DCLM Daily Manna 10 January 2021 – Don’t Dare God!
Topic: Don’t Dare God!
Text: 2 Kings 1:1-6 (KJV)
1 Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.
3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?
4 Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.
5 And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back?
6 And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
Key Verse: “And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease” (2 Kings 1:2).
MESSAGE:
In a book titled “Down to Earth”, John Lawrence tells the story of an Italian city that dared God to show Himself and paid a terrible price. The city of Messina, Sicily, was home to many wicked, irreligious people. On December 25, 1908, a newspaper published in Messina printed a parody against God, daring Him to make Himself known by sending an earthquake. Three days later, on December 28, the city and its surrounding district was devastated by a terrible quake that killed 84,000 people.
Ahab and his family dared God and saw the results. From our text, a series of calamities befell the house of Ahab as a result of their idolatry and wickedness. First, Moab rebelled from being a tributary state under the northern kingdom. Then, King Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, fell from the window of his house in Samaria and was ill. Messengers were sent by the king to enquire of the Philistines’ god in Ekron, instead of seeking help from the true God. At the direction of God, the messengers were intercepted and sent back by Prophet Elijah, and Ahaziah died of the sickness.
People should reasonably expect to be punished one way or the other when they move away from God’s protection through their sinful desires and lifestyle. It is very common nowadays for people to ‘go for deliverance’ whenever things are not working in their favour. Others go for religious rituals and even pagan style exorcism to regain favour, instead of repenting and turning away from sin.
Sin brings about spiritual death and ultimately eternal death. That is why God deliberately positioned His servants like Elijah on our paths to help reconcile us back to Him. Only God has the solution to man’s needs and problems.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: End the standoff today and return to God.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: GENESIS 29-31
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
