Here comes the ark!

The temple is finished, Solomon has brought into the temple the things his father had dedicated to the temple, and now all the heads of tribes, the elders of Israel, and all the leaders of the fathers' houses of the people of Israel are gathered together in the temple as the Ark of the Lord is brought in by the priests. I don't think that we as Gentiles can totally understand the incredible significance of this moment. Try really hard to put yourself into that temple. Look around at the breath-taking beauty of the temple, the incredible detail of all the carvings, the precise locations of all the different articles of the temple that can be seen by a non-priest, notice the fact that not one peg or nail can be seen in the entire temple. Take in the grandeur of the incredible presence of all the leaders and of the Lord God Almighty Himself! WOW!!! I think it is quite fitting that we are reading this part of this book right after the "Royal Wedding" has just taken place and we all have inevitably seen some of the coverage of this royal, elegant, and grandiose event. This event is probably the closest thing we can have as a visual to the entrance of the Ark of the Lord into Solomon's temple.

Then Solomon does a series of prayers: one to bless the Lord, one as a prayer of dedication, and then a prayer of benediction. God tells Solomon in Chapter 9 verse 3 that He has heard his prayers and then God says something so very beautiful and I do not want you to miss it! He says, "My eyes and my heart will be there for all time." Isn't that so VERY comforting and peace-giving to hear? And this is a promise that extends to us as well today! Unfortunately, this is the end of Solomon's upward mobility and points ahead to the unfortunate downfall he is heading towards after this amazing event. This now will begins a cycle of a series of kings for both the northern and southern kingdoms as the kingdom of Israel will soon be fractured into these two parts and each will have the rise and fall of many, many kings.

And so I think this speaks to us as the Body of Christ, that we should seek to be obedient and NOT allow the worshiping of idols in our lives or in the life of in our church. And creating unity by being obedient to God's Word and his Ways. Let us as the Body of Christ be together, not fractured over anything. May we always be united in the love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and attract those around us into this community of unity, love, and belonging!

Hey, Solomon.....

Solomon is most famous for his wisdom, which certainly helped in his other famous claim...that of building the Temple of God. But, unless we claim to be wiser than Solomon, stronger than Samson, or more in love with God than David, we are wise to learn from their mistakes. Oh, don't get me wrong! We know that these men were all used greatly by God, and this man Solomon certainly showed wisdom just in asking for wisdom! Hmmmm, let's try that again....God asked Solomon what He should give him, and Solomon asked for an understanding heart. There we go, now God was very pleased with his unselfish answer, and granted him that and so much more....

The building of the Temple took years of work, actually seven, to be specific. (I love to see that number, by the way.) We could write for weeks on the Temple and all that it means! I imagine there were many decisions to be made, some big and some small, but all very important. King Solomon spared no expense, as his father, David, had provided well for the supplies needed in this great task. One thing stuck out to me more than anything else, though. As we are reading the details of the Temple....the who did it, the what materials, the where of the foundation, the when it was built, and the how stones were crafted (no tools, by the way...important info for later!).....then all of the sudden, God breaks in and gives a little reminder, one we've heard before. Hey Solomon, "Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk in My statutes, execute My judgments, keep all My commandments and walk in them, then I will perform my word with you which I spoke to your father, David. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and I will not forsake my people, Israel." Then, we go right back to building the temple....strange.

Remember how the Bible said it took seven years to build the Temple of the Lord God? Well next, Solomon started on his palace. I couldn't help but notice that it took almost twice that long to finish Solomon's own house. I wonder if this was an example of Solomon's misplaced priorities? Some of the very same building materials were used, yet it took so much longer, and they even got to use tools this time! I can't help but think of God's words, spoken to Solomon previously. In case you forgot those words: Hey Solomon, "Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk in My statutes, execute My judgments, keep all My commandments and walk in them, then.....I will dwell among the children of Israel, and I will not forsake my people, Israel." King Solomon did many things well in his reign, but is God trying to say something here?

Considering that the Bible is a historical document, and that it is full of events specific in chronological time frames, those seem secondary to what I keep noticing overall. Though the author of this book of the Bible is not named, I notice a consistency in his perspective. Each person in these books are weighed morally.....the author seems to be concerned with measuring if this certain king followed the law given through Moses, rather how closely did he follow God's covenant? Now, what were those words again?? Oh yeah....Hey Solomon: "Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk in My statutes, execute My judgments, keep all My commandments and walk in them, then I will...." You get the picture.

God makes Himself known to us in His word. The Bible is just a collection of things that happened in the world unless we keep the overall theme of the Book in mind. God created this world and everything in it, He desires a relationship with those He created, and so much so, that He continues to work in and through His people to accomplish His plan, rescuing us knowing we couldn't ever attain the qualifications to be with Him in all His holiness, if not for the blood sacrifice of a perfect Lamb. He loves us so much. He gave us so much. He even loved me long before I ever loved Him..... So I can't help but ask myself: Hey Jaybrena...

A WISE AND UNDERSTANDING HEART

What are dreams made of?? When we lay our heads down at night, usually whatever is on our mind is what pops up in our dreams. Sometimes they make sense; sometimes they are weird; sometimes they are foolish - and sometimes they "are from God." Such is the case of King Solomon. Perhaps he felt young and inexperienced and even a little inadequate at this new job of being ruler over Israel and fell asleep thinking about the job ahead of him - leading and judging the people entrusted to him. (Ever felt that way?) He was following in the huge footsteps of his father David. What a legacy he had to fulfill.




In this dream, God asks Solomon, "Ask what I shall give you." What a question! Ever thought about what your answer might be if it were asked of you? We read that "Solomon loved the Lord." I believe that is the key right there. He was not thinking of himself with selfish motives and desires. He wanted to serve the Lord and his people in the best way he could. So, Solomon asked for "wisdom" and a discerning heart.




(Maybe he should have sought God's wisdom earlier - for he had married the daughter of Pharaoh from Egypt early on. And as we will see later in his life, this is what eventually brought him down - the many political alliances and marriages he made with foreigners that opened the door to idol worship and destroyed the kingdom.)









But - back to the job at hand. This answer "pleased" the Lord, and Solomon was granted wisdom - but as the gracious and loving God we know - He gave him so much more. Riches and long life. Solomon's wisdom is legendary. Everyone has heard and remembers the story about the two women coming to him with one child, each claiming to be the mother. He settled this dispute in a brilliant way, and the people realized that the wisdom of God was in him. (Isn't it awesome when we see this kind of wisdom in the people that God sends our way? Be sensitive to those Christians around you - you might just get some Godly wisdom if you listen closely.) But not only can we ask wise people around us, we can ask God directly as James 1:5 states - But if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men liberally, without finding fault, and it will be given him.




LET'S GET ORGANIZED: And so he did. Solomon organized his kingdom into twelve districts with officials over each to provide food for the king and his household . . . each man had to make provision for one month in the year. But this did not conform to the old tribal boundaries - which possibly will come to hurt him in the end. The people were at peace and ate and drank and were happy. His kingdom enlarged until it was from the Euphrates . . . to the border of Egypt.




Enter Hiram, King of Tyre, who became a friend to Solomon as he was with David his father. This enabled Solomon to gain access to the cypress and cedars of Lebanon as well as the servants of Hiram to cut and ship the timber back by way of the sea. A good friendship was established and each had their benefits. The building of the temple was on its way. (I read where some of the great foundation stones remain to this day some with markings on them that are Phoenician, as was Tyre, from which Solomon received the building materials for the temple.)




Solomon was surely a busy, artistic, and industrious man as he is credited with writing 3,000 proverbs and 1005 songs in his repertoire. He also traded in horses and chariots. He was wise and understanding and spoke on many subjects, i.e., beasts of the field, birds, creeping things and fish. He initiated building programs (a palace, the temple, and the wall around Jerusalem), possessed extreme wealth, and had great administrative and organizational skills. Men came from all over the known world to hear the wisdom of Solomon.




Through the building of the temple, Solomon conscripted his people to forced labor, military service, and then taxed them heavily. Israel had wanted to have a king and be like the other nations. And as Samuel had warned - they were becoming just that. I'm wondering here if in all of this busyness Solomon let his mind wander from what was really important - his devotion to God. Don't we do the same thing at times - covered up with the day to day life issues, the hectic running to and fro, that we let our Bible reading and prayer slip down on the list of "things to do?"




Stay tuned for the "rest of the story" of the wisest man on earth.

Back to the Future

As a disclaimer, if you are used to reading Natalie's pithy, insightful, and humorous comments on Wednesday, for today you are stuck with me (her husband - who in today's post is not pithy - i.e. short).

"How did we get stuck with Aaron," you might ask?

Well, last night, Natalie was stumped about what to write for today's post. In an effort to help her I asked her what the chapters were.

"Just some stories," remarked Natalie.

"Which ones," I asked?

"Oh, just the first ones in 1 Kings," she said plainly.

"WHAT, those chapters are FULL of stuff," I exclaimed!

So, upon hearing my enthusiasm for these chapters, after a long day at work, Natalie inquired, "would you write a post about them?"

So, you're saddled with me for today.

A lot has transpired since David was first anointed in 1 Samuel 16. Years and years have gone by since David was even crowned king over not only Judah but over all Israel. Too often, in our lives, the day to day events of life add up and one day we wake up; realizing our life has passed by without us even noticing it.

Here David finds himself, at the end of his life. Handing off his legacy to his son. Asking his son, in many ways, to right the wrongs of his past and secure his own throne by fixing his father's mistakes.

(Marty McFly with his father [who avoids conflict in the past to the ruin of the present] take away the time machine and 80's outfits and picture Solomon looking at David here).

Back to the Future - Everything that is recorded in these two chapters of Scripture are the "payoffs" to an earlier "setup." What do I mean by this?

The other night, we were looking for a movie to watch and I chose to watch Back to the Future. The DVD we have has a handy feature which shows you the "setup" and "payoffs" of various gags and plots points throughout the movie. As we watched, it showed us when something was being 'setup' for later in the movie, only to be 'payed off' for a laugh.

That is exactly what is happening here in 1 Kings 1 & 2. These chapters are taking us back, in order to move us forward (Solomon's future).

As the chapter opens we find David on his death bed, unable to stay warm and sleeping a lot. I am sure today his family would be wrestling with putting him in a nursing home or hiring hospice, but back then their best option for a dying king was a personal companion and caretaker. Nothing less that the best looking young girl in the country would do for such a great king.

[Payoff] - In his moment of weakness, David's son Adonijah tries to steal the throne. For everyone who knows the end of the story (Solomon becomes king) their gut feeling is "how dare he!?" But, in reality Adonijah was next in line for the throne.

[Setup] - In 2 Sam. 13, Amnon (David's first born) had raped Tamar (Absalom's sister, David's second son). After a VERY poor mishandling by David in chapters 13 & 14, Absalom murders Amnon. That leaves Absalom as the heir to the throne. Unfortunately, for Absalom, murdering your brother in broad daylight usually raises a few red flags with the authorities, so he flees to his mother's in-laws to the northeast (in Geshur). After Absalom's failed coup in 1 Samuel 15-18, Adonijah is now next in line to the throne. So, for him to presumptively try to become king is not too far fetched.

(Sub-note: Each of these brothers were actually half-brothers with different mothers. They were each the 'first-born' of a different mom, making them all 'potential' successors).

[Payoff] - Next, we see that Solomon and some key supporters have been left out of Adonijah's plans to take the throne. Bathsheba, Solomon, Benaiah, and Nathan approach David and remind him of an earlier promise he had made concerning his heir to the throne. David remembers his promise and takes steps to ensure Solomon's ascension.

[Setup] - After David's affair with Bathsheba, he stopped having children by his other wives. In fact, David so isolated himself from his other wives and their children that it created jealousy among his family (2 Samuel 13-15). Part of their closeness came from everything that happened during that tumultuous time in his life. Most notably, in 2 Samuel 12, David and Bathsheba lost their newborn baby. After this experience God showed them mercy and gave them a second son (whom they named Jedidiah - meaning "Beloved of the Lord" and called Solomon - meaning "Peace or Just Reward"). This represented a fresh start for both them and their relationship with God. Solomon literally was an answer to prayer, a visible sign to David and Bathsheba that God had not turned his back on them. It seems only natural, at some point, that David would see Solomon as his new 'first-born' and promise to Bathsheba (probably in private) that Solomon would be the next king.

[Payoff] - David asks Benaiah (the commander of his personal guard and a general in his army) and Zadok (a priest who helped David survive the coup from Absalom) to take steps to coronate Solomon and place him on the throne. This, is in direct competition to Joab (general over all Israel) and Abiathar (the current high priest).

[Setup] - In 2 Samuel 3, David's nephew and general Joab had murdered Abner. Abner likely would have been promoted ahead of him to command-in-chief of the forces of a united Israel. Also, Abner had accidentally killed his brother Asahel. So, Joab murdered him in cold blood.

Then, later in 2 Samuel 18, Joab did it again. This time he killed David's son Absalom, violating a direct order from David. For his betrayal and disobedience, David promoted his cousin Amasa to Joab's position. Joab didn't take kindly to this demotion and murdered Amasa, in cold blood, in 2 Samuel 20.

Abiathar, the priest, had also served David for a very long time and had served as his direct connection to God (1 Samuel 30). So, for Joab and Abiathar to go against David's plan was a HUGE betrayal.

[Payoff] - David then instructs his son Solomon in some 'unfinished business' and potential threats to his throne. First, he tells him how to walk before the Lord (very important). Second, he tells him to "deal with Joab in wisdom," and not "let his gray hair fall to the ground in peace." Finally, he tells him to find a way to make sure that Shimei son of Gera gets what is coming to him.

[Setup] - The 'unfinished business' that David gives Saul are all people who have either directly wronged him, their family, or will pose a threat to Solomon's rule. First, make sure you follow the Lord - mess that one up and the rest won't even matter.

Second, deal with Joab in the way that he has dealt with others in the past (see earlier setup - Murder #1 - Abner, 2 Sam 3 / Murder #2 - Absalom, 2 Sam 18 / Murder #3 - Amasa, 2 Sam 19). So, how does Solomon deal with Joab? He has Benaiah kill him in the Tabernacle (1 Kings 2:28-35) - problem solved.

Finally, Shimei was the man who had insulted, humiliated, and thrown rocks at David and his entourage as they fled Jerusalem (2 Samuel 16:5-14). In the lowest moment of his life, as he fled in fear and absolute shame from his capital (from his own son, Absalom) this man had pelted him with rocks and said the most awful things you can think of - for mile after mile. That is not the sort of thing you forget (even on your deathbed). Oh, and another catch to the story of Shimei was that he was a close relative of Saul (first cousin). Hence, the David hating routine when David was 'overthrown' and deposed as king.

So, what does Solomon do. He draws a circle (figuratively) around Shimei and tells him not to leave Jerusalem, ever. "Build your own house and never leave." What happens when he does, Solomon orders Benaiah to kill him. (Backstory on Benaiah - reread 2 Samuel 23:20-23 - this guy has killed a lion, probably with his bare hands, in a pit, on a snowy day - for this guy a slippery, cold, tight space + 1 lion = dead lion; think Arnold Schwarzenegger + Sylvester Stallone + Gerard Butler from 300).

[Payoff] - Solomon has Benaiah kill Adonijah after his presumptuous request in verses 13-18. What was his request? To have Abishag the Shunammite as his wife. Why is this such a big deal? A request that merits his death?

[Setup] - Notice how Adonijah makes his request. He goes to Solomon's mommy. {Always a bad sign with you try to go over someone's head to force them to do something, especially a spouse or parent.}

This request was presumptuous because Adonijah was asking for the girl that David has slept next to, the young girl that had officially become his wife, yet never slept with him. By taking her as his wife it would have given Adonijah legitimacy as king. (see Solomon's own comments in 1 Kings 2:22) A 'right' of an incoming king was to take the younger wives of his predecessor as his own (especially the ones who were virgins). By taking Abishag as his wife Adonijah was literally trying to steal the throne from Solomon.

As you might imagine this was a request that went too far. What does Solomon do? Order Benaiah to kill Adonijah. Problem solved.

Finally, Solomon banishes Abiathar, the priest, instead of killing him. Why spare his life and not the others? Solomon puts it best when he says, "I will not put you to death today, since you carried the ark of the Lord God in the presence of my father David and you suffered through all that my father suffered." Here was a guy who had been with David at the lowest and highest points of his life; the good, bad, and the ugly. Yet, at the end of his life Abiathar had betrayed David and gone against his wishes.

The people closest to us hurt us the most when they betray us. They, above all others, know what we have been through, so when they betray us it wounds us deeper.

So, what is the take away from these chapters? Here we are, 'back to the future.' David dies in 1 Kings 2:10, and Solomon's throne is "firmly established" according to verse 12.

Solomon rights the wrongs that David had either avoided or had, in his mercy, overlooked. These individuals from David's past betrayed David and deeply hurt him and his family. For Solomon to have his throne "firmly established" these traitors needed to be dealt with and dealt with swiftly. In 1 Kings 3, the story will jump forward in time to Solomon's reign, his dedication and completion of the Temple (something his father started as well - which he is going to finish).

While at times the events of the present can simply fly past us, they find their meaning and have impact when placed in the context of the past. David had lived a full life, one of great joy, intimacy with God, and uncomplicated faith (see 2 Samuel 7:25-28). Yet, here at the end of his life, he has to pass his unfinished business on to his son.

These stories remind us of 3 things: 1) Everybody gets what is coming to them, whether here on earth or in heaven. 2) Your present only has meaning in the context of your past (don't be afraid of your past - it has made you who you are). 3) When possible don't let unfinished business haunt you. Often it can prevent you from moving forward, unburdened, into the future.

Oh, and the 4th thing we learned? Need someone killed - call Benaiah . . .

"Sing Unto the Lord" Ps. 30:4

Chapter 22 is a beautiful song of praise David sang to the Lord. There is nothing like a good song to the Lord. I am not blessed with the talent of writing. It takes a lot out of me to put my heart into words. This is one reason I love to sing to the Lord. There is something special about music that makes my heart feel connected with Him. When I feel overwhelmed with a situation and the words are not there to express my feelings I often start to hum a familiar tune. Sometimes a song from long ago will come to my mind. Singing the words to the Lord, and sometimes just humming the tune, brings peace to my heart. It helps me remember the Lord’s goodness to me and that He will never leave me. In the moments of a song is when I feel the Lord truly hears my heart.

David was certainly a writer but I think he also returned to familiar songs at times to praise the Lord and to be reminded of His goodness. This psalm is a summary of David’s attitude through his entire life. He made many mistakes, and allowed sin to take hold at times but his heart still belonged to God. He made it known who holds his future and who gave him victory. I wish I could hear him singing.

Chapter 23 begins with the last words of David or his last psalm. There is so much packed into these few verses. I think my favorite part is verses three and four:

The God of Israel spoke,
the Rock of Israel said to me:
‘When one rules over people in righteousness,
when he rules in the fear of God,
he is like the light of morning at sunrise
on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain
that brings grass from the earth.’

These verses would explain why David would have a list of “Mighty Men.” They were inspired and motivated to greatness by their leader. These men were loyal to David and they were true heroes. Those we follow greatly affect our lives.

In the final chapter of 2 Samuel, David decides to count the men of his famous army against the good advice of army commander Joab. This passage is difficult to understand. It seems like God punished 70,000 people because David counted his fighting men. After reading some notes on the text I had to be reminded that God was already angry with Israel. We are not told why and sometimes God doesn’t tell us why He does things. David’s sin was pride or maybe distrust. But God was merciful.

I was curious about the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. So I did some extra reading and found something very profound. I noticed that the angel of the Lord had stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem when the Lord said, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” He stopped at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. David was instructed to build an altar there. Now here is something really exciting to learn; the threshing floor of Araunah was located on Mount Moriah where God instructed Abraham to take his son Isaac to be sacrificed. God intervened then as He did here with David. Both times God commanded that an altar for sacrifice be built. I also learned that this is the place where Solomon will be told to build the temple. Wow!

A Personal Encounter With the King

I have never been in the presence of a king, president, or other national dignitary. However, I can imagine at times, a meeting could be quite informal or more likely with much pomp and circumstance. Following Absalom's death, King David returned to Jerusalem. Of course, as is true of most if not all dignitaries, people wanted to meet with the king along the way.

These people sought a personal encounter with the king...

Joab
After Absalom's death, David grieved. Instead of celebrating a victory, David's army (under the leadership of Joab) also went into mourning. Joab aggressively reprimanded King David for his behavior and demanded that that the king encourage the army and express his appreciation for their victory over David's enemy.
Joab told his king how things should be done.

Shimei
We know that Shimei had previously cursed King David and threw stones at him and his party. Shimei approached David and immediately "fell prostrate before the king" and asked for the king's pardon for his previous actions. King David promised Shimei that he would not kill him.
Shimei sought the mercy and salvation of his king.

Mephibosheth and Ziba
These two characters came to King David with conflicting stories. I believe David tested Mephibosheth about his motives for staying in Jerusalem. Without being able to corroborate the story, David did what he thought was fair. He told them to divide Saul's estate. I suspect that Ziba was relieved when Mephibosheth decided to gave his share to Ziba.
Mephibosheth simply wanted to be in his king's presence.

Barzillai
Barzillai had previously provided for King David and his army. Barzillai wanted to walk with the king as he crossed the Jordan and then planned to part and go his own way from there. But David offered much more. He offered a lifetime spent in the palace with all the provisions and blessings included. Barzillai knew that his life was relatively short and he offered this gift and opportunity of a lifetime to Kimham instead.
Barzillai simply wanted to walk with his king for a few days (or hours).

David's Concubines
We don't know much about the interaction between King David and his concubines at this time. However, we do know that things had to change with the king's return to the palace.
The concubines had to suffer the consequences of others' sin, but their king protected and provided for them.

King David
David also wanted to meet with his king, his Heavenly King. During a three-year famine, David "sought the face of the Lord". David wanted to understand why the famine was occurring. Through these actions, David acknowledged God's omnipotence and omniscience. After receiving an answer from God, David responded by speaking with the Gibeonites and making restitution for Saul's actions against them.
David sought understanding from his King.

During the Easter sunrise service yesterday, Pastor Chris asked a question: "When we come to church, do we expect to be changed?" We can meet with our Heavenly King anytime we choose to. Do we meet with Him with pure motives, a soft and open heart, a spirit willing to yield to Him, expecting to be changed? Today, I pray we do!

A Man after God's own heart!

What a privilege is bestowed upon me, that I should be able to write about the Lord on the Lord's resurrection day.

As I read these chapters, I began to think, how does the Lord want this to be used for His honor on His resurrection day? Then I came to the last verse in Chapter 18, and David wept, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!"

David being the man after God's own heart gives us insight into the heart of God the Father as he saw his own son die on the cross. Imagine as the only Holy Child of God took upon every vile sin that ever was or would be committed, having known no sin, and the agony as He took upon Himself the wickedness of others so that He could be a perfect sacrifice, and God the Father, turning His back to not look on the sin, caused all darkness to come across the land so that no one could see His most beloved precious Son suffer and die for us.

Tetellesti (it is finished) was His cry, and He paying the ultimate sacrifice for you and me, giving Himself in our place as the heart of the Father broke for His precious son, David's heart broke for his son as well, even after he had sinned so grievously in the sight of all the people, his father loved him anyway.

Just to think How precious and tender the heart of a loving Father that would weep and be broken over His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God....

As David wept over his son's death, our Heavenly Father wept over His Son's death. Yet He gave Him anyway, that we might be reconciled to Him. If today doesn't bring joy to your heart and flood your soul with the unmatched love of Christ something is drastically wrong.

As the songwriter H.G. Spafford wrote, "When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, it is well with my soul." These words were written at a time of great loss. His wife and daughters were traveling overseas and he stayed behind for business and was to join in a few days. He received a telegram from his wife, saying I alone have survived. At the point where his two daughters drown, he sat down and penned the words to It Is Well... I think he knew something of the love of our gracious loving kind Heavenly Father, who would give the greatest sacrifice the world has ever known, so that we could have the greatest life ever known.

To God be the glory, great things He hath done, so loved He the world that He gave us His Son who yielded His life an atonement for sin and opened the life gate that all may go in. Praise the Lord!

The Consequences Begin...

The consequences of sin...one of the hardest things about life. You have humbly repented with all your heart and you know that God has forgiven you because you read about it in Scripture and feel the peace that only His forgiveness can bring. BUT...(and this is a big but) you still have to live with and deal with the consequences of your sin. Not only do you have to deal with them, but so do those that are the closest to you because your sin will undoubtedly affect them as well. Sometimes the effects of sin can last for years and be VERY, VERY painful, even if you were the one that did not commit the sin. The good news is that Jesus will be with you throughout all of it even though we do not deserve it.

This is where David finds himself today. This whole set of events reads like a well written soap opera. David has just lost his precious baby son that was an innocent victim to his sin. Now he finds himself confronted by the rebellion and horrible sins of his own two sons, Amnon and Absalom. This is the beginning of what Nathan said in Chapter 12 verse 11, which says, "Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house." Sin has a way of "snow-balling" down a steep hill and running out of control.

SNOWBALL #1: Enter Amnon and his horrific actions against his half sister Tamar. This whole sequence of events is the worst of human lust and selfishness at its highest. The life of an innocent woman is ruined. Now that she is no longer a virgin, she is not going to be able to ever be married and bear children as the laws and customs demanded. She will live a life of loneliness and an empty womb all because of something done TO her that she had not control over. All because of the sin of someone else.

SNOWBALL #2: Because of what Amnon has done to Tamar, Absalom seethes with anger and eventually plays out this anger by murdering his brother. This begins a snowball of Absalom's sin, which will eventually end in his own death. And so, Absalom flees to Geshur. Meanwhile, David remains aloof and passive in reacting to any of this sin and the snowball continues to get bigger as it rushes down the hill.

SNOWBALL #3: Absalom eventually returns to his father in Jerusalem, but the relationship is forever severed by sin and will never be the same again. The tension between David and Absalom will never go away and Absalom hates his father.

SNOWBALL #4: Absalom is eaten up with hatred and jealousy toward his father, and out of this hatred is born a conspiracy...a conspiracy to overtake David's throne. And so a web of deception and betrayal is woven together by Absalom and David is forced to flee from Jerusalem.

The snowball is now huge as it has taken four turns of gigantic proportions. Do you see how one sin by one person...a momentary weakness by David, has now grown into this HUGE mess? I have seen this same "snowball effect" happen in my own life over and over and over again. I hammered the nails to Jesus on the cross! All of the horrible sins I have committed are what put Him on that cross! Yet, He loved me so much that He endured the unfathomable pain and incomprehensible weight of ALL of the sins for ALL time so that I could spend eternity with Him in heaven. WOW...as we await the rising of our Savior tomorrow morning, join me in a continuous thanksgiving for His amazing love!!!

"Amazing love, how can this be, that you My King would die for me? Amazing love, I know it's true, and it's my joy to honor you in all I do!"

A Heart Like His

So, this man David, how we've come to love him! In these chapters, we see some of the very virtues God is referring to when He tells us that David is a man after His own heart. Let's consider a few of these virtues together...

Justice and Righteousness (2 Sam 8). God chose to leave a remnant of the Moabite army, two-thirds of the army was marked-off and killed after David had defeated them. I wonder if this is because God's ultimate goal is for them to come to Him? Killing them all would result in extinction (relatively speaking), but saving a portion would give opportunity for them to share with their children about the God of Israel being like no other and offering salvation to them. He is righteous in judgement. You see? God serves justice, but is also righteous in doing so. He tells us that a Branch of David is coming Who "shall execute judgement and righteousness in all the earth."

Kind, loving, accepting, restoring, welcoming (2 Sam 9). Jonathan had died, and certainly David's arrival at the throne was shadowed by the death of his faithful friend. David longed to show honor to the family of Saul, on his behalf and sought to find a relative. Mephibosheth was his name, son of Jonathan. David didn't just bring him in for a minute, but for a lifetime! Jonathan's son had a permanent seat at the royal table as part of the family, and inherited all that was Saul's. You see? God chose us, long before we chose Him. He sought us out to honor us, and break the chains of reproach over our lives.

Protective, sympathetic, defensive of His own (2 Sam 10). David's men had been humiliated! The mis-led king of Amnon had ordered that their beards be half-shaven, their robes be cut off at the buttocks, and for them to be sent back home in their shame. When David heard of this, he sent messengers to meet his servants and to minister to them. After giving battle orders to Joab, verse 17 says it was David himself who went into battle for his men! He fiercely defended their honor. You see? God does the same for us. Hebrews tells us that Christ is able to sympathize with us in every way. And, certainly you remember that we've read where God Himself fights the battle for His own? Do the words "giant hailstones" or "sun stood still" or "Red Sea" ring any bells? God fights on behalf of His people, fiercely protecting and defending them from the evil one.

Now the bad news......even a man like David can fall (2 Sam 11). And you've heard it said "the bigger they are, the harder they fall". God's word tells us to keep our heart with all diligence, because it is very wicked and will lead you astray. David's sin with Bathsheba may be one of the most controversial Bible stories, at the very least one of the most talked about. No matter what you believe about whether David should have been at war with his men, or Bathsheba shouldn't have been on the roof that time of day, or David shouldn't have sent for her, or Bathsheba even having a choice in responding to the King....the fact is that they committed adultery. And then in covering for it, David committed murder. He stole a man's wife, and lied about it to all. Can God still use him? Let's read on...

Talk about a well-timed fairy tale! (2 Sam 12:1-15) The prophet Nathan came to David and shared what the Lord had revealed to him. He used a story about a rich man with hundreds of sheep, who chose to prepare dinner for a guest using the only lamb, and family pet, of a poor man. David was so angry, and demanded justice be served! Nathan then pointed to David as that man.....the anger faded and the realization slipped in. David was convicted immediately, and confessed that he had sinned against the Lord. This is where the most heartbreaking words come for me, Nathan says "by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme". God forbid it that we should ever give great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to mock Him! God help us to keep our hearts with diligence, and guard our thoughts, words and deeds.

Heartbreak and Healing (2 Sam 12:16-31). Who can understand the consequence of sin? God alone is just. David's son, conceived in the adulterous relationship with Bathsheba, would die. David mourned, and grieved, and cried out to the Lord for his son's life for seven days. Rest assured, God heard his prayers and they were not in vain. When David realized that the child was gone, he says some of the most comforting words in scripture that anyone who has lost an unborn baby or young child can hear, "I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." One day, they would be reunited. In the meantime, God blessed David and Bathsheba with a son named Solomon.

To be continued...

A New King, A New City, An Eternal Kingdom

David had been crowned as the king of Judah in Hebron, but now after the murder of Ishbosheth, the northern tribes joined Judah in making David their king as well - it was a long time coming - from the shepherd boy anointed by Samuel to ruling over the twelve tribes of Israel. Now, as the new king, he needs a "new city." David and his army march to Jerusalem and possessed the city which would become known as the City of David - Jerusalem. It was noted that this site was "easy to defend and had no strong political association with either the northern or southern tribes." A good choice; neutral ground.


We have a new king with a new city, and now David feels the need to bring the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem to unify the political and religious around him. Good idea. The ark signifies the "presence of God' to the people of Israel. It had been in the house of Abinadab almost 100 years. I wonder if David inquired of the Lord if now was the time to move the ark? Or did he just decide on his own? We do the same thing - decide something needs to be done, and most of the time we just forge ahead. New programs, new house, new job, new committees, "new carts." Oftentimes we don't "inquire of the Lord" before we move ahead ourselves.


David moves ahead and takes with him his "chosen men" and a "new cart." As the ark moves along, carried by oxen, the oxen stumble and Uzzah reaches out to steady the ark and is struck dead by God. Talk about "shock and awe." That would put the fear of God in you. But why?? (Isn't that the same question we always ask?) Well, let's go back - a great plan to move the ark, but executed in the wrong way. The ark is sacred and holy, and there were specific instructions on how to carry it - on poles by the Levites, not to be touched by human hands. David knew this, but somehow he let his exuberance cloud his thinking.


Same song, second verse - only this time David had the priests carry the ark in the order and manner specified by God. I believe David learned to fear God here, and to realize again that God is holy. Should we also examine ourselves to see that we treat God with reverence and awe and learn to do things "God's way"? (The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.) Inquire of the Lord and be sure we are in God's timing. Treat the sacred things as holy.




When the ark was being brought into Jerusalem, David shed his royal robes and "danced" before the Lord, showing, I believe, that he did not think himself as set apart or special just because he was the chosen king, but was humble and attired like the rest of the priests in a linen ephod. And although his wife Michal disapproved, David replied that he was not dancing for the people, or as the king, but "unto the Lord." An example for us to remember in our own lives - completely "abandoned in worship."


At last God gave David "rest from his enemies," and as he dwelt in his house he realized there was more that he wanted to do for the Lord. He wanted to "build him a house." However, through Nathan the prophet, he learned that God wanted to give him more than an opportunity to "build a house" - He would give him a "house" that would last - an eternal kingdom through his lineage. ". . . and your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you; your throne shall be established forever . . . II Samuel 7:16 (Amplified Bible). When the angel Gabriel came to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus, he said, He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His forefather David. (Luke 1:32-33) .


Chapter 7 ends with David asking, Who am I that you have done this for me . . . Each of us can give untold examples of the goodness of God, of his faithfulness, of his forgiveness, of his mercy and love, and of the gift of His Son for our salvation and eternal life. Please take a few moments to offer up your praise for His goodness to you.

May you this week discover your place in God's love.

May it cause you to tremble . . . tremble . . . tremble.

(Andy Watts & Amy Dodson Watts from Journey to the Cross)

"Stuck in the middle with you..."

Random fact about Natalie number 575- sometimes, people will say a phrase that puts a song lyric in my head. They didn't have the song in mind when they said the phrase, it just triggers something in my brain and I spontaneously want to break out in song. Too bad my singing voice isn't so great. Today, in our reading, we are "stuck in the middle" with David.

David was stuck between being king and not being king. Then, he's stuck between ruling Judah and ruling the rest of Israel. He's stuck between two military leaders, Joab and Abner, and he's also stuck between multiple wives. David was obviously a man people were trying to pull in several different directions. I mean, can you imagine the cat fights between all those women? I can only imagine how competitive they were for David's attention! But, David is also stuck smack in the middle between Abraham and Jesus. The old and new covenants.

As we start 2 Samuel, we find David mourning the death of King Saul and his beloved friend Jonathan. Perhaps you made the same mistake as the "messenger" who brought David news of Saul's death, assuming the David would be rejoicing. After all, now he can assume his rightful place on the throne, right?

We are told David was a "man after God's own heart." I think in this scenario, we can see one reason why. David probably recognized what Saul could have been as a leader and mourned his wasted potential as much as his death. David did not look at Saul as a means to his end, but a man who was called by God and as such demanded his respect. He never chose to view Saul as his enemy, or as someone evil to be hated. He didn't let bitterness creep in.

Can we be that forgiving to those who have wronged us? Maybe what they did cost us dearly or caused a delay in something that we had been anticipating a long time. Maybe they let us down. David chose to remember the best about Saul. Can we learn to look for the positive in the people around us, even when they hurt us? God certainly chooses to look for the best in us, over and over again, even after we've let him down.

As the story continues, we see David become King over Judah. He reigned in Judah seven years before he was able to unite all the Israelites and become king over the whole nation. Just to put things in further perspective, it had been fifteen years since Samuel had anointed David as king. He had been stuck in the middle a long time! Often we have to wait for things. David did not become discontent or impatient, he trusted God's timing and was faithful to do his best with what God had already given him. He wan't focused on what he HAD but on what he needed to DO. Are we focused on what God wants us to do, or are we worried about what we have or don't have?

I am not a patient person by nature. Countless sewing, cross stitch and knitting projects have been left unfinished because they took "too long." God certainly has a sense of humor, because my life verse has become Psalm 27:14:

"Wait for the Lord. Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

Words from David himself. Beth Moore expounded on this concept at a simulcast I attended several years ago. She stated that the key is not waiting on the Lord to give me ________. Or for the Lord to make _______ happen. The key is waiting on the Lord himself. When we are focused on waiting on God to show up in our lives, we are never left waiting for long. He always arrives. Maybe not like we though He would, but he always arrives.

So..here's to being stuck in the middle! What do we do while we are here? Be obedient to what God is calling us to do today. Have faith in God's promises. Put one foot in front of the other in obedience in the small things. David did, and God used those small steps to shape a great hero. Wait for the Lord. Be strong, take heart, and wait for the Lord.

The End of Saul's Reign

We have some more excitement to read today. The story of David has always been so interesting. I have loved sharing more with my children as I have learned. Another great reason to read through the Bible. There is more to that story of “David and Goliath.” As children get older they need to learn to fill in between the great stories.


Today’s reading begins with Saul seeking out a medium. Israelites and Philistines were going to battle soon and Saul had become so afraid. He tried seeking the Lord but the Lord was silent. Even though Saul had banished all mediums and spiritists, here he goes to seek one. He just had to know what to do to save himself. The verses do not tell us specifically why the Lord did not answer him but I would say He finally did through this medium. It was confusing to me that God would allow Samuel to be raised by this medium to speak to Saul. But who am I to question God. He can do what ever He wants how ever He wants to do it. I want to share something from the book “Handbook of Today’s Religions.” The chapter on Fortunetelling talks about the danger of seeking other spiritual means to your problems.

Whether all fortunetelling practice is nothing but a glorified con game remains a matter of debate. What is not debatable is the fact that any and all types of attempting to divine the future through fortunetelling is an abomination to God. God has already revealed to us in His Word the basic program for the future, and He condemns in the strongest of terms those who would try to find out what is going to occur without consulting Him. The Bible never says fortunetellers can predict the future. It is their attempt to peer into the future through occultic means that is objectionable. However, whether they can do it or not really does not make that much difference, if the person having his fortune told believes that they can. The same end is accomplished. The person, instead of looking to God for direction, now consults fortunetellers to receive guidance for his life. Satan has accomplished his purpose, which is getting people away from worshiping the true and living God. Since fortunetelling does this, it should never be practiced even for fun.

Saul receives his news that there is no way to save his kingdom and that he and Israel would be handed to the Philistines. Also, Saul learns that he and his sons would die the next day. This had to be like torture in his mind. The last hours of his life spent with such despair. This passage points out how the human heart continues to seek out anything other than God. We are commanded over and over to seek only the Lord and He will take care of all our needs in His time. But we always want to know in advance what is going to happen.

On the scene with David he was preparing to go to battle with the Philistine leader Achish against the Israelites. The other Philistine rulers did not trust David to go to battle with them because they knew David had loyalty to Saul. I do wonder if David would have really fought with the Philistines or turned on them during battle. The Bible doesn’t say.

David and his men return to Ziklag, only to find that the town had been raided by the Amalekites. They had taken captive the women and children. David and his men wept out loud until they had not strength. Some of the men wanted to stone David because they blamed him that their families had been captured. David sought the Lord and found strength in Him. The Lord told him to pursue the Amalekites. Some of the men were too tired to go so two hundred men stayed behind.

David and four hundred men set out to get their families back. They found an Egyptian slave that lead them to the Amalekites. David fought them from dusk until the evening of the next day. David and his men were able to recover everything that had been taken from them. Some of the men who fought did not want to share with those who didn’t fight. David stepped in with his great leadership and pointed out that this was the Lord’s victory and they were to appreciate those who stayed with the supplies as well. David shared some of the plunder even with the elders of Judah as a gift.

In wrapping up 1 Samuel, we go back to the scene with Saul. The Israelites fight the Philistines and are defeated. Saul’s sons are killed (even Jonathan). I had hoped that Jonathan would be spared but God has a purpose for everything. Saul had been wounded and didn’t want to be tortured by the Philistines so he asked his armor-bearer to finish him but his armor-bearer would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it then his armor-bearer did the same.

When the Israelites see that Saul was dead and the soldiers had fled, they fled and the Philistines took over their area. Saul’s body and his sons’s bodies were taken and displayed as trophies. The people at Jabesh Gilead sent their “valiant men” to rescue the bodies to give them a proper funeral and burial.

The Fool and His Wife

Can you imagine your name being "Fool"? Can you imagine others saying, "Hey Fool! How are you today?" or calling someone else a fool as a means of stating their name. What a name to live up to... or in this case, to live down to! Nabal was a foolish man and his name literally meant "fool". We know that Nabal was very wealthy and was also very mean to those around him, including those who worked for him and helped him maintain his wealth. We know that he like to party and drink and and that his wife, Abigail, had to do a lot of work behind the scenes to keep their lives on even keel.

In contrast, we learn that Nabal's wife, Abigail, was an intelligent, beautiful, gracious, and humble woman who knew her husband was wicked. Abigail saved Nabal from David's wrath and anger. She was aware of her husband's sinful life and attitude and also wanted to protect David from "avenging [himself] with [his] own hands." She intervened. As a result, God dealt directly with Nabal through some type of "natural" death. David gained a second wife who was obviously equipped to help and support him.

In these passages, we also see David spare Saul's life once again. God miraculously put Saul's army and protectors into a deep sleep. David and Abishai walked up to Saul while he was sleeping and took Saul's sword and water jug that were both next to Saul's head. We know David was not afraid of killing; we know David was fearful of Saul's intent to kill him; and again we see that David knew the right thing to do and was obedient. He was tested again and does not kill Saul because he knows Saul is God's anointed.

Through these Old Testament chapters, God continues to teach us about Godly character and qualities that He demands and desires for us to have. We also see evidence that God honors those who are obedient and who seek Him. May we be obedient to God and willing to do what we know is right! Lord, please teach us to be obedient to You and not foolish in Your eyes.

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

~Jim Elliot

A Contrast of Character!

In Today's passage we have multiple Characters playing in the scene.  I'd like to briefly look at the Character of some of them.

First I'd like to look at Doeg the Edomite.  Genesis 36 tells us plainly that Esau was Edom.  Jacob have I love and Esau have I hated.  God didn't arbitrarily choose to hate Esau, but He rejected Esaus after he sold his birthright, the right to be the family priest.  Many Calvinists today would say that Esau is proof that God chooses some people to damnation.  However that is not at all the character of our loving Father.  He is not willing that any should perish, but that all (all still means all, not all of the elect and by definition cannot me all of anyone or else it is not all)  should come to repentance.  Doeg was of a lineage of people who hated God, and there are clearly those today who still hate God and will seek any opportunity to do wrong to God's people.  They still need to see the love of Christ in us. And as the songwriter says, the body they may kill, God's truth abideth still and on Earth is not His equal, durst ask who that may be, Christ Jesus it is He, and He must win the battle.  Doeg sought every opportunity to do evil, but in Psalm 52 we find David's response is to let God take care of it.  We have no record of David ever returning his evil upon the priests with evil.  Let's make sure we are doing the same, not rewarding evil with evil but with good.

Now let's look at Jonathan:  Jonathan means Jehovah has given.  Jonathan a man willing to give up his own inheritance to do what's right.  Jonathan a man who's heart was knit together with the man after God's own heart.  Jonathan would seek to disobey the orders of the king and do right instead of evil because he understood the will of God and would always seek to obey.  Jonathan is indeed the kind of friend everyone wants, therefore he is the kind of friend everyone should be.  What  is it you are holding onto and don't want to give to God!  Be like Jonathan, give in to His will and allow Him to determine what's best and follow after that.

Next, let's look at King Saul.  King Saul was so puffed up with pride and arrogance he would have the kingdom stripped from him.  Saul would later try to kill David and even come to the point of seeking a witch in Endor (no Ewoks involved for you Star Wars fans!) Saul's Character was such that he would do whatever to keep what he wanted, and he gave no heed to the will of God.  He would seek hard and fast and even have the priests, God's servants killed for helping David.  Saul had been told by Samuel that God had taken the kingdom from him, yet he would do whatever it took to hold on to it.  His arrogance was so great that he thought he could keep the will of God from happening.  A sad ending to a great and humble start.

Finally, let's look at David.  David had every opportunity to do wrong, but he would not touch the Lord's annointed.  He was the man after God's own heart.  David had already been anointed king by Samuel, if he killed Saul, would it have really mattered?  Yes of course it would've.  David knew a little something of the scriptures.  He would later write   Ps 105:15  Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
David knew God and because He knew God he knew it was not proper to lay hands on God's anointed.  We had better be careful how we handle God's people.  Today in a day or rebellion, we seek to do whatever makes us look good, but we'd better stop and think first and make sure we are walking close to the Lord and not seeking to do harm to his people.

The Gift of Friendship/The Imprisonment of Jealousy

I ask you - is there anything like the gift of TRUE FRIENDSHIP? You cannot choose your family, but you CAN choose your friends! Friendship is a VERY special gift straight from God. How do YOU describe TRUE friendship? Comfortable, fun, peaceful, always there no matter what, love to spend time together, really know each other, love, steadfast, long-lasting, and lots and lots of laughing. These are some of the words I use to describe friendship. The friendship of Jonathan and David is the best example of true friendship in the entire Bible (in my humble opinion)!

Chapter 18, verse 1 says that David and Jonathan's souls were "knit" together. What a wonderful way to describe when two people are best friends! Somehow God takes your two lives and your two souls and weaves them together in a supernatural way that can only be done by God. This was the friendship of David and Johnathan. Please understand that David will actually take Jonathan's place as the king of Israel that would have rightly belonged to Jonathan as Saul's oldest son. But Jonathan rises WAY above this and actually goes so far as to go through several complicated plans to protect David from the jealous and murderous advances of his father. I cannot even imagine the unique and difficult position that Jonathan finds himself in as the best friend of David and the oldest son of Saul and the conflict that this would cause for Jonathan. What an incredible individual to balance both of these loyalties and I think he does this in a very Godly manner and with great integrity! I know that I would not like to find myself in this tense position! Saul even attempts to kill Jonathan for his defense and protection of David in Chapter 20.

Now let's move to the exact OPPOSITE

emotion of true friendship - JEALOUSY! Chapter 18 describes the beginning of Saul's deep hatred and extreme jealousy of David. It all starts with the little song that the women sang after the big victory David (and Saul) had over the Philistines. From here, Saul goes on a downward spiral to get rid of David and live a life of COMPLETE imprisonment to this horrible emotion. Saul is downright OBSESSED with the killing of David. Remember, the Spirit of the Lord had already left Saul and was now on David. The Lord had even sent an evil spirit to torment Saul and tormented this man was! (By the way, this also shows that the Lord is in control of EVERYTHING, even the evil spirits!) Have you ever experienced jealousy so deep that you became obsessed by it and imprisoned to it? This sin is steeped in pride and can only be removed by humble repentance and the complete cleansing of it from the Lord. This sin will greatly hinder your fellowship with the Lord because you become so FULL of YOURSELF that there is very little room left for the Lord to be in there!

I want to share with you a brief story of friendship in my life. I have a true friend and sister in Christ named Cindy. We worked together five years at a preschool teaching one year olds. The time we spent there together was some of the most precious years in all of my life! I grew in my spiritual maturity in such huge leaps and bounds that I am the person I am today because of this special time with Cindy during these 5 years. I can truly say that this time together with her changed my life for ALL ETERNITY! As we grew closer and closer over these years, we knew that this was a launching pad (NOT a landing pad) for other work to be done for the Lord in our lives and that at some point in the near future, we would be separated by the events of life. We did not live in fear of that time and that it would come, but were certainly saddened by our realization that it WOULD come. And it did come in August of 2009. I will NEVER forget my last day at that preschool and how incredibly HARD it was to leave Cindy. I have never cried as much as I did at the parting of that job and from my best friend and sister in Christ. I literally felt a physical as well as spiritual separation from her because the Lord had "knit" our lives together so tightly that to pull it apart hurt SO badly! A part of me was separating from her and it would never quite be the same not working together everyday any more. BUT, as a true friend, even though we are apart, we do not lose any special part of the bond that the Lord built between us. Even when we have not seen each other for several months, when we do get together, we do not miss a beat!!! Do you have an amazing friend like that? God has blessed me again with a "new" true friend and sister in Christ to "knit" me together with - Angela! I am so VERY, VERY thankful for this friendship that God has again bestowed upon me. If you do have a true friend(s) like this, thank God for this special, special gift...there is nothing else like it this side of heaven!

To Be Chosen

Amalekites......chose God as an enemy, when they ambushed Israel on the way out of Egypt. When the Israelites fled Egypt, these are the people who attacked their rear ranks...the weaker ones, young and old (Dt. 25). They are the ones who had no fear of God, and Moses told the Israelites to never forget what the Amalekites did and that one day this perverse people would be destroyed.

Samuel.....chosen by God, and offered by a mother with a pure heart. The prophet Samuel had served the Lord his entire life. He knew His voice from childhood. God spoke through Samuel to King Saul, and commanded that the Amalekites be destroyed. Upon finding out that Saul had revised God's plan by keeping the choicest animals, Samuel became grieved and sought to question Saul's reasoning. The prophet delivered the bad news to Saul that his throne was to be taken from him. Saul pleaded with Samuel to pardon his sin, and even tore his robe while doing so. Samuel reminded him (on the way out to kill King Agag) that God is not a man, that He should relent.

Saul.....chosen to be king by man's opinion, strong and tall. It was mentioned this week that his name meant "ask for". Israel wanted a king, they begged for one! They refused the Lord God. They got what they "asked for" in a king, just as God promised. Saul was never much for the things of God, as noted in chapter 10....He had become a liability to Israel, to say the least. He heard the command of God to utterly destroy the Amalekite people and their animals, but chose to "better it" by saving the best of the animals for sacrifice, along with Agag, their king. The lesson learned here is that God is more interested in obedience than in sacrifice....besides, was it a sacrifice if Saul never gave anything? God provided for Himself a king...another king. The Bible says He removed His Spirit from Saul and a distressing spirit, a dark mood, settled on Saul.

David.....chosen to be king by almighty God, the least of the family. Even Samuel seemed to be assuming the kingship would go to the tallest, oldest, strongest, or smartest. But, David had a heart that was tender toward the helpless. He tended the sheep, and protected them. He was hopeful, accountable, and most of all worshipful! God said that he had a "heart like His." WOW! The prophet Samuel follows God to Jesse's house in Bethlehem....there he anoints David as king, and at that very moment the Spirit fell on David.

God.....chosen by His people seemingly when things started going badly, Creator and Sustainer of all. God arranged for Saul to know David so well, that he loved David and made him his armor-bearer! I find it interesting that Saul depended on David at this point in his life. The distressing spirit that troubled Saul was only soothed by the soft sounds of his servant's harp. David brought comfort to his king, even before he brought victory....boldly going before Goliath. David wasn't scared!! Why should he be?? It was God's name on the line, not his own. And, David had seen God deliver lion and bear into his hands, why not this giant, too? David said to Goliath, "the battle is the LORD's and He will give you into our hands."

You......chosen by God before the foundations of the earth, the crown of His glory. Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. The Lord God chose to work in and through you. His spirit dwells in you, and slays the giants of this life....just ask David...or Caleb. You serve the same God. He is alive, and He is very active. What will you do in His strength to "let all the world know that there is a God" in your life today???

Impatient and Impulsive Decisions

Impatience

Sometimes the root cause of disobedience is impatience. Why wait? Go ahead, move along, which is exactly what Saul did. He was tall, impressive, handsome- BUT he was impatient. He couldn't wait the seven days for Samuel to come to Gilgal. So, he takes it upon himself to offer the sacrifices to God. Totally disobedient. This was the priest's job, the responsibility of the Levites. Because of Saul's disobedience, the kingship would be taken from him and given to a "man after God's own heart."

Bravery

Jonathan belongs in the category. He and his armor-bearer attacked a garrison of Philistine soldiers by themselves killing 20 men. Jonathan did not "see" the obstacles (or the army) he saw that his God could win whether "by many or by few." If the odds are against us, do we give up and give in? Flee the battle in terror or call for retreat? Do we fight to the finish for what we know is right, knowing our God goes before us? ("Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.")

Panic broke out among the Philistine army, then revolted and began fighting among themselves. Saul and the rest of the Israelites joined in the pursuit. "So the Lord rescued them that day."

Impulsive Decisions

When you make a decision or issue a policy, make sure that ALL your participants hear and understand what you are asking. Saul issues an order of "no food" (or perhaps that was meant as a call for fasting in order to receive God's blessing to win the battle). But, no on informed Jonathan. He ate honey and was "strengthened." All around him the other men were "faint" and too tired to fight. They resorted to eating "meat with blood" (raw?) that was against God's laws. The impulsive order given by Saul almost cost him his son's life.

When you are in the middle of a battle or conflict, remember to think through your options and decisions. Preempt all with prayer. Don't act hastily.

Well thought out plans, deliberate discussion and decisions covered by prayer, seeking God's will and direction, were what brought our new shepherd to Oak Hill.

*For those of you who pay attention to the author of the posts at the bottom, please know that I'm typing this out for Barbara, who's computer is sick! Thank you Barbara for being faithful, even in the face of computer issues!

The only constant...

Life never ceases to amaze me. It's amazingly strong, yet desperately fragile as well. We all begin our days expecting them to go just like we planned- or at least fairly close to it. When I get up to go to work in the morning, I anticipate coming home that evening to a home and husband and kitty cats, eating dinner, relaxing, talking, maybe checking email, reading, or watching TV. Then I go to bed and expect to wake up and do something similar the next day. Occasionally though, something happens during the course of a day that completely colors everything else after it- so that even though we may do some of the same things, they feel very different. It could be something wonderful and grand that makes all of life seem rosy and bright. It could be something terrible and sad that leaves the world feeling hollow, empty, lonely and dark. I'm sure we've all had moments, whether big or small, happy or sad, that affect us that way. It may affect us for a day, a week or perhaps months or years. Life can, and does, change in the blink of an eye.

Saul left one morning to head out to look for lost sheep. He ran out of provisions, so I'm guessing he anticipated finding them sooner than he did. Little did he know, that God was using those sheep to bring him to a divine appointment with a 'seer,' Samuel. As renown as Samuel had become at this point, I find it interesting that Saul knew so little about him. They were even from the same region. This leads me to believe that Saul probably didn't have a lot of interest in spiritual matters. That meeting Saul had with Samuel was one of those moments that colors all the rest. In his case, it would color the rest of his life.

Samuel anointed Saul as Israel's first king. If that doesn't count as life changing, I'm not sure what does. Samuel told him his life would change. "The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person." (1 Samuel 10:6) Saul went from being a young man very uninterested in spiritual matters to joining the prophets in speaking God's words. He was so changed that it astonished everyone who knew him. I find it interesting that his first act as king was to proclaim the word of God.

But, when the time came for Saul to be presented as king before all Israel, he was found hiding among the baggage. Perhaps the gleam had worn off the crown and the full weight of his responsibilities had set in. Maybe he had partied a little too hard and was "sleeping it off." Who knows. What is clear is that he was hiding from responsibility. It even seems he reluctantly accepted it then. He left that great ceremony and went home, back to farming and life as usual.

Sometimes, after those huge life changing events, we just want life to go back to normal. We want it to look the way it did just seconds before. That's the thing about change. It changes us. "The new and different circumstances demand a new and different response, and even demand a new and different us."(1) We don't always have the option to forgo change, but we can choose how we respond to it, and how it changes us.

Shortly after this, we see the Spirit of the Lord come on Saul again, and he leads the Israelites to a great victory, united behind him and Samuel. I refer you to Philippians 2:13; "for it is God who works in you to will and act according to His good purpose." In those moments when the change is overwhelming, I pray we will remember that. Life may change, and we may feel we don't have the ability to cope with it or measure up to the expectations of it. God can work in us to accomplish His good purposes. We have to cling to Him in the many different seasons life brings our way.

Samuel points all of Israel to this amazing truth in the last chapter of our reading today. Again, Israel is reminded of all that God has done for them and their ancestors. We need to remember all God has done for us! The covenant didn't change. God still told them that if they continued to follow Him, that all would be good for them and their king. But, if they or the king continued to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, then they would be swept away. I love these verses:

"Do not be afraid. You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart."

Maybe you've hidden in the baggage or done evil things. We know from reading Judges that Israel had become VERY evil. God's earnest desire is always for us to to turn TO Him, not FROM Him, and serve Him with all our heart. He is the one constant we can cling to in this life- and beyond. May we continue to hold on to Him as God brings us into a new season at Oak Hill. And may we all remember that we have a great king who protects us, leads us and- best of all- changes us!

(1) from Intentional Choices: discovering contentment in stressful times, leader guide; p. 116

The Capture and Return of the Ark

I really enjoyed today’s reading. I had so many things come to mind that I hope to bring out in today’s post without being too long.

The Philistines Capture the Ark
What were the Israelites thinking? Their enemy defeated them killing about four thousand men. The elders asked “Why did the Lord bring defeat on us today…” Did they really need to ask? Maybe I should not be so judgmental. I can’t tell you how many times I have been confused about why I didn’t gain the victory in situations. I have justified my sin so many times thinking that God would excuse it because He loves me and surely would not allow me to look a fool. When in reality I needed to refresh my relationship with Him and repent.

The Israelites did a very foolish thing. They took the Ark of the Lord with them to battle. The notes in my study Bible made a point about how the Israelites used the Ark as a “good luck charm.” It seems they were putting their faith in the box as if “it” was the source of strength. Israel lost the battle with the Philistines and the Ark was captured. I wonder though what everyone was truly afraid of when the Ark was captured? Were they afraid that the Philistines would now have the power or were they afraid of the Lord Almighty being angry with them for disobedience?

During this battle Eli’s sons were killed which fulfilled the prophecy that they would die on the same day. When Eli heard the news of his sons being killed and the Ark being captured he fell off his chair, broke his neck and died. Eli’s daughter-in-law also dies after giving birth to a son. She went into labor after receiving the news of her husbands death and the capture of the Ark. She names her son Ichabod (which means “no glory”), since the glory had left Israel.

After the Ark of the Lord had been with the Philistines for seven months they were ready to send it back. I guess they thought they had captured Israel’s power source too. I wonder if they thought they would use it like a magic wand. I loved the first part of chapter five when they placed the Ark in the temple of Dagon. Dagon, the god the Philistines worshiped, fell on it’s face before the Ark of the Lord Almighty. The funny part, to me, is that they picked it up and put it back in it’s place only to find it back down the next morning but it’s head and hands broken off.

Where ever the Ark was located, the Lord began to afflict the people in the cities with tumors. No one wanted the Ark in their city so they kept moving it. Soon they sought the advice of their priests and diviners. They wanted to know how to get rid of it properly which means they have learned to have some respect for this God of the Israelites. The priests and diviners give this advice:

• The Ark should be accompanied by a guilt offering.
• The offering should be golden tumors and rats to represent the affliction the Lord had sent on the people. (rats were not mentioned before but they are here??)
• There should be five golden rats and five golden tumors to represent the five leaders and the people.
• They are to put the Ark and guilt offering onto a cart yoked to two cows that have given birth and never have been yoked before. Then set them loose without guidance and watch which way they will go. If the cart goes to the Israelites then they will know that it was the Lord who afflicted them.

Did you notice that while the cows went straight to Beth Shemesh, where the Israelites were, they lowed all the way. I wonder if that was because they were leaving behind their calves. I read in my notes that the calves of the cows were pinned up so that if the Lord was not the one in control then the cows would naturally go to their calves (motherly instinct).

When the cart gets to Beth Shemesh, the people see it coming and rejoice. The cows stop beside a rock and the Israelite people cut up the cart for fire and sacrifice the cows as a burnt offering. It was almost a happy ending until seventy of the people of Beth Shemesh die because they looked into the Ark of the Lord which was forbidden. They decided to send the Ark to Kiriath Jearim and place it in the house of Abinadab. They consecrated Abinadab’s son Eleazar to guard the Ark. The Ark remained there for twenty years.

In chapter seven we begin to see the leadership of Samuel. Samuel instructs the people of Israel that if they want to return to the Lord they must get rid of their other gods. The Israelites, once again, turned to the Lord. The next time the Philistines attacked, the Lord drove away the Philistines and they stopped invading Israel’s land, because the Israelites cried out to the Lord. The hand of the Lord was against the Philistines during all of Samuel’s lifetime. Israel was even able to regain the towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured.

Israel Asks for a King
Chapter eight is a significant point-in-time for the Israelites. They had never had a king before and now they think that they need one like all the other nations. Samuel was getting old and his sons did not follow in his ways. The people saw this as a good opportunity, I guess, to demand Samuel appoint them a king. Samuel went straight to the Lord, as we all should, to tell Him about the people’s absurd request. The Lord told him to listen to the people but to first warn them of the consequences. The people did not listen to Samuel. They still wanted a king over them so they could be like other nations. Does this sound familiar to anybody? Can you apply this to your own life or country? The main problem with the people’s request is not that they were asking for a king but that they wanted to be like the other nations. Like the Israelites, we are to be set a part from other nations or the world.

One thing I have noticed is that the more I am in the Word of God the easier it is to do things pleasing to Him. When I fall away from fellowship with Him the easier it is to desire the things of this world. There is always a pull/temptation to the world’s ways but with the Lord’s strength I can resist. This reminds me of one of my favorite hymns.

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His Glory and Grace.”