The Temple has been built and the Lord was faithful to fill it with His presence. Now Solomon dedicates and prays over this House of God. What a seismic moment in their history and ours. To speak into such a profound moment had to come from the Lord. No human, even the wisest one can do that without God's guidance.
Read moreCategory: Faith
I Chronicles 28 Be Strong and Do the Work.
As he almost always did, when it was time for something important, David summoned all of the officials of Israel to assemble. He was an early pioneer in change management (maybe because his Mentor was the God of the Universe.)
...continue reading "I Chronicles 28 Be Strong and Do the Work."Of The Sons of Korah (Psalm 46)
Continuing through the bible chronologically and working through the Psalms aligned with I Chronicles and the assigned gatekeepers, the Sons of Korah.
...continue reading "Of The Sons of Korah (Psalm 46)"Of The Sons of Korah (Psalms 42-43)
As mentioned in previous posts, I am working my way through the Old Testament chronologically and am in I Chronicles. So, following chapter 26 on the organization of the Temple gatekeepers are Psalms by the Sons of Korah. Korah is one of two families assigned to the gatekeeper responsibilities. Below is a closer look at two of these Sons of Korah "gatekeeper: Psalms 42 and 43.
...continue reading "Of The Sons of Korah (Psalms 42-43)"David Pursues the King of Glory
July 9, 2020
I'm trying to read through the Old Testament chronologically and I am in the book of I Chronicles. I had, what I consider, a substantial insight yesterday about David and his obsession with God's Temple; but ran out of time before I could explore it. It's been on my mind and I want to try and capture my thoughts, as they can be quite fleeting.
...continue reading "David Pursues the King of Glory"I Chronicles 14
God unified Israel under David. And David has been making inroads at repairing all the damage done during the time of the judges and Saul. He's made his first very poor attempt at moving the Ark of God and now we'll learn more about those early days of David's unified kingship.
...continue reading "I Chronicles 14"II Samuel 22
The Song of David
Almost identical to Psalm 18, this is David's song after being delivered from his enemies and King Saul. I'm not clear if this is upon Saul's death, or after the grieving process in which he wrote a nice song about Saul?
He praises the character of God that could save him. And he points out that he asked and was saved.He points out how severe the situation was and how close to death. Then reiterates that he cried out for deliverance and the Lord heard and shook the earth.
...continue reading "II Samuel 22"II Samuel 21
Ryrie describes the rest of II Samuel (Chapters 21-24) as "an nonchronological appendix" of events from David's reign.
The Famine
21:1-2 Describes a three year famine and David seeking the Lord for the cause. The reason was when Saul was purging the inhabitants, he also slayed Gibeonites with whom Israel had a treaty. (Joshua 8:3-27)
So David reached out and asked what they wanted for atonement. They said not silver or gold, but seven of Saul's sons. David turned them over, except Mephibosheth because of his covenant with Jonathan. The Gibeonites hanged all seven together.
...continue reading "II Samuel 21"II Samuel 16 (Wiersbe)
16: 1-14
Wiersbe points out that both Hushai and Ziba brought good things. Hushai was answer to prayer and Zibe brought things needed in the short term, but deceived David in a moment of weakness and caused problems in the long term. David knew Ziba was an opportunist and even questioned his motives; but then was probably braced to believe everyone would turn on him and believed it about Mephibosheth. Even though Mephiboseth was crippled and unlikely to lead an uprising; and had seemed genuinely moved to become part of David's household.
And why hadn't David accounted for Mophibosheth. He was supposed to be part of the family. David brought hundreds of servants, why not care for the crippled family member?
Between Satan's lies from Ziba and the continuous curses from Shimei, Saul's relative- David was being worn down. It sounds like the Shimei story is ongoing.
Here's what I was looking for.
"What did all this suffering accomplish for David? It made him more like Jesus Christ! He was rejected by his own people and betrayed by his own familiar friend. He gave up everything for the sake of his people... Like Jesus, David crossed the Kidron and went up Mount Olive. He was falsely accused and shamefully treated and yet submitted to the sovereign will of God. 'Who when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.' (I peter 2:23 NKJV)
16: 15-23
By all human counts, Absalom had the advantages. But David had the Lord.
Because David fled, it was a bloodless coup. which is what David wanted- the people of Jerusalem protected.
Hushai's song and dance manged to thread the needle between truth and lies while still convincing Absalom of his "loyalty". He promises to serve who God chose. He says long live the king, without adding a specific name, etc.
Wiersbe points out that David would seek God's will. Either through his own prayers, A prophet like Nathan, or by using the Urim and Thummin. Absalom used a man, Ahithophel, who do not show signs of seeking God before offering wisdom, although the Bible says both David and Absalom treated his advice like the Word of God.
For me, that provides some insight into that final verse.
What a contrast in these two stories. David suffering and struggling while Absalom gets his wish with no effort. It seems unfair. It seems wrong. But that's only if you forget or never knew that there is a God in heaven, on His throne, sovereign, and whose will will be done. It's a contrast well worth remembering.
II Samuel 12: 15-23 (Even if)
v 15b ..."Then the Lord struck the child that Uriah's widow bore to David, so that he was very sick."
A couple of items to contemplate from this verse:
- It is specific that the Lord struck the child sick.
- The child was male.
- The author phrases it as Uriah's widow, not Bathsheba, keeping the cause of the issue in the forefront. She bore another man's child.
- And, the Lord struck the child sick, not dead.
Why sick and not dead? As always, I do not presume to speak for God; but the next verse is my clue:
v. 16 "Davis, therefore, inquired of God for the child; and David fasted and went and lay all night on the ground." For seven days, he denied himself to intercede for the child. Even when his elders were pressuring him to eat and take care of himself. To the point they thought he might harm himself when the baby actually died.
David got himself (and the baby and Bathsheba, and everyone else) into this when he refused to deny himself everything he wanted- even when what he wanted wasn't his to have.
And even more importantly, David still had hope for the child and went seeking God's face. Something else he wasn't doing before Nathan came to him.
In other words, David was genuinely repenting and his behavior (at cost to himself) was demonstrating that he really got the point. When we babysit our nieces and nephew and catch them doing something wrong, we correct them. And if we get a smirk or a grin in return, we try again to show them why what they did was wrong. We make an effort to explain it and we look for signs that they "got it". Otherwise, the second we left the room they would resume. We didn't want external pressure to be the only thing mitigating the behavior; but an internal understanding. A smirk does not denote internal understanding. So I used to joke that I wasn't done with the correction until I saw them cry. I did not want them to cry, but I was looking for a sign that they understood, in a real way, that what they had done was unsafe or mean, or whatever. Sometimes, it meant when they did get it, they would tear up.
That's what I perceive as happening with David. Suddenly, the life of his child was on the line and he understood that it was his choices that led to this. Personal responsibility before the Lord.
He also understood that the Lord was his only help. What his elders had to say was useless in light of the circumstances. God and God along could decide how the story would end.
And then this chapter of the story did end tragically. The baby died.
In response, David ended his vigil and went to worship the Lord. Only then did he end his fast and return to his normal life. This was very confusing to the elders, who understood the world, but not necessarily, the Lord. So they asked David about his surprising behavior. Here's his reply: (my paraphrase)
v. 22-23 While the baby was alive, I had hope that God would intervene by His graciousness and answer my prayer. But His answer was 'no', so now it is out of my control. God has decided and it is final.
I want to burn this scene into my mind. I think there are so many lessons for living.
- There are consequences for sin. Sometimes we pay them, sometimes we are forgiven of the sin and the consequence, and sometimes we are forgiven of the sin, but still bear the natural consequence.
- Genuine repentance bears witness through changed behavior. David didn't have his men fast, as Saul had done when he was trying to change outcomes. David fasted in a long and serious way.
- David took personal responsibility. There's no evidence that anyone fasted with David or shared in this scene.
- Faith is asking God for what you want and keep asking with confidence that He may say yes.
- However, when God clearly says no, and a door is closed, faith is also accepting the no and still remembering that God is good and perfect and there is a reason for the no that is beyond what we can comprehend. (In this case, the salvation of the world and blaspheme of God was on the line, so He said no and the whole world was a better place for denying David's request to avoid the consequences of his sin.
- Those around us may not understand the scene we are having with God. It may look mysterious, strange, or wrong to them; but if we're being led by the Holy Spirit and we're genuinely trying to love out our faith in the Lord, we keep on keeping on until we're on the other side and can better explain ourselves.
- A child died. That is the most horrible thing many of us can imagine. While it would be unwise to casually throw out this story to someone in a trying situation; it is worth pointing out that God is in the trials of life with us. This story has a lot to say to those suffering.
- Notice Nathan was gone at this point. God used Nathan to speak to David at first, but then it came down to God and David. When we try to minister to people, we should never forget that we only have a small part to play. The real change happens when that person gets alone with God.