Here is today’s lesson, which I have uploaded to this blog as a PDF:

Christians Should Study End-Times Prophecy

Matthew 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”

I have to say here that in modern times our society has forgotten what peace actually means. People think that peace is simply the absence of war, and that you get peace by being as non-threatening as possible. So when nation X starts doing terrible things and threatens to kill millions of people, peace activists tell everyone to drop their weapons, lay on the ground, and hope that nation X decides to do the right thing.

Real peace comes through victory, not through hoping that if the police lay down their guns the bad guys will become nice people. You can get peace through slavery too, and by allowing evil people to triumph, but that is the peace of death. Genuine peace is much harder to achieve, and few people are willing to pay the price to get it.

There are also peacemakers on a more personal level – those who take people caught up in disagreements and bring them back together again. This is highly valued.

Sadly, there are some people in this life who have learned how to become rich and powerful by dividing people and getting them to hate each other. They deliberately stir up strife because it enriches them and they can use it to their advantage. But God hates this. Those who cause strife may become rich, but God is against them and will judge them for it. Those who are peacemakers, however, will be called the children of God.

How He Became King: After his father Jeroboam died
When He Began Reigning: Uncertain
Reign Length: 6 months
Ruled Over: Israel
Type of King: Evil
Prophet: Uncertain
Death: Assassinated by Shallum
Burial: Unknown

Zachariah reigned over Israel for six months, and did evil:

2 Kings 15:8: “In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.
9 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.”

Zachariah’s reign was cut short when Shallum assassinated him and seized power:

2 Kings 15:10: “And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.”

This fulfilled God’s promise to Jehu that his descendents to the fourth generation would rule over Israel (2 Kings 15:12).

After Zachariah was dead, Shallum reigned over Israel.

Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

In our day – even in our churches – there is no particular love for holiness. People don’t place any value in being pure in heart. (Of course, in order to be pure in heart you must be saved, for there is no other way to be cleansed of you sin and have your heart changed.) The sad truth is that we like our sins and we like doing our own thing. Why submit yourself to God and accept a life of suffering, when you can forget God and do whatever your wicked heart desires? Holiness and obedience just aren’t that attractive.

But they are attractive to God. Jesus tells us here that the pure in heart will see God – and not to face endless wrath (which is the fate of the wicked) but to receive mercy and love. Those who refuse to repent and who take the easy way out in life will find eternal death and torment. Sin may seem like the smart choice right now, but that will quickly change when God decides that your time is up. Death changes everything.

Here is today’s lesson, which I have uploaded to this blog as a PDF:

The KJV Is The Best English Bible Translation

Matthew 5:7: “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”

This is another area where it seems like the faithful ones are the losers. The righteous show mercy to others, but many times they get nothing in return. They are faithful, while the people around them are unfaithful and take advantage of them. Someone may run over your leg and then say they’re sorry, but your leg is still broken. You must forgive him, but you’ve still lost the use of your leg. Mercy is expensive; its cost is born by the innocent party.

But it is not all as it seems. As Jesus said, the merciful are blessed because they will obtain mercy. In other words, God will forgive those who forgive others. Others may sin against us, but we have sinned against God – and that has very serious consequences. Those who are merciful will be treated with mercy.

It’s also worth noting that God has promised to be harsh and cruel to those who are harsh and cruel. He will be good to those who were good, and He will be hard with those who were hard. It is far better to be forgiving and receive forgiveness from God, than to be harsh and cruel and face God’s eternal wrath.

How He Became King: After his father Joash died
When He Began Reigning: Uncertain
Reign Length: 41 years
Ruled Over: Israel
Type of King: Evil
Prophet: Jonah
Death: Uncertain
Burial: Unknown

After Joash died, Jeroboam reigned over Israel for 41 years. He did evil in the sight of the Lord:

2 Kings 14:23: “In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.
24 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.”

During Jeroboam’s reign the land of Israel was greatly afflicted. Because of this affliction God granted him military victories, as was spoken by the prophet Jonah:

2 Kings 14:25: “He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.”

The reason the Lord did this was because He saw that Israel was greatly oppressed and there was no one to help them:

2 Kings 14:26: “For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.
27 And the Lord said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.”

After Jeroboam died, Zachariah his son ruled over Israel.

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Matthew 5:6: “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”

There are many who people do not desire righteousness; in fact, they are quite happy to remain sinners. They enjoy their sins and have no desire to depart from them. The very idea of asking for forgiveness or changing their life is appalling to them! They would never dream of doing such a thing, because that would mean giving up their sins – and they love their sins too much to ever turn from them. These people are blind to the fact that their sins are dragging them down to Hell, where they will be tormented with fire for all of eternity. Their sins may seem like a lot of fun right now, but in the end they will result in eternal agony.

But the Lord has promised that those who do hunger for holiness – those who are sorry for their sins and desperately want to be freed from them – will find righteousness. Their request will be granted and Christ will turn them into a holy people. This hunger – this desire to be righteous – is a blessing, because those who have that desire will have it fulfilled. All those who come to Christ, believing on Him and desiring forgiveness and mercy, will be given holiness and righteousness. Christ will not turn away anyone who comes to Him in humility, desiring mercy.

Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will find it.

Here is today’s lesson, which I have uploaded to this blog as a PDF:

God Created The World In Six Days

Matthew 5:5: “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”

This is another passage of tremendous comfort! So many times in life it seems that the faithful are the real losers in life – they suffer and are hurt while the faithless go on to reap all the benefits. The wicked persecute the righteous, and all too often it seems that they get away with it.

But Jesus says that things are not as they seem. Those who mourn will be comforted, but those who oppress others will mourn. Those who are meek – who in this life are trampled upon and get run over – are the ones who will one day inherit the Earth. They will inherit not just any place, but this place – this planet of ours. The faithful may seem to be losers now, but when the Lord returns that will all change. In that day the faithless will be the ones who miss out, while the faithful will inherit the Earth and delight themselves in an abundance of peace. In that day no one will be tormenting the meek, or stealing from them, or causing them pain. They will finally be at peace – and the world will be theirs.

How He Became King: After his father Jehoahaz died
When He Began Reigning: Uncertain
Reign Length: 16 years
Ruled Over: Israel
Type of King: Evil
Prophet: Elisha
Death: Uncertain
Burial: Buried in Samaria

Joash became king after his father Jehoahaz died. He ruled Israel for 16 years, and did evil:

2 Kings 13:10: “In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years.
11 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord; he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin: but he walked therein.”

During his reign, Elisha fell sick and the king came to visit him:

2 Kings 13:14: “Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.”

While Joash was there, Elisha told him to shoot arrows into the ground. The prophet explained that the arrows represented military victories over Syria. When the king only shot three arrows, Elisha became angry with him:

2 Kings 13:17: “And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.
18 And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.
19 And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.”

Elisha then died (2 Kings 13:20). Just as Elisha had foretold, Joash defeated the Syrians three times:

2 Kings 13:25: “And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities, which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash beat him, and recovered the cities of Israel.”

When Joash died, he was buried in Samaria:

2 Kings 13:13: “And Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat upon his throne: and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.”

His son Jeroboam then became king over Israel.

Matthew 5:4: “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”

This seems like an odd verse, but it needs to be coupled with the rest of what Christ said. Jesus contrasts those who mourn now with those who oppress others and live comfortable lives. It is often true that the righteous suffer and are beaten down while those who hate God lead wealthy, peaceful lives. The faithful lose and are in pain, while the faithless reap a harvest that is not theirs.

Jesus said that the blessed ones (and this should not be forgotten!) are not the oppressors, but the righteous who are being oppressed. Those who mourn are actually much better off than those who are causing the mourning. Why? Because God has promised to comfort those who mourn. They will not always mourn, because one day God will put an end to all evil and will stamp out those who oppress the meek. In that day those who mourn will be comforted, while those who oppress others will be in tremendous agony – but no one will ever comfort them.

Here is today’s lesson, which I have uploaded to this blog as a PDF:

Most People In The Visible Church Are Not Christians

Matthew 5:3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Those who are poor in spirit – who see themselves as small and God as big – are highly valued in the eyes of God. In fact, no one will ever enter Heaven who says “I don’t need God; I’m good enough as it is. In fact, God owes me!” We must be poor in spirit to even approach Him, and we must approach Him as one who has nothing to offer and is in desperate need. We aren’t doing God a favor; we’re sinners, in desperate need of forgiveness and grace. We cannot live without Him. He is everything!

For those who do humble themselves, repent, and seek mercy from the grace of God, He grants mercy and forgiveness. In fact, He will give us more than that – He grants us a kingdom. The kingdom of Heaven is not filled with arrogant, self-righteous people, but with the lowly of the world – with people who are looking to Jesus. Christianity is not about being independent; it’s about being lowly and wholly dependent upon Jesus.