SOLOMON’S GOLDEN SHIELDS

“Shishak carried away the shields of God.” – 2 Chronicles 12:9

When I began studying this chapter, I quickly found that the last sentence in this verse has captured the minds of preachers and scholars for centuries (because of its dark undertone).

In his heyday, Solomon was paid over 25 tons of gold per year.  Silver didn’t have any value because gold was everywhere!

In 1 Kings 10:14-16 we are told what he did with this gold. He beat the gold into 200 full body length shields and 300 smaller ones! He had so much gold that he didn’t know what to do with it.

These shields were not for war…they were primarily for testimony for what God had done for Israel. When visiting dignitaries from other nations would come over he would bring out these shields to display God’s favor (ex. Queen of Sheba). Usually they were hanging in the House of Lebanon for decoration, but mainly they were a display to the outside world that “We worship the one true and living God and this is what God had done for us”.

Note* Almost always, when you see something physical like this in the Old Testament they will represent something spiritual in the New Testament! Question: So what is the spiritual parallel of these physical shields for you and I today? Answer: Jesus’s death provided for us golden shields for our souls!

Note* The more I study, the more I realize that it’s all about Jesus!

Fast forward now to Rehoboam’s day (Solomon’s son)…Solomon has long since been gone…the Bible tells us that Rehoboam has become intoxicated by prosperity and immoral living and has led all of Israel into idolatry and immorality. The Bible tells us that he actually redefined evil. (Side note* He married Absalom’s daughter!)

2 Chronicles chap 12 makes it very clear that as a result of Rehoboam’s tragic apostasy (immoral behavior) God forsook Israel into the hands of Egypt.

Then Rehoboam made shields of bronze to replace them (shiny and glittery but phony) – 2 Chronicles 12:10-11…do you know any Christians like this?

Attention: Shishak’s (Satan) on the loose!

Golden shields are lost through small invasions (ungodly magazines, TV shows, minute compromises of God’s Word). These things open the door for Satan to step in and fill the void….allowing ‘Shishak’ (Satan) to pluck those ‘golden shields’ off our hearts!

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Before Creation, God the Father and God the Son had a covenant (pact). They agreed to redeem fallen man from his sin and to reestablish him to a right relationship with God.

God the Father commissioned the Son to be the Mediator (the second Adam) between God and man, to give His life for the Salvation of the world. In accepting this, Jesus promised to obey the Father and to righteously (without sin) do the work that God the Father had set before Him, by perfectly obeying the Law of God.

So, before the Foundation of the World, God determined that the world would not be destroyed by sin (this is God’s grace), and that Christ would be the Savior of the world.

Matthew, Mark and Luke are the SYNOPTIC GOSPELS. They are called Synoptic because they are similar to each other, giving a SYNOPSIS of the earthly/bodily life of Jesus.

Years later a group of people called the Gnostics (SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE) came and distorted the life and teachings of Jesus and were persuading many Christians and Jews of their false teachings. To correct these misguided teachings, The Apostle John wrote a strong Theological teaching/letter on Jesus, who is God.

This letter is best known as The Gospel of John.

‘RECANTING’ our sins is just to agree that our sins are indeed sinful but ‘REPENTING’ our sins isn’t just agreeing that they’re bad but to actually ‘turn away from them’…to hate them…to despise them….to say to yourself “I don’t want them in my life”…

by Bryan & Wanda Holloway

This debate is as such:

Anthropology (Secular)

Creationism (Theology: The doctrines of God)

The Creationist understands that God works in all things…that there is nowhere that a person can go or do to get away from Him…this is known as the Omnipresence of The God Head and seeks to acknowledge His Sovereignty. As Love, God is the Creator of morals.

The Secular Humanist sees none or very little value in the belief of God. Humans are simply animals that are further along in the plane of Evolution. Unlike the Christian belief, moral character is interpreted on a case by case instance (Moral Absolutes vs. Situational Ethics) and is usually only valid if it parallels that person’s opinion, since there are no absolute truths. While the humanist sees his  ideas as Progressive, the Bible sees him as eternally perishing.

Atheist (a=against, anti and Theist from the Greek word Theo=God)

Agnostic (Greek or Latin= Ignormus, unknowing)

These worldly views are understandable, however they are not acceptable. God refers to the Gospel as a “stumbling block”. In His Word, He says that He will “confound the wise”.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. He created man on the 6th day (Hebrew “YOWM” = 24 hour period…this contradicts  Evolutions “Survival of the Fittest” theory). We are then told the story of the “fruit” in the garden (the point to be taken from this literal story is that man disobeyed the will of God). As man’s federal representative, all of creation was cursed…this included mankind (this is what is referred to as the “fall” of man). At this point all direct communication was cut off between God and man. Immediately, God’s Word promises that there will be a Messiah to Redeem this relationship (this is why Jesus is called the Redeemer).

Note* Old Testament Hebrew word “Messiah” = New Testament Greek word “Christ”.

Years later this fallen mankind had become exceedingly sinful (Sin=Greek “Harmatia” …to miss the mark). Because of this, God sent a world-wide flood to completely wipe out mankind with the exception of Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives (8 people). The earth was completely flooded. The rain lasted for 40 days. The ark came to rest on Mt. Ararat (in modern day Turkey). This was the first time that the earth had ever seen rain. Like many stories recorded in the Bible, it’s details are often challenged by the secularist, however the Biblical Worldview points to a myriad of remains from this flood:

-Sedimentary stone covering the entire earth

-Sea Shells found atop mountains throughout the earth

-Archaeological finds galore, and the list is numerous

NOTE* Archaeological records never line up with the science records that set out to disprove the Bible! By no means is there truth to two sets of evidences (Bible vs. Science), instead they share the same evidence reaching two separate verdicts. The Geological Column confirms the Bible, as does Archaeology. When the Bible says that you will find Jacob’s well between city A and city B…then an archaeological dig is performed in this exact location and finds Jacob’s well, then Archaeology describes the Bible as a true and accurate record! Both of these records loudly contest the Theory of Evolution!

FAST FORWARD:

Jesus (the Redeemer) was born in Bethlehem, Israel. He led a completely sinless life and was crucified (put to death) on our behalf. His substitutionary death atoned for our sins. His action paid our debt in full…nothing was left unpaid, however we must receive this gift honestly…just because a free gift is offered does not mean that a person has taken it and claimed ownership of it, no he has to TAKE IT. Any person can call out to Jesus (pray) and ask that Jesus forgive him of his sin and remember him in his kingdom. Along with this prayer he must REPENT (turn away from) his sin and begin to live his new life, born again as a Christian. Jesus said to one of the Pharisees    “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again  he cannot see the kingdom of God.” – John 3:3 

Jesus will return soon to get His people. Scripture tells us to keep watching for it and if His return takes place before a person repents, he will be eternally lost (the only way to be saved during the Great Tribulation is to die for the faith). 

There are many religions in this world, but Christianity is not one of them…what do I mean by that? The answer is that CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A RELIGION, IT IS A RELATIONSHIP. While the world will tell you that there are many roads that lead to heaven, the Bible is very clear: 

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” – Acts 4:12 

Example:….Buddha, Allah, Hare Krishna, etc…

“I am the LORD, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God I will gird you, though you have not known Me;…” – Isaiah 45:5

“You shall have no other gods before Me”. – Exodus 20:3

“For You are great and do wondrous deeds; You alone are God”- Psalm 86:10

“For who is God, besides the LORD? And who is a rock, besides our God?

– 2 Samuel 22:32

“The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that HE IS ONE, AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM;…” – Mark 12:32

NO OTHER RELIGION IN THE WORLD HAS FULFILLED PROPHECY!

Many religions throughout this world contain prophecy, however not a single one of them has had those prophecies come true (including Islam).

Interestingly; there were over 400 prophecies of the coming of Jesus and they all came true (history does not deny this, see the secular historian Josephus “Antiquities”) and there are 100’s of His second coming as well…here’s the kicker: OF ALL THE PROPHECIES THAT NEED BE FULFILLED BEFORE HIS 2ND COMING THERE ARE NONE LEFT, THE VERY NEXT THING ON THE BIBLE’S TIMELINE OF MAN IS FOR THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH!!!

I beg of you, do not be caught off guard.

Bryan & Wanda

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‘Christianity is not a religion’: A religion is man’s attempt to reach for a ‘god or higher power’, whereas Christianity is a ‘relationship’ with Jesus.

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“God’s Word alone has the power of salvation”…”There is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved”

“We are saved by the incorruptible seed of the Word of God” – “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.” – 1^st Peter 1:23 – “…the seed is the word of God.” – Luke 8:11

“God’s Word alone has the power of salvation”…”There is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved”

“We are saved by the incorruptible seed of the Word of God” – “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.” – 1^st Peter 1:23 – “…the seed is the word of God.” – Luke 8:11

Occasionally, as we read Scripture we come across a fact that opposes the way that we’ve always believed.

For those who believe the Bible is God’s Word and is incapable of making an error, we are left only with the option of changing our thought pattern. The Bible wins them all!

A truth is a truth is a truth and it doesn’t become true just because we understand it. Likewise, it doesn’t become false just because we DON’T understand IT.

There are many things in Scripture that are true even if we don’t believe them or understand them…but the time is coming when we will indeed understand them!

Moses said: The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law. – Deuteronomy 29:29

Many people would tell you they are a Christian and that they believe Jesus Christ is their Savior. They believe that their Salvation is secure because they are basically a good person and they have said the words…”Jesus is my Savior”…after all, just read this verse:

…‘That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.’ – Romans 10:9

Here’s were the problem is: This is not a simple recognition that God is the Creator and Lord of everything in the world, rather it is a DEEP PERSONAL CONVICTION , WITHOUT STIPULATION, THAT JESUS IS THAT OWN PERSONS MASTER AND SOVEREIGN.

The phrase “CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH’ assumes that person REPENTING from his sin. Without repentance there is no salvation!

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