Contrast, 9

~ Contrast: Good Character vs. Sinful Character ~

 

Series Comment ~ The Scripture contains many contrasts.  In this series we look briefly at some of them.  Just like in our “Binary” series many of these contrasts represent a choice of this or that.

 

Scripture 1 ~ “It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss.  Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.  So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.  Then these men said, ‘We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.’  So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: ‘King Darius, live forever!  All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.  Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.’  Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.  Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home.  And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days” (Daniel 6:1-10).

 

Scripture 2 ~ “Then Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him.  And Baasha killed him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, while Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.  Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place.  And it was so, when he became king, that he killed all the house of Jeroboam.  He did not leave to Jeroboam anyone that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according to the word of the Lord which He had spoken by His servant Ahijah the Shilonite, because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he had sinned and by which he had made Israel sin, because of his provocation with which he had provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger.  Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?  And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days” (1 Kings 15:27-32).

 

Comment ~ As others have said, reputation is what others think you are but character is what you really are.  Are you consistent when nobody is watching or aware of your behavior? 

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW 

 

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Bible Version: Quotations are from the NKJV unless otherwise noted.  Emphasis is added.

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