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Tag: Lesser known characters in the Bible Page 2 of 5

Lesser known characters :: Junia and Andronicus

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On October 4, 2011

In Christian, Lesser known characters

The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans requests to salute Andronicus and Junia, whom he calls fellow-prisoners. Junia and Andronicus were imprisoned along with Paul for their faith in Jesus Christ. Paul, in fact refers to them as noteworthy apostles who were in Christ even before him.

What can we learn from Junia and Andronicus?
Are we willing to be imprisoned with fellow believers for our faith in Christ Jesus? Would you and I be referred to as being noteworthy disciples of Jesus Christ? Think about it.

Romans 16:7 (KJV)
7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

Lesser known characters :: Joash (aka Jehoash)

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On October 3, 2011

In Christian, Lesser known characters

2 Chronicles 22-24 and 2 Kings 12 records the story of Joash (aka Jehoash), the king of Judah. When Joash was merely a year old, his evil grandmother Athaliah murdered all of his siblings as she usurped the throne. All of the royal seed but Joash were killed. Joash was spared because his uncle and aunt, Jehoiada who was the priest in the temple and his wife Jehosheba, took him and hid him in the temple for six years. When Joash was seven years old, Jehoiada restored him as the rightful king of Judah and Joash reigned in Jerusalem for forty years (2 Chronicles 24:1). As long as Jehoiada the priest was alive, he advised Joash the king in the right ways and Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord (2 Chronicles 24:2). Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord and he started a project to collect funds for repairing God’s house. Jehoiada and Joash sought both financial and human capital and had workmen restore the house of the Lord and the surplus of the funds they collected, they brought into the temple of God and offered burnt offerings daily when Jehoiada lived (2 Chronicles 24:14).

But when Jehoiada died, the princes of Judah made obeisance with Joash, the king, and diverted his attention away from the house of the Lord to the idolatry of the land (2 Chronicles 24:17-18) which brought on Judah and Jerusalem the wrath of God. The Spirit of God came upon Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada and cousin of Joash, who prophesied against the sins of the idolatrous king, expressing that the Lord had forsaken him because he had forsaken the Lord. Joash, completely ignoring the kindness of Jehoiada, bands together with the other evil idolators and stones and kills Zechariah in the house of the Lord (2 Chronicles 24:20-22). King Joash succumbed to the very sin of murdering his own kin as did his evil grandmother Athaliah. Jesus refers to this slaying of Zechariah in the gospel of Matthew as he confronts the hypocrisy of the land (Matthew 23:35).

Hazael, the king of Syria fought and won against Gath and Hazael sought to come and fight and take Jerusalem. Joash, instead of crying out to God for help, foolishly takes all the hallowed things that he and his ancestors had dedicated to God, and took all of the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the LORD and in the king’s house and sent it as a bribe to Hazael. Hazael accepts the bribe and chooses not to attack Jerusalem (2 Kings 12:17-18; 2 Chronicles 24:23-24). But at the end of the year, the army of Syria comes against Judah and Jerusalem with a small army, but God allowed the king of Syria to invade Judah and Jerusalem for Joash had forsaken the Lord. Joash is left severely wounded and his servants, Zabad (aka Jozacher) and Jehozabad, conspire against Joash, for the murder of Jehoiada’s son, Zechariah, and they kill him in his own bed. Joash was buried in the city of David, but not in the tomb of the kings. (2 Chronicles 24:25-26)

What can we learn from Joash (aka Jehoash)?
Jehoash was hidden in the temple of the Lord for six years during his childhood years, but since we see that he was quickly swayed away from the righteous ways, when his uncle Jehoiada died, having no one to instruct him, it is likely that Joash had not hidden the word of the Lord in him, which would have kept him from sinning against God (Psalm 119:11).

Joash’s relationship with God was indirect through Jehoiada and not direct. Many a times, we sometimes act like Joash as well, listening only to preachers and pastors instead of directly listening from God, by searching out his Scripture and through communion and prayer. We must be careful never to put our confidence in men but to solely rely on God (Psalm 146:3).

Joash had a Godly upbringing, in the house of the Lord, under the tutelage of his Godly uncle Jehoaida, but his end was pitiful, so much so that he forsook God, embraced idolatry and killed his own kin, instead of repenting. For this, though he was a king, he was not given a place to be buried with the kings. In like manner, if we forsake God and start embracing the idols of position and prosperity (lust of of the flesh), pleasure (lust of the eyes), pride and power (pride of life) (1 John 2:16), we may find ourselves being deprived of the royal departure that we as royal priests of God (1 Peter 2:9) are benefactors of.

2 Chronicles 24:1-2;17-18;20-25; (KJV)
1 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2 And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
…
17 Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.
18 And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.
…
20 And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.
21 And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.
22 Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it.
23 And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus.
24 For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.
25 And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.

2 Kings 12:17-18 (KJV)
17 Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
18 And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and in the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem.

Lesser known characters :: Joanna

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On September 29, 2011

In Christian, Lesser known characters

Joanna was the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward. She was a follower of Jesus Christ. It is said of her that she and other women like Susanna and many others, ministered unto Jesus of their substance, meaning that they supported Jesus’ ministry and his disciples by contributing their own resources (Luke 8:3). Joanna is also one of the women that went to the tomb where Jesus was laid. She and the other women (Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and some others) were told of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, by two angelic beings. These women come back and tell the other eleven disciples of Christ, the account of Jesus’ resurrection conquering death, once and for all (Luke 24:10).

What can we learn from Joanna?
Like Joanna, can we support the ministry of Jesus Christ with our own personal resources? Let us remember that all things belong to Jesus already, we are merely stewards of what has been given to us.
Also, like Joanna (and the other women), we must be sharing the resurrection of Jesus Christ with others. In other words, we must be telling others that Jesus is The Living God, who has conquered death and is alive today, as we await His return.

Luke 8:1-3 (KJV)
1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

Luke 24:9-10 (KJV)
9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
10 It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.

Lesser known characters :: Jehoiada

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On September 28, 2011

In Christian, Lesser known characters

The story of Jehoiada, the high priest and husband of Jehosheba is recorded in 2 Kings 11 and 12. When Athaliah (the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel), usurped the throne of Judah and killed all the members of the royal family, upon learning that her son Ahaziah, was killed by Jehu, king of Israel, Jehosheba rescued Jehoash (aka Joash), the son the Ahaziah and rightful successor to the throne and hid him for six years in the house of the Lord. After six years, Jehoiada presents Jehoash and restores him as king (2 Kings 11:4-12). He then made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD’s people; and between the king also and the people (2 Kings 11:17). This led to the people destroying the idols of Baal in the land (2 Kings 11:18). King Jehoash reigned for forty years and did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as Jehoiada instructed him. Though Jehoiada was not a king, when he died at the age of a hundred and thirty, he was buried with the kings in the city of David, because he had done good toward Israel, toward God and his house (2 Chronicles 24:15-16).

What can we learn from Jehoiada?
Like Jehoiada, we must be willing to present the rightful King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ to the people and make a covenant between the LORD, Jesus Christ the king and the people, that they will belong to the LORD. This should lead to the tearing down of idols in our lives. When we love the Lord, and his people, as Jesus commanded us to, we may end up amongst the kings, when we depart, if that is in God’s will. Think about that!

2 Kings 11:1-4,12 (KJV)
1 And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.
2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.
3 And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land.
4 And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and shewed them the king’s son.
…
12 And he brought forth the king’s son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king.

2 Kings 11:17 (KJV)
17 And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD’s people; between the king also and the people.

2 Kings 12:2 (KJV)
2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 

2 Chronicles 24:15-16 (KJV)
15 But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died.
16 And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.

Lesser known characters :: Jehu

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On September 26, 2011

In Christian, Lesser known characters

Prophet Elisha sent the son of another prophet to Ramothgilead in order to anoint Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat and grandson of Nimshi as king over  Israel. The son of the prophet does as he is told. He pours oil on the head of Jehu and anoints Jehu as king, during which time the prophet conveys to Jehu, the mission that the Lord had for Jehu. The mission that was given to Jehu was to annihilate and smite all of the household of Ahab as a means to avenge the blood of the prophets that Ahab and his wife, Jezebel had spilled (2 Kings 9:1-12). Upon his anointing as king by the Lord, we learn that the people who were with Jehu accept him as king over them as well (2 Kings 9:13).

Jehu started out by killing Jehoram (also known as Joram), son of Ahab and Jezebel (2 Kings 9:14-26) in Jezreel. He then pursued Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram and Athaliah, daughter of Ahab (2 Kings 9:27-28), to Gur near Ibleam and smote him there. Ahaziah fled to Megiddo and died there. Then Jehu returned to Jezreel and solicited the help of two or three eunuchs to throw Jezebel, the wife of Ahab down from the window from which she questioned, if Jehu had come in peace after calling him the murderer of his master, Ahab (2 Kings 9:31). The eunuchs throw Jezebel down and she is killed and eaten by dogs as was prophesied against her by prophet Elijah, for his wickedness and evil against God’s prophets (2 Kings 9:30-37). Jehu then turns his attention to the seventy sons of Ahab in Samaria and has the people of the land slaughter them and send their heads to him in Jezreel (2 Kings 10:1-11). He then goes to Samaria and on his way there, comes across relatives of Ahaziah (and hence of Ahab’s household) and he kills them all (2 Kings 10:12-14). Upon arriving in Samaria he slaughters all that remained of the house of Ahab, as was prophesied by the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 10:17). He then turns his attention to Baal, and the worshipers of Baal, whom Ahab worshiped. Subtly he conspires and acts to be a servant of Baal to gather all the worshipers of Baal and gathers them in the temple of Baal where he appoints eighty men to slaughter all the worshipers of Baal, after ensuring that there were none in that gathering who were worshipers of the LORD (2 Kings 10:18-28). Of Jehu, it is said, that he was the destroyer of Baal from Israel (2 Kings 10:28). And the LORD said unto Jehu, “Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.” (2 Kings 10:30).

However, Jehu did not heed to walk in the law of the Lord with all his heart and did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, which was idol worship. Jeroboam, the king of Israel (Northern kingdom) erected golden calves in Bethel and Dan and appointed priests to offer sacrifices unto them, for fear that his people would return to worshiping the one and true God, Jehovah, in the Temple of Jerusalem and ultimately return to Judah (Southern kingdom) (1 Kings 13:34). Prophet Hosea prophesies referring to these events, that God would avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu and cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel (Hosea 1:4). Why would God do this? Did not Jehu remove the idolatory of Baal from Jezreel? Jehu is guilty of murder for having destroyed the worshipers of Baal while he himself was an idol worshiper of the golden calves. Had he heeded to the God’s law that you shall not have any others gods before me or you shall not make any idols (Exodus 20:3-4), Jehu would not have to been guilty of bloodshed of other idolators. Jehu reigned in Israel for twenty-eight years.

What can we learn from Jehu?
Jehu was anointed with oil on his head, and he followed the mission that God had ordained for him, which was to remove the evil king Ahab’s household from the land. Jehu was a zealous man for the Lord. In fact, in his visit to Samaria, as he is on the mission to annihilate Ahab’s household, he meets Jehonadab, the Rechabite and expresses his zeal for the LORD (2 Kings 10:16). In his mind, Jehu did what was expected of him to do, but his heart was not totally upright before God. Jesus said, you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength and all your mind (Luke 10:27). Jehu loved the Lord with all his mind, which is evident from the zeal he had for the Lord, but Jehu did not love the Lord with all his heart for he gave place for the golden calves (idols) in his heart. He destroyed the idols on the outside, but he failed to destroy the idols within him. Many a times, we act like Jehu as well. We are zealous for the Lord and intellectually we are willing to fight and serve God, but when it comes to the matters of the heart, we uphold the idols of power, prosperity, pleasure, position and popularity in our hearts. Let us not be Jehu, who came to be the destroyer of the idols on the outside but he succumbed to the idols within; who was anointed in his head (mind) to serve, but had a heart that was diametrically opposite to obeying the commandments of the Lord.

2 Kings 10:16-17; 28-31(KJV)
16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.
17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah.
…
28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
29 Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.
30 And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.
31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.

Hosea 1:4 (KJV)
4 And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.

Lesser known characters :: Jehiel

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On September 19, 2011

In Christian

1 Chronicles 29 records the event of king David offering his personal  and precious gold and silver in order to build the house of the Lord. He asked the people, as to who was willing to consecrate their services to the Lord. The people willingly and wholeheartedly agreed to be of service in building the house of the Lord. Those who had precious stones found them and gave (with a perfect heart) to be used as a treasure in the house of the Lord. They sent these gifts through the Gershonite,  Jehiel ( 1 Chronicles 29: 8 )

What can we learn from Jehiel?
Jehiel was trusted by the people to deliver the precious stones of the people, to the treasure of the house of the Lord. Those who believe in Jesus Christ are precious in his sight and they are living stones (1 Peter 2:5). Like Jehiel, can we be trusted to present those who are precious in God’s sight to him?

1 Chronicles 29:8 (KJV)
8 And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the LORD, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite.

Lesser known characters :: Hophni and Phineas

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On September 9, 2011

In Character-(istics), Christian, Lesser known characters

One of my favorite movies that is based on a true story is “The Ghost and the Darkness” which is the story of two lions that terrorized and killed over a hundred people in Tsavo (Kenya) in the late 1800s. The people in that land felt that these lions were in fact evil incarnate as they continued their rampage, until John Henry Patterson, a military engineer, sent to build a railroad bridge.

In the Bible we see another kind of “The Ghost and the Darkness“; Eli’s two sons – Hophni and Phineas. Even though they were the sons of God’s priest, Eli, the Bible calls them the sons of Belial (the lawless, rebellious and worthless one who can have no concord with Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 6:15)). In order to gratify lust of their eyes (their own SELFish desires), they rebelled against God by abhorring the sacrifices and taking the choicest portion of the meat from the sacrifice even before it was offered to God, even by coercion; in a sense robbing God (1 Samuel 2:13-17). In order to gratify the lust of the flesh (their own SEXual desires), they slept with the woman who assembled at the entrance door of the tabernacle, making the LORD’s people to sin (1 Samuel 2:22-24). Hophni and Phineas were wicked and they brought judgment on Eli’s family, that no one in Eli’s bloodline will reach an old age (1 Samuel 2:31). God informs Eli through another person (referred to as the man of God) that both his sons will die on the same day (1 Samuel 2:34). Eli’s sin was that he honored his children more than he honored God (1 Samuel 2:29) and God had to send a priest (man of God) to a priest (Eli) because of the wickedness of his children and his misaligned priorities.

When the Philistines attack the armies of Israel, the ark of the Lord that held the glory of God is taken captive by the Philistines and both Hophni and Phineas die that day.  Upon hearing the news of the ark of the Lord being taken and the death of his sons, ninety-eight year old Eli falls back from his chair, breaks his neck and dies as well. His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phineas, who was carrying child and near her due date, upon hearing the news of the ark of the Lord being taken and the death of her husband, and in-laws, goes into labor and delivers a child whom she names, “Ichabod” meaning that the glory [of the Lord] has departed from Israel (1 Samuel 4:11-22).

What can we learn from Hophni and Phineas?
We may be children that hail from Christian priestly families, but we can still be called the sons and daughters of Belial, if we do not have concord (communion) with Christ Jesus and if we continue in the ways that war against the Spirit of God, gratifying our SELFish (lust of the eyes) and SEXual (lust of the flesh) desires. As children, when we rebel in such manner and sin, without giving God the honor that is due unto him, we are liable to inherit a curse, not just on ourselves, but on our bloodline as well. As parents, if we honor our children more than God, it is possible that God’s voice can be stopped from directly reaching us. But the worse of all is that a wicked lifestyle that gratifies the evil desires of the eyes and flesh can lead to Ichabod – the departure of God’s glory from one’s life. Let us be warned and be careful that we do not follow in the ways of Hophni or Phineas.

1 Samuel 2:13-17; 22-24 (KJV)
12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.
13 And the priest’s custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;
14 And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.
15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
16 And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.
17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
—
22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.
24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD’s people to transgress

1 Samuel 4:11-22 (KJV)
11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
12 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.
13 And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.
14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.
15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.
16 And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son?
17 And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.
18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
19 And his daughter in law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.
20 And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.
21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.
22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.

Lesser known characters :: Hiram

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On September 8, 2011

In Character-(istics), Christian, Lesser known characters

Hiram was a king of Tyre who entered into a partnership with king David (2 Samuel 5) and later with David’s son, king Solomon to build the house of the LORD. When Hiram found out that king Solomon was appointed the king, Hiram took the initiative and sent his servants to king Solomon. Solomon sends word to king Hiram that he desired to build the house of the LORD, upon which Hiram rejoices and blesses God for having given David, his friend a wise son. Solomon recognizes that the servants of king Hiram were skilled workmen (unlike any other in the land) and the two make a league together. Hiram supplied the best skilled workers (2 Chronicles 2:13-14) to hew the timber and stones to build the house of the LORD (1 Kings 5:1-18).

What can we learn from Hiram?
Like king Hiram, we must take the initiative to reach out to those whom God has instituted in power. We must bless the Lord when we learn of one’s allegiance and desire to serve the LORD and build his tabernacle (house) in the hearts of many. We must provide our very best to serve in God’s work. We must partner and work alongside others who have a desire to build God’s house in the hearts of people, as did Hiram’s men with King Solomon’s men.

1 Kings 5:1-18 (KJV)
1 And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.
2 And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
3 Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.
4 But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.
5 And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.
6 Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.
7 And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.
8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.
9 My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.
10 So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire.
11 And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.
12 And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.
13 And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
14 And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy.
15 And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;
16 Beside the chief of Solomon’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.
17 And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.
18 And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.

Lesser known characters :: Hanani

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On September 7, 2011

In Character-(istics), Christian, Lesser known characters

When the king of Judah, Asa, sought the help of Benhadad, king of Syria, to fight against king Baasha, the king of Israel, instead of relying on the LORD as he did once earlier, when the Ethiopian Zerah came against him, Hanani was the seer that brought the rebuke of the LORD to king Asa (2 Chronicles 14). Hanani reminded Asa that he should have relied on the LORD and then stated that the eyes of the LORD are searching the entire earth to find out if there is one, even one, whose heart is perfect toward God. He then tells Asa that since the king had acted foolishly to rely on man (the king of Syria) instead of God (the King of all kings), that Judah will have wars and the peace that prevailed would be taken away. When king Asa hears of this rebuke through Hanani, he is angered and he imprisons Hanani (2 Chronicles 16:1-10).

What can we learning from Hanani?
Like Hanani, we must rebuke those who rely on man instead of relying on God. We must remind all those who act foolishly in trusting in others besides God, that God is searching for one with a perfect heart, even if the outcome of our rebuke and reminder may not be in our favor.

2 Chronicles 16:7-10 (KJV)
7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.
8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand.
9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.

Lesser known characters :: Hanameel

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On September 6, 2011

In Character-(istics), Christian, Lesser known characters

Hanameel was the cousin of Jeremiah and the son of Jeremiah’s uncle, Shallum. Jeremiah is imprisoned by Zedekiah, the king of Judah for foretelling about the fall of Judah and how Zedekiah would be taken captive by Nebuchadrezzar, the king of Babylon. This account is given in Jeremiah 32. In fact, Hanameel is mentioned as, what would seem to be an absurd and unrelated response, to the question that king Zedekiah has for Jeremiah. The king’s question to Jeremiah was, why do you prophesy about the impending doom of Judah and my captivity? Jeremiah’s response is that “Hanameel, the son of his uncle Shallum would come and ask Jeremiah to buy his land that is in Anathoth”. This response that Jeremiah gives is indicative of the fact that despite the fact that Judah will be taken captive, God will be gracious to let his people be restored and have possession. And just as the Lord had promised, Hanameel came and offered his land to be bought by Jeremiah, according to the word of the LORD. Hanameel’s actions and response confirmed the word of the Lord for Jeremiah and Jeremiah buys that property.

What can we learn from Hanameel?
Cursorial inspection of this character Hanameel reveals that he obeyed the voice of God and did as he was told by God, even if it meant that he would have to sell his own property.  In obeying, he confirmed God’s word to his cousin Jeremiah. Sometimes God wants us to give/sell our possessions as a means to demonstrate our obedience to Him. In obeying God, we may be confirming God’s word for someone else.

Furthermore, deeper inspection reveals a hidden treasure from the Bible. Hanameel was the son of Shallum. Hanameel in Hebrews means “God is gracious”; Shallum in Hebrew means “payback” or “revenge”. Though God is Just and requires payback for our sinfulness, He is also at the same time a loving and gracious God. Hanameel represents the grace of God over His payback or revenge. Infact, God’s grace must never be separated from God’s justness to payback sin. Jesus represents the grace of God, but the Cross represents God’s payback for sin, for the wages of sin is death. We cannot speak of Jesus and his grace without talking about God’s hatred for sin and the Cross as his payback. Hanameel – God is gracious.

Jeremiah 32:1-12 (KJV)
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar.
2 For then the king of Babylon’s army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah’s house.
3 For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;
4 And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes;
5 And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the LORD: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper.
6 And Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
7 Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of redemption is thine to buy it.
8 So Hanameel mine uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.
9 And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle’s son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver.
10 And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.
11 So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open:
12 And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison.

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