Ironworks

  This is an older post that never was published from last October.    I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 13:3  Fifteen years ago next month a young man named Shannon Hoon died of an accidental drug overdose at the age of 28. If the name is not familiar to you, then perhaps you know the name of the band he fronted, Blind Melon. The band was most famous for the song "No Rain,” which blew up in 1993 and led to much success for their freshman self-titled album. However, as his band enjoyed this success, Mr. Hoon fought addiction of both alcohol and harder drugs, namely cocaine. One morning his band mates found him unresponsive on their tour bus. This story is so very sad but is often repeated, especially among the young, rich, and famous. What is even more telling is that Mr. Hoon desired to change, one of the less known songs he wrote is entitled as such. He wanted to stop and so he went to rehab. He wanted to be a better father, but he wou

        In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Set thy house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto Jehovah, saying, Remember now, O Jehovah, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.  2 Kings 20:1-3              How many times do we neglect the power of prayer? It is quite evident that the Calvinist has no need to pray for a couple of reasons. First, the Lord will not hear his prayer (cf. Is. 59:1-9, Ps. 66:18; Jam 4:2-4, Prov. 28:9, 15:29). Second, prayer would have no purpose for someone that believes everything that will come to pass has been willed by God beforehand ( everything happens for a reason ). However, in God’s Word, we see that   the prayer of the faithful can be a prayer that seeks to change God’s mind. One s

  And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison. Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away unto Assyria, and placed them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. 2 Kings 17:4-6                   When it all comes to an end, who will be holding the reins? Is the failure of a nation, a kingdom, an institution all 100% the responsibility of the one who sits in charge at the time of failure? Simply put, the answer is no. Hoshea, the king of Israel, is just a symptom of the greater illness that infected the Northern kingdom from its inception, apostasy. Hoshea was one who did evil in the sight of the Lord

          In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maacah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria. 30 And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.   2 Kings 15:29-30                   I like movies where the villain’s plans are frustrated by the only good guy around. There is something invigorating about the triumph of good over evil. Pekah the king of Israel was evil.   In addition to the account here in 2 Kings 15, we also have some information about him in the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 7:1-9; 8:1-8 tell us of Pekah’s intention to replace Ahaz the king of Judah with another who would be more favorable to Pekah’s ideals. However, the Lord stood in his way through the prophet Isaiah.                  

  In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin. And Pekah the son of Remaliah, his captain, conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the castle of the king's house, with Argob and Arieh; and with him were fifty men of the Gileadites: and he slew him, and reigned in his stead.  2 Kings 15:23-25                  Pekahiah the King of Israel reigned only two years. In that time, he did evil just as his predecessors. This is not surprising because he is but one in a long succession of evil kings. Like Shallum, there is not much said about Pekahiah. His reign was pretty insignificant in the books of history. He was evil and he was killed by a group of associates in a coup. He becomes like so many others even today.                  Everyo