FRONT-PORCH GOSPEL: The God of the mountain

Welcome, all, to the “front porch.”

I was just thinking about how things are nowadays, and I realized something.

Things and people are not that much different from way back years ago, as far back as the Old Testament days.

People have always thought they could, somehow, get away from God’s sight long enough to weave a plan that God wouldn’t be able to spoil.

One of those types of kings was named Ahab.

You’ll recognize him by the name of his wife: Jezebel. You don’t get any worse than having a wife such as that.

Look around, don’t be surprised if we don’t see some Jezebels today.

You know them because their agendas are those that promote abject godlessness, not godliness.

You understand.

But as bad as Jezebel’s husband Ahab is, he is still the king of God’s people – so, he at least has one thing going for him.

One of Ahab’s enemies named Benhadad, king of Syria, is one of the biggest bullies to come along in that day. He picks one fight after another, just because he can.

One of those fights takes place up on a mountain, where the Lord sides with Ahab; and they soundly whip the Syrians – with God’s help, of course.

Benhadad’s men limp home defeated, but they are not through. They have another plan. (Isn’t it just like men to keep coming with evil plots? If one plan doesn’t work, then they’ll try another plan, whatever it takes).

These men come to the king with this “brilliant” plan, saying that the God of Israel is a powerful God, but He’s really a God of the mountain. What they need to do is attack Israel down in the valley, because this God isn’t powerful down there.

We can’t help but laugh a little at that.

Of course, they aren’t engaged in battle down in the valley for long before they realize that God is not just the God of the mountain, He’s God down in that valley, too.

The Syrian army limps home after that second defeat, and they are done with their evil plots for a while.

God has spoken.

Remember, God will speak, always, in His time.

Let us note this, too: Regardless of what’s going on around us, the Lord knows who they are with evil motives and underhanded schemes.

No, don’t be surprised when they get away with their corrupt plans for a long time – but, just remember, with God, what goes around does, indeed, come around.

Count on it.

They’ll turn this way, and that way, trying to outsmart the Lord. They’ll work up a plan to attack the Lord’s people up on the mountain, and – when that fails – they’ll send their men down in the valley armed for war.

Whatever it takes, they’ll do, feeling invincible. All of their confederations casting their votes with them give them plenty of false confidence.

But they’re missing the one vote they need.

But they always forget something: The time will come when the Lord will have enough, and He will send them a whipping like no other.

He’ll start out with the beat-down up on the mountain – then, when they don’t give up, He’ll repeat the whipping down in the valley.

No sir, our God – the God of our country, and the God of the world – isn’t just the God of the mountain.

He’s definitely God of the valley, too.