Storing Up the Abundance

“And his allowance was a regular allowance given him from the king, a daily ration for every day, all the days of his life.” (2Kings 25:30)

First the background story. Jehoiachin king of Judah was imprisoned in Babylon thirty-seven years when Evil-merodach king of Babylon began to reign. He forgave Jehoiachin and honored him by releasing him from prison and setting him in a place of honor at his table with other kings that were with him. And Jehoiachin was allowed to eat at king Evil-merodach’s table for the rest of his life. And besides that, Jehoiachin would receive an allowance every day for the rest of his life. (2Kings 25: 27-30)

No reason is given for Evil-merodach’s mercy for Jehoiachin. Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign and had only reigned three months when he surrendered to Babylonian troops. He was fifty-five years old when he was released. In those years, imprisoned, he was forgotten and was as if he was dead. But Evil-merodach released him and treated him as the king he was. This was a sign of hope for the people of God and for the promise of the eternal reign of David, which would be Jesus who will reign for eternity.

Isn’t this our story? We were in bondage in the kingdom of sin and darkness. God Who sees the end from the beginning seeing us as kings and priests seated in heavenly places, takes us out of the pit, clothes us with His righteousness, lifts us up and honors us by making us His children, supplies our needs and fulfills His promises to us.

Jehoiachin was given a daily ration. We’re used to being paid by the week or the month, but Jehoiachin was given just what he needed for that day. We like to have a cushion and have our provision ahead of the need. But the Lord doesn’t operate that way. In the Lord’s prayer, we pray, “...give us this day our daily bread...” When we have a need we feel we have to have it before we need it. But when the Lord supplies, He is never late. He is just in time, when we need it. It emphasizes our need daily and reliance on the daily provision of the Lord. This was evident in the manna God provided the Hebrews as they wandered in the desert to the Promised Land. They were given a daily portion. “This is the thing which Jehovah has commanded: Each man gather of it according to his eating, an omer for a head, according to the number of your souls. Each one shall take for those who are in his camp.” (Exodus 16:16) If they gathered more and stored it, it rotted. “And when they measured with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little lacked nothing. They gathered each one according to his eating. And Moses said, Let no man leave of it until the morning. But they did not listen to Moses, but some of them left of it until the morning. And it became rotten with maggots, and stank. And Moses was angry with them. And they gathered it every morning, each man according to his eating. And when the sun became hot, it melted.” (Exodus 16:18-21) This is a life of faith and trust in the Lord the Provider.

In today’s life, we have more than we need, pairs of shoes for every outfit, several coats, a pantry full of food for the coming month, etc... We don’t live by faith as we need to. What does God command of us. If we have two coats give one to someone who has none. “He answered and said to them, He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. And he who has food, let him do likewise.” (Luke 3:11) We don’t trust God to provide for us if we don't give out of our abundance to those who have need. We store up food and provision including money for a rainy day which may or may not come. But what did Jesus say about storing up treasures? “Do not layup treasures on earth for yourselves, where moth and rust corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But layup treasures in Heaven for yourselves, where neither moth nor rust corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21) The Greek word that was translated treasures means a deposit of wealth or abundance which could be anything, an abundance of money, abundance of food, abundance of provision, abundance of clothes, etc...

I don’t know about you my reader, but as for me, this makes me go “hmmm...” because I have an abundance, and I am not too quick to part with it. I think, “What if I need it in the future?” This is a failure of faith in God’s provision. (A side note: Many times, when I write harsh things that feel like a rebuke, it’s the Lord speaking to me, so bear with me if you feel I that I am rebuking you.) How can I obey the Lord? I can repent and ask God to help me release the things of this world that have a hold of me so I can obey Him. The Lord has been and is so good to me. How can I refuse to give what He has given me? He continues to bless me and is leading me in a life of giving. If I need it in the future, He is my Provider. He will provide. I will have what I need when I need it. That is faith in the Lord my Provider, Jehovah Jireh. We need to free our hearts of any attachment to the abundance of this world and trust the Lord completely.

Reiterating, the Lord provides what we need when we need it. In the Old Testament this was known as the daily portion. Jesus taught that if we have abundance, we should give to those who have need. He is our Provider, Jehovah Jireh and will provide what we need when we need it. Our hearts should be attached to the things of the Lord, not to the things we have here on earth.