PRAISE: What The Church Won’t Teach You About “Praising The Lord”

(Psalm 150:6)
“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!”

Psalm 150 is known as “a psalm of praise” because all six verses of this short chapter exhort the people to praise the Lord. But what exactly does it mean to praise the Lord? Well, it’s difficult to provide a simple definition of “praise” because multiple words are used throughout the Bible to describe praise and its many different forms. The physical aspects of praise include bowing (1Chronicles 29:20), kneeling (Psalm 95:6), singing (Psalm 96:2), remaining quiet (Psalm 131:2), making noise (Luke 19:37), opening hands (1Kings 8:54), lifting hands (Psalm 134:2), meditating (Psalm 145:5), exulting (Psalm 21:13), and living an obedient life before GOD (Romans 15:7). The emotive aspects of praise include adoration (Psalm 9:1), prayer (Psalm 66:20), thanksgiving (Psalm 69:30), and joy (Psalm 71:23). Furthermore, praise can be given in any location and at any time. Finally, GOD is to be praised because of His creation, His good works, His love, and the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, Christ Jesus. Therefore, the one word of “praise” is an action-packed, emotionally charged, and spiritually propelled noun or verb that describes much depth beyond the mere surface of one word.

Richard Foster, a theologian, once said, “The Psalms are the literature of worship and their most prominent feature is praise. ‘Praise the Lord’ is the shout that reverberates from one end of the Psalter to the other. Singing, shouting, dancing, rejoicing, adoring – all are the language of praise.”

Generally, praise acknowledges and thanks GOD for all the good things in life. The Bible is full of such examples of praise, but as Richard Foster said, praise is most prominent in the Psalms. In fact, the Hebrew word תְּהִלָּה [H8416] tehillah (teh-hil-law’) means glory, praise, song of praise, and praiseworthy deeds. And the Hebrew name for the Book of Psalms (Tehillim) is simply the equivalent for the word “praises” and is a bit more appropriate than “Psalms,” which comes from the Greek word ψαλμός [G5568] psalmos (psal-mos’) and has to do with the accompaniment of singing with a stringed instrument of some sort. However, singing with a stringed instrument is a song of praise and so in that sense, the name “Psalms” is also appropriate. An example of praising the Lord with a song can be seen in Exodus 15:1-21 after GOD drowned the wicked Egyptians in the Red Sea, saving the Israelites. In 15:1, it is written that Moses and the sons of Israel sang a song to the Lord. And 15:20 says, “Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing.”

Because GOD is the Source of our blessings (Matthew 6:8,25-34), GOD is jealous for the praise of His children (Isaiah 42:8). In fact, Psalm 22:3 tells us that GOD is “enthroned upon [tehillah] the praises of Israel.” It is for this reason Jesus cautioned His disciples (and us) to seek praise from GOD alone rather than mere human beings (Matthew 6:1-4,16-18). A fascinating feature of praise is that even if humans fail to praise GOD as they should, the Lord’s angels and all of creation – including the sun, moon, and stars – will still praise GOD (1Chronicles 16:33; Psalms 19:1-3; 148; Luke 19:40).

Every time the word “praise” appears in Psalm 150, it is the Hebrew word הָלַל [H1984] hālal (haw-lal’), which means to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast, and thus to be (clamorously) foolish, to rave, to celebrate, or to praise. The previously mentioned word tehillah comes from this word. Typically, such praise is called for and expressed in the sanctuary, especially in times of special festivals (Isaiah 62:9). The Hebrew expression hallelu Yah literally means “praise the Lord” or “let us praise Yah” and is used in both Testaments. A couple examples from the Old Testament can be seen in Psalms 117:1-2; 150:6. In Romans 15:11, Paul cites Psalm 117:1. But the Hebrew expression hallelu Yah becomes the Greek word Ἁλληλούϊα [G239] hallēlouia (al-lay-loo’-ee-ah), as seen in Revelation 19:1,3-4,6. And so that Hebrew expression is the origin of the word, “hallelujah,” which has been absorbed into virtually every known language throughout the world. Coincidence or design? Well, because the word is a compound of the words hālal and יָהּ [H3050] Yah (yaw), which is a contraction of יְהוָֹה [H3068] YHWH (GOD’s personal name), I believe it’s GOD’s design that the praise of His name would be on the lips of all people in all languages – even if they’re unaware they’re praising Him!

And so hālal describes a boastful, foolish, raving, celebratory praise. An example of this exuberant praise showcased in dancing can be seen in 2Samuel 6:14-15 when David celebrated the return of the ark of the Lord. And it is this unrestrained action that caused Michal, the daughter of Saul, to despise David in her heart because she “saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord” (6:16). From her religious and politically correct judgmental point of view, David acted undignified for a superior royal figure and thus became “one of the foolish ones” (6:20); however, according to Scripture, David was most certainly in alignment with true biblical praise. It is for this reason he said to Michal in 6:21-22, “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel; therefore I will celebrate before the Lord. I will be more lightly esteemed than this and will be humble in my own eyes, but with the maids of whom you have spoken, with them I will be distinguished.” And because of Michal’s contempt for David’s genuine praise to the Lord, “Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death” (6:23).

However, sometimes the word “praise” in the English Bible is the Hebrew word זָמַר [H2167] zāmar (zaw-mar’), which means to pluck, strike, or touch the strings of a musical instrument, to make music, accompanied by the voice; hence, to sing a song with an instrument. An example of this can be seen in Psalm 7:17: “I will give thanks to the Lord according to His righteousness And will [zāmar] sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.” Another example can be seen in Isaiah 12:5: “[zāmar] Praise the Lord in song, for He has done excellent things; Let this be known throughout the earth.”

Sometimes, however, the word “praise” is the Hebrew word יָדָה [H3034] yadah (yaw-daw’), which comes from the word יָד [H3027] yad (yawd). The word yad means hand; specifically, the open one, indicating power, means, direction, etc., in distinction from כַּף [H3709] kaph (kaf), the closed hand. Basically, kaph represents the palm, the hollow part of the hand as distinguished from its fingers, thumbs, and back. This word represents the entire inside of the hand when it is cupped. The hollows of the hands may be raised heavenward in prayer to symbolize one’s longing to receive from the Lord. Various hollow, bending, or beaten objects are represented by this word. Primarily, yad means hand in its entirety, but it can also, depending upon the context, refer to a side, border, alongside, a measurement, portion, or even power and rule. In Genesis 14:22, Abraham’s lifting up his hand signified an oath. In 1Chronicles 29:24, when the people placed their hands under Solomon, that meant they submitted to his authority. Genesis 42:37 reveals that giving something into one’s hand is to entrust it to that person. And so the word yadah means to use or hold out the hands, to extend the hands outward, or to throw, shoot, or cast something. Typically, GOD is the object of this word, signifying humans extending their hands out to GOD. Often accompanied by thanksgiving, this act of praise showcases that our hands are not empty or hollow, but already full. We’re not praying to receive; rather, we’re giving thanks for what we have! Overall, the extending of hands is an act of surrender to the Lord and a confession of GOD’s undeserved kindness. Giving thanks to the Lord is synonymous with praising the Lord (Psalm 105:1; Isaiah 12:4; 1Chronicles 16:8).

Psalm 100 exhorts all people to praise GOD by joyfully shouting and singing, acknowledging who GOD is through thankfulness, confessing and admiring that the Lord is good. But Psalm 100:4 instructs us to do something else that’s quite interesting – we are encouraged to “bless” His name. The word “bless” is the Hebrew word בָרַךְ [H1288] bāraḵ (baw-rak’), which if GOD is the one being referenced, means to kneel, and by implication, to act in submission as a representation of honor and adoration, such as any subject would kneel before a king. Other examples of this word can be seen in Genesis 9:26; 14:20. However, if this word was spoken by GOD to humans, as we see in Genesis 1:22; 9:1; 12:2-3, then honor and favor was being bestowed upon them by the King of kings and Lord of lords. And so in this great reversal, GOD essentially stands them upright rather than them kneeling down. For this reason Jude 1:24 says that GOD “is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy.” Likewise, if GOD enables you to stand, then your enemies will not be able to stand against you (Deuteronomy 11:25; Joshua 1:5). And it is for this reason that common forms of greeting existed, such as “Blessed are you of the Lord” (1Samuel 15:13) and “May the Lord bless you” (Ruth 2:4).

The New Testament sometimes uses the words ἐπαινέω [G1867] epaineō (ep-ahee-neh’-o) or ἔπαινος [G1868] epainos (ep’-ahee-nos) for the word “praise,” which is a compound of the words ἐπί [G1909] epi (ep-ee’) and αἰνέω [G134] aineō (ahee-neh’-o). The word epi can mean on, in, to, over, upon, against, before, etc.; however, the precise nuance is only determined by the context, and by the grammatical case following it – i.e. genitive, dative, or accusative case. The word aineō means to praise. Thus, epaineō or epainos means to praise, applaud, or commend, with the praise going to someone. Luke 19:37 describes a whole crowd of disciples praising GOD during Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a colt of a donkey. But Luke 2:13 even describes angels praising GOD after the birth of Christ. And reminiscent of David’s unrestrained joy, after a lame man got healed in Acts 3:8, he began leaping while praising GOD.

However, just like the Old Testament had different Hebrew words that described praise, the Greek also has a few different words that describe praise. Another word used is ὑμνέω [G5214] humneō (hoom-neh’-o), which comes from the word ὕμνος [G5215] humnos (hoom’-nos). The word humnos is a song of praise to GOD, also known as a hymn(al). The word humneō means to sing a song of praise. During the last supper, Jesus and His disciples sang a “hymn” (Matthew 26:30), which was part of the hallel consisting of Psalms 113-118. In Acts 16:25, Paul and Silas sang a hymnal [of praise] while imprisoned prior to an earthquake providing a way of escape for them. Hebrews 2:12, talking about singing praise to the Lord, cites Psalm 22:22, which is the Hebrew hālal. Thus, the crossweaving of the physical and emotive aspects throughout both Testaments showcase the depth beyond the surface of the one word, “praise.”

Sometimes, the language shifts and praise is described as a “blessing.” Unlike the Hebrew word bāraḵ, however, this “blessing” is not a physical act of submission but a verbal expression. The word often used in this scenario is εὐλογέω [G2127] eulogeō (yoo-log-eh’-o), which is a compound of εὖ [G2095] eu (yoo) and λόγος [G3056] logos (log’-os). The word eu means well, well done, good, or rightly. The word logos means a word (uttered by a living voice), a saying, or speech, and denotes the expression of thought. Thus, eulogeō literally means to speak well of someone and signifies the act of praising or celebrating with verbal praises, of that which is addressed to GOD, acknowledging His goodness, with desire for His glory (Luke 2:28; James 3:9). But this word can also be used to speak well of or invoke blessings upon another human being (Luke 6:28; Romans 12:14). And it is for this very reason the Lord commanded us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). And this word is where we get our word “eulogy” and why many people speak well about someone at his/her funeral or memorial service. And in the great reversal on that Day, those who are declared innocent in their judgment due to their faithful obedience to Christ will hear this word from the Lord, as promised in Matthew 25:34: “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are [eulogeō] blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’” That means the Lord will speak well of you, praise you, and invoke blessings upon you. And it will be at that time the words of Matthew 10:32 will come true: “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.” And on that Day when the Lord praises the faithful, I imagine we will most certainly praise and worship Him in return. How could we not? But I suppose that’s why day and night the four living creatures will not cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come” (Revelation 4:8).

Last but certainly not least, the word δοξάζω [G1392] doxazō (dox-ad’-zo) means to glorify and honor, to magnify, extol, and praise, especially of glorifying GOD. In Matthew 9:8, after Jesus forgave the sins of the paralytic man and then healed him, “the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and [doxazō] glorified God, who had given such authority to men.” Absolutely everything about this word exemplifies “praise” (see also, Matthew 15:31; Romans 15:6,9; Galatians 1:24; 1Peter 4:16). Now, John 17:1 informs us that the Father glorifies the Son and the Son glorifies the Father. Matthew 5:16 informs us that if we accurately reflect Christ – who is the Light of the world (John 8:12) – so that our light shines before men in such a way that they may see our good works, those in the darkness might glorify our Father who is in Heaven! And Philippians 2:11 informs us that every person who confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord brings glory to the Father. In John 13:31-32, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately.”

So, what is the most appropriate way to rightly praise GOD? In conclusion, whether through singing, playing instruments, dancing, speaking or thinking grateful prayers, writing, expressing praise through art, etc., the only way to praise GOD is to magnify, glorify, and honor the name of Jesus through faithful obedience (Luke 6:46; Hebrews 11:6). As it is written in Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” Jesus said in John 15:8-11, “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”

But how do we bear fruit? By keeping in repentance (Matthew 3:8). How do we do that? By being Spirit-filled and Spirit-led (John 16:8-13). And if we are following the Spirit’s guidance, we will neither grieve nor quench the Spirit (Isaiah 63:10; Ephesians 4:30; 1Thessalonians 5:19). And of the Holy Spirit it is written in John 16:14-15, “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.”

Do you know what has been disclosed to me? The contents of this very article! My faithful obedience to the Spirit’s guidance produced this fruit. What else has been disclosed to me? Good news! Though I was a sinful man dead in my trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1-3), Christ died in my place by His loving grace (Ephesians 2:4-10)! Though I was once dwelling in darkness, I am now a child of the light (Ephesians 5:8; Colossians 1:13)! I have been given the greatest gift I never earned and could never deserve! So let’s all sing Psalm 150:6 one more time! “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!”

Amen.

What Does The Book Of Psalms Tell Us About GOD?

Someone wrote to me the following:

“Question-For example David wrote Psalms. So are things he writes speculatory? Like his view of God? Can you explain that please?”

That’s a good question. To answer that question, I must first explain the book of Psalms altogether. The English title “Psalms” comes from the Greek title, which was already established by the time of the New Testament (Luke 20:42; Acts 1:20). Psalmos translates from the Hebrew word mizmor, which means a psalm, song, or melody. Both words describe songs sung to the accompaniment of stringed instruments; thus, this provides insight into the nature of this book: it is a collection of songs, most (if not all) of which informed part of the life of worship for GOD’s people, even in New Testament times (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). The Hebrew title is Tehillim, which means “praises,” and is thus “The Book of Praises” (Sefer Tehillim). This gives us further insight into the book’s nature. Essentially, the book is a collection of songs of praise and worship. But many of the psalms were also written with the intent of a poetic structure, whether parallelism, acrostic, or other structure. And so these psalms were not written for private reflection; rather, they were written for an assembly to share and sing. This is why we see writings like, “stir up Your power and come to save us! O God, restore us and cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.” (Psalm 80:2-3).

Now, with that said, it is quite evident that some psalms express doubt, lament, frustration and even anger. The entire book of Psalms contains the entire range of human emotions, from the peak of joy to the valley of depression and loss. There are even times when David expresses vengeful curses upon his enemies. However, through all of the human emotions, it is important to understand that these psalms are included in the Bible because they are inspired by GOD.

Now, the overarching theme of the book of Psalms is GOD’s Kingship. And this brings me to your question as to whether or not David’s views of GOD in these psalms are mere speculation from David’s own limited perspective or whether they are theologically sound according to what all of Scripture teaches about GOD. The Psalms, unlike other books in the Bible, consists primarily of humans’ words to and about GOD, not GOD’s words to humans, such as those in the books of Leviticus, Isaiah, or the Gospels. The book of Psalms actually has quite a few different authors, not just David. For example, we find works attributed to Asaph (Psalm 50), the sons of Korah (Psalm 87), or Ethan (Psalm 89). But even though the book of Psalms is a collective effort rather than the work of one single author, the Holy Spirit inspired each individual person (2Samuel 23:1-3; Matthew 22:43-44; Acts 1:16; 4:25).

Further, the psalmists did not write without prior knowledge of GOD’s previous revelation through history and Scripture. For example, Psalms 78, 105-106, and 136 all reflect on GOD’s actions in history in order to instruct later generations of GOD’s people in how to live (or how not to live). And the Psalms often allude to previous Scriptures, showing the high regard that the psalmists had for GOD’s Word (Psalm 4:6; 9:5; 16:5; 27:8-9; 67:1-2). So in a way, their words to GOD are also GOD’s Words to us. Therefore, we can understand the psalmists to be prophets because they ended up acting as GOD’s mouthpieces (2Peter 1:20-21). It is for this reason we have Psalms 22 and 53, which provide prophecies that Christ Jesus fulfilled.

Conclusion:

Are descriptions about GOD within the Psalms speculative in nature? I don’t believe so. The critics are quick to point out complaints found within the Psalms, but these complaints reveal more of the inadequacies and impatience of human nature rather than any imperfection of GOD. In almost all lament Psalms, praise is also a component, confirming that praising GOD is the desired mode in which people should strive to live. If anything, the Psalms inform us honestly that pain and suffering are going to exist in this fallen world, but that GOD is greater.

But what’s important about these lamenting psalms is that they teach us the proper way to lament, by keeping trust in the Lord despite what we might feel through our unstable emotions. Both feeling and expressing our emotions are valid and important, but our actions must be channeled through our genuine relationship with GOD. And so the entire book of the Psalms essentially teaches us how to worship GOD through our emotions. And this is why it is of utmost importance to view each verse or passage in the context of the entire chapter, but to view each chapter in the context of the entire book of the Psalms. In fact, our “book” of the Psalms is actually five different Hebrew books that formed the one book within our English Bibles. And through much work of many scholars over the centuries, an examination of its structure reveals the bigger picture:
Introduction (Psalm 1 and Psalm 2): The wicked, the righteous, and the Lord
Book I (1-41): The first collection of David’s prayers
Book II (42-72): The second collection of David’s prayers
Book III (73-89): The book of crisis
(This begins with doubt about GOD’s justice and ends
with two despairing psalms, the final one questioning
GOD’s commitment to the Davidic covenant.)
Book IV (90-106): The Lord Reigns
(This book provides an answer to the despair in that if
we look to humans, we will be in despair; thus, we
need to look to the Lord.)
Book V (107-150): The Return of the King
Conclusion (146-150): Praise the Lord!

So, I believe that if the book of Psalms is to be rightly understood, the main message of the Psalms is that GOD is Holy, loving, merciful, protective of His people, faithful, a keeper of promises, a giver of good gifts, and that He is a just GOD who vindicates His people, who will eventually punish evil and care for the marginalized. Overall, GOD is sovereign and the Lord will reign as the one true King. In fact, the entire book of Psalms points to Jesus as the true King and this is evident in that the New Testament repeatedly shows the psalms being fulfilled in the life and ministry of Jesus (Matthew 13:34-35; 21:16,42; John 2:17; 15:25; 19:24,28,36; Acts 2:25-35; 13:32-37; Romans 15:3; 1Corinthians 15:25-27; 1Peter 2:7). Therefore, the Psalms is a treasure chest of resources that instruct us how to properly express our emotions, redirect our focus to the one true King, and guide us how to trust in the Lord as the one true King.

And then once you understand the main message of the entire book of Psalms, it must be viewed in the context of the entire Bible. The entire Bible is all connected and weaves together like a one big blanket of love that covers us. GOD’s love covers us the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings (Ruth 2:12; Matthew 23:37). And this is why GOD is our refuge (Psalms 2:12; 5:11; 7:1; 11:1; 14:6; 16:1; 17:7; 18:2,30; 25:20; 31:1,19; 34:8,22; 36:7; 37:40; 46:1; 57:1; 59:16; 61:3-4; 62:7-8; 64:10; 71:1,7; 73:28; 91:2,4,9; 94:22; 118:8-9; 141:8; 142:5; 143:9; 144:2).

Superhero: Ability & Availability

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If you would rather read this message, the words are provided below…

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This is Part 7 of my Superhero series. In the introduction of this series, I provided the argument that heroes are real and then I distinguished between heroes and superheroes. I also provided a list of what defines a superhero. In Part 1, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute standard of Good and realize that evil is a mere privation of what is good. In Part 2, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute moral standard and realize that what is wrong can only be known by the standard of what is right. In Part 3, I defined and expounded upon love because all superheroes are full of love and are compelled to act out from love. In Part 4, I explained that superheroes desire to save people from all forms of danger and/or death and this desire comes from love. In Part 5, we learned that superheroes are solution seekers. In Part 6, we saw that solution seekers are willing to sacrifice if necessary.

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In this message (Part 7), we will see that sacrificial love steps forward and offers service. But in order to do that, we must be available. If we are able, we should also be willing. Superheroes need to be able and available.

With television shows such as American Idol, The X Factor, So You Think You Can Dance, America’s Got Talent, The Voice, etc., it’s obvious that our nation is infatuated with talent and entertainment. Even when our country went through a recession back in 2008-2009, box office sales for the movie theaters still boomed. With that said, I’m going to use the entertainment industry in order to help you better understand this message.

Actors Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe were both slated to play the lead role in the classic movie, “Footloose” (1984). The casting directors were impressed with Tom Cruise because of the famous underwear dance sequence he performed in “Risky Business” (1983); however, Tom Cruise was unavailable for the part because he was filming “All the Right Moves” (1983). Rob Lowe auditioned three times and had dancing ability and the ‘neutral teen’ look that the director wanted, but he pulled his knee; consequently, the injury rendered him unavailable and prevented him from getting the part. Kevin Bacon was offered the leading role for the Stephen King movie, “Christine” (1983) at the same time that he was asked to do a screen test for “Footloose.” The producers from “Footloose” convinced Kevin Bacon that turning down a sure role in “Christine” for a part he might not even get in “Footloose” was the wiser choice by telling him that if he did get the part for “Footloose,” the role would make him an instant star. And in just 30 seconds into the screen test reading, Kevin Bacon was offered the lead role in “Footloose.” However, it was the director of “Footloose,” who only after watching “Diner” (1982), convinced the producers to go with Kevin Bacon. And Kevin Bacon almost didn’t get the part in “Diner” because he was sick on the day of his screen test reading for the role of Fenwick. But Kevin Bacon had previously decided that his character (Fenwick) would probably be half-drunk during the entire movie anyway, so he forged ahead, auditioned, and then got the part. And because of all this, there is now what Hollywood refers to as the “six degrees of Kevin Bacon”:

Here is the same information (as above), but put into a different perspective: Kevin Bacon only got the part in “Diner” because he made himself available for the audition even though he was sick. Because he made himself available and got the part in “Diner,” the director of “Footloose” saw him in “Diner” and then had reason to push Kevin Bacon to his producers; consequently, Kevin Bacon got the lead role in “Footloose.” However, the only reason Kevin Bacon got the lead role in “Footloose” was because he turned down “Christine” and made himself available for “Footloose.” However, Kevin Bacon was only chosen after Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe had both been unavailable.

Now, the only reason I chose to use this example was because Kevin Bacon played the evil villain, Sebastian Shaw, in the 2011 movie, X-Men: First Class. Kevin Bacon is now forever a part of superhero history and because of that, he is now in my book about superheroes. So, let’s use this message of ability and availability to see how it applies to our lives according to GOD’s Word:

“One day as Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh met him along the way. Ahijah was wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone in a field, and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces. Then he said to Jeroboam, ‘Take ten of these pieces, for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: “I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon, and I will give ten of the tribes to you! But I will leave him one tribe for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. For Solomon has abandoned me and worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians; Chemosh, the god of Moab; and Molech, the god of the Ammonites. He has not followed my ways and done what is pleasing in my sight. He has not obeyed my decrees and regulations as David his father did.”‘ ”
(1Kings 11:29-33) -NLT

Solomon was David’s son. Solomon started out as an average man, became the wisest man (1Kings 3:5-12), but then ended up crashing and burning due to his sins. The irony is that Solomon was wise enough to foresee his downfall, but he blinded himself to Truth because he chose to set his focus on personal pleasure. Solomon’s story saddens me and not just because he was David’s son or that he had once been so wise, but because his story is like many Christians of today’s culture. So many Christians today have taken their focus off GOD’s will and have become distracted by the pleasures that our sinful society offers. Let’s examine what tripped Solomon up and how it relates to us today: GOD’s Word tells us that Solomon abandoned GOD and worshiped Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Molech.

Ashtoreth (Astarte, Ashtarte, Ashtaroth, Ishtar, Attar):

This deity was a mother goddess linked with fertility, love, and war. This deity was associated with carved trees or nature, as being the female deity of the moon, and also associated with sexual immorality. Sex and nature. Or as the hippies claimed, “it’s love and peace, man!” But as we learned in chapter 3, sex and love are not one and the same: sex needs love to be relevant and meaningful; love does not need sex to be relevant and meaningful. Love can survive and even thrive without sex, but sex without love is pleasure without purpose. Solomon ruined his life because he allowed sex to become his love. Ashtoreth was essentially the same ‘god’ that the hippies of the 1960’s worshiped. The goal was satisfaction for self. And so many of those misguided hippies of the 1960’s ended up being the people who influenced our politics and society; consequently, many of the dangerous indoctrinations and misguided beliefs have carried over into the present day in which we live. Nowadays, worship of Ashtoreth can be compared with the people who call themselves “ecosexuals” because they essentially worship ‘Mother Nature’ and center their lives on the pleasure of sex. The scattered remains of Ashtoreth are still evident in the entertainment and advertisement industries. If you haven’t noticed, sex sells. If you haven’t noticed, the lure of lust is the rust that causes a person’s stainless steel character to corrode and crumble.

Chemosh:

According to the Moabite Stone (the Mesha Stele), Chemosh was associated with the goddess Ashteroth. This deity was [in general] of the same nature as Baal (Baal-Hadid). The word baal means “lord.” Baal was most often associated with being the god of weather, war, or fertility. So, Baal was a god who was believed to enable the earth to produce crops and people to produce children. Nowadays, our secular society who supports scientism essentially worships themselves as the only beings capable of ensuring the growth of crops and allowing/denying human fertility. The modern version of Chemosh or Baal is most likely celebrities and scientists. Many people idolize celebrities, viewing them as superhuman; many people essentially worship scientists, viewing them as our saviors.

 

Molech (Moloch, Molek, Melek, Malik):

Children were burned to death as a sacrifice while worshiping a false god. Nowadays, Molech can be compared to Planned Parenthood and the thousands of abortions (murders) that take place every day. As of 2018, it was estimated that Americans have aborted (murdered) about 60 million babies since our sinful society demanded the ‘right’ to do so in 1973. (Click here to read my logical argument against abortion.)

Ancient Sin Is Modern Sin:

There’s nothing new about sin; Satan is subtle, evil is deliberate, and the devil’s demons haven’t changed their tactics. Even today, people are still placing their focus on false gods and idols. And if a wise man such as Solomon was able to be beguiled by physical beauty and enticed and entranced by the temptations that surrounded him, you better believe that you are susceptible to falling as well. In fact, GOD’s Word tells us that we are not exempt from falling:

“These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence. No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face.”
(1Corinthians 10: 11-13) -MSG

“God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”
(1Corinthians 10:13) -NLT

“Stay alert, be in prayer, so you don’t enter the danger zone without even knowing it. Don’t be naive. Part of you is eager, ready for anything in God; but another part is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”
(Mark 14:38) -MSG

“So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.”
(1Thessalonians 5:6) -NLT

But referring back to 1Kings 11:29-33, Ahijah the prophet tore his cloak into 12 pieces and announced that Jeroboam was to replace Solomon as king. Even if Ahijah had not told Jeroboam what the tearing of the cloak meant, the same thing was about to happen to Solomon and to Jeroboam regardless. Most of the time, we experience only signs and symbolism in our lives without any explanations. GOD doesn’t always tell us the ‘why.’ Therefore, we need to constantly and consistently keep our focus on GOD and the ways of GOD so that we can have our eyes open, alert, and ready to see the signs that GOD gives us when they arrive in our lives. We need to pay attention, be aware of where we are and if we’re living right before GOD. We need to keep ourselves in check at all times. Indeed — check yourself before you wreck yourself! We need to constantly self-examine ourselves to ensure we’re living the right way.

“But I have taken you in hand. Rule to your heart’s content! You are to be the king of Israel. If you listen to what I tell you and live the way I show you and do what pleases me, following directions and obeying orders as my servant David did, I’ll stick with you no matter what. I’ll build you a kingdom as solid as the one I built for David. Israel will be yours!”
(1Kings 11: 37-39) -MSG

GOD declared a promise to Jeroboam while pouring out His heart and love. GOD chose Jeroboam. However, let’s be honest — GOD only chooses and works with whomever is available. Why? Because we have the great gift of free will. And if someone isn’t willing, that person would not be available. This is why GOD always promises things, but inserts special stipulations into the contract agreement. GOD can only follow through with the promise or the miracle if we do our part. This is the reason why so many people have come and gone as leaders. If there is only one choice to work with, GOD will use that person until someone better is available to use, and so on and so forth. If we are chosen as someone of great significance, as an anointed one, it’s important that we always do our best and try to continually improve. There will always be a chance that someone coming out of the shop will be better than you. A lot of people will make themselves available yet they lack ability. A lot of people have ability, but who will make themselves available? There will always be a chance that you will injure your knee at the ‘audition’ and render yourself unavailable to be chosen for the part. We don’t want to be replaced by someone because we didn’t try our best. It would be even worse if GOD replaced us with inanimate and inarticulate items such as a blue cord. We need to show up to the ‘audition’ even if we don’t feel 100%! However, if we do get replaced by someone when we do try our best, then it was simply for the best and we need to move on. But we must try our best. However, to do that we must first make ourselves available. Ability is useless without availability; if you have the ability to act yet are unavailable to act, you won’t act and thus your ability is useless.

Ponder on this: there are more chances for your replacement the higher you get up the ladder. Look at it this way: if your job is to crawl into pipes/tunnels and clean out the sewage and waste that clogged the pipes/tunnels, how many people do you think will be after your job? Not many. But if you are a celebrity with fame and fortune, how many people would want your job then? Almost everyone. The better the position you are placed in, the greater expectation of your work, and the greater the risk of being replaced if you do not meet the expectation.

“Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.”
(Luke 12:48) -HCSB

“But then Jeroboam thought, ‘It won’t be long before the kingdom is reunited under David. As soon as these people resume worship at The Temple of God in Jerusalem, they’ll start thinking of Rehoboam king of Judah as their ruler. They’ll then kill me and go back to King Rehoboam.’ So the king came up with a plan: He made two golden calves. Then he announced, ‘It’s too much trouble for you to go to Jerusalem to worship. Look at these—the gods who brought you out of Egypt!’ He put one calf in Bethel; the other he placed in Dan. This was blatant sin. Think of it—people traveling all the way to Dan to worship a calf!”
(1Kings 12:26-30) -MSG

Jeroboam replaced Solomon as king and then wrecked himself as soon as he started because he did not check himself. Jeroboam didn’t check his motives or align himself with GOD’s Word — his focus was on himself instead of doing GOD’s will. That’s why GOD needs to always be first. If we do GOD’s will, then we will be blessed in the process.

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
(Matthew 6:33) -NLT

Unfortunately for GOD and everyone under Jeroboam’s rule, Jeroboam was the man that GOD had to work with for the time being. Can you believe that?! That guy was the best man for the job as king even though he was not suited for the position at all! (I can believe it. I can think of at least a couple presidents in our American history who weren’t suited to be president.) But out of all people who made themselves available, GOD selected Jeroboam because he was the closest thing to a leader who was available. That would be unbelievable if only it didn’t match so many other descriptions of world leaders throughout our history; Jeroboam’s story matches the accuracy of what we already know to be true throughout world history. That means that the entire lot of people GOD had to choose from were just a bunch of lukewarm, fence-sitting, selfish sinners or worse. They lost their edge. Their fire went out. 

“So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
(Revelation 3:16) -ESV

In Revelation 3, the church of Laodicea receives no praise from the Lord. GOD states that because they are neither hot nor cold and merely lukewarm, GOD is going to spit them out of His mouth. The people claimed that they needed nothing because they were wealthy, but GOD called them wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, naked, and shameful (Revelation 3:17-18). GOD proclaims His love, advises they accept His discipline, and admonishes them to repent. The insipid are intolerable; their indecisiveness leads to indigestion. Indifference leads to idleness. Fence-sitting, couch-potato, comfort-Christianity receives no praise (Hebrews 10:38; 12:4-13; Proverbs 3:11-12)! In Revelation 3:20, Jesus tells us that He stands at the door and knocks, simply waiting for someone to respond and allow Him in. And when that person allows Jesus within, He will have dinner with that person. Why is this important? In Mark 2:15-17, we see that this is how Levi — a tax collector — became Matthew, the disciple. Once we allow Jesus within and we fellowship with Him, hearing His Word in itself would be the meal we would be eating; consequently, being filled with the Bread of Life, life would exude out of our very pores and we would be on fire for Christ, thus incapable of being lukewarm. This letter to the church of Laodicea concludes with a promise to the victor that he/she will have the right to sit with Him on His throne. This promise is to say that we will be part of the family and will share in His glory.

I don’t know about you, but both the stories of Jeroboam and the church of Laodicea motivates me to act righteously. If I’m not chosen as someone of great significance, that means that there must be someone out there who is a better person than I am and that he/she was chosen for the job. GOD seeks ability, but works with who is available; therefore, we need to make ourselves available!

Are you available? Have you allowed your heart to be available to GOD? Once you make yourself available, you then put yourself in the running. If you don’t get chosen for a specific job, don’t get discouraged — that just means there is someone better suited for that particular job. No big deal. That doesn’t mean that you should drop out of the running though! You are perfect for a particular job, it’s just a matter of patience to discover where GOD needs you to be. GOD knows what you are best at, what you’re good at, what you’re alright at, and even what you’re bad at. GOD wants to use the gifts, talents, and abilities that He gave to you for how they would be used in the best way. Therefore, make yourself available. You cannot go to auditions if you don’t make yourself available for the auditions. You cannot get the part if you don’t audition. And when you audition, you should not give a halfhearted audition — you should put forth 100% effort and do your best while auditioning even if you don’t feel 100%. Every single new ‘audition’ is a new opportunity for you to prove that you are the right one to be chosen.

There are many roles in acting just like there are many roles that we Christians play in the huge ‘movie’ called Life. GOD is the writer, producer, director, script supervisor, executive producer, camera operator, the sound guy, the editor, etc… GOD is also the casting director. GOD created this ‘movie’ called Life; in addition, He knows who is best suited for what role. We need to place our trust in GOD (Proverbs 3:5-6). GOD places His trust in us just as a director places his/her trust in an actor/actress. It’s a mutual trust. The movie can’t be great without the actors — and the Director knows that. GOD still needs ‘actors’ and ‘actresses’ to fill the roles in Life. Are you available? Don’t concern yourself about when you will get chosen — it will happen. Patience… GOD has a specific role that He wants you to play, but there is a specific time in which He needs you to fill that role. Practice your ability, but be available always. Always go to your ‘auditions.’ Always try your best. Never get discouraged. Understand that it’s just a matter of time. And in the meantime, constantly try to better yourself as a person. There’s always room for improvement.

Jeroboam got cast as the part of the king, but I guarantee you that the audience was unhappy with the selection and the movie bombed. But Jeroboam got the part because he was the best one for the role who was also available to be used as that role. There were better men than Jeroboam (no doubt), but perhaps they were too far away in the world to be cast as the king for that particular place. Or perhaps those better men were already playing a role in GOD’s movie somewhere else. GOD knew that the movie wasn’t great with Jeroboam as king, but GOD had someone else in mind for the role of King, and His name was Jesus. That’s part of the storyline in this movie we call Life – GOD allowed bad kings so that we would appreciate the Good King. But GOD’s planning and timing had to be precise. So, GOD worked with who was available for the time being. Are you available? Let’s learn a lesson from the prophet Isaiah on how we should respond in life:

“Then I said, ‘It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.’ Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, ‘See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.’ Then I heard the Lord asking, ‘Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?’ I said, ‘Here I am. Send me.’ ”
(Isaiah 6:5-8) -NLT

Isaiah’s humility helped him realize he was a sinful man. Isaiah’s recognition of his sinful nature enabled him to repent of his sins and receive forgiveness. Isaiah’s willingness to do GOD’s will made him available to be chosen for anointed and appointed ability.

I challenge you to make yourself available! Be the most righteous person you can possibly be, be patient, and be persistent. GOD has a plan for you. To insure your availability, ensure that you are living in alignment with GOD’s Word. Live as righteous as possible. What happens when the right people aren’t available? GOD has to choose a Jeroboam or a blue cord. Be available. Don’t make GOD choose a Jeroboam because you weren’t available. Are you available? Can GOD depend on you to be chosen as the superhero who feeds that homeless person on the street? Or are you going to be in the strip club thereby rendering yourself unavailable? Can GOD depend on you to be chosen as the superhero who tells the truth when everyone else is too afraid to speak up? Or are you going to be hiding your head in the sand thereby rendering yourself unavailable? Can GOD depend on you to be chosen as the superhero to speak a miracle over someone’s life and help heal someone? Or are you going to be intoxicated at a party thereby rendering yourself unavailable? If you choose to love, desire to do GOD’s will, seek solutions, and are willing to sacrifice, you have the ability. But are you available? And will you help others be ready and available for when Christ returns?

“Always be ready! You don’t know when the Son of Man will come.”
(Matthew 24:44) -CEV

If you’re not ready and available when GOD calls you, how are you going to help others be ready and available when Christ comes? If you are able, you should also be willing. Be able. Be available.