What Holds Your Heart Captive?

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 “Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table and of the table of devils.” 1Cor. 10:21.

The combined books of Kings and Chronicles tell a tale of the politically united, powerful and prosperous nation of Israel, albeit the description is foretold in Deuteronomy…

“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth…

And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:

And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.” Deut. 28:1,13,14.

… and its decline into a divided, downtrodden, and destitute nation. These books contain Israel’s glory and its disgrace. They are the story of a nation once the head becoming the tail.

What happened?

“But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day…

The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone. And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee…

Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;

Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee…” Deut. 28:15,36,37, 47,48.

Even as they declined from conqueror to captive over the span of approximately 457 years, 112 of which were the united years, and the rule of 39 kings, 19 in Israel and 20 in Judah, the Lord did not leave them without hope. His covenant with David would not be enough to keep judgment from coming but it would insure God restoration of the nation.

The Davidic Covenant: (For the complete covenant see 2Samuel 7:4-17).

“And the LORD said unto him(Solomon), I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:

Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.” 1Kings 9:3-5.

2Chronicles  7: 12-22 confirms the covenant with Solomon making it clear, if the people do not follow God fully, all is not lost. There is hope.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Lessons for Our Living:

The Warning:

“Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table and of the table of devils.” 1Cor. 10:21.

“He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” Matt. 12:30.

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matt. 6:24.

The Judgment:

“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Rev. 18:4.

The Promise:

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing;

and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2Cor. 6: 17,18.

The Way:

“If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1John 1:9.

The Command:

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written,

Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Then the devil leaveth him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto him.” Matt. 4:10,11.

Don’t expect the devil to leave you if you play in his yard.

“Jesus said unto him,

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Matt. 22:37.

There is no division in all. Do you wander through life and wonder why you have no joy? no peace? no victory? Allow God to search your heart and mend where it is torn. Israel tried to serve the Lord God and the gods of other nations. They became weak politically, economically, and spiritually. Let’s take their lesson to heart.