"Broken" or "crushed?" Your choice.
The message in the three chapters for today's Bible reading are very similar. Saul began his kingship by depending on the Lord and being small in his own eyes. I Samuel. 15:17. But gradually he began to depend upon his own reasoning and ability. We see his tragic end in I Chronicles 10:13-14. "Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death."
You might say, "Wait a minute. Saul took his own life by falling on his sword." Jeremiah. 10:23 says "I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps." Because Saul took himself out of God's will and plan for his life, the Lord ended his life. Saul's downward spiral was not overnight and the Lord was long suffering with him, dealing with him over and over. But there comes a time when the Lord says "enough," and just as in the days of Noah he says, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever." Genesis 6:3.
In Ezekiel 23 the Lord compares Samaria and Israel to two prostitutes who persist in their wickedness. He dealt with them over and over and sent message after message through his prophets. He says, "Since you have forgotten me and thrust me behind your back, you must bear the consequences of your lewdness and prostitution. Verse 35. "You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. Verse 29.
In Luke 20 Jesus tells the parable of the wicked tenants who were left in charge of their master's vineyard. When the master came to collect some of the harvest they refused and beat up the messengers. He finally sent his son whom they killed. This is an obvious allegory of God sending messengers to his people and finally his own son whom they were going to crucify. The teachers of the law and chief priests knew exactly what Jesus was talking about. Verse 19.
Jesus quotes Psalm. 118:22, a prophecy about his coming. "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone." Luke 20:17. He gives two options in verse 18. Fall on that stone and be broken or let it fall on you and be crushed.
The word "broken" conjures up uniformly negative images: broken bones, broken hearts, broken toys. You don't want something you value to be broken. Conversely, in God's dictionary, brokenness is not only good but also essential. He uses only people whose hearts, volition, and pride have been broken. Jesus gives a double warning: those who stumble over that stone—himself—"will be broken to pieces," while it will crush anyone it falls on. God offers a choice of "brokenness." Those who cast themselves on Jesus, submitting their wills and all that they are to him, will be broken by him of arrogance, hard-heartedness, and self-centeredness. It is not a pleasant process but an absolutely necessary one. For those who do not submit to him, he will ultimately "fall on them," an experience that can only be described as "crushing." The choice is yours: broken before him, or crushed by him.
20:20-26 —Life Application Bible Notes
The words above are not my own but say exactly what this lesson illustrates. God is longsuffering and deals with us over and over because he wants only what is good and best for us but he has given us a will and will not violate that will. It is up to us to choose which way we will go. "A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Psalm. 51:17. Let the stone fall upon you today and be broken before the Lord.
Tomorrows Bible Reading - 1 Chronicles 11, Ezekiel 24, Luke 21
God is good all the time,
Naomi Brinkman
1 comment:
Wow great blog! My dad told me a long time ago that I could choose to be humble or end up being humiliated, but one way or the other God was going to deal with me. This blog reminded me of what my dad said.
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