DCLM Daily Manna Wednesday 11 October 2023
TOPIC: Shortcuts that Solve Nothing
TEXT: 1 Kings 15:16-24 (KJV)
16 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
17 And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
18 Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
19 There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
20 So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
21 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.
22 Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.
23 The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.
24 And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.
KEY VERSE
“Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus…”
(1 Kings 15:18)
DCLM Daily Manna Wednesday 11 October 2023 MESSAGE
Many people are quick to take the easy way out. They accept what appears to be the most logical advice that comes to them. They seek shortcuts to finding a solution to an enduring problem. For a while, it may seem to be working. Soon enough, they realise that greater problems had been created.
Asa started well as king of Judah, for he “did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father”. However, success for him came at a great price. Baasha, the king of Israel, waged war against him, seized part of his territory, and began constructing a new city there. When Asa realised he could not dislodge Baasha, he turned to the wrong source for help. He gathered all the treasures in the house of the Lord and delivered them to Benhadad, king of Syria, with the plea that he should break his alliance with Baasha.
READ DCLM Daily Manna Tuesday 10 October 2023 – What to Remember
It worked, because the king of Syria attacked Israeli cities, forcing the king of Israel to withdraw from Judah. The building materials he abandoned as he hurriedly withdrew from Judah were collected by Asa and used to build two new cities. From then on, however, Asa’s life took a downward plunge. His rebellion soon brought a strange disease upon him. Yet, in his sickness, he refused to turn to God, and instead, kept hopping from one physician to another, all to no avail. Soon, he died from that sickness, a pitiable end for a king that began his reign by doing right in the sight of God.
We must avoid taking the easy way out. It may appear simple and straightforward but it does not last. Worse still, it has the tendency to turn the heart from God, to make us self-conceited and to think that we can solve our own problems. Turning away from God opens the door for the devil to plant sicknesses, diseases and afflictions in us. Resist the pressure to seek a shortcut in dealing with life challenges and let your whole dependence rest on the Almighty God.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Be warned: shortcuts lead to long and damning problems.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Isaiah 22-25
