"The Alluring Bondage of Rebellion"
2 Chronicles 32:1 - 33:13
Romans 15:23 - 16:7
Psalm 25:12-22
Proverbs 20:16-18
Did you remember your "rebellious" stage? I'm sure almost everyone has had one in one form or another. My venture was nothing to brag about. Probably the most extreme was when I put my curly mullet into a ponytail, got a clip-on earring about the size of a 50 cent piece with a bunch of dangly things on it. I walked into my dad's office to get a reaction from him. He glanced up said, "you look stupid" and went back to work. That was pretty much the end of that.
Your memories of rebellion may be more current in your dealings with rebellious children, or more painful of past relationships lost through rebellion.
What is it about rebellion? "No one's going to tell ME what to do!" There's something within that drives an individual to push against what they perceive to be constraints placed upon them. The grass on the other side of the fence looks so tempting. It looks so free over there on the other side. Yet, the irony is, no matter what the circumstances, the fruit of rebellion is bondage.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 says "there is nothing new under the sun." The rebels and anarchists of today would do well to look at the rebels of the past. It would probably take the wind out of their sails to know that this rebellion of theirs isn't anything new.
This is illustrated in the life of Manasseh. His father Hezekiah was a great king. He led the nation to worship God, and was incredibly blessed. He destroyed the heathen idols throughout the land. He had his moments of failure, but did all he could to keep the nation pure. His son Manasseh was only 12 when he became king, and he would have nothing of the Law of God. 2 Chron 13:9 says, "Manasseh encouraged the people of Judah and Jerusalem to do even more evil than the nations the Lord destroyed when Israel entered the land."
Verse 7 says, "Think of it! He placed an idol in the very Temple of God, where God has told David and his son Solomon, ' I will be honored here in this Temple... And if you will only obey my commands... I won't ever again exile Israel..." Because we are so used to it, we don't realize how appalling and ridiculous rebellion is.
I heard rebellion described as a police chase we watch on TV. We see the 'rebel' running, but you know how it's going to end. The rebel wont get away.
For Manasseh, the fruit of his rebellion comes in verse 11. "So God sent the Assyrian armies, and they seized him with hooks and bound him with bronze chains and carted him away to Babylon." I've never smoked, but some that I know who do started as an act of rebellion. Well, now there's hooks and chains that have them addicted. Look at the rebel now. There's no freedom there. Think of the many other vices.
John Bevere says in his series "Under Cover", "There is bondage in rebellion, but freedom in submission." Isn't that quite the paradox? Sometimes I find humor in God's ways. So many times we feel the "constraint" of scripture that doesn't allow us to do what we want. And yet, doing what we want will place us in bondage. You tell me who was more free. Hezekiah, who obeyed the Lord, or Manasseh who did what he wanted?
You want to experience freedom? Don't hang around the "fence" of God's commands. Don't try to see how much you can get away with. Instead, enjoy the immense pastures of blessing that are found in obeying his will and his direction. Don't flirt with rebelling against the leaders God has placed in your life. That will lead to the same bondage Manasseh found himself in.
In 2 Chron. 32:12-13, Manasseh "came to his senses and cried out humbly to God for help. And the Lord listened..." If you find yourself in bondage as a result of rebelling against the direction of the Lord, cry out to him today.
In today's Psalm 25:12-14 it says, "Where is the man who fears the Lord? God will teach him how to choose the best. He shall live within God's circle of blessing, and his children shall inherit the earth. Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises."
Stay away from the fence line of rebellion, and run free in the circle of God's blessing!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
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