John 10:10--"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."
David inquired of the Lord about the famine that had gone on year after year for three years. God revealed to him the reason for the famine and David proceeded to make atonement for the Gibeonites that Saul had killed. It would be extraordinary indeed if we in this country sought God and asked Him to reveal the cause behind the devastation that is becoming nothing new. Too often we hear defiance rather than humility and repentance.
David was a man of his word. He gave over seven of Saul's descendants to the Gibeonites as they asked, yet he honored his promise to Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, and spared him. When the rain came, the bodies were taken down (See Matthew Henry's Commentary). David also saw to it that Saul and Jonathan's remains were buried in the tomb of his father in the country of Benjamin in Zelah. "And after that God heeded the prayer for the land". We have many sins we could deal with before God on a national level. (God gives us the formula for the healing of our land: "If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14). It is not uncommon to hear this verse quoted as devastation continues to plague our country.)
David's men would no longer allow him to go to battle, "lest you quench the lamp of Israel", due to David having to be rescued from death during a battle with the Philistines. In chapter 22, David recalls the many times God rescued him. In this song, David pictured the Lord hearing his voice from His temple, and gives a detailed account of God coming to rescue him--no drama spared! (This is one of my favorite passages of scripture.) This a powerful account of God's deliverance and it would no doubt personally inspire us to review the times God has rescued or spared us. We should also have an exciting history with God if we are walking with Him as David did. We could come closer to being men and women after God's own heart if we used more of our thoughts meditating on what God does for us.
Jesus reveals the source of the Jews' desire to kill him as well as the source of all lies. According to verse 30, Jesus was addressing "those Jews who believed in Him". Why was he addressing them in this manner if they believed in Him? Dr. Stanley comments, "But it's one thing to believe that Jesus can set you free from patterns of sin. It's quite another to experience that freedom in your own life". Rather than accepting the truth Jesus was telling them and acting on it, they were responding to Him with defensive statements. This escalated until they took up stones to throw at Him. There were no fruits of repentance--they could not admit their error. They did not recognize the I AM--they did not see themselves in need of a Deliverer from their captivity.
What about us? Do we recognize the extent we are held captive by our own sins? Do we connect what we reap with what we sow? Do we follow David's example and inquire of God when we face problems and difficulties in our lives? Do we take action as David did and do our part to show God we are serious? Psalm 68:6, gives us reason to rejoice when we humble ourselves and become obedient to God: "He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a dry land".
No comments:
Post a Comment