Everything

Manasseh [Hezekiah’s son] led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites. (2 Chronicles 33:9, NIV 1984).

My Musings – “More evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.” Hard to imagine, right? We don’t have to imagine. “He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, ‘My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever.’ In both courts of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced sorcery, divination and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, provoking him to anger.” (2 Chronicles 33:1-6, NIV 1984).

That’s quite a list. But wait, there’s more. “He took the carved image he had made and put it in God’s temple, of which God had said to David and to his son Solomon, ‘In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever. I will not again make the feet of the Israelites leave the land I assigned to your forefathers, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them concerning all the laws, decrees and ordinances given through Moses.'” (2 Chronicles 33:7-8, NIV 1984).

This is not evil forced upon Judah from the outside. It was evil invited inside. First by the shepherds of Israel, but ultimately infecting and leading “the people of Jerusalem astray.” No wonder that Judah (and Israel before it) would fall, and God’s temple fall. Carried into captivity, “[making] the feet of the Israelites leave the land [God] assigned to [their] forefathers.” Why? Because they were not “careful to do everything [God] commanded them concerning all the laws, decrees and ordinances given through Moses.“

My Advice – “Everything.” What hope does that give to anyone? If that is our only hope, then none at all. For, “all who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’ Clearly no one is justified before God by the law.” (Galatians 3:10-11, NIV 1984).

“What, then, was the purpose of the law? The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.” (Galatians 3:19, 24, NIV 1984). And why, then, “to Christ?” Because it was “Christ [who] redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree [cross].'” (Galatians 3:13, NIV 1984).

So, we have two choices. By the law (by our “good” life), or by faith (in His good life’).

As for the law – “No one is justified before God by the law.” This is not a “better than most people” proposition. Because it is not about “[most] everything written in the Book of the Law.” It is about “everything written in the Book of the Law.” No one, means no one, unless it is the One. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23, NIV 1984).

As for faith – “But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” (Romans 3:21-22, NIV 1984). Three things. First, “apart from the law,” which justifies no one. Second, “through faith” (not by works) to the only one who ever lived that was without sin, and who willingly laid down His life for us in order to “[redeem] us from the curse of the law.” Third, “no one” through keeping the law, becomes “all” “through faith in Jesus Christ.”

“[John] saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.” (Revelation 20:12, NIV 1984). How do you want to be judged? By the Book of the Law (“no one is justified“), or the Book of Life (“all who believe“)? I think you know what I would advise.

“If anyone’s name [is] not found written in the book of life, he [will be] thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15, NIV 1984).