Plundering the Enemy

2 Kings 24:13 “And he carried out from there all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the kings house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the Lord.”

Observation: The king of Babylon had just taken captive the king of Judah and all the royal family. Naturally, all the treasures of the temple were also taken, including the vessels of gold made by Solomon for temple worship. See how temporary and easily undone are even the best works of man? The people of Solomon’s day had rallied with supernatural fervor to give generously to the construction of the temple, and for its vessels. Yet now, many kings later, all that had been built by godly leaders and obedient people was sitting in the treasury of the enemy. 

By contrast, consider Psalm 112, which speaks of the permanence of God’s blessings for those who fear Him. Their righteousness will be established and will endure forever. No amount of evil tidings will bring fear to their hearts; rather, their hearts will remain steadfast.

Application: What is the difference between these two passages? David’s psalm about everlasting fruit flowing from the life of a righteous man must be squared against the reality that the fruit of his son Solomon’s reign would one day enrich the treasury of the enemy. How can I be confident that the treasure of my life will have eternally meaningful impact? 

An important part of the answer is to simply deny responsibility for how those in the future steward their own lives. There is undeniable truth here; I cannot force my physical or spiritual progeny to come to Christ and be filled with His Spirit, let alone govern the righteousness of their daily walk. But it is also true that the firmer the foundation of my own life, the greater the likelihood that the enemy’s treasuries may never be filled with booty from the lives of my loved ones.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, I ask You for a fresh infilling this morning. Refresh my supply of oil, Lord, that I might be well equipped to not only be a useful tool in Your hands for today, but also that I might leave a lasting legacy upon which others can build. Fill my children with Your Spirit, Lord. Cause my physical and my spiritual family to today put down roots deep into You.

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