EXECUTIVE OBLIGATION-I—Deuteronomy 17:14-20
Attention:
Tuesday is Election Day
Those for whom we vote have a(n) Obligation/Commitment/Responsibility/Duty to their constituency, which sounds noble. Many, if not most, enter office with noble purposes in mind. But are they really prepared?
As is the king, so shall the people be.
“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”—Prov. 29:18
“Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.”—Prov. 29:18
Moses gave exhortation regarding the dutiful obligation of Israel’s king for the people’s freedom to serve God.
Executive leadership should & can be dutifully obligated to God’s people.
How should executive leadership obligate itself to God’s people?
8 obligations for executive leadership of God’s people.
1—Executive leadership is obligated to Freedom from...
FRATERNIZATION/(:15)with the enemy
Explanation:(:15)Toward Self-identity/Globalization
:14—“When you come to the land which the LORD your God is giving you, & possess it & dwell in it, & say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’
Israel will enter the land promised to them by YHWH their God. God is in fact, at the very moment of Moses’ informing them, “giving” it to them. Thus what all Israel is doing now(at this statement) is already a part of the process of their being “given” the land as well as their reception of it.
The “land” is intended by God for Israel as their “possession.” As right “possessors” of “the land” thus they are expected to “dwell in it.”
It is foretold Israel that, as a nation, they will determine to “set a king over” themselves in the same manner & custom as “the nations” with which they share borders. Though such an action will be detrimental to their relationship with God(1Sam. 8:4-10ff.), God speaks of it as an existing viable presence. It is only a matter of time before Israel chooses to “set their king.”
Kingship implies many things—Sovereignty(determination of right/wrong), Counsel, Respect, Servitude, etc.
1Sam. 8:4-10“Then all the elders of Israel gathered together & came to Samuel at Ramah, & said to him, “Look, you are old, & your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. “According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day--with which they have forsaken Me & served other gods--so they are doing to you also. “Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, & show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.” So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked him for a king.”
“Giving”(See :15—“Put/Set/Place”)—Ntn naw-than’—Qal Participle Active—1) To give, put, set—1a) (Qal)—1a1) To give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend, 1a2) To put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate, 1a3) To make, constitute. Strong—a primitive root; To give, used with greatest latitude of application---(Put, make, etc.).
“Possess”—vry yaw-rash’—Qal Perfect—1) To seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir. Strong—a primitive root; To occupy (by driving out previous tenants, & possessing in their place); by implication---To seize, to rob, to inherit; also--To expel, to impoverish, to ruin.
“Dwell”—bvy yaw-shab’—Qal Perfect—1) To dwell, remain, sit, abide. Strong—a primitive root; properly--To sit down(specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication--To dwell, to remain; causatively--To settle, to marry.
“Set”(See :15; :18—“Sits”)—Mws soowm—Qal Imperfect—1) To put, place, set, appoint, make. Strong—a primitive root; To put(used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, & elliptically).
“Like”—rva ash-er’—Relative pronoun—1) (relative particle)—1a) Which, who, 1b) That which; 2) (conj.)—2a) That (in obj clause), 2b) When, 2c) Since, 2d) As, 2e) Conditional if. Strong—a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender & number); Who, which, what, that; also(as an adverb & a conjunction)--When, where, how, because, in order that, etc..
“Nations”—Mywg gowy-eem’—N. m.—1) Nation, people—1a) Nation, people, 1b) Of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.). N. Pr. m.—1c) Goyim? = “nations.” Strong—apparently from the same root as hwg gay-vaw’[The back, i.e. by extensive--The person] (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also--figuratively--A troop of animals, or a flight of locusts.
:15—“you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.”
Though establishment of “a king” over Israel is against God’s desire, He nevertheless places restrictions upon their choice for “king,” knowing they would desire one & thus set one.
A)Their “king” would necessarily be one “whom the LORD your God chooses.” Rather than relying upon their own sin-tainted abilities, they are to be lead by God Himself. If the Lord’s man is chosen, then the people have great potential to prosper under the leadership of the Lord...
*This scenario does not discount the continual effects of sin in any human—even if he is one chosen by God! Consider Saul, the 1st king of Israel...
1Sam. 10:17-25—“Then Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah, & said to the children of Israel, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, & delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians & from the hand of all kingdoms & from those who oppressed you.’ “But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities & your tribulations; & you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes & by your clans.” And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him, he could not be found. Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, “Has the man come here yet?” And the LORD answered, “There he is, hidden among the equipment.” So they ran & brought him from there; & when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” So all the people shouted & said, “Long live the king!” Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty, & wrote it in a book & laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.”
Yet Saul was not dedicated to God as he should have been...
1Sam. 15:12-24—“So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul went to Carmel, & indeed, he set up a monument for himself; & he has gone on around, passed by, & gone down to Gilgal.” Then Samuel went to Saul, & Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD.” But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, & the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep & the oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; & the rest we have utterly destroyed.” Then Samuel said to Saul, “Be quiet! And I will tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak on.” So Samuel said, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the LORD anoint you king over Israel? “Now the LORD sent you on a mission, & said, ‘Go, & utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, & fight against them until they are consumed.’ “Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, & do evil in the sight of the LORD?” And Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, & gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me, & brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. “But the people took of the plunder, sheep & oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.” Then Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings & sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity & idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.” Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD & your words, because I feared the people & obeyed their voice.”
B)Israel’s “king” is to arise from their own midst. No one is to be granted sovereign(royal) authority from outside the confines of Israel’s own boundaries. Their “king” is to be a native Israelite & not a “foreigner.” He must be considered a “brother” in the same manner that all Israel is considered “brother” to one another.
Thus no matter how compelling it may be to accept a proven & powerful leader of another nation, Israel is not to allow themselves to be swayed to come under such control with its subsequent influence. Neither might nor charisma nor possessions nor wealth, etc. are to tempt Israel to search outside themselves for those who will ultimately determine policy & lead in it.
Conquerors & their appointees would enter Israel with no love for the people. Their only desire would be to bleed the people of possessions considered valuable in the world market.
America must live & operate as a separate entity(country). Our belief system & our resulting values are different from those of other nations. However they are similar to those of some nations(with which we are strong allies). Those who appreciate everything that is tied to our belief system & values are welcome to commit to them fully participating as officially recognized citizens.
We should never deny ourselves/Christians/God’s people their God-ordained autonomy(calling/right of self-government)!
One’s Allegiance matters!
Argumentation:
Ps. 2:1-12—“Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD & against His Anointed, saying, “Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The LORD shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.” “I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, & I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’” Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
Deut. 7:6—“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.”
2Cor. 6:11-7:1—“O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open. Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons & daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.” Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh & spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
Illustration:
Shortly after Barak Obama became president in 2008, his being a Native U.S. citizen was questioned by some, calling into question his eligibility for the office of US Presidency/This, in turn, called into question his intentions for our country as a whole/His leadership would be compromised as his true allegiances would lie elsewhere/FRATERNIZATION
General U.S. policy/‘We don’t negotiate with terrorists’/Freedom from FRATERNIZATION
Application:
?Executive Leadership obligated itself to Freedom from FRATERNIZATION?
?Executive Leadership obligated itself to your freedom?
2—Executive leadership is obligated to Freedom from...
Earthly RELIANCE or DEPENDENCE(:16)
Explanation:(:16)Tyranny/Puppet
:16—“ “But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’ ”
C)The king of Israel is not to take advantage of his position(sovereign power) by accumulating possessions for himself. Particularly the king was not to personally acquire “horses.”
Why would this practice be a detriment to Israel? “Horses” in particular, signified riches &/or military resources. “Horses” were a technological & political advantage, reliance upon which would, deny God’s power. Accumulation of “horses” signaled a reliance upon fleshly/earthly resources rather than direct reliance upon God.
Josh. 11:1-9—“And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor heard these things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, to the king of Achshaph, & to the kings who were from the north, in the mountains, in the plain south of Chinneroth, in the lowland, & in the heights of Dor on the west, to the Canaanites in the east & in the west, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite in the mountains, & the Hivite below Hermon in the land of Mizpah. So they went out, they & all their armies with them, as many people as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with very many horses & chariots. And when all these kings had met together, they came & camped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel. But the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow about this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses & burn their chariots with fire.” So Joshua & all the people of war with him came against them suddenly by the waters of Merom, & they attacked them. And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who defeated them & chased them to Greater Sidon, to the Brook Misrephoth, & to the Valley of Mizpah eastward; they attacked them until they left none of them remaining. So Joshua did to them as the LORD had told him: he hamstrung their horses & burned their chariots with fire.”
2Sam. 8:3-4—“David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his territory at the River Euphrates. David took from him one thousand chariots, seven hundred horsemen, & twenty thousand foot soldiers. Also David hamstrung all the chariot horses, except that he spared enough of them for one hundred chariots.”
“Egypt” was a major supplier of the ‘best’ horses! An economy built around free trade with ones former captors/enslavers would be questionable at best. The economy of the land God was giving Israel, was not to be dependent upon other nations. This practice would eventually bring about an unwelcome & unacceptable “return to Egypt,” which Israel had been instructed never to do. They had left Egypt once by the mighty hand of God, thus to return there—in any way shape or form—would be not only ludicrous but blasphemous as well.
“The use of these animals was not absolutely prohibited, nor is there any reason to conclude that they might not be employed as part of the state equipage.”—JFB
1Kgs. 10:28-29—“Also Solomon had horses imported from Egypt & Keveh; the king’s merchants bought them in Keveh at the current price. Now a chariot that was imported from Egypt cost six hundred shekels of silver, & a horse one hundred & fifty; & thus, through their agents, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites & the kings of Syria.”
“But/Altogether/Moreover/However”—qr rak—Adverb—1) Only, altogether, surely. Strong—properly--Leanness, i.e. figuratively--Limitation; only adverbial--Merely, or conjunctional--Although.
“Multiply/Acquire many”2X(See :17)—hbr raw-baw’—Hiphil(causative) Imperfect—1) Be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous. Strong—a primitive root; To increase (in whatever respect).
“Horses”2X—owo soos—1) Swallow, swift; 2) Horse—2a) Chariot horses. Strong—from an unused root meaning to skip(properly--for joy); A horse(as leaping); also--A swallow(from its rapid flight).
“People”—Me am—1) Nation, people—1a) People, nation, 1b) Persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men; 2) Kinsman, kindred. Strong—A people(as a congregated unit); specifically--A tribe(as those of Israel); hence (collectively)--Troops or attendants; figuratively--A flock.
“Return”2X—bwv shoowb—Hiphil Imperfect—1) To return, turn back—1d) (Hiphil) To cause to return, bring back—1d1) To bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment, 1d2) To bring back, refresh, restore, 1d3) To bring back, report to, answer, 1d4) To bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense), 1d5) To turn back or backward, repel, defeat, repulse, hinder, reject, refuse, 1d6) To turn away (face), turn toward, 1d7) To turn against, 1d8) To bring back to mind, 1d9) To show a turning away 1d10) to reverse, revoke. Strong—a primitive root; To turn back(hence--Away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively(not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally--To retreat; often adverbial--Again.
“Egypt”—Myrum Mits-rah'-yim—Egypt = “Land of the Copts”—Egyptians = “Double straits.” Strong—dual of rwum maw-tsowr’[ The same as rwum[ Something hemming in, i.e. objectively--A mound(of besiegers), abstractly--A siege, figuratively--Distress; or subjectively--A fastness] in the sense of a limit; Egypt (as the border of Palestine);
“Said”—rma aw-mar’—Qal Perfect—1) To say, speak, utter—1a) (Qal) To say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend. Strong—a primitive root; To say(used with great latitude).
“Way”—Krd deh'-rek—1) Way, road, distance, journey, manner. Strong—A road(as trodden); figuratively--A course of life or mode of action, often adverb.
“Again”—Poy yaw-saf'—1) To add, increase, do again. Strong—a primitive root; To add or augment(often adverbial--To continue to do a thing).
Argumentation:
Jer. 2:13-31—“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns--broken cisterns that can hold no water. “Is Israel a servant? Is he a homeborn slave? Why is he plundered? The young lions roared at him, & growled; They made his land waste; His cities are burned, without inhabitant. Also the people of Noph & Tahpanhes Have broken the crown of your head. Have you not brought this on yourself, In that you have forsaken the LORD your God When He led you in the way? And now why take the road to Egypt, To drink the waters of Sihor? Or why take the road to Assyria, To drink the waters of the River? Your own wickedness will correct you, And your backslidings will rebuke you. Know therefore & see that it is an evil & bitter thing That you have forsaken the LORD your God, And the fear of Me is not in you,” Says the Lord GOD of hosts. “For of old I have broken your yoke & burst your bonds; And you said, ‘I will not transgress,’ When on every high hill & under every green tree You lay down, playing the harlot. Yet I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality. How then have you turned before Me Into the degenerate plant of an alien vine? For though you wash yourself with lye, & use much soap, Yet your iniquity is marked before Me,” says the Lord GOD. “How can you say, ‘I am not polluted, I have not gone after the Baals’? See your way in the valley; Know what you have done: You are a swift dromedary breaking loose in her ways, A wild donkey used to the wilderness, That sniffs at the wind in her desire; In her time of mating, who can turn her away? All those who seek her will not weary themselves; In her month they will find her. Withhold your foot from being unshod, & your throat from thirst. But you said, ‘There is no hope. No! For I have loved aliens, & after them I will go.’ “As the thief is ashamed when he is found out, So is the house of Israel ashamed; They & their kings & their princes, & their priests & their prophets, Saying to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ And to a stone, ‘You gave birth to me.’ For they have turned their back to Me, & not their face. But in the time of their trouble They will say, ‘Arise & save us.’ But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, If they can save you in the time of your trouble; For according to the number of your cities Are your gods, O Judah. Why will you plead with Me? You all have transgressed against Me,” says the LORD. “In vain I have chastened your children; They received no correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets Like a destroying lion. O generation, see the word of the LORD! Have I been a wilderness to Israel, Or a land of darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are lords; We will come no more to You’?”
Zech. 4:1-7—“Now the angel who talked with me came back & wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. And he said to me, “What do you see?” So I said, “I am looking, & there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, & on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl & the other at its left.” So I answered & spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?” Then the angel who talked with me answered & said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” So he answered & said to me: “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts. ‘Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’”
Illustration:
The U.S. has a dependence & reliance upon foreign oil(from many nations)/We are the largest users of it in the entire world/Thus we are putty in the hands of those who can supply our need/Regardless of belief systems we readily shift our alliances in order to feed out habit, gobbling-up the cheapest oil even to our detriment!/Earthly RELIANCE/DEPENDENCE
Application:
?Executive Leadership obligated itself to Freedom from Earthly RELIANCE/DEPENDENCE?
?Executive Leadership obligated itself to your freedom?
3—Executive leadership is obligated to Freedom from...
A SPIRITUAL MARKETPLACE/Smorgasbord MENTALITY(:17a)
Explanation:(17a)Sell out/Compromise/Apostasy/Egalitarian/Equal footing
:17—“ “Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver & gold for himself.”
4)Likewise the king of Israel is not to garner advantage in the world by accumulating “wives” for himself. A multitude of “wives” for the king would have been used for or were the result of gaining political advantage, as did Solomon(1Kgs. 11:1-4ff.).
*It was a common pagan practice for Near Eastern families/countries/city states to seal treaties & maintain alliances by means of marriages—a willing ‘inside man’ as it were would guarantee knowledge of & influence upon governmental dealings. Having multiple wives signified that one had many trusted allies, thereby increasing one’s power in the world’s eyes.
England, Scotland, & France made use of this same practice in their monarchical heyday.
However, such paganly-derived royal marital relationships would necessarily usher into Israel, tremendous influences from foreign countries, thereby severely weakening Israel’s reliance upon YHWH.
Moreover, such a relationship related scenario totally opposed God’s design/intent for marriage!
Gen. 2:22-24—“Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, & He brought her to the man. And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father & mother & be joined to his wife, & they shall become one flesh.”
Scripture mentions wives in plural relationships who are unloved:
Rachel & Leah(Gen. 29:18-31ff.)—
Gen. 29:18-20; :30-31—“Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”.....“So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, & they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.”.....“Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, & he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years. When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.”
Hannah & Peninnah(1Sam. 1:2-7ff.)—
1Sam. 1:2, 4-7—“And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah, & the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.”.....“And whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an offering, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife & to all her sons & daughters. But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the LORD had closed her womb. And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the LORD had closed her womb. So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, that she provoked her; therefore she wept & did not eat.”
Many attempt to avoid/alleviate this scenario thru divorce...
Mal. 2:13-16—“And this is the second thing you do: You cover the altar of the LORD with tears, With weeping & crying; So He does not regard the offering anymore, Nor receive it with goodwill from your hands. Yet you say, “For what reason?” Because the LORD has been witness Between you & the wife of your youth, With whom you have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant. But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth. “For the LORD God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one’s garment with violence,” Says the LORD of hosts. “Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously.”
Mat. 19:3-12—“The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, & saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?” And He answered & said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male & female,’ “& said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father & mother & be joined to his wife, & the two shall become one flesh’? “So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, & to put her away?” He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, & marries another, commits adultery; & whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.” His disciples said to Him, “If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” But He said to them, “All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, & there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, & there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.” ”
King David had at least 7 wives!
2Samuel 3:2-5—“Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; & the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.”
2Samuel 5:12-16—“So David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, & that He had exalted His kingdom for the sake of His people Israel. And David took more concubines & wives from Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron. Also more sons & daughters were born to David. Now these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, & Eliphelet.”
...“lest his heart turn away”
Solomon’s marital relationships revealed that having a number of foreign wives caused his heart to turn from the Lord God to other gods(1Kgs. 11:1-8). He did this purely for political gain.
1Cor. 8:4-6—“Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, & that there is no other God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth(as there are many gods & many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, & we for Him; & one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, & through whom we live.”
1Kgs. 11:1-8—“But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, & Hittites-- from the nations of whom the LORD had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, & three hundred concubines; & his wives turned away his heart. For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; & his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, & after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, & did not fully follow the LORD, as did his father David. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, & for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon. And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense & sacrificed to their gods.”
“Turn away”(See :20—“Turn aside from”)—rwo soor—Qal Imperfect—1) To turn aside, depart—1a) (Qal)—1a1) To turn aside, turn in unto, 1a2) To depart, depart from way, avoid, 1a3) To be removed, 1a4) To come to an end. Strong—a primitive root; To turn off (literal or figurative).
Argumentation:
Hosea 2:14-20—“Therefore, behold, I will allure her[Israel], Will bring her into the wilderness, And speak comfort to her. I will give her her vineyards from there, And the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; She shall sing there, As in the days of her youth, As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt. And it shall be, in that day,” Says the LORD, “That you will call Me ‘My Husband,’ And no longer call Me ‘My Master,’ For I will take from her mouth the names of the Baals, And they shall be remembered by their name no more. In that day I will make a covenant for them With the beasts of the field, With the birds of the air, And with the creeping things of the ground. Bow & sword of battle I will shatter from the earth, To make them lie down safely. I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me In righteousness & justice, In lovingkindness & mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the LORD.”
2Cor. 11:2-4—“For I[Paul] am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted--you may well put up with it!”
Josh. 23:11-13—“Therefore take careful heed to yourselves, that you love the LORD your God. Or else, if indeed you do go back, & cling to the remnant of these nations--these that remain among you--& make marriages with them, & go in to them & they to you, know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations from before you. But they shall be snares & traps to you, & scourges on your sides & thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the LORD your God has given you.”
Mk. 12:28-31—“Then one of the scribes came, & having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, & with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Col. 2:8-10—“Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy & empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, & not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; & you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality & power.”
Illustration:
Our kite/It is missing one piece— a straight plastic part , no longer than 8” X 1/8”/Purchased from ‘Kitty Hawk Kites’/It is a specialty store headquartered in Kitty Hawk NC/Their business is kites!/Focused & Narrow offerings—They Specialize/NOT a MARKETPLACE or Smorgasbord MENTALITY
Supermarkets—Specialize in groceries/NOT a MARKETPLACE or Smorgasbord MENTALITY
Lowes & Home Depot specialize in hardware/NOT a MARKETPLACE or Smorgasbord MENTALITY
Wal-mart has everything, so they generally do not have the quality needed for certain things/Yes, they have a niche but because of it, they are self-limiting/A MARKETPLACE or Smorgasbord MENTALITY
Application:
?Executive Leadership obligated itself to Freedom from SPIRITUAL TEMPTATION?
?Executive Leadership obligated itself to your freedom?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Upcoming elections—We are obligated to vote our belief!
Action:
Executive leadership is obligated to Freedom from...
1. FRATERNIZATION/(:15)
2. Earthly RELIANCE/DEPENDENCE(:16)
3. A SPIRITUAL MARKETPLACE/Smorgasbord MENTALITY(:17a)
Pts. 1-3 Presented 11/02/2014am to:
FBCCbelle
206 Storrs Ave(Ave A) SE
Carrabelle, FL 32322
