"God Is Not Slack Concerning His Promises.” (Worship Service July 17, 2022)

July 17, 2022 - Morning Service Hickory Corners Bible Church Pastor Rich Anspach "God Is Not Slack Concerning His Promises!" "God Keeps His Promises!" II Peter 3:1-13 I. God's Promise Of Judgment Came To Israel, 722 BC by Assyria. II Kings 17:1-23 We saw last week how the 10 Northern Tribes, called Israel, were ruled by 19 ungodly kings. Jeroboam was chosen by God and set up as the first king, I Kings 11:26-38. However, he set the stage for God's judgment to come upon Israel through his 6-fold sins of rebellion against God and turned the people away from following God. II Kings 12:25-33; 13:33-34. The other 18 kings followed in his footsteps. We also saw how God did send prophets to warn them but only a few stayed true to the True and Living God. After 208 years(930 to 722 BC), a partial fulfillment of God's 3rd judgment God said would happen it the people turn to idols and disobey His commandments. I Kings 9:6-9. God allowed the Assyrians in 722 BC to conquer and remove the people of Israel from the land as He promised them would happen. II Kings 17:1-6. Why did God do this? The summary is given in II Kings 17:7-23. Now, this week we are going to look at how: II. God's Promise of Judgment Came to Judah. When you look at the Southern 1 Tribe, called Judah, you think it was better but yet the 3rd and 4th judgments came as God promised it would. I Kings 9:6-9. Why would you think they did better? Out of the 20 kings, only 8 of them were said to have done "right in the sight of the Lord." Each of the 20 kings were from the line of David. I Kings 11:13, 32, 34, 36. Out of the 344 years, 930 to 586 BC, the 8 good kings reigned 263 years in comparison to the 12 evil kings who only reigned 81 years. So, why did God bring judgment on Judah to cut them off from the land and destroy the Temple? As an idiom from an Arab proverb puts it, what was "the straw that broke the camels back?" What caused God to bring this severe judgment on the people of Judah? A. It came because of the sins of Manasseh. II Kings 21:1-16; 24:1-4; II Chronicles 33:10-20 One of the sad things about Manasseh was that he was 12 years old when he became king. That means that he was born after his father Hezekiah, who was a godly king, was given 15 additional years to his life by God.. II Kings 20:1-11. II Kings 21:1-16 tells about the sins that Manasseh did and turned the people away from God even more. The judgment came later under his great grandson's reign. 1. It came in three stages under his great grandson's reigns. a. 605 BC - II Kings 24:1-5 - Daniel and his 3 friends are believed to have been taken to Babylon at this time. Daniel 1:1-8 b. 597 BC - II Kings 24:8-16 c. 586 BC - II Kings 24:17-25 - 25:21 2. Was there repentance in his last days as king? II Chronicles 33:10-20 B. The Last Godly King, the grandson of Manasseh, Josiah. II Kings 22:1 - 23:27; II Chronicles 34:1-35:27 1. The 7 other godly kings. a. Asa - I Kings 15:8-15 - Reigned 41 years - (2 evil kings before him - Rehoboam and Abijah) b. Jehoshaphat - I Kings 22:41-50 - Reigned 25 years - (3 evil kings followed him - Jehoram, c. Jehoash - II Kings 11:21-12:1-18 - Reigned 40 years Ahaziah, Athaliah) d. Amaziah - II Kings 14:1-4 - Reigned 29 years e. Azariah(Uzziah) - II Kings 15:1-4 - Reigned 52 years f. Jotham - II Kings 15:32-35 - Reigned 16 years - (1 evil king followed him - Ahaz) g. Hezekiah - II Kings 18:1-6 - Reigned 29 years - (2 Evil kings followed him - Manasseh, Amon) (2) 2. Josiah's life and reforms. II Chronicles 34:1-35:27; II Kings 22:1-23:30 - Reigned 31 years. a. 8 years old became king. II Chronicles 34:1 b. 16 years old began to seek the Lord. Vs. 34:3 Jeremiah, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Nahum were prophets of God and could have had an influence on his life. c. 20 years old he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the idol gods and goddesses. 34:3-7 d. 20 years old he began to restore the temple. 34:8-13 1) The Law of Moses was found and read. 34:14-18 2) His repentance was honored by God. 34:19-28 3) The word was read to the people. 34:29-32 4) He continued to remove the abominations in all the land, even Israel. 34:33 5) He reinstated the Passover celebration. 35:1-19 e. 39 years old he died in a battle with Egypt. 35:20-27 II Chronicles 34:33 says, "Throughout his life time they did not turn from following the Lord God of their fathers." The sad part was that the 4 descendants who followed him turned back to the sins of Manasseh. Even with the prophets warning them, the people did not listen. Thus, the 3rd and 4th judgments God promised would come, came. Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar's army from Babylon in 586 BC. What can we take from this? III. God's promises are sure for life now and for eternity. II Peter 3:1-13 It does not matter whether you believe it or not. God will do what He says He will do! A. He did it with these 4 judgments upon Israel. B. He did it through Jesus Christ to be the Savior of the world. C. He will do it in the end times events. D. His call to salvation in Christ is real. E. His call to live according to His word is real. F. Out future with Him or apart from Him will be real for eternity. I Peter 1:3-8, God has given us everything we need to know about for life and godliness. These are all based upon His promises to fulfill all that He says He will do. Are you going to accept them or reject them? The people of Israel had the opportunity to live for God but the majority of them rejected Him and suffered God's judgment in this life and it will carry over for all eternity. You have the opportunity yet. It doesn't mean if you receive Christ as your Savior that you will not suffer from things on this earth because of the sin, but it will change your outcome for all eternity. What are you basing your hope now and forever upon? If it isn't Christ and His Word, you have nothing. But, in Christ you have everything you need for now and eternity. His promises are true for life now and for eternity. Believe them; accept them; and live them. It starts with putting your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior for he the forgiveness of your sins. It might sound like a simple prayer, but it is the most important prayer and commitment you can make for your life now and for all eternity. Lord Jesus, I believe you love me and came to this earth to live but most of all to die upon the cross to take the punishment for my sins. I believe you rose again and I ask you to come into my heart and forgiven me of my sins and help me now to live for You! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen! John 1:12 says, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name."