ESOCS Devotional 15 November 2022
TEXT: 1 KINGS 3:5-14
MEMORY VERSE: “And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. 1 Kings 3:8
0 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. 12 When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted lace ”
At this time in the history of Israel, God had begun to fulfill His promises to Abraham. In Genesis 15:5, He had said to him, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them …So shall your descendants be.” In Genesis 22:17, His promise was: “blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.”Later, He reinforced these promises and glorified Abraham’s status thus: “And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 26:4). This last promise was fulfilled in Christ Jesus our Lord. Galatians 3:8 says, “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.””
At the time of Solomon, Israel became a great nation after her military might had been consolidated during the reign of King David. The nation prospered materially and extended its clout and commerce to extensive frontiers in the reign of Solomon, the wisest king that has ever lived. However, what have they done with that grace in their relationship with the God of their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?
It would have been quite beautiful, if Israel was great in the true worship of the Only True God (John 17:3) whose name alone is JEHOVAH (Ps. 83:18). But Israel became something else! She went wanton with all sorts of rebellion against God. She went deep into idolatry, immorality, and unbridled abominations. God said to Ezekiel concerning them, “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to me…” (Ezek. 22:18).
Many people are like the Israelites in this thing. God promised us greatness in His word and fulfilled it to us through Christ at His acceptable time; for our sufficiency is in Him who is our all in all. 2 Corinthians 3:5 says, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.” Many have corrupted themselves and have turned away from Him in many ways; and they became something else different from what God wanted them to be. Lamentations La 4:1 & 2 says, “How the gold has become dim! How changed the fine gold! …. The precious sons of Zion, valuable as fine gold, how they are regarded as clay pots, the work of the hands of the potter!”
What have we done with His grace that was given to us in Christ Jesus our Lord? Let us think again and ensure that we are on the right path to glory; and let us not be like the Israelites who always turned their back against God.
CHALLENGES
- Do you find it difficult to remain steadfast with God? If so, why?
PRAYERS
- Pray for the grace to continue and finish the Christian race.
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
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ESOCS Devotional 15 November 2022
