July 14, 2016
This will be the last entry for this blog !! We will be starting a new blog soon for another book of the bible. In chapter 22 we see David praising God with a psalm (song) that he has written. This psalm is several pages long and is written towards the end of David's life. In this long psalm David goes back over his life and talks about his relationship with God and how God has been awesome to him !!
Chapter 23 is also some last words (oracle) written and recorded as David's last words. In this he realizes that all of the psalms he has written are the divine word of God and inspired by the Holy Spirit. He also talks about leadership and how to be a great leader one must first realize that God is in charge and we are not !! We must ALWAYS put God first and do God's will. When anyone humbles themselves to God, God will lift them up !!! This chapter ends with giving the names and positions of all of David's mighty men.
The last chapter of 2 Samuel talks about the anger of God against David for taking a census. Why was this a sin ? First because God did not tell him to do it, and secondly David did it for prideful reasons. The sin was not the census but pride. When God points this out to David, David repents and God accepts. However, there are still results that must be paid ! God gives David the choice of three punishments. David throws himself on God's mercy and God puts a plague on the people. 70,000 people die and David buys an alter and makes sacrifices to God. God accepts and lifts the plague.The spiritual truth to be seen here is that giving to God that which does not cost you something, is no sacrifice in God's eyes.
We hope you have enjoyed this blog and pray you will join us on our next journey into God's word !!
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Chapter 21
July 7, 2016
This chapter continues to show that God is keeping his promise to David that he shall lead His people but have no peace. Chapter 21 starts with the story of David avenging the Gibeonites. 400 years before, Joshua had made a promise to the people of Gibea that they would never be attacked yet Saul had attacked them and killed many of their people. As the famine went into the third year David learned that the reason for the famine was because this promise had been broken ! So, David asks the people what would satisfy them . They asked for 7 men from the house of Saul so they may be hung. David turned these men over and they were hung. The famine was over !!!
Next was two battles with the Philistines. In the second battle David grows faint and is about to be killed by a descendant of Goliath. At the last second Abishai steps in and saves David by killing the giant. David continues to grow and so does Israel, but David continues to have no peace. The most pressing spiritual truth here is that God ALWAYS keeps His word.
This chapter continues to show that God is keeping his promise to David that he shall lead His people but have no peace. Chapter 21 starts with the story of David avenging the Gibeonites. 400 years before, Joshua had made a promise to the people of Gibea that they would never be attacked yet Saul had attacked them and killed many of their people. As the famine went into the third year David learned that the reason for the famine was because this promise had been broken ! So, David asks the people what would satisfy them . They asked for 7 men from the house of Saul so they may be hung. David turned these men over and they were hung. The famine was over !!!
Next was two battles with the Philistines. In the second battle David grows faint and is about to be killed by a descendant of Goliath. At the last second Abishai steps in and saves David by killing the giant. David continues to grow and so does Israel, but David continues to have no peace. The most pressing spiritual truth here is that God ALWAYS keeps His word.
Monday, July 4, 2016
Chapter 19 And 20
June 23, 2016
Chapter 19 deals with the follow up to the war. It involves healing wounds and making political decisions.Before any of that can happen David mourns for his dead son Absalom. He does it to such an extent that Joab, the leader of the army, confronts him and tells him he is disrespecting the men who had given him this great victory. This confrontation shows how powerful Joab was. He was rebuking the king and threatening him by saying if he did not show his thanks to the people, there would be trouble ! David listened and showed much appreciation to the people. Then David started to make political decisions to get his kingdom back and unite the 12 tribes. He appointed the leader of Absalom's army in a high position in his army, and forgave another man, named Shimei, who admitted he made a mistake and asked for forgiveness. He also restored half of the land to Mephibosheth. This was a poor decision because David had taken away all of his land when he thought he had been disloyal. He was always loyal !!!And for his loyalty he got only half returned to him.Yet David was actively trying to restore peace and unity in Israel. For the most part he was successful.
Chapter 20 tells of yet another rebellion happening in David's kingdom.Sheba, a Benjamite, was leading a rebellion and David recognized how dangerous this one was. He now makes the call he refused to make against Absalom. He got 12,000 men together and started chasing this man down to kill him. They had chased him into a fortified city and began laying siege works against this city. When a woman spokesman yells out and promises to deliver this one man if they will leave the city alone ! Sure enough they threw the head of Sheba over the wall. They had beheaded him !!! David's army kept their word and left the city alone.
Through this all we can see that God is keeping his word to David that he would never have peace in his family or kingdom. Yet God continues to watch over and protect David and still calls him a man after his own heart !! Praise God.
Chapter 19 deals with the follow up to the war. It involves healing wounds and making political decisions.Before any of that can happen David mourns for his dead son Absalom. He does it to such an extent that Joab, the leader of the army, confronts him and tells him he is disrespecting the men who had given him this great victory. This confrontation shows how powerful Joab was. He was rebuking the king and threatening him by saying if he did not show his thanks to the people, there would be trouble ! David listened and showed much appreciation to the people. Then David started to make political decisions to get his kingdom back and unite the 12 tribes. He appointed the leader of Absalom's army in a high position in his army, and forgave another man, named Shimei, who admitted he made a mistake and asked for forgiveness. He also restored half of the land to Mephibosheth. This was a poor decision because David had taken away all of his land when he thought he had been disloyal. He was always loyal !!!And for his loyalty he got only half returned to him.Yet David was actively trying to restore peace and unity in Israel. For the most part he was successful.
Chapter 20 tells of yet another rebellion happening in David's kingdom.Sheba, a Benjamite, was leading a rebellion and David recognized how dangerous this one was. He now makes the call he refused to make against Absalom. He got 12,000 men together and started chasing this man down to kill him. They had chased him into a fortified city and began laying siege works against this city. When a woman spokesman yells out and promises to deliver this one man if they will leave the city alone ! Sure enough they threw the head of Sheba over the wall. They had beheaded him !!! David's army kept their word and left the city alone.
Through this all we can see that God is keeping his word to David that he would never have peace in his family or kingdom. Yet God continues to watch over and protect David and still calls him a man after his own heart !! Praise God.
Chapter 17 And 18
June 16,2016
Just as the last chapter was about mans loyalty to man, this chapter is about God's loyalty to man. In this story Absalom was being advised by two men, one of which was a spy for David, his name was Hushai. Both advisers gave their idea of the next step to take to take over the kingdom from David. God had determined to answer David's prayer and preserve the kingdom for David. Therefore, God put it in Absalom's heart to accept the advice of David's spy Hushai.. His advise was designed to give David and his men enough time to prepare for the army coming at them ! After Hushai found out that his plan was being accepted, he went to the priests to get a message to David telling him of the plan and advising David to flee.
Chapter 18 continues to tell the story of Absalom and his army trying to take over David's kingdom. The battle is rough and 20,000 men were lost. In the end Absalom and his men were fleeing. When the donkey that Absalom was riding on went under a tree and Absalom's hair got caught in a branch and he was hanging there. When Joab heard this he was furious !! He went to him and asked his men why they had not killed Absalom ? The men responded that King David had said not to harm him in any way. Joab was angry and he killed Absalom himself.....he killed the King's son !! Joab was very slick, he devised a plan that would allow David to learn of his sons death without letting him know who had killed him. This whole story shows all about loyalty. Mans lack of loyalty to man and God's loyalty to man !!!
Just as the last chapter was about mans loyalty to man, this chapter is about God's loyalty to man. In this story Absalom was being advised by two men, one of which was a spy for David, his name was Hushai. Both advisers gave their idea of the next step to take to take over the kingdom from David. God had determined to answer David's prayer and preserve the kingdom for David. Therefore, God put it in Absalom's heart to accept the advice of David's spy Hushai.. His advise was designed to give David and his men enough time to prepare for the army coming at them ! After Hushai found out that his plan was being accepted, he went to the priests to get a message to David telling him of the plan and advising David to flee.
Chapter 18 continues to tell the story of Absalom and his army trying to take over David's kingdom. The battle is rough and 20,000 men were lost. In the end Absalom and his men were fleeing. When the donkey that Absalom was riding on went under a tree and Absalom's hair got caught in a branch and he was hanging there. When Joab heard this he was furious !! He went to him and asked his men why they had not killed Absalom ? The men responded that King David had said not to harm him in any way. Joab was angry and he killed Absalom himself.....he killed the King's son !! Joab was very slick, he devised a plan that would allow David to learn of his sons death without letting him know who had killed him. This whole story shows all about loyalty. Mans lack of loyalty to man and God's loyalty to man !!!
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