Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 11) - To all generations

Israel's First King
SAUL
1020-1000 BC


Israel's Second King
DAVID
1000-960 BC


Israel's Third King
SOLOMON
960-931 BC


When Solomon died the Kingdom split into two Kingdoms.

Jeroboam became king of the northern 10 tribes (931-910).
 Rehoboam became king of the southern tribes (931-914).

The events of 2 Chronicles 25 occurred just over 100 years later, when Israel
and Judah (the southern tribes) were actually at war with each other. Jehoash was the King of Israel and Amaziah was the King of Judah.

The record (2 Chronicles 25) says that Amaziah was disobedient and so God "worked that he might hand them over to Jehoash...Judah was routed and every man fled to his home. Jehoash King of Israel captured Amaziah King of Judah...Then Jehoash broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate -- a section about 600 feet long. He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the Temple of God that had been in the care of Obed-Edom..."

Both King David and Obed-Edom had died many years before this. But everyone still talked about the Temple treasure as being in Obed-Edom's care. They still associated the treasure with Obed-Edom's name. That shows great respect and honor for a humble servant of God.

Some historians estimate the total wealth (the list of gold and silver articles is listed in scripture) as being worth about 2 1/2 billion dollars today. And all that was in the care of the faithful servant/friend of God, Obed-Edom.

Shakespeare wrote, "The evil that men do lives after them. The good is oft buried with their bones."

Maybe that is often true, but here is an example where it is not true. Obed-Edom's good name lingered a long time after he was gone. It was not buried with his bones.

Then I think about the horrors of slavery. Yes, the results of that evil still live with us.

And who ever remembers the thousands of people who died to bring freedom to slaves?

Their good is buried with their bones.

The Bible talks a lot about "sowing" and "reaping." We do "reap what we sow"! When we plant corn, we get corn, not cotton! When I plant petunias, I expect petunias!

Remember reading Lord Byron's Childe Harold's Pilgrimmage"?

Here is a great verse that illustrates sowing and reaping:

The thorns which I have reaped are of the tree I planted,
--they have torn me,--and I bleed:
I should have known what fruit would spring from such a seed.
Canto IV, X.

I can think of many things I have done in my life -- seeds I have planted--that resulted in a thorny bush of regret and pain.

Praise God for His forgiveness, and the way He takes that ugly, rotten fruit...discards it...and then is able to reap glorious fruit from the seeds He has planted in me.

Something beautiful, something good
All my confusion He understood
All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife
But He made something beautiful of my life!