*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*
*THE HORNS OF THE ALTAR (3)*
*Scripture Treasure.*
1 Kgs 2:30, 34 *And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the Lord, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.*
v34 *So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.*
*Insight and Highlight.*
Prov 12:13 *The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.*
*Scripture Commentaries.*
The horns of the altar represent the presence of God, His atoning power for the sins of the High Priests, the people in general.
It is a place of refuge for erring offenders. This was why Joab ran and caught hold of it.
Yesterday, we mentioned one of the few things we could learn from Solomon's killing of Joab while holding the horns of the altar.
The first was that Solomon had the freedom to direct that Joab be killed because Joab said he would die there.
Second, when one is not right with God, the symbol of spiritual things, like the cross, the Bible may not in itself assure or secure one of the reality to which it points.
Joab failed to realize this.
Jesus is the Tabernacle and the pattern Moses followed to build it. He is our horn of salvation and protection.
Joab's word was probably to make Solomon abandon his intent to kill him, but his words made Solomon conclude that Joab does not really know the importance of what he was holding on to.
The horns were touched by sacrificial blood (Leviticus 4:30), an atonement for the priest sin or the entire people.
It is a place of refuge or asylum, Lev 4:7, 18.
Third, what happened to Joab leads us to understand that the horns can 'fall off' as a judgment.
This may probably be the most effective reason why Joab was killed while he was holding to the horns of refuge.
There are times when God may defer His mercy and pave the way for judgment. At this time, calling for His mercy may not be granted until after judgment is first metted.
The Lord declared in Amos 3:14 that the horns of the altars would “fall off” as a judgment for the people's sin of drawing away from God.
We may approach the throne of grace, but we must know that God remains with his people only as long as they maintain their covenant relationship with Him.
Though Joab hung to the horns, it happened to be the day God would visit his transgressions; the day of his judgment. On that very day, the horns of the altar were cut off and felled to the ground.
In God's wrath metted through Solomon on Joab, God did not show him mercy.
May God remember us in His mercy.
*Remorse corner.*
Amos 3:14 *That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.*
*Call to Word action.*
Hab 3:2 *".....in wrath remember mercy.*
*The Christian clarion duty.*
Proverbs 21:23 *Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.*
*Prayer.*
Lord, remember me for Your mercies sake, in Jesus name.
Good morning, all and have a blessed day.
God bless you.