2 Chronicles 24:18b-19 "... And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the LORD. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention."
It appears in many places in America that churches are going through growing pains. Church discipline is carried out in different ways that appear to be tearing up fellowship communities. Pastors being exposed for behavior less than God-honoring from Hillsong exposed, Mars Hill, to the small corner church where God's Name is proclaimed. There were times of flourishing that happened. Then perhaps they forgot to guard their hearts, and the walls came crashing down for many. The question I ask is, while all this is going on, what is God saying? What is the "Yet He" that He is doing to "bring them back to the LORD...?"
As I read through the synopsis of King Joash under the guidance of Jehoiada, the priest, I read about these amazing reforms brought to Judah. The excitement to live righteously before the Lord was such that the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down. They could not repair the temple fast enough. The king was a bit short with the priest and Levites because he said, "the Levites did not act quickly..." They were so elated to worship and to pay the tithe for maintaining the tent of testimony and those who cared for it. The jubilation of serving God was thrilling to read. Working together to serve God and make sure there was nothing to thwart that was a spiritual connection you'd think could not be halted. Read 2 Chronicles 24, and you really see the sense of urgency to worship God as He was intended and required Israel to worship Him.
I'm sure these churches could say that of themselves. Their goal to work as a family to honor and worship God was all they could see before them. Ministry within the body and outreach to the communities came from a united front. No one could imagine that could end. The Pastor reached into God's Word during the week so they could feed the sheep God put them over. People came in the doors ready to serve, hear, then leave ready to be doers of the Word taught to them. Weekday programs that brought the body together for fellowship. Counseling for the hurt and struggling filling offices. Just like during Joash's reforms, where unity filled the people, today's churches begin the same; people simply want more of God through the gathering of the saints. As in 2 Chronicles 24, everyone worked together and offered their talents and finances to build "the Temple."
Something happens; choices are made that changes things. Not necessarily for good. This is not everywhere. There are many places of worship that are thriving. They are practicing the "One another" passages. Spiritual gifts are thriving, and people are growing in many churches. This is not about the body as a whole. This is about those who are breaking down. We must look at why and as I read 2 Chronicles 24, I can envision some of what happened there today.
Romans 8 challenges God's children to walk by the spirit, and they will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. Somehow the flesh destroyed Joash's reforms as it does many of our places of worship today. Joash allowed the people to be in charge after Jehoiada's death. It says, "the king listened to them. And they abandoned the house of the LORD... and served...idols." I wish it said, "their hearts were never really with the LORD." But it does not. They were so excited about worshiping God. Their actions proved their faith. Is it that a haughty spirit and pride brought a fall and the destruction that comes when backs are turned against the LORD?
How does that fit into the practice of today's fellowships that start great and end in confusion and dismantling? Perhaps the people were following a man and not God. However, God does put men (Elders) over His sheep. They are not meant to lord over, 1 Peter 5:3, but to be servant leaders, Matthew 20:26-28. Maybe the spotlight reveals the man and his pride, and the church falls with him. Maybe men lead from their own strength instead of depending on God, and their abilities wear thin. No matter what it is, some churches seem to go from being committed to offering worship to God to going after whatever idols they have set before them. I'm not trying to be a slanderer; that would be a sin. My desire is not to tear down any church, but my hope is this will be a call to examination. A person who will not examine him or herself is a person headed for a fall.
God isn't pleased when His people's worship focus is anything but Him. In these circumstances, discipline must come to bring repentance. He did it in Joash's time, "and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs." Yes, the word wrath may turn you off. "God doesn't bring wrath against His people." To say it a different way, we can say, "God became indignant with His people." Maybe that will make you more comfortable. What does it mean? That answer is the key. God brings discipline to His children or uses negative circumstances to train His children. His desire is to call them to repentance.
God cannot let those who carry His name go unattended to when they are living contrary to His holiness. In 2 Chronicles 24:19, "Yet He..." I love those two words. My favorite terms in Scripture are "But God..." and "Yet He..." God's faithfulness comes through after those terms. His holiness is highlighted. Also, His care for His children is demonstrated after these terms. Read Jonah and see how "But God" stands out. Here in this passage, "Yet He..." follows us reading about His wrath, allowing us to see God doesn't look to destroy but to turn us back to Him. This should help us identify what kind of Sovereign God is. Full of grace, mercy, and faithfulness. He is not the vindictive, harsh God people portray Him to be. When people say, "the God of the old testament is so mean," they don't understand passages like these remind us God has a right to demand we serve Him. He has the right to bring consequences when we don't. "Yet He" looks to offer grace and mercy over and over to get us to bow to Him. He does not owe us anything, "Yet He" gives us so much. Even while we were sinners, His Son gave his life for enemies.
"Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the LORD. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention." The beginning are words that should cause your heart to trust God. The ending shows how scrupulous mankind can be, even while God is reaching out to save us from our sins. Joash follows instead of leading. He followed Jehoiada into righteous leading and then followed the nation into sinful idolatry. God sent men to warn them and to tell them what they were doing was earning God's wrath. They would not listen. I remember listening to the podcast on Mars Hill church and the many who warned and tried to get the Pastor to turn from the ungodly direction he was going. They were dismissed, and many were put out of the church. Wherever there is a church split or whose leaders are going in ways that do not respect God's leadership, there are warnings. There are always people who see the danger signs and wave the yield sign, hoping someone in leadership will listen. It might even be someone in the leadership telling others this is not the way to honor God. From the stories of churches going through a reckoning, I will conclude people may not be listening.
Let me say mine can be seen as a simplistic conclusion. Perhaps it is not, and it is as simple as I make it sound. Stubbornness, pride, and a haughty look can creep in, and someone in leadership leads the congregation into a fall. The fall itself could be God's message for his people to repent. During Covid, so many of God's people began to seek God for revival. Maybe this brokenness in many places of worship is God's way of moving out those not fully committed. Those who will not relent from walking according to their flesh and not following the Spirit. I promise you if God's people are not representing Him well, He will discipline them. "Yet He" will continue His work to get those who need to repent to repent. "Yet He" will continue to train us to be His righteous people through His discipline of us. And those who are trained by it and humble themselves will be grateful for the "Yet He."
Hopefully, as we read 2 Chronicles 24, we can put into practice all that Joash did right and what we should avoid. If you are in a church where you see warning signs of a collision coming, maybe you are the "Yet He" that he is sending to warn. It's not yours to cause others to listen, but it is yours to obey and stand in His Truth to help others see it also.
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