01/09/2022 - CONFRONTED BY THE CHOSEN

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So Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of the LORD—valiant men.   2 Chronicles 26.17

It’s necessary to maintain order in God’s work. For this reason, we can only accept the Scriptures as doctrine. No one, no matter how holy they may think they are, is able to produce something to be used in the direction of the Master’s work (John 8.34,41). Whoever dares to add anything to the Bible will suffer the curses registered in it. And if they subtract anything from it, their share from the tree of life and the Holy City will be taken away (Revelation 22.18,19).

The priest Azariah saw the king’s error and did not fear him, but gathered 80 other priests and went after him. Azariah’s courage must exist in those who feel uncomfortable in the work they do, seeing something added or subtracted from the Word and other issues about which the Holy Spirit alerts them. Pay attention to what you say. To say that God has commanded you to do or say something, when He has said nothing, is lying, and liars will taste the second death (Revelation 21.8).

If the Lord shows you a transgression, pray about it and let Him decide what to do. Not everyone who sees something wrong will be used to solve such a problem, but if you pray – the Father will show you who did it and the subsequent reparation. All over the world, there are servants of the evil one disguised as kind people, even in churches. This is serious! Such people have the capacity to commit iniquities and swear that they were not the authors. Walk in the Spirit and you will get rid of them!

The valiant men who went in with Azariah were assigned to carry out God’s work. Those called to fulfill it must handle it, for they are trustworthy. The Word warns us not to trust anyone: Thus says the Lord: Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord (Jeremiah 17.5). Avoid being considered cursed.

God’s children should have the seven qualities that David had, which are listed in 1 Samuel 16.18. However, that does not give them the right to act in their own strength. Although they were courageous, the priests did not engage in confrontation, they simply let God work. Never use force to fight against or resist those in sin. Allow yourself to be used by the Almighty and you will be victorious. He knows how to act so that someone will give up hunting you, even though they are very close (1 Samuel 23.26-29).

Nothing is better than God doing the work. That way, it won’t be considered something human, with loss to the one who does it. The loss will be to the one who let the fear of the Lord leave his heart. It is hard to understand how the king, who was exposed to fighting against people who would not think twice about killing him, risked himself in a forbidden act! That could only be a provocation from Satan!

Why did the king want for himself the honor given only to priests? Did he consider himself superior to the biblical precepts? Possibly. We have seen people losing respect for the Word, thinking they are special. Poor people who don’t measure their words and actions based on the Holy Text.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares