2 Kings chapter 14. I want to begin reading in verse
23. In the 15th year of Amaziah or
Uzziah, he's who we considered last week, the son of Joash,
king of Judah. Jeroboam, and this is not the
Jeroboam that we hear of so many times throughout the kings, the
son of Joash, king of Israel, began to reign in Samaria and
reigned 41 years. This is the longest reign of
any king in Israel, not in Judah, but in Israel. And he did that
which was evil in the sight of the Lord. He departed not from
all the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel
to sin. He restored the coast of Israel
from the entering of Hamath under the sea of the plain, according
to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which he spake by the
hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai. That's the same
Jonah that was swallowed by the whale. the prophet which was
of Gathhefer. For the Lord saw the affliction
of Israel, that it was very bitter. For there was not any shut up,
nor any left, nor any helper for Israel. And the Lord said
not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven,
but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam, the son of Joash.
Now, the rest of the acts of Jeroboam and all that he did
in his might, how he warred, how he recovered Damascus and
Hamath, which belonged to Judah for Israel, are they not written
in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? And Jeroboam
slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel. And
Zechariah, his son, reigned in his stead. Let's pray. Lord, we come into your presence
in the name of thy son. We would ask to be heard, to
be seen, to be accepted for his sake. We ask that we might be
found in him. We ask that your gospel would
be preached in the power of your spirit and that you'd give us
the grace to worship thy dear son. Lord, how we thank you for
the salvation that's in him. Lord, we're so grateful for the
revelation of your gospel. We're so grateful for the righteousness
of your son. We're so grateful for the forgiveness
of sins through his blood. We're so grateful for the fellowship
we have with one another in the gospel. Now, Lord, bless us for
Christ's sake and be with all your people wherever they meet
together. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. Now, this is a brief history,
a brief story about this king by the name of Jeroboam. And
what moved his parents to give him such a name of infamy? Because
this is the most infamous name in all the kings. We read of
the sin of Jeroboam. And his parents, for some reason,
named him by that name. I don't know why they did it.
But as he was named, so he lived. He departed not from the sins
of Jeroboam, the man who'd set up those different calves in
those two different cities. You see, this man was an enemy. Jeroboam was an enemy of Christ
alone. He set up two other places to
worship. He didn't believe Christ alone. He made another Passover. He made another sacrifice. He
was an enemy of Christ alone. And this man followed in his
steps that we just read of. Now, we also read where he did
something different and something good for Israel. Verse 25, Israel
was in a bad condition when he became king, but we read in verse
25, he restored. the coast of Israel from the
airing of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the
word of the Lord God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of
his servant Jonah. Now this is the same Jonah that
was swallowed by the whale. And I'm, Lord willing, we're
going to take a break from The Kings, and we're going to look
at Jonah next week, and for the next three or four weeks, I want
to look at that. That just fascinated me. I don't think I'd ever ran
into this before. This is Jonah, and this is the
only other time he's mentioned. And we're going to look at that.
But what I think is interesting is that the reason this wicked
king, Jeroboam, was used to help Israel and restore these coasts
that they'd lost is because of the word of God. God ordained
this, God said this would take place, and this is what took
place. I love that scripture, the lot
is cast in the lap of the whole disposing there of us of the
Lord. He rules in everything. He controls everything. Now Israel,
as we saw in reading this passage of scripture, had come into a
very terrible state of being. But the Lord was merciful. The Lord was moved to pity when
he saw Israel in this position. And this gives us some idea of
the character of God. He sees Israel in this bitter
condition, poverty, nobody to help them. And so he raised up
Jeroboam to restore them back to military might, to restore
them back to prosperity. Now let's go on reading. For the Lord saw, verse 26, for
the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter. The Lord was looking on this.
And you know if there's somebody like that Right here, the Lord
sees. The Lord sees. I love what Hagar
said when the Lord delivered her. Thou, God, seest me. The Lord sees. He sees everything about you.
The Lord sees. What a sweet thought. For the
Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter. For
there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for
Israel. He saw this terrible condition they were in. And the
Lord said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under
heaven. I'm thankful for what the Lord didn't say. He didn't
say, I'm going to blot them out. We can take comfort in what the
Lord hasn't said. But he saved them by the hand
of Jeroboam, the son of Joash. Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam
and all that he did, and it's might, how he warred, how he
recovered Damascus and Hamath, which belonged to Judah for Israel,
are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings
of Israel? And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the
kings of Israel, and Zechariah, his son, reigned in his stead." We have a beautiful type of the
gospel in this story. There wasn't anything about Jeroboam
that was commendable, yet God used him to deliver Israel. There wasn't any reason in Israel,
as far as any merit in them, as to why God would take notice
of them. I mean, they were a wicked bunch
of people. They were worshiping idols. There wasn't one thing
about them that could move God to pity because of the way they
were. There was nothing. But God said, or he didn't say,
I'm going to blot them out. He didn't say that. And that
is why they were delivered. I think verse 26 is a type of
us, for the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, it was a bad people,
that it was very bitter, for there was not any shut up, nor
any left, nor any helper. Now why does the Lord help Israel? They got this wicked king, and
there's nothing commendable about them. Why does the Lord help
them? Why does he help us when we sin
so against him? And I say that, I hope, with
a broken heart. Why does he help us when we sin
so against him? Well, he loves his people in
Christ. That's the only reason. Is that
enough of a reason? He loves his people in Christ. He always has loved his people
in Christ. And he always will love his people
in Christ. That's his reason for pity. That's his reason for mercy. Now, I want to say this reverently,
but he says, I love you. He says this to every one of
his people. I love you because of me, not because of you. That's his reason for love. And that's what's taking place
in our text. And this is what takes place in the salvation
of every sinner. God used this man, this wicked
man, to deliver this wicked people. And there wasn't any reason in
them as to why he did this. Now, what came to my mind was
a passage of scripture in Isaiah. I've always loved this passage
of scripture, but I thought it's a beautiful commentary on what took place
here. So would you turn with me to
Isaiah chapter 43? We're gonna spend the rest of
our time because it's this story given in detail. Isaiah 43. Verse 21, Isaiah 43, verse 21. This people have I formed for
myself. It's talking about every believer.
This people have I formed for myself. They shall show forth
my praise. Now, I know this. When I'm brought to glory, there's
only one whose praise that's gonna show forth. It's not gonna
be me, it's not gonna be you. Every believer will be seen to
be a trophy of his grace. This is what I've done. But,
verse 22, this is one of the saddest passages of scripture,
but yet it's the most glorious. It's both. But, he's talking
about? his people, but thou has not
called upon me, O Jacob." What a travesty. Whosoever shall
call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. And what a blessed
privilege to be able to call on his name, to be enabled to.
And yet he says to Jacob, and really he's saying this to every
believer. Do you know if you call upon his name, you know
it's because he caused you to, and you know that in and of yourself,
you won't even call upon him. What a crime. Yet how true. Thou hast not called upon me,
O Jacob, but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. You've got tired of me. You're
weary of me, me, the altogether lovely one, and You're weary
of me. You think I wish I wasn't in
this position. I wish I wasn't under his hand.
I'm tired of this. I'm tired of this. I'd like to
have something else. Now that's what he's saying to
Jacob. You've not called upon my name. You've actually grown
weary of me. Verse 23. Thou has not brought
me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings. Now, neither has thou
honored me with thy sacrifices. Now here's two things. You have
not honored me. You have not honored my sacrifice. You've not seen the glory of
my sacrifice. And that's talking about the
sacrifice of his son. You've not honored me in bringing these
sacrifices. He said, you've brought me no
sweet cane. And that's talking about tokens
of love. That's talking about gifts because of your love to
him. He says to Israel, you've not honored me with your sacrifices. You've honored yourself. And
you've not brought me any tokens of your love. You know, just
if you love somebody, you give. He says, you're all not doing
it. You're not doing it. Let's go on reading verse 24.
But thou has bought me no sweet cane with money, neither has
thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices, but thou has
made me to serve with thy sins. Thou has wearied me with thine
iniquities." And that's what the Lord says to these people.
You've grown weary of me. All you've given me is your sin. That's it. Now look what he says
next. Verse 25. I, even I am he that
blotteth out thy transgressions for my own sake and will not remember your sins. My dear friends, there we have
the gospel. That is the gospel. I will blot out your transgressions
for my own sake. And I love the way he says, I,
even I. And I want to say this reverently.
I don't know how else to say this, but it's as if he's saying,
I'm surprised by my own grace. I'm surprised that I can do something
so gracious to such an unworthy people. I, even I. And notice he says, I, even I
am he that not will blot out thy transgressions, but that
blotteth out thy transgressions right now, present tense. Not
something that's going to happen in the future. Something that
already is. I, even I, am he that blotteth
out thy transgressions for my own sake and will not remember
thy sins. Now, this is complete, blotted
out. blotted out, erased, made not
to be. That's what he's done with the
transgressions of every one of his people. And when I read that
passage of scripture in Isaiah 43, this about where you've been
wary of me, you've not been, can you say, that's me, that's
me, I'm ashamed to say it, but that's me, that's me. Yet the
Lord demonstrates such mercy. And here's what it, here's, Notice
he says, I do this for my own sake. Not for your sake. I'm not responding to something
you've done that makes me want to do this. I'm doing this for
my own sake. And I love that passage in Ephesians
chapter four. Be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving
one another, even as God for Christ's sake, hath forgiven
you. Why did he forgive you? Was it
because you promised to never do it again? Was it because you
promised to straighten up and fly right? Was it because you're
gonna, or you're, no. All of forgiveness is found for
this one reason, for Christ's sake. Are you glad it's that
way? You see, if God had to find a
reason in you, he wouldn't find one. He does this for Christ's
sake. I, even I, am he that blotteth
out thy transgressions for my own sake. And look at this, will
and will not remember thy sins. Do you know, when the Lord deals
with me and you, and I guess it's, Let's take it into when
we're in glory. It's right now too, but it's
easier to kind of grasp this in glory. The Lord's not gonna
look at me and remember, I remember what you did. I remember how unfaithful you
were and how unbelieving you were and how sinful you, I know
you. It's not like that at all. He's
gonna see someone who has never sinned. who has always pleased
him and never done anything wrong. He's not going to remember my
sins because there's no sin to remember. And that's so important. There's no sin to remember. That's
what the blood of Christ has done. It actually put away our
sin and made them to not be. Isn't that wonderful? And you
know, this doesn't make a believer think, well, good, I can now,
I don't have to worry, I can sin all. It never makes a believer
respond that way. It might make an unbeliever respond
that way when they hear that. They think, well, but no, a believer
wants to bow the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ in every way
for his great grace to me. He doesn't even remember my sin
because there's nothing there to remember. I love thinking
about that. It's what the Bible calls justification. I, even I am he that blotteth
out, makes to not be, thy sin for my sake. You don't have to
find a reason for you to do it. That's gospel to me. And will
not remember your sin. Now turn with me to Hebrews chapter
eight. And this is what the writer to
the Hebrews was thinking about when he makes this statement. Verse six. But now have he obtained a more
excellent ministry. Speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ.
By how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was
established upon better promises. Now, what is better, salvation
by grace or salvation by works? It's not hard to figure that
one out, is it? It's better to be saved by grace. What is a
better promise? I promise you salvation if you
fill in the blank, or I promise you salvation if Christ. What's
the better promise? Verse seven, for if that first
covenant had been faultless, talking about the covenant of
works, then should no place have been sought for the second. Now,
the reason it was not, the reason it had fault is it couldn't save.
That's the problem with the first covenant. It cannot save. Four, verse eight, finding fault
with him, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when
I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with
the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with
their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead
them out of the land of Egypt. Now here's the problem with the
Lord taking your hand and yanking you out. Doesn't do anything
for your heart. Your heart would be just as bad.
If he took you by the hand and put you into a different circumstance,
your heart would be just as bad. It wouldn't do you any good. Because they continued not in
my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this
is the covenant that I'll make with the house of Israel after
those days, saith the Lord. I'll put my laws into their mind
and write them into their hearts. Now let me remind you, somebody
says that's the law of God written in the heart. The commandments
of the, a lost man has that. A lost man has that. A lost man
knows it's wrong to lie. A lost man knows it's wrong to
commit adultery. A lost man knows it's wrong to
murder. A lost man knows it's wrong to steal, that's written
in everybody's heart. That's why when I hear people
say, well, we need to be taught to live, you already know how
to live. As far as right and wrong, you know. We need to teach people they
already know. Know what we need to do is we
need to teach people how to die. The only way to die is being
in Christ. That's it. Now he says, I'll
put my laws, plural. That's talking about the law
of faith, the law of love, the law of righteousness. You can't
be satisfied with anything but perfect
righteousness. You cannot not believe. You know,
you got an old nature that never believes and you got a new nature
that can't do anything but believe. That's what he's talking about
when he talks about these laws he places in the heart. And I'll be to them a God. Well,
don't you want him to be your God? I'll be to them a God. I need him to be my God. And
they shall be my people. They shall be to me a people.
This is what happens in this covenant. And they shall not
teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying,
know the Lord. For all shall know me from the
least to the greatest. You see, salvation is by revelation.
It's not by somebody teaching you something. You know, I can
teach you. You can teach me as far as that
goes, what the Bible actually says, and give us into it. But
it doesn't do anything for you. It's knowing him. It's knowing
him, actually knowing God. Four, verse 12. I will be merciful
to their unrighteousness. Now that word merciful is propitious. It's not just some kind of general
mercy. It's propitious. Propitiation
is a sin removing sacrifice. I will be the propitiation. That's what Christ is. He's the
propitiation. He's the reason that sin is removed. And because of that propitiation,
which means the sin is gone, and he quotes this from that
passage in Isaiah we just read, their sins and their iniquities
will I remember no more. Because there's nothing there
to remember. Praise the Lord, there's nothing there to remember.
Every believer stands before God without sin right now. Verse 13, in that he saith a
new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decays,
and waxes old, the first covenant is ready to vanish away." Now, God looked at Israel, he saw
their misery, and he was moved to move Jeroboam to be their
temporal deliverer. And as a matter of fact, they
went through prosperity. through him restoring these coasts
and his military victories. But the Lord was not moved because
of any goodness or merit in them. Just like he said to these people
in Isaiah, I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy sins for my
own sake and will not remember your iniquities. Okay.