I Kings 2:3 (KJV) – And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgement, and his testimonies it is written in the law of Moses that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest and whithersoever thou turnest thyself.
This is a great passage but also confusing for many just because of the individual words that are used when you break it down. In here we see the words ‘charge,’ ‘ways,’ ‘statues,’ ‘commandments,’ ‘judgement’ and ‘testimonies.’ I would like to define each one of these so that you can see the difference between each one to understand what the Bible is trying to say here. Once we understand and are able to comprehend each one then another door will open in our lives to understand how to better follow God.
Charge:
First, we must look at the phrase that tells us to “keep the charge.” To keep a charge means that one must at all times hold onto and stay firm with something that has been given. The word charge can also be translated as custody, responsible for. Meaning that whatever God has given to you and me we must hold and stay firm in all our ways and be responsible, keeping custody of it. When we keep custody of something we know there are always commands and statues that come with that responsibility. We must be responsible for what we know and keep a good charge of the Lord our God.
Ways:
Luke 20:21 – And they asked him saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the ways of God truly.
John 10:27 – My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me.
These verses tell us that we must walk in His ways. What are His ways then? When we look at how to follow God, it is following a pattern or a form of life that follows God’s will, His laws and commands given. As we see, the two passages above speak about how the Master teaches the ways of God and it is the way God wants it, His will be done. To follow His ways is to follow what is good and pure in front of God. To keep His ways means to hear His voice and follow Him. When His voice, which includes His words for they are His voice, convicts you, you will follow Him. This means that you will repent of your ways and turn to Him and follow Him, for His ways are pure and clean and truth. It brings life to us.
Statues:
Psalms 19:8 – The statues of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes.
Leviticus 26:1 – Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the Lord your God.
A statue, put in the simplest of terms is a “limit.” Some examples of limits that are given are laws or commandments. We know in today’s world we have laws and those laws have ‘statues’ or limits, or exceptions, which are the limits given to the law. As we see in the first commandment, it says, ‘do not have any other God before me.’ After this we have the second commandment: it was made as another command, but it is a statue to the first commandment as well.
The same in Leviticus 26:1 – it says you may have no other idols or graven images or a standing image, you shall not make an image of stone in your land. Why? Because He is your God. We see here that a command is given to not have any other God and immediately following it is the second statue saying that you cannot make anything or have an image in your land. Limits are given for a purpose, a good purpose.
We see in Psalms 19:8 that it says that ‘his statues are right’ – this means they are just and good for us and they allow us to rejoice in our hearts. The reason we rejoice is because we know that God is good and what He has put in front of us as statues will bring joy for us. For we know what are the perfect limits of God that we must follow it. When we don’t know the limits, we are always fearful of transgressing over the limits. But when we know the limits we know and are happy to know what we can do without having a fear of passing over where the line is.
Commandments:
Psalms 19:8 – The statues of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes.
John 15:12 – This is my commandment that ye love one another, as I have loved you.
A commandment is a divine rule that has been given. A rule is meant to be kept, meant never to be broken. It is a demand to follow; a demand means you must do it.
The second part of Psalms 19:8 tells us that His commands are pure and enlightening to the eyes. It is something educated and informative for us, a pure instructive order for us to follow. We see in John 15:12, the command is love another, the statue to it is ‘as I have loved you.’ And Jesus loved us with everything He had, He died for us as well. This is how much you must love one another – enough to give everything up everything for your brothers and sisters just like Jesus.
We must look and see what God has commanded us to do and make sure that we follow it. For we are demanded by God to follow them.
Judgement:
Matthew 18:15-17 – Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglects to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.
The best way to explain judgement would be as the decision-making of the commands given. How to handle a situation once it occurs, how to resolve it according to God. We have in Matthew 18 an example – it speaks about a child of God, your brother in Christ, that has trespassed against you. It tells us first to go to him and speak and let him know of his transgression, alone. This is because it is best to resolve a situation with the people involved only. Then it says, if he does not listen, grab another two or three brothers to speak to him about the problem and if he doesn’t listen again, then bring it to the church and if you have not gained him over then treat him as a heathen.
This is His judgment for us, on how to resolve specific problems in the house of God and to resolve them. If people don’t turn back, treat them this way so that they will not bring you down with them or bring you back to your old ways. It is also a way of protection for yourself.
Testimony:
Psalms 19:7 – The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
1 John 5:9 – If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
The testimony of God is His standards, the way of conduct. Testimony is witness, evidence of God’s work. A testimony is all the rest coming together in one. When we testify it is telling others what God did for us. The way we conduct ourselves with others is based on His commands. Us following God’s commands for what He has done for us. The love we have for others is a testimony within itself for the Lord loved us first. When we follow His ways, His statues and commands and judgments we will come to a point of true testimony for God’s standards of conduct and what he has done.
In 1 John 5 we see that it says that God’s witness is greater, and the witness of God is that He had testified of His Son. We see that God’s testimony is what He has done for man anywhere we look we see the work of God in the Old and New testament as well. This is His testimony to us, that He loved us, He sent His Son to die for us, to save us. The testimony is God’s desire and heart for us and the requirement that He has put before us. He reveals himself to us and shows us who He is. The testimony, when it arises to us as men, becomes the law of God and in many cases, from His side, it is a testimony. Showing that Jesus Christ comes to bear eyewitness to the Father. The Holy Spirit comes to provide witness of Jesus Christ and we are destined to retain the testimony of Christ’s authority and the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Prosper:
He continues saying when we do this that we will prosper in all that we do and were ever we turn. Because when we follow His ways and all He puts forth we will become prosperous for we will be in great gladness in His will, and because of this we will prosper with God.