We Do Not Bond Friendship With Those Devoted To Impiety

From: February 14 – 20, 2012

Topic: "We Do Not Bond Friendship With Those Devoted To Impiety" 2 Chronicles 20:35-37 2 Chronicles 20: 35 says: "Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who was guilty of wickedness." Jehoshaphat did what was right before the eyes of God. We can be doing what is right and at one point become confused, therefore we need to be careful how we walk. If we are careful we can arrive at the end of our walk without tripping with blunder. The setback begins when we neglect to find out who are those who want to walk with us. Jehoshaphat’s problem was that he did not remove the high altars and had his son marry the daughter of king Ahab of Israel. For such reason, he bonded in affection with the king of Israel, who was an evil man. Also, Jehoshaphat bonded with Ahaziah son of Ahab, and not for war but to do business constructing a float of ships that were headed to Tarshish in search for gold. Jehoshaphat had pleased God and God prospered him. Ahaziah could see how Jehoshaphat had been blessed and wanted to participate of his blessings. But, the prophet Eliezer warned Jehoshaphat that the ships would be destroyed, that because of his union with Ahaziah his work would be destroyed. So, the ships were destroyed and they could not go to Tarshish. We can read this in detail in 2 Chronicles 20:35-37. God asks of His people to set aside, separated for Him to speak to them and be their God. "You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.” (Leviticus 20:26)." The nation had a promise on God’s behalf that the land that was promised to them was flowing with milk and honey (Leviticus 20:24). "I am Jehovah your God, who has set you apart from the nations." They belonged to Him, were under His care, His election and treasure. That is how God likes to work with those whom He calls for Him. God did more for His nation than any other nation in the world and, consequently, expected more from them than anyone else. They were marching in a land that was infected with evilness, so they had to get away from all that wickedness and all those people full of perversity. Just the same your walk should be separated from this land infected by sins, idolatries, dissipation, bribery, pride, etc. Those who intend to escape from condemnation and obtain eternal life have to guard their integrity. Men’s problem is that they toil with the world for those things they lived for before they converted, things they experienced in life; it is a strange disposition to become infected with such wickedness (Judges 2:2). There cannot be an alliance. We have to strictly refrain from having friendship with the world, be careful not to mix, not to associate. God gave them the land that was flowing with milk and honey, but those dwellers were full of idolatry, sodomy, debauchery and lust, just as we see now in these times, all around us. Romans 6:14 says that sin shall not be your master, unless we become negligent and surrender cowardly to sin. Galatians 5:24, 25 We cannot make a pact with our evil desires ever again. Nor will we show any compassion, but rather we will put it to death by crucifying and destroying it completely. The only way we can defeat sin is by saying absolutely "no" and being decisive; it’s the only way we can succeed to not fall again in what we should detest. Let’s not try to deceive ourselves allowing a truce with the “small foxes” (Song of Songs 2: 15). Be careful with the engagements and matrimonies, because the good is perverted with the evil. It is terrible when the voice of God is not heard. God had warned the people of Israel not to mix with the pagan nations and as it say in Judges 2:1-5, they did not pay attention to his voice. Why have you done this? Egypt was a nation of slavery and fatigue from where God pulled them out to take them to Canaan, land of rest, liberty and abundance. When the Lord spoke to them they cried, but they did not break the friendship and the bond with the inhabitants of the world. It is easier for believers to make friendship with the non-believers than to break off a bond. That place was named Bokim, which means those who cry. There are many who seem to melt while weeping because of the action of the word of God, but they become hardened again before being thrown in the new mold of God’s will. If only we were capable of understanding that this world and its pleasures are the ones who drag those who should be grateful children of the God who cleansed them! Let them convert to our faith and not us to their world! (Jeremiah 15:19) We cannot throw the sacred to the world. We have to return to the good customs. The worldly things have to be changed to be holy. We cannot go back to what we were. If a person turns to God, He will restore them. God would employ Jeremiah in His service as a prophet. "And you will be before me to receive my instructions and orders." Only in the presence of God could Jeremiah see things in the same perspective as God sees them. We have to be faithful in His work. "If you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman.” "You will work with the good thoughts concerning my character." In Jeremiah’s treatment with the others he would have to manage not to descend to their level but rather maintain himself at the spiritual level desired by God. Therefore, beloved, let us look after ourselves and not fall in the serious error of bonding and befriending those who are given to impiety. Let them turn to you and not you to them! Amen.