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One of the privileges of living in the United States is that we enjoy freedom of religion. In ancient Israel, God separated the offices of king, priest, and prophet. This allowed prophets to declare boldly God’s truths to the king as well as the entire nation. We see an example of this in 2 Chronicles Chapter 15. King Asa had just won a great military victory. Upon his return from winning, God sent a message to him by the prophet Azariah. He told the king that it was God, not he, who orchestrated his victory. He also told him what he had to do to assure himself of God’s continued blessings. His message had three parts: 1) God would be with him and his people as long as they were faithful to God. 2) He cited the nation’s history of how God rescued them in the past when they obeyed. 2) He ended his message by urging the king to be strong and courageous, assuring him that God would reward his good work. Christians today do not live under Israel’s Covenant. We live under the New Covenant, but we serve the same God as they did. God calls us to seek Him and His Son Jesus, and to live out what we say we believe. God assures us that He will reward our faithfulness. Our constitution gives us the freedom to believe, to practice, and proclaim these cherished values.
