SCRIPTURE: 1 Kings 15
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Nevertheless, for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong. [1 Kings 15:4] Again and again we hear that, for David’s sake, God always keeps hope alive for a better future – a lamp in Jerusalem. This is figurative language, meaning that no matter how bleak things got, there was always hope… because of David and God’s promise to Him.
It is this hope that kept the faithful remnant going through the darkest periods of Israel’s history. Even until the time of Jesus, this hope kept people going: There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. [Luke 2:36-38]
Jesus said, ‘I will build my church’. No matter how bleak things become, no matter how far the church and her leaders seem to go off course, like Anna, we can keep our eyes open for the ‘lamp’, the glimmer of hope. God stands behind Jesus’, they will fulfill their plan! Having studied church history we can see that there are many times when things get bad. As in the days of the kings of Israel, the leaders themselves ‘prostitute’ themselves to worldly desire and ambition, even participating in corrupt practices and cruel governments. But no matter how bleak or dark things become, for the sake of Jesus (the son of David), God keeps a lamp of hope going. Somewhere in the darkness, there is always a glimmer of hope.
Both Simeon and Anna waited with hope, even though Israel and Jerusalem were in bondage to Rome. And their eyes got to see the Child of Light, the promise of hope.
What I take home from this is that the church will always rise and fall like the tide, from good to bad to ugly, and good again. But our hope does not lie in the faithfulness of the church, but in the faithfulness of God, and His appointed Ruler, Jesus Christ. He will build His church, and the gates of hell WILL NOT prevail against it!
PRAYER:
Lord, thank You for this encouragement. Thank You for reminding me of Your faithfulness. Help me to be like Asa, like David, loyal and true to You!
Father, all of my hope is in You. With all the destruction and evil in this world it would be so easy to give up, to say “it is just no use!” BUT, I lift my eyes up, to the heavens, and know where my help comes from. My help comes from You, Maker of heaven, Creator of the earth. Oh, how I need You LORD, You are my only hope, You’re my only prayer; so, I will wait for You to come and rescue me, come and give me life.
Thank You LORD for reminding me yet again, that no matter what, You have given me the promise of hope. LORD, help me I pray to pass this hope on to others today, to be a vessel of Your unending, unfailing hope. Keep a light in the window of my heart that I might be a lamp in Your Kingdom.