A Home To Come Back To Part 4 "The Counselor"
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In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.
And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.
Introduction.
Introduction.
I’m sorry about Communion. It should have been last week.
Tent Meeting this week. No service this Wednesday.
Part of having a happy home and a nice home is listening to the right people.
As long as Jehoiada lived Joash did right, but when he died that source of counsel dried up, and Joash made some mistakes.
All of us need instruction at times, and God has chosen human beings to do that. Some churches stress counsel, others say you don’t need it, but as usual there is a balance.
When raising families, getting married, starting out in life, we need counsel, but who do we need to get that counsel from? When do we need to seek advice? How do we know if it is right?
“A wise man seeks much counsel … a fool listens to all of it” (Larry Burkett)
1. The Importance of Asking for Help.
1. The Importance of Asking for Help.
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; But a man of understanding will draw it out.
Don’t be arrogant, you’ll reveal your own ignorance.
The more you actually understand, the more you will seek advice from others.
Don’t just assume you know. Ask somebody.
Men are the worst about this, we don’t like to stop and ask for directions. We’d rather get lost.
Take time to pray, and then take time to ask about it.
Hear counsel, and receive instruction, That thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: But he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
(Navigator who wouldn’t listen)
2. When do We Need Counsel?
2. When do We Need Counsel?
When you are about to make a decision that matters to your future, or those whom you are responsible for.
Every life has junctions. Some of them we need help navigating. Walls that need turning.
Ahab married Jezebel at a Junction in his life. He probably should have talked to somebody.
What are the major junctions of life, moment when you must make a choice?
Marriage
Church
Position
3. Who should we ask for Counsel?
3. Who should we ask for Counsel?
a. More Than One Person
a. More Than One Person
Where no counsel is, the people fall: But in the multitude of counsellers there is safety.
For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: And in multitude of counsellers there is safety.
Never lift up one man as the one who has the answers. Men are two things by nature: Fallible and Mortal.
This is Joash’s mistake, he needed another Jehoiada.
b. A Person With Experience
b. A Person With Experience
This should come with age, but not always.
The hoary head is a crown of glory, If it be found in the way of righteousness.
Elihu realized this.
And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; Wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion.
I said, Days should speak, And multitude of years should teach wisdom.
But there is a spirit in man: And the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
Great men are not always wise: Neither do the aged understand judgment.
Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will shew mine opinion.
Elihu is a type of Christ. He was too young to be in the Sanhedrin, but He was God in flesh.
There is value in age.
Tommy Osborn
And I said, “I’d…What I’d do is set up there under that old oak tree and learn all the tactics of Divine healing by the Word.”
And he said, “What old oak tree?” I said, “That one that’s bald-headed up there on the porch, old Doctor F. F. Bosworth. I believe he knows more about Scriptural basis of Divine healing than any man I know of in my life.
(After His Great Campaigns)
He said, “Brother Branham,” he said, “I’m glad I set under that old oak tree.” I said, “Do you know, it’s still setting out there.” I said, “He’s going to Africa with me.” Brother Bosworth was right there at the time. 56-0427 - Faith
The term Elder is used in the New Testament for men like Bro. Bosworth.
Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;
Lexham Theological Wordbook πρεσβύτερος
πρεσβύτερος (presbyteros). adj. older, elder, presbyter. In general, a leader whose authority comes, in principle, from the wisdom associated with age; in the church, a particular kind of leader whose responsibilities included directing churches.
“Elder” always has and always will refer simply to a man’s chronological age in the Lord. He is an elder, not because he is elected or ordained, etcetera, but because he IS OLDER. He is more seasoned, trained, not a novice, reliable because of experience and long standing proof of his Christian experience. CAB 05 - Pergamean
You don’t elect him to be an elder, you elect an elder.
This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
Bishop is the office of the elder.
Verses 2-5 give the qualifications.
Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
νεόφυτος (lit. newly planted), newly converted to Christianity.
A Newly converted 70 year old man is a novice. A 30 year old man who gave his heart to the Lord at a young age might be an elder.
(One night in the bar, the next night singing in church and playing music.)
Be careful how much advice you get from the newly planted, find an elder to talk to.
After Solomon’s reign the people were upset about taxes. Rehoboam asked his advisors what to do.
And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?
And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.
And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
This was terrible advice, and he lost ten of the 12 tribes over it.
c. A Godly Person
c. A Godly Person
The thoughts of the righteous are right: But the counsels of the wicked are deceit.
Blessed is the man That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Look at Ahaziah’s counsellors. This is how Athaliah came to be the wicked queen over Jerusalem.
Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.
He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counseller to do wickedly.
Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the Lord like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellers after the death of his father to his destruction.
He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead: and the Syrians smote Joram.
And he returned to be healed in Jezreel because of the wounds which were given him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he was sick.
And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.
Be careful the company you keep.
You might say, who can I trust? Ultimately, Christ is our counselor, in the form of the Holy Spirit.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: And the government shall be upon his shoulder: And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Literally “a wonder of a counselor”
“Wonderful.” The Hebrew word pala indicates “a phenomenon lying outside the realm of human explanation; that which is separated from the normal course of events.”
Psalm 139:6 (KJV 1900)
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain unto it.
John 16:12 (KJV 1900)
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
He is our Judge and Attorney
That doesn’t mean you don’t need a teacher, the Holy Ghost uses men.
Remember it’s the Holy Ghost, not the man.
Joash looked up to Jehoaida, Isaiah looked up to Uzziah. (Leadership)
There came a time he had to let go of that leadership and have an experience with God.
2 Chronicles 26 tells the story of King Uzziah, who was perhaps the greatest king other than David.
And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.
But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, that were valiant men:
And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God.
Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar.
And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the Lord had smitten him.
Then when this man got stricken by this leprosy, when he got lifted up in pride, this was a great lesson to that young prophet. He found out, by this being a great lesson to him, that God orders His man to the place.
Man cannot order himself. God orders His man. God makes you what you are. And God orders His man, and he musn’t try to take another’s place. And it was a lesson to Isaiah, that he mustn’t put his eyes upon human beings for an example. He must put his eyes on God.
Now that’s us. Any man, any man is subject to mistakes. He is subject to error because he is human. He is subject to the violations of God’s laws. And he is subject to many things, because Satan tempts him, and he is just a human being. And if God ever lifted His hands, he would fall. That’s all.
And I’ve heard people say, “Oh, Satan can’t do that.” Yes, you just let God lift His hand one time, and watch what happens. It’s a…I constantly plead, “God, don’t send him. Have mercy on me. Keep him away from me,” you see. I need God’s mercy. And we all need that. 63-1114 - Influence
His heart was broke. His king had tried to fill his place, that tried to take a minister’s place, and had been totally defeated by God, and stricken in leprosy; and his example that he had looked upon, man.
Don’t never trust in some man. I don’t care who he is. If he’s a holy man, if he’s a good…There is not such a thing. Let me correct that. There is no holy man. There is no holy church. There is not such a thing. It’s a Holy God, not a holy man. It’s the Holy Ghost.
Peter one time referred, “the holy mount,” on Mount Transfiguration. It wasn’t the mountain that was holy; it was the Holy God that met them on this mountain. It’s not the holy Church; it’s the Holy God in that Church. Not the holy man, but the Holy Spirit working in that man.
The man will fail. He’s a failure to begin with, anybody. The very greatest of man fall. Don’t never put your confidence and your…to make some man your example. Look to God. Christ is your Example.
And we find that he had taken his mind now from Uzziah, the king that he loved so well. And he looked up and he saw what he must understand, to be a prophet; that God, and God alone, rules in the lives of men and in His Church. 63-1130B - Influence
In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
There was no room for anyone else, His train filled the Temple.
Romans 11:34 (KJV 1900)
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller?
Conclusion.
Conclusion.
(Old Guide waiting on the sun)
Have you met the great counselor, the Holy Spirit? If you’ve never met Him, all the counsel in the world will never help.