3-4, 6, 10, 12, 14, 17-19, 21, 23-24; 8:1, 3, 7, 9, 11, 13-14, 17, 19, 22; 9:1-2, 7, 10-11, 13-14, 16-17, 19; 10:5, 8, 10-11, 20, 25, 31-32; 11:1-2, 4, 8-9, 28, 31; 12:1, 5-7, 10; 13:6-7, 9-10, 12, 15-17; 14:19, 22; 15:7, 13, 18; 16:3; 17:8; 18:2, 18, 25; 19:1, 23, 28, 31; 20:1, 15; 21:21, 23, 32, 34; 22:2, 18; 23:2, 7, 12-13, 15, 19; 24:3-5, 7, 37, 52; 25:6; 26:1-4, 12, 22; 27:28, 39, 46; 28:4, 12-14; 29:1; 30:25; 31:3, 13, 18; 32:3, 9; 33:3, 18; 34:1-2, 10, 21, 30; 35:6, 12, 16, 22; 36:5-7, 16-17, 20-21, 30-31, 34, 43; 37:1, 10; 38:9; 40:15; 41:19, 29-31, 33-34, 36, 41, 43-48, 52-57; 42:5-7, 9, 12-13, 29-30, 32-34; 43:1, 11, 26; 44:8, 11, 14; 45:6-8, 10, 17-20, 25-26; 46:6, 12, 20, 28, 31, 34; 47:1, 4, 6, 11, 13-15, 20, 27-28; 48:3-5, 7, 12, 16, 21; 49:15, 30; 50:5, 7-8, 11, 13, 24.

[4]רוּחַ =breath, wind Genesis 1:2; 3:8; 6:3, 17; 7:15, 22; 8:1; 26:35; 41:8, 38; 45:27.

[5]בדל = separate Genesis 1:4, 6-7, 14, 18.

[6] זֶרָע = seed. Genesis 1:11, 12, 29; 3:15; 4:25; 7:3; 8:22; 9:9; 12:7; 13:15, 16; 15:3, 5, 13, 18; 16:10; 17:7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 19; 19:32, 34; 21:12, 13; 22:17, 18; 24:7, 60; 26:3, 4, 24; 28:4, 13, 14; 32:12; 35:12; 38:8, 9; 46:6, 7; 47:19, 23, 24; 48:4, 11, 19.

[7]מָשַׁל = influence, rule. Genesis 1:18; 3:16; 4:7; 24:2; 37:8; 45:8, 26.

[8]נֶפֶשׁ = throat. Genesis 1:20-21, 24, 30; 2:7, 19; 9:4-5, 10, 12, 15-16; 12:5; 14:21; 17:14; 19:17, 19-20; 23:8; 27:4; 32:30; 34:8; 35:18; 37:21; 42:21; 44:30; 46:18, 22, 25-27; 49:6.

[9] רֶמֶשׂ = moving thing. Genesis 1:24, 25, 26; 6:7, 20; 7:14, 23; 8:17, 19; 9:3.

[10] חַיָּה = living thing, living. Genesis 1:24, 25, 30; 2:19, 20; 3:1, 14; 7:14, 21; 8:1, 17, 19; 9:2, 5, 10; 37:20, 33.

[11] הִנֵּה = notice. Genesis 1:29, 31; 6:12, 13, 17; 8:11, 13; 9:9; 12:11, 19; 15:4, 12, 17; 16:2, 6, 11, 14; 17:4, 20; 18:2, 9, 10, 27, 31; 19:2, 8, 19, 20, 21, 28; 20:3, 15, 16; 22:1, 7, 11, 13, 20; 24:13, 15, 30, 43, 45, 51, 63; 25:24, 32; 26:8, 9; 27:1, 2, 6, 18, 36, 39, 42; 28:12, 13, 15; 29:2, 6, 25; 30:3; 31:2, 10, 11, 51; 32:18, 20; 33:1; 34:21; 37:7, 9, 13, 15, 19, 25, 29; 38:13, 23, 24, 27, 29; 40:6, 9, 16; 41:1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 29; 42:2, 13, 22, 27, 28, 35; 43:21; 44:16; 45:12; 46:2; 47:1; 48:1, 2, 4, 11, 21; 50:5, 18.

Genesis 1 quotes:

“The natural tendency of the universe is to go from order to chaos. The only way to move from chaos to order is to direct energy toward that task. And that’s exactly what we see in Genesis 1.”

David, Benjamin, ed. Seven Days, Many Voices: Insights into the Biblical Story of Creation. Central Conference of American Rabbis, 2017. p. 35.

“On the fourth day of creation (Genesis 1:14-19), we are given the comparison of day to night, and days to years. If the word “day” doesn’t mean an ordinary day, then the comparison of day to night and day to years becomes meaningless.”

Ham, Ken. A Pocket Guide to Six Days : How Long Were the Days in Genesis 1? Answers in Genesis, 2014. p. 13.

“Man, however, wants evidence. He wants God to explain to his satisfaction just how He did it, and will not accept the simple final statement of Genesis 1:1. While this first verse in the Bible is God’s final word on the origin of the universe, man’s perverted curiosity is not satisfied with God’s definitive statement, and so he seeks to invent his own idea for the origin of the universe, and comes up with a theory of evolution, which wholly or partially rules God out of His creation. Just as in the Garden of Eden, the question is still, ‘Will we believe God’s Word or the speculations of science, so called?’”

DeHaan, M. R. Genesis and Evolution. Zondervan, 1962. p. 13.

“There is a distinction in the text between the first three works of creation, which form the inanimate world, and the second five works of creation, which define the animate life placed within the world.”

Weaver, John. Earthshaping, Earthkeeping: A Doctrine of Creation. Lynx/SPCK, 1999. p. 31.

Genesis 1 links:

Maranatha Daily Devotional – Friday, January 1, 2021
Maranatha Daily Devotional – May 10, 2015
Maranatha Daily Devotional – May 11, 2015
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Monday, January 2, 2023
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Thursday, January 11, 2018
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Tuesday, January 1, 2019
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Maranatha Daily Devotional – Tuesday, October 1, 2024

GENESIS in Jeff’s library

HEZEKIAH’S CHOICE

HEZEKIAH’S CHOICE

2 Kings 19:1-4 NET.

¹ When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and went to the LORD’s temple. ² He sent Eliakim the palace supervisor, Shebna the scribe, and the leading priests, clothed in sackcloth, with this message to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz: ³ “This is what Hezekiah says: ‘This is a day of distress, insults, and humiliation, as when a baby is ready to leave the birth canal, but the mother lacks the strength to push it through. ⁴ Perhaps the LORD your God will hear all these things the chief adviser has spoken on behalf of his master, the king of Assyria, who sent him to taunt the living God. When the LORD your God hears, perhaps he will punish him for the things he has said. So pray for this remnant that remains.'”

The superpower during this time was the Assyrian Empire under King Sennacherib. The empire had already invaded the holy land and taken control of the entire northern kingdom, Israel. It had also captured all the fortified cities in Judah, except for Jerusalem itself. Sennacherib fully intended to complete the task and conquer Jerusalem as well. However, he first wanted to play with them a little. He sent his commanding general and chief adviser along with a taunting letter. The letter cautioned Judah not to rely on an alliance with Egypt to save them. It stated that they could not depend on Yahveh, the God of the Jews, either, since Yahveh had instructed Assyria to march against the land and destroy it.

While he was reading this letter, some officials in Judah asked the commanding general not to speak in Hebrew but to deliver his message in Aramaic. They were concerned that ordinary people would be discouraged by this news. However, the commanding general refused. He stated, “My master did not send me to speak these words only to your master and to you. His message is also for the men who sit on the wall, for they will eat their excrement and drink their urine along with you.” He proclaimed this message in Hebrew so everyone could hear it: “This is what the king says: ‘Don’t let Hezekiah mislead you, for he is not able to rescue you from my hand! Don’t let Hezekiah talk you into trusting in the LORD when he says, “The LORD will certainly rescue us; this city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.” Don’t listen to Hezekiah!’ For this is what the king of Assyria says, ‘Send me a token of your submission and surrender to me. Then each of you may eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his cistern, until I come and take you to a land just like your own — a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey. Then you will live and not die. Don’t listen to Hezekiah, for he is misleading you when he says, “The LORD will rescue us.” Have any of the gods of the nations actually rescued his land from the power of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Indeed, did any gods rescue Samaria from my power? Who among all the gods of the lands has rescued their lands from my power? So how can the LORD rescue Jerusalem from my power?”

The king of Judah at that time was Hezekiah. He was not a perfect man; in fact, the Bible records some of his failures. However, today’s passage focuses on a time when he and his city faced a terrible crisis, and he made the right choice. That is what I want to discuss this morning. The Bible recounts instances where the people of God faced insurmountable odds and emerged triumphant. These stories are God’s gift to us, guiding us in making the right choices. So, here is what I observe in today’s text.

What Hezekiah wore (1).

He tore his clothes and put on sackcloth, which is funeral attire. It is what someone wears when they are in deep mourning. Hezekiah ripped up his royal robe and donned the dress of the seriously afflicted. He did not strap on his sword and call his captains to battle. He understood that would not work. The enemy was too great, and he had no confidence that he could prevail. Now was not the time to pull himself up by his bootstraps. Now was not the time for a stirring speech to motivate his troops into battle. Now was the time for the king to serve as a representative of the people and appeal to a power greater than himself and more potent than his army.

The book of the prophet Jonah describes such a time. Jonah appeared to the Ninevites and proclaimed their impending destruction. The King of the Ninevites declared a fast and led his people to repent and seek God’s favor. That is not what Jonah wanted, but it is always what God desires. He does not wish for anyone to be destroyed; He wants everyone to repent. By the way, do you know what Nineveh was? It was the capital city of this same Assyrian empire. It was a large, evil, and violent city, but even Nineveh was not a lost cause. The lesson we learn from all this is that it does not matter who you are or what your reputation is. In times of crisis, the best choice is to humble yourself.

But there’s more. Look at where Hezekiah went (1).

He did not barricade himself in his palace. He did not lock himself in his royal panic room. Instead, he went into the temple courts. When all else fails – or, in this case, is about to fail – seek God. Cast your cares on the Lord because he cares for you. In times of trouble, seek God. In times of crisis, go to the Lord’s house.

Contact any medical facility in this area, and you will likely first encounter a recording. What does that recording say? The first thing you will probably hear is this: “If this is an emergency, hang up and dial 9-1-1.” Don’t waste time trying to get help from a clinic that isn’t equipped to provide the assistance you need. You need an ambulance. You need the police. You need firefighters. This is not a normal situation. This is a crisis that requires a first responder.

Hezekiah realized he had to go to God’s house. God was the only qualified first responder in this crisis. While all the fortified cities of Judah had walls, those walls could not stop the invasion of the Assyrian armies. Hezekiah understood that the walls of Jerusalem wouldn’t be sufficient. However, he recognized that Jerusalem possessed something none of the other cities had: the temple of Yahveh. God is present everywhere, but the symbol of His presence is located in a specific place in this city.

Notice also what Hezekiah said (3).

From his position in the temple courts, Hezekiah summoned his cabinet members: his chief of staff, Eliakim; his secretary, Shebna; and the leading priests. He gave them all the same instruction: to find Isaiah. The king had a message for Isaiah: Now is the time. The baby is ready, but the mother lacks the strength to give birth. Isaiah was the most prominent prophet of Yahveh during Hezekiah’s reign. King Hezekiah understood that he needed the Lord, so he went to the temple. He also recognized that he needed the word of the Lord, so he called for Isaiah. All he required was a message from God.

Notice what Hezekiah prayed (4).

He said, “Perhaps the LORD your God will hear all these things the chief adviser has spoken on behalf of his master, the king of Assyria, who sent him to taunt the living God. When the LORD your God hears, perhaps he will punish him for the things he has said. So pray for this remnant that remains.’

Hezekiah does not pray for the walls of Jerusalem to be strong enough to withstand Sennacherib’s army or for the defeat of the Assyrian Empire. Instead, he prays for two things: that God would punish Sennacherib for his blasphemy—his insult to God himself—and that God would help the remnant.

When Isaiah responds, his message goes beyond the specific requests that Hezekiah mentioned. We should not be surprised by this, as that is how God always works. He is able to do far more than we ask Him to do or even think of asking Him for (Ephesians 3:20). Hezekiah didn’t need to get all the wording of his prayer correct. What was important was that Hezekiah knew where to go and to whom to pray.

Isaiah sent back this message: “’This is what the LORD says: ‘Don’t be afraid because of the things you have heard — these insults the king of Assyria’s servants have hurled against me. Look, I will take control of his mind; he will receive a report and return to his land. I will cut him down with a sword in his land.”

That did happen, but it would occur many years later. It was the answer to Hezekiah’s prayer, but it did not lead to an immediate end to the siege. God took care of that problem as well, even though Hezekiah did not specifically pray for it at that time. In a later prayer, Hezekiah would say, “Yahveh, God of Israel, who is enthroned on the cherubs! You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the sky and the land. Pay attention, Yahveh, and hear! Open your eyes, Yahveh, and observe! Listen to the message Sennacherib sent and how he taunts the living God! It is true, Yahveh, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands. They have burned the gods of the nations, for they are not really gods, but only the product of human hands, manufactured from wood and stone. That is why the Assyrians could destroy them. Now, O Yahveh our God, rescue us from his power, so that all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you, Yahveh, are the only God.

In response to that prayer, the Lord halted Senacherib’s army without Judah firing a single shot. While the soldiers in the Assyrian camp were sleeping, an angel from God entered the camp and killed 185,000 of them. They broke camp the next day and returned to Nineveh.

If you visit London today, you can check out a museum housing a message penned by Sennacherib boasting about all his conquests. The message lists the nations he defeated. Notably absent from that list is any reference to his conquest of the great city of Jerusalem. The Bible explains why he stopped at that point. It was all due to a prayer.

I had mentioned at the beginning of today’s message that Hezekiah was not a perfect man. It is essential that we also understand where Hezekiah failed (ch. 20).

The Old Testament documents the people of God’s failures and successes. We must understand that even if God has used us in the past, we are not immune to making poor choices now. Chapter 20 recounts how a delegation from the King of Babylon visited Hezekiah. He welcomed them and treated them to a tour of his palace and all his treasures. That was not a wise decision.

Isaiah told Hezekiah that a time would come when everything in his palace and the belongings his ancestors had accumulated would be carried away to Babylon; nothing would remain. He mentioned that some of Hezekiah’s descendants would be taken captive and made eunuchs in the king of Babylon’s palace. Hezekiah replied that at least there would be peace during his lifetime.

We cannot afford to make choices that will lead to challenging times for our children and grandchildren. We cannot look around at all the blessings we have now and not think about the world in which our children and grandchildren will live.

On this day, as we celebrate the fathers among us, we must learn from the mistake Hezekiah made as a father. Fathers all over the planet are currently making the same error. They are befriending the enemy, not realizing that their children will bear the consequences of that friendship. A little accommodation here, a little compromise there, and they are creating a world that enslaves their children and grandchildren.

Some of you have not been blessed with a believing father. That is unfortunate. However, the real tragedy would be this: it would be a tragedy if your children do not experience the blessing of having a believing father. Our faith in Christ must be firm, built on the unshakable foundation of the word of God. We owe our children that legacy. We may not have a wealth of material possessions to leave them, but we must pass on that faith. If we fail them in this regard, nothing else will matter.

GEHAZI’S CHOICE

GEHAZI’S CHOICE

2 Kings 5:20-27 NET.

²⁰ Gehazi, the prophet Elisha’s servant, thought, “Look, my master did not accept what this Syrian Naaman offered him. As certainly as the LORD lives, I will run after him and accept something from him.”²¹ So Gehazi ran after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?” ²² He answered, “Everything is fine. My master sent me with this message, ‘Look, two servants of the prophets just arrived from the Ephraimite hill country. Please give them a talent of silver and two suits of clothes.”²³ Naaman said, “Please accept two talents of silver. He insisted and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, along with two suits of clothes. He gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them for Gehazi. ²⁴ When he arrived at the hill, he took them from the servants and put them in the house. Then he sent the men on their way. ²⁵ When he came and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” He answered, “Your servant hasn’t been anywhere.” ²⁶ Elisha replied, “I was there in spirit when a man turned and got down from his chariot to meet you. This is not the proper time to accept silver or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, cattle, and male and female servants. ²⁷ Therefore, Naaman’s skin disease will afflict you and your descendants forever!” When Gehazi went out from his presence, his skin was as white as snow.

One of my favorite movies is Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, where Indiana teams up with his father to track down the legendary holy grail. However, when they arrive at the spot where this treasure lies, their enemy, Walter Donovan, holds them at gunpoint and seeks the grail for himself. The ancient knight who has guarded the grail for centuries warns Donovan to choose wisely, but Donovan lunges for the shiniest gold chalice he can find. Confident that he has discovered the glorious treasure, he quickly fills it with water and drinks. For a moment, nothing seems to change. Then Donovan begins to age rapidly and violently, dying before everyone. That is when the ancient knight states without emotion, “He chose poorly.”

Last week, Penny preached about another man who made a poor choice. She spoke from 1 Kings 12 about Solomon’s son, Rehoboam. He was king over all Israel until he made one bad decision, resulting in most of his kingdom abandoning him. Life occasionally offers us choices. There is a song where the singer must decide whether to go right or left at Oak Street. It’s a simple choice, but the consequences will change everything. This theme of decision-making keeps appearing as we read about the kings of Israel and Judah. It isn’t just the kings who face choices; prophets, priests, and ordinary people do too.

On Wednesday, we read about Elijah on Mt. Carmel. The problem for the people in Elijah’s day was that they had a decision to make, but couldn’t come to a conclusion. Their decision involved which God they would serve. Yahveh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, rescued them, and they should have been serving Him. However, a new god had emerged. The Canaanites worshiped Baal, and the people wanted to follow the crowd. They didn’t want to be different. So, even though they had a history with Yahveh, they were tempted to serve Baal. Many new prophets had appeared—prophets of Baal—urging the people to make a change.

The problem was that the nation could not make a choice, so for a long time, the people remained divided. Elijah asked them, “How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision? If the LORD is the true God, then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” But the people did not say a word.

Elijah summoned King Ahab to gather all of Israel on Mt. Carmel, where he constructed two altars. One altar was built for Yahveh, and the other for Baal. They waited to see which God would send down fire to consume the bull on the altar. At one altar stood Elijah, while at the other stood 450 prophets of Baal. From a numerical perspective, the odds favored the prophets of Baal. But Elijah understood that God is sovereign; He will never be outnumbered. Following Him is always the right choice.

You know the story: The prophets of Baal yelled, jumped around, prayed, and cut themselves with daggers and swords until they were a bloody mess. But Baal did not show up. All afternoon, they waited. When it was Elijah’s turn, he ordered the altar of Yahveh to be doused with water three times. At the time of the evening offering, Elijah prayed, “O Yahveh God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Yahveh, answer me, so these people will know that you, Yahveh, are the true God and that you are winning back their allegiance.” Then fire from Yahveh fell from the sky. It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, “Yahveh is the true God! Yahveh is the true God!”

Today’s passage is from 2 Kings, chapter 5. At that time, Elijah’s successor, Elisha, was the prophet of Yahveh. The story of this chapter revolves around three men who had to make a choice. I want to talk about those three men, the choices they made, and the consequences of their choices.

Who was Naaman?

In 2 Kings 5:1, Naaman is identified as the commander of the King of Syria’s army. As most of you know, I was in the military. One of the things we learned in basic training is the ranking system to identify those in command. Officers in the army fall into three categories. The lowest category is company-grade officers, which include Second Lieutenants, First Lieutenants, and Captains. The next higher category is field-grade officers, which consist of Majors, Lieutenant Colonels, and Colonels. The highest category is general officers, which are Brigadier Generals (one star), Major Generals (two stars), Lieutenant Generals (three stars), and four-star Generals. Naaman would have held the highest rank, equivalent to a four-star general. The Bible says he “was esteemed and respected by his master, for through him the LORD had given Syria military victories.

But Naaman faced a challenge. He suffered from a skin disease, and it was more than just a minor annoyance. In those times, people believed that skin ailments indicated that a person was cursed. Naaman likely exhausted all the resources at his disposal to free himself from that affliction. Yet, the disease persisted.

The Syrians were oppressing the Israelites in many ways during those days. One thing they would do was launch raiding parties that would invade Israelite territory and capture people to make them their slaves. Naaman’s wife had an Israelite slave—a young girl. One day, Naaman’s wife was speaking to her slave about her husband’s disease. The young slave girl said, “If only my master were in the presence of the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his skin disease.”

Naaman, the king’s general, not only traveled to Israel but was also given a letter from the king that provided him protection and made his visit an official state occasion. He also went to the King of Israel with that letter and a considerable amount of loot. However, the King of Israel thought it was a trap, believing that Naaman was provoking him. But Elisha heard about this and told the king to send Naaman his way.

Who was Elisha?

Elisha was a great prophet who had been anointed by the prophet Elijah and had asked for double the spirit of that great prophet. The Lord answered that prayer. The Bible records seven great miracles performed by Elijah and fourteen great miracles performed by Elisha. Naaman came with horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. Elisha sent out a messenger who told him, “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan; your skin will be restored and you will be healed.” Naaman went away angry, saying, “Look, I thought for sure he would come out, stand there, invoke the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the area, and cure the skin disease. The rivers of Damascus, the Abana and Pharpar, are better than any of the waters of Israel! Could I not wash in them and be healed?” So he turned around and went away angry. His servants approached and said to him, “O master, if the prophet had told you to do some difficult task, you would have been willing to do it. It seems you should be happy that he said, “Wash and you will be healed.” So, he went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times, as the prophet had instructed. His skin became as smooth as a young child’s, and he was healed.

Naaman had a choice. He could have healing from the Lord, but it had to be on the Lord’s terms. Naaman chose wisely.

Not only was Elisha empowered by the Lord, but he also possessed the Lord’s wisdom. When Naaman approached Elisha, ready to express his gratitude with a gift (similar to the one he had given the king), Elisha declined. He refused to accept anything. Had he received the gift, Naaman would have perceived it as payment for the blessing, leaving no room for grace. Furthermore, according to the customs of that time, accepting the gift would have obligated Elisha to Naaman in the future.

Elisha allowed Naaman to bring back some dirt from Israel. Naaman believed that if he sacrificed his offerings over that dirt, it would be counted as a sacrifice to Yahveh. Elisha may not have thought that such a compromise would actually work. His only reply to Naaman was “Go in Peace.”

Elisha had a choice. He could represent the God of grace or pretend to be the power behind his ministry himself. Elisha chose wisely.

Who was Gehazi?

The title of today’s message comes from what happened next. After Naaman left, Elisha’s servant Gehazi thought that his master was wrong to refuse a gift from Naaman. He caught up with Naaman and lied to him, suggesting that Elisha really could use a gift. Naaman happily gave Gehazi twice what he asked for. But when Gehazi got back to his master, Elisha revealed that he knew what he had done.

Gehazi had a choice. He could either represent the God of grace or seek to satisfy his greed. Gehazi chose poorly. The consequence of that poor choice was that the skin disease that had afflicted Naaman now plagued Gehazi and his family forever. He had aimed to gain from Naaman, and he did gain. He gained Naaman’s pain and shame. Now, the name Gehazi is synonymous with greed. We don’t know about anything else that Gehazi did. His one choice irreparably altered his life.

The truth implied in today’s text is summarized in one of God’s titles. He is Yahveh Yireh, which you may have heard pronounced Jehovah Jireh. It means that the Lord is the provider. Gehazi—a servant of Elisha—had likely witnessed many miracles. However, he trusted Naaman’s money to get what he desired. His actions were driven by more than greed; he failed to trust God. This is where this story connects with us. We trust in God’s grace for our eternal salvation. Will we trust Him with the daily decisions we make? The same God who saved us wants us to follow Him. He desires for us to depend on Him.

At some point in the future, you and I will face a choice. The way of the Lord will lie before us, but we will also encounter a shortcut. We will have to choose between staying on the path God has given us or taking the shortcut to achieve what we desire. Our Savior encountered the same choice. The devil offered him all the kingdoms of the world without requiring him to die on the cross. Jesus rejected that shortcut, and that rejection was a victory over Satan and his lies. Therefore, when we confront temptation, we should remember Christ and Gehazi, trust God, and continue following his way.

Month: June 2025

Genesis 2

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HEZEKIAH’S CHOICE

GEHAZI’S CHOICE