David Bahn – Reflections

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These devotions are part of the Follow the Word Bible reading program at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. This year we are reading through the Scriptures together, listening for how God speaks through his Word day by day. I hope you will join me on this journey.

Today’s readings are 2 Kings 10-12, Psalm 13.

2 Kings 11:17-20

And Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people, that they should be the Lord’s people, and also between the king and the people. ¹⁸ Then all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest posted watchmen over the house of the Lord. ¹⁹ And he took the captains, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the Lord, marching through the gate of the guards to the king’s house. And he took his seat on the throne of the kings. ²⁰ So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been put to death with the sword at the king’s house.

These chapters are filled with kings, reforms, violence, intrigue, and unfinished business. Jehu carries out God’s judgment against the house of Ahab with ruthless efficiency, destroying Baal worship in Israel. Yet even Jehu’s zeal has limits. He removes one form of idolatry while clinging to another, refusing to depart from the sins of Jeroboam.

Joash, who had been hidden away and preserved by God, is later crowned king. Athaliah is removed, the covenant is renewed, and under the guidance of Jehoiada the priest the people once again tear down the house of Baal and restore the worship of the LORD.

As these chapters unfold, one theme emerges repeatedly: God continues to preserve his promises through deeply flawed leaders and troubled times. Some kings begin well and end poorly. Others bring temporary reform but fail to address the deeper problem of the human heart. Yet God’s purposes move forward.

The route, however, is long and often frustrating. Reforms begin with tearing down Baal’s pillars and temples, killing the prophets of Baal, and restoring the priests to their proper duties. But the golden calves and high places remain, and the people still worship false gods.

Even the priests struggle to carry out their responsibilities faithfully. Temple repairs and offerings must be monitored and accounted for so the workers can be paid. Even then, there is not enough money to replace the sacred vessels of the LORD’s house.

And yet, somehow, the worship of the LORD continues. God’s faithfulness proves greater than the failures of kings, priests, and people.

It should not surprise us, then, that the Christian faith is often sullied by controversy or that God’s mission is undercut by schism, heresy, and human weakness. That has been the story of God’s people from the beginning.

That is why we never place our faith in earthly kings, denominations, pastors, or church leaders. We are all flawed, and even the best intentions do not always produce the results we desire.

Instead, we place our faith in Jesus, the perfect Prophet, our great High Priest, and the faithful King. Through him we have become a chosen people, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation (cf. 1 Peter 2:9). Therefore, while we honor and support our earthly leaders, our ultimate trust belongs to Christ alone. And by his grace, we seek to remain faithful to him until the day his kingdom comes in all its fullness.