We continue our study of the Old Testament and this month we dedicate to the Book of Kings.
No one knows who wrote the Book of Kings. The author’s name is not given, and internal evidence offers no suggestion about who that person might be. Various suggestions have been made. Early Jewish tradition held that Jeremiah was the author. Jeremiah 52 repeats 2 Kings 24:18-25:31; since there is reference to what happened during the exile, and Jeremiah lived during that time, he wrote Kings. Jeremiah, however, was taken to Egypt (Jer. 43:6). What seems more likely is that the writer of Kings and the writer of Jeremiah used the same original source. It has also been suggested that Isaiah wrote Kings, because Isaiah 36-39 and 2 Kings 18:13-20:19 recount the same events. This view is difficult to support because Isaiah lived before the exile of Judah occurred.
The Book of Kings is prophetic history. This means that as spoken prophecy conveys the mind, will, and word of the Lord, so also these historical writings convey the mind, will, and word of the Lord. This is why the Book of Kings was included traditionally in the category of Former Prophets. The intent of the writer is not to give a history of the people of Israel, of their kingdoms and kings, of international relationships and involvements. Neither is it the writer’s intent to present a historical account of the temple or the Israelites’ worship of the Lord and their attitudes toward local deities. The intent of the inspired writer is to reveal that the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth, of all people and in a specific way of Israel, is working out his divine plan. He repeatedly refers to this revealed will and plan of the Lord as nations, kings, and people are evaluated.
Why must we forgive? Jesus was unequivocal on this point: As his followers, we are required to forgive those who sin against us (Matthew 6:15). But what if we don’t feel like we’ve forgiven them? How do we know, then, if we have truly forgiven? The Holy Spirit, thank God, often enables people to forgive even though they are not sure how they did it. But forgiving and knowing that we’ve truly forgiven, comes easier when we understand the realities of forgiveness. In our discussion of this subject, we give your prospective from the New Testament point of view.
We continue our research of great preachers of the past. July, we dedicate to Charles Finney (1792-1875). One of his greatest sermons was about sin.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish
but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).Sin is the most expensive thing in the universe. Nothing else can cost so much. Pardoned or unpardoned, its cost is infinitely great. Pardoned, the cost falls chiefly on the great atoning Substitute; unpardoned, it must fall on the head of the guilty sinner. The existence of sin is a fact everywhere experienced- everywhere observed. There is sin in our race everywhere, and in awful aggravation. Sin is the violation of an infinitely important law-a law designed and adapted to secure the highest good of the universe. Obedience to this law is naturally essential to the good of creatures. Without obedience there could be no blessedness even in heaven.
As sin is a violation of a most important law, it cannot be treated lightly. No government can afford to treat disobedience as a trifle, in as much as everything – the entire welfare of the government and of all the governed – turns upon obedience. Just in proportion to the value of the interests at stake is the necessity of guarding law and of punishing disobedience.The law of God must not be dishonored by anything He shall do. It has been dishonored by the disobedience of man; hence, the more need that God should stand by it, to retrieve its honor. The utmost dishonor is done to law by disowning, disobeying, and despising it. All this, sinning man has done. Hence, this law being not only good, but intrinsically necessary to the happiness of the governed, it becomes of all things most necessary that the lawgiver should vindicate his law. He must by all means do it.
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