Do not lie!

The ninth of the ten commandments God gave to Israel states that “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” (‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20:16‬). In essence, do not lie when testifying about another and do not lie. There is nothing like a harmless lie. Every lie is a lie. Unfortunately most of us have succumbed to many “subtle lies” that we believe are normal and God does not consider them. God considers everything including the lie we tell to get ahead of the queue. That’s why on a daily basis, asking for forgiveness of sins should be part of our prayers. This post will consider lessons from Rachel, the wife of Jacob. In their flight from the house of Laban (Rachel’s father), Rachel stole her father’s household gods. Genesis 31:34 states that “Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them inside her camel’s saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched through everything in the tent but found nothing.” ‭‭

Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them inside her camel’s saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched through everything in the tent but found nothing. ‭‭(Genesis‬ ‭31:34‬)

When Laban came around, Rachel did not confess her wrong but rather added more lies. She said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I’m having my period.” (‭‭Genesis‬ ‭31:35). Laban searched and searched but could not find the household gods. Jacob in his anger laid a curse on the thief: “But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live. In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it.” ‭‭(Genesis‬ ‭31:32). Jacob had no idea that his beloved wife, Rachel had stolen the gods.‬ What were the consequences of Rachel’s lies?

Death: As a result of Rachel’s actions she died while delivering her second child, Benjamin. As to the reason for stealing her father’s household gods, it is best known to Rachel but the results were drastic. Rachel’s labour pains were so intense that she died but the child survived. Remember, Jacob in Genesis 31:32 had already mentioned that the person who stole the gods shall not live. I believe Jacob was certain that no member of his household stole the gods and the accusation was Laban’s ploy to search them. The wages of sin according to Romans 6:23 is death and for Rachel, her wages for the lie she told was her death.

Separation: Lies lead to separation from God and the people you love. Whenever we fail to tell the truth, we raise a hedge between us and God. The commandments of God warns us from lying and every sin comes with punishment. Sin drives us away from God. Furthermore, when we lie, we tend to emotionally and physically move away from the people we love. For example, if a cheating husband constantly lies about his escapees with strange women, he raises a hedge between him and his family. Trust is broken and their physical attraction begins to dwindle. Rachel was physically separated from her family and she missed out in seeing her sons grow. She missed Joseph’s powerful dreams and his rise to glory.

Lack of trust: No one trusts a liar. Infact, putting your trust in a liar is at your own risk. Whenever people demonstrate the tendency to lie, their family and friends lose their faith and trust in such people. Thus even a serious matter can be neglected if it is coming from the liar.

Eternal punishment: According to Revelation ‭22:15‬ ‭(NKJV‬‬)
“But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.” Liars are among those who do not have access in God’s kingdom. Every lie is a confirmation that we do not want to be part of God’s eternal bliss but we choose eternal punishment.

Rachel lied to her doom. We have been shown so much mercy and there is still opportunity for us to repent of all sins including lies. Today is another opportunity for us to confess and be forgiven of all our sins. God is merciful.

Prayer: Dear God, I repent of all my sins including all unconfessed lies. I understand that liars have no place in your kingdom but I want to spend eternity with you. Please forgive me of all my sins and draw me closer to you. May Your Holy Spirit constantly remind me when my heart is tempted to lie. Help me live right and may my place in the book of life never be lost because of lies. I surrender my thoughts and emotions to You. I am Yours today and always. Amen.

Jezebel: The promoter of Idolatry

Certain women in Biblical history are seen as evil, manipulative and wicked. Their presence gave birth to more wickedness and evil and their evil ways of life led the nation astray. One of such women is Jezebel. The lifestyle of Jezebel and the influence she had over her husband and the nation cannot be overemphasized. Who is Jezebel and why is she relevant in Biblical history? Jezebel was a Sidonian Princess who later became the wife of king Ahab. Sidon was a pagan nation and they did not worship the Lord. Jezebel grew up serving Baal, Asherah and the many gods of the Sidonians. Ahab brought her to Samaria, the capital of Israel (Northern Kingdom). There, Jezebel established herself and used her authourity to promote idolatry in Israel.  No wonder God warned the Israelites against marrying foreign women so their hearts are not drawn to follow foreign gods. 

He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. (1 Kings 16:31)

Ahab was not any other king. He followed the evil ways of all the evil kings that had come before him. According to 1 Kings 16:31, Ahab not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him (1 Kings 16:31). In other words, Jezebel was not the only one who worshipped her gods, Ahab was also led astray and he promoted the worship of Baal and Asherah: “He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him” (1 Kings 16:32‭-‬33). Jezebel’s evil influence on Israel led the prophet Elijah to prophecy against Israel. Elijah said, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word” (1 Kings 17:1). The whole nation lived in famine for three years because of Jezebel’s evil influence.  When Elijah returned to Samaria after three years, he won the “Power contest” against the prophet of Baal (1 Kings 18:16-40). 

Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done in the Power Contest and how Elijah had killed all the prophets of Baal with the sword (1 Kings 19:1), Jezebel was angry and sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them” (1 Kings 19:2). The prophet fled for his life. Elijah had killed 450 prophets of Baal, but he feared one woman and took to his heels. Thus, even the prophet of God knew how influential and manipulative Jezebel was. God Himself had to send his angel to encourage Elijah and to send the prophet food to eat (1 Kings 19:5-9). Jezebel’s idolatry was so pungent that she is seen as an image of Idolatry even in the book of Revelation (Revelation 2:20). Jezebel represents the relationship with strange women that led to the turning of the hearts of the people of God to follow foreign gods. She was resolute and her corrupting influence led the whole nation away from God. Her husband became her biggest sponsor and he built altars for Baal and Asherah all across his kingdom. 

Jezebel was not repentant even when the prophet Elijah miraculously prayed for fire and destroyed the prophets of Baal. She rather became poised for more evil. She would rather kill Elijah than serve God. Even when her husband Ahab fasted and prayed and God forgave him (1 Kings 21:27-29), Jezebel refused to change. In the New Testament, Jezebel is the spirit of idolatry. In the letter to the church of Thyatira, Jesus Himself accused the church for tolerating that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet and who through her teaching misleads God’s servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols (Revelation 2:20).

Jezebel reminds us that whoever you marry can make or unmake you. An unbelieving, evil, manipulative, idolater, wicked spouse can make you a partner in evil. Ahab’s partnership with Jezebel led to all the evil he committed. He was schooled, trained, nurtured and ultimately graduated into idolatry. Before you say “I do”, say “I don’t” to any lifestyle that is contrary to the word of God. You cannot marry someone to change them. Are you God?

The wife of Jeroboam: The bearer of bad news

The nation of Israel was divided into two after the death of Solomon. Rehoboam’s refusal to listen to the wise men but take instructions from his fellows led to the division (1 Kings 12). Prior to that God had warned Solomon that as a result of his apostasy, the kingdom will be divided (1 Kings 11:11). The two kingdoms that came out of the nation of Israel were the Southern Kingdom consisting of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and the Northern Kingdom consisting of the other ten tribes. Rehoboam ruled the Southern Kingdom which was referred to as Judah in the Bible. Jeroboam, the rebel leader, ruled over the Northern Kingdom which was referred to as Israel in the Bible. Jeroboam was a wicked king. He did so much evil that his name became the household name for apostasy throughout the history of Israel. What was Jeroboam’s apostasy? He made  two golden calves and said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” He set up one in Bethel, and the other in Dan. The people came to worship the one at Bethel and went as far as Dan to worship the other. He built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites (see 1 Kings 12:28‭-‬31).

and Jeroboam said to his wife, “Go, disguise yourself, so you won’t be recognized as the wife of Jeroboam. Then go to Shiloh. Ahijah the prophet is there—the one who told me I would be king over this people. (1 Kings 14:2)

With such a track record, Jeroboam was definitely not in good standing with God. God through his prophet declared the doom of Jeroboam. In the course of time, Jeroboam’s son Abijah became ill. Then Jeroboam said to his wife, “Go, disguise yourself, so you won’t be recognized as the wife of Jeroboam. Then go to Shiloh. Ahijah the prophet is there—the one who told me I would be king over this people.” (1 Kings 14:2). Jeroboam’s wife was commissioned to inquire from the prophet. This woman knew the state of her husband’s heart and evil things he had done. She was sent to inquire from the same God her husband had rejected by making idols for the people. Of all the people she could have been sent to, she was sent to a prophet who truly hears from God. As a mother, Jeroboam’s wife might have had concerns for her son. He was dying and needed to be helped. The woman embarked on this journey hoping to get answers. She didn’t know what was in store for her. Even before she arrived at the house of Prophet Ahijah, the Lord prompted the prophet of her visit and told him what to say to her.

Prophet Ahijah was blind but as soon as Jeroboam’s wife got to the door of the prophet, the prophet called her and asked, “why this pretense?” Before the woman could state her mission, the prophet told her that the kingdom will be taken away from her husband. Further, Ahijah told her that “As for you, go back home. When you set foot in your city, the boy will die. All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He is the only one belonging to Jeroboam who will be buried, because he is the only one in the house of Jeroboam in whom the Lord, the God of Israel, has found anything good.” (1 Kings 14:12‭-‬13). Jeroboam’s wife was sent as the bearer of bad news: the death of her son and an end to their family’s reign over Israel. She left the house of the prophet carrying bad news. She might have been horrified and scared. She knew the power in the words of Ahijah. She got up and went to Tirzah. 1 Kings 14:17-18 states that “as soon as she stepped over the threshold of the house, the boy died. They buried him, and all Israel mourned for him, as the Lord had said through his servant the prophet Ahijah.”

The wife of Jeroboam witnessed the massive apostasy of her husband. She lived in the Palace and saw the name of God brought low and evil reigning in the hearts of the people. She experienced and possibly worshipped her husband’s idols. She was a source of authority and a leader but together with her husband, they led a whole nation to sin. Even if she might not have publicly declared it, she abandoned God just as all the others who worshipped Jeroboam’s idols. There are many things we seem to do with good intentions but they are evil in the sight of God. If we fail to point out evil, the consequences of the sinful acts of others would befall on all people including the silent watchers.

Micah’s mother: When a good intention is evil

During the time the judges ruled Israel, law and order was left in the hands of people and as scripture records, in those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit (Judges 17:6; Judges 21:25). Different people were raised by God to lead the Israelites and others were self-made rulers like Abimelek. Today we shall consider a mother’s seemingly good intention which was evil and led the people to worship other gods. Scripture doesn’t mention the name of this woman. The name of her son is mentioned and so we will refer to her as Micah’s mother. This woman seemed rich and had enough shekels of silver. This is how their story begins: “Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have that silver with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “The Lord bless you, my son!” (Judges 17:1‭-‬2). The Bible doesn’t state that Micah stole the silver but he had in his possession the same silver his mother was looking for. In fact, the woman even uttered a curse because her silver was missing. The details of the curse are not given. Surprisingly, the woman seemed just content when Micah confessed that he had the silver. She even blessed Micah for that. What were they going to do with the silver? The value of that silver in 2023 would be over 10,000 USD. So that would have been a lot of investment then. 

So after he returned the silver to his mother, she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who used them to make the idol. And it was put in Micah’s house. (Judges 17:4)

However Micah’s mother had a different plan. The woman’s intention was to give the silver back to God. That seemed like a good plan but her implementation of the plan went wrong. “When [Micah] returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I solemnly consecrate my silver to the Lord for my son to make an image overlaid with silver. I will give it back to you.” So after he returned the silver to his mother, she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who used them to make the idol. And it was put in Micah’s house.” (Judges 17:3‭-‬4). Anytime I read this scripture, I am amazed that a dedication to God was actually something God had sternly warned the people not to do. God’s command against idolatry has and would not change. In both Exodus 20:4 and Deuteronomy 5:8, the command against idolatry is clearly spelt out. 
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. (Exodus 20:4)
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. (Deuteronomy 5:8)
Subsequently, the idols Micah’s mother commissioned were never to God. The spiritual perversion caused by these idols was so great. 

The woman’s son took the idolatry a step further. Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household gods and installed one of his sons as his priest (Judges 17:5). Later, he installed a young Levite as priest over the idols. Some time later, the Danites (the tribe of Dan, son of Jacob) had envoys in search of land and the envoys came across the Levite priest and the idols. Subsequently, the Danites carried both the priest and the idols to their new home. To the Danites, it was better that the Levite serve a tribe and clan in Israel as a priest rather than just one man’s household (Judges 18:19). So a whole clan prostituted themselves with the idols Micah’s mother commissioned. The idolatry was no more a household sin but a territorial sin. They forsook God and turned to idols made with silver. In so doing, the people activated all the curses concerning idolatry. Deuteronomy 28:15-68 lists these curses. The poignant idolatry initiated by Micah’s mother was established and when the Danites finally moved to their own land, they set up for themselves the idol, and Jonathan son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the captivity of the land. They continued to use the idol Micah had made, all the time the house of God was in Shiloh (Judges 18:30‭-‬31). So for generations, a woman’s good intent became a snare for a whole people group. 

Like Micah’s mother, sometimes we set out to do something good but the result could be man gratifying rather than serving God’s purpose. Don’t be in a hurry to raise idols in the name of serving God. If care is not taken, the same gift you received from God will become an idol serving your interests rather than serving God. Search your heart before you make any commitment. It is better to worship God in your little corner than to commission a territorial idol. God hates idolatry!