Come Forth! Loose Him, and Let Him Go - Day 150 Through the Bible

Near Mt. Celo Church - top: historic Altapass Orchard; bottom left - Wild Acres Retreat; bottom right, Quiet Reflections Retreat (now part of the Greek Orthodox Church)

Gleanings From Today's Readings

Solomon's Wisdom, Wealth and Worldly Influence (1 Kings 9 and 10) Within a 20-year period, God has fulfilled His promises to Solomon - Solomon's reward for asking for God's wisdom in righteous judgment of His people rather than money or power for himself or the destruction of his enemies.  As promised, Solomon is now the wisest man in history - and the wealthiest the world had known in his time.  Solomon has maintained his friendship and alliance with Hiram of Tyre - a friendship begun with David.  Through Hiram, Solomon greatly amasses wealth from trading on the seas.  The Queen of Sheba (present-day Yemen) adds to Solomon's wealth when she comes to test him and to hear of his purported wisdom and riches.  "There was no more spirit in her" after her visit.  "Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard...Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel!  Because the LORD has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king to do justice and righteousness."

My Lessons and Applications:  With all His God-given wisdom, wealth and worldly influence - how pedestrian Solomon's life becomes in so many ways.  Like the digression of the faith and lives of many we read about in the world today or have personally witnessed, Solomon turns from God and faith to worldly lusts - intermarrying with many foreign wives who turn his heart from God, seeking fulfillment and satisfaction in ostentatious displays of wealth and great cultural advancement.  But he becomes less and less satisfied to the point of saying all is vanity, a chasing of the wind.  He does end his writings in Ecclesiastes with what is assuredly his wisest statement of all:  "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil."  Do I have this Biblical fear of God? Does it cause me to turn, to change when I am heading down the wrong path?  Have I a filter in my conscience formed by the Word of God, through which all my thoughts and actions must pass?  What is the legacy of my walk with God - whether one ordained in suffering, in poverty, or in wealth? Does the impact of my life promote the kingdom of God in the world?

Raising Lazarus from the Dead and the Earthly Consequences (John 11) Lazarus is dead.  Jesus tarried for two days when called by Martha and Mary to come and heal him.  Mary falls at Jesus' feet and honestly says, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died...When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews that were with her weeping, He groaned in His spirit and was troubled...Jesus wept...'Did I not tell you that if you believe, you would see the glory of God?'...He cried with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come forth!'...Jesus said to them, 'Loose, him and let him go.'"  With this great miracle and sign, witnessed by so many Jews, Jesus' death warrant was sealed.  "Then the chief priests and Pharisees gathered a council and said, 'What shall we do? For this Man works many signs.  If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.'  And Caiaphas, the high priest prophesied unawares the crux of the gospel: "You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish...and the Passover of the Jews was near, and they went from the country up to Jerusalem to purify themselves...then they sought Jesus that they might seize Him."

My Lessons and Applications:  Whether a spiritual or a physical death, this is what Jesus says to us, "Come forth!...and to Satan and the world: "Loose him, and let him go." Come forth out of and be free from the bondage of depravity, addictions, wrong thinking and being - spiritual death.  Replace fear of the world with a Biblical fear of God, as warned by Solomon.  This is the conclusion and the end of the all the considering and pondering of God's wisest man.  Through this belief, we will see the glory of God.  We will be loosed from and let go from the bondage of fleshly lusts and unbelief - raised to a higher plane, another kingdom.  The world will not applaud us for this, but it is not the world's favor we seek.  We seek God's glory.

John 8:31 

“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 

Cedar and Pomegranates, Excellence and Joy--Day 149 Through the Bible

                                  The magnolia reveals the magnificence of the Creator who designed it!

What an honor Solomon was given to build the Temple of God for Israel.  It took him seven years to complete the house of the Lord (I Kings 6:38).  And we begin today's scripture in I Kings 7, by reading that it took Solomon thirteen years to build his palace. (Solomon took almost twice the amount of time building his palace as he took building the Temple of the Lord---hmm. Seven is considered the number of completion--perhaps Solomon got carried away with the plans for his house.)

The two main pillars of the porch of the Temple were given names (I Kings 7:21)--Jachin meaning "sustainer", and Boaz which means "strength".  Together, they could mean "God provides the strength" (Life Application Bible).  (In Psalm 127:1, God reminds us through Solomon that "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it". This is not only true of physical buildings, but of our families and activities we undertake.)

It may seem strange that "pomegranates" were not only used to decorate the Temple, but also the Tabernacle in Moses' day.  I came across this note in my Life Application Bible: "A pomegranate is a tasty red fruit, about the size of an orange, which became a symbol of beauty and holiness". The Temple as well as Solomon's palace were both obviously ornate and beautiful.  Solomon's house contained so much wood it was referred to as "the house of the forest of Lebanon" (I Kings 7:2). Imagine the fragrance of all that cedar!  God created the different kinds of trees not only with their beauty and stateliness, but also with a particular aroma.  I stood in the midst of a grove of pines recently and was overwhelmed by the wonderful fragrance that filled the air.  Such a clean, refreshing smell!  God certainly did not neglect our sense of smell in His creation. He prepared it all with love and thoughtfulness for the people who would populate it and enjoy it. Everything God does speaks of His excellence and of His love for us!

The Ark of the Covenant of the Lord was placed in the inner sanctuary of the Temple--the Most Holy Place--under the wings of the cherubim (guardians of God's Throne as well as the Garden of Eden).  When the priests exited the holy place, "the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord" (I Kings 8:10-11).  The celebration of the dedication of the Temple, scheduled to last for seven days, continued for fourteen days!  It must have been a joyous occasion--do we adhere to a set time with God or do we sometimes become so engrossed in His Word and His Presence that we find we have doubled or even tripled our allotted time with Him?

The fact that Jesus is eager to increase our faith, is at the core of the story of Lazarus's death in John 11.  When Jesus heard Lazarus was sick He did not rush to heal Him--"He stayed two more days in the place where He was" (verse 6). Jesus said, "And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe" (verse 14).  Dr. Stanley comments that "Jesus valued His friends faith over their tears". When we find ourselves in tears, may we remember that Jesus loves us and wants us to trust Him so that our faith can be increased.

I found the statements interesting that were put in parentheses in I Kings 8. Perhaps this is a literary pattern with special significance?  However, it caught my eye--there are four of these: 
         Verse 39: "(for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men)"
         Verse 42: "(for they will hear of Your great name and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm)"
         Verse 46: "(for there is no one who does not sin)"
         Verse 51: "(for they are your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out of Egypt,
                               out of the iron furnace)".

I Kings 8:46-49, divulges the pattern that Israel took and that we find ourselves taking: We sin against the Lord, He becomes angry and delivers us to the enemy (for the purpose of correcting us), we are taken captive to the land of the enemy (captivity can take many forms), we come to ourselves and repent and cry out to God, and when we return to Him with all our heart and with all our soul, then He hears in Heaven and maintains our cause, and forgives us. 

"Since we are all prone to wandering, it is wise to pray regularly that God would give us a great love for Him and grant us the desire to walk in His ways and joyfully obey His Word" (Dr. Stanley).

Believers as the Temple of God - Day 148 Through the Bible

The South Toe River that runs along 80 S - near Mt. Celo Church

My Personal Lessons and Applications From Today's Readings

Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 5 and 6) - perhaps one of the problems - it was called "Solomon's" temple because it seemed to honor him more than God.  All the expense, all the beauty was not enough to make this a lasting temple.  God's prescient reminder to Solomon of the conditional covenant:" Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk in My statues...execute My judgments...keep all of My commandments...and walk in them...then...I will dwell among the children of Israel...and will not forsake My people Israel."  This first temple was sacked by Egypt a few decades later, rebuilt by Jehoash, then  completely destroyed and plundered by the Babylonians in 586 BC.

Jesus as the New Temple of God (John 10) In John 2:19 Jesus declared His body to be the new temple of God that He would raise after three days.  This statement was made after the disciples commented on the beauty of the second temple.  In John 10 Jesus is walking through this second temporal temple that had been desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes ("God Manifest" - known to the Jews as Antiochus Epimanes "The Madman").  According to Dr. Stanley's Commentary: Antiochus forbade circumcision and sacrifice (though he sacrificed an "unclean" pig on the altar of the temple) in an attempt to cause the Jews to break their covenant with God, source of their strength and power.  However, a small remnant of believers routed Antiochus and rededicated the temple over a period of 8 days with 1 day of oil.  It was during this Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah), that Jesus is walking through the second temple, declaring again to the unbelieving Jews that He is the Christ, the Son of God, the promised Messiah. "But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep...My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me..."

My Lessons and Applications:  The veil in this second temple is ripped from top to bottom at the crucifixion of Jesus, declaring direct access now open to God for believers through Jesus' sacrifice. This second earthly temple will later be completely destroyed by the Romans.  We, as believers in Jesus Christ, are now the temple of God.  Scripture tells us (Romans 11) we are brought into the House of God through the Jews, through their denial of Jesus at His first coming; Revelation says Jews and Christians will be one body of believers in the Second Coming, when believing Jews will acknowledge Jesus as the promised Messiah.  Until then, we are God's temple on earth because He indwells us through His Holy Spirit (John 14:12-18); this is our New Covenant, our power and strength.  

Believers as the Temple of God on Earth Now (1 Corinthians 3: 10-16) 

According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

I Love the Lord, Except __________---Day 147 Through the Bible

                                         The woods near Mt. Celo Church are full of living organisms, 
                                 such as this green lichen, waiting to be discovered by a hiker or amateur photographer.
                Our hearts contain less-than-beautiful spiritual content that is waiting to be revealed by the Word of God!

After "the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon", I Kings 3:1, tells us that Solomon made a treaty with the king of Egypt and married his daughter.  (Solomon's life would reveal that he knew, but he did not apply the wisdom of God to himself.) Meanwhile, the people of Israel were making sacrifices at the high places (evidently using the excuse that there was no house for the worship of the Lord--do we wait to worship God until everything is perfect for us, and commit idolatry while we wait?).  Verse 3 says, "And Solomon loved the Lord. . . except". Solomon's relationship with God was destined to suffer due to the political marriages he made and the resulting influence that his wives' idolatry had on him. 

Solomon asked for "an understanding heart" and "discernment between good and evil". God granted his request and added riches and honor as an extra blessing.  However, God included a clause in His promise to Solomon, saying, "if you walk in my ways. . .as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days" (according to some scholars, Solomon may have been only 60 years old when he died--he ruled Israel for 40 years and was possibly around 20 years old when he became king.)  "Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt.  For he was wiser than all men. . .and his fame was in all the surrounding nations".

How would I complete this sentence, "I love the Lord, except __________"?  What I put in this blank may give me a clue to my greatest weakness, and alert me to the source of my greatest spiritual battle during my lifetime. Psalm 68:19-20, may shed some light on the sentence with the blank---what if I look at it in this fashion: "I love the Lord (who daily loads me with benefits, the God of my salvation, the Lord who has given me escapes from death) . . . except __________?  How can I disregard the God who blesses me in this way by cordoning off a place in my heart for personal sin that I refuse to let go?

It is difficult to understand what happened to the man behind the verse in Proverbs 17:10. "Rebuke is more effective for a wise man. . ". Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, may have written this verse and yet he allowed God's rebuke to be ineffective where he was concerned. John 10:1-21---There are times that Solomon did not (and we do not) follow God.  Do we dare let Jesus own us?  Do we dare follow Him without excuse?  In today's reading in John, Jesus tells us He is the good shepherd that gave His life for the sheep.  He knows His sheep and His sheep know Him.  They hear His voice, understanding that He is the only "door" to the Father.  He will never keep anything back from them that is beneficial for them. Do we know enough about Him to trust Him even with the "except ________"?  If we are unwilling to relinquish an area of personal sin, maybe we need to come to know Him better.  God appeared to Solomon twice, yet at points in his life he obviously refused to allow the light of truth to penetrate his heart. The flesh is determined to win and Satan is seeking someone he can devour.  This lesson of Solomon's outcome should serve to alert us to the power of sin--it is not something to play around with or "collect"---even as Solomon flirted with idolatry as he collected women, resulting in disloyalty to God.

 

The Great Divide - Day 146 Through the Bible

Realities...Memorials...Perceptions - Historic District of Savannah, GA, about 5 1/2 hours from Mt. Celo Church

My Lessons From Today's Readings

Final Acts of David (1 Kings 1 and 2) As David lies on his death bed, another son, Adonijah - the brother of would-be-usurper, Absalom - assumes the kingdom rule of Judah and Israel...without David's knowledge...aided by David's long-time commander Joab and Abiathar, the priest.  A key commentary in David's role as a father, "...and his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, 'Why have you done so?"'  Nathan the prophet, Beneniah, the mighty men of David and Solomon are not invited to take part in Adonijah's self-coronation.  Nathan and Bathsheba intercede on behalf of Solomon, reminding David that the throne was promised to Solomon.  David makes this his final act, passing the crown and final directives to Solomon to remove the blood curse from the House of David caused by Joab, render punishment to  Shimei for the cursing of exiled King David, and bless the house of Barzillai for providing for the exiled David.  Solomon honors his father's wishes in each of these directives. Adonijah meets a similar doom and death as his brother, Absalom.  So the reign of the wisest man to ever live begins.

Eyes Opened / Outcast From the Synagogue - (John 9) Jesus heals the man blind from birth...on the Sabbath.  The Jewish leaders do all they can to make the man and his parents deny Jesus' power. "Give God the glory!  We know this Man is a sinner." As Charles Stanley points out in his commentary, "Religious speech often cloaks the darkest of hearts.  These leaders wanted the man to speak a vicious lie about God's Son - something that, far from honoring God, would anger and offend Him."  Not only does the man refuse to blaspheme Christ, he turns the Pharisees words on their own heads.  "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet, He has opened my eyes! Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.  Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.  If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing....and they cast him out."

My Lessons and Applications:  This is the choice we must all make at some point in our lives - speaking the truth when we know the consequences will be severe for doing so...at least short term or temporally.  David made the mistake of not speaking against his traitorous sons, of not rebuking them.  He either sought to ingratiate himself to them, or was so uninvolved in their lives, apathetic...blinded....to their sins that they were allowed to cause disaster to the nation.  Absalom's rebellion and subsequent battle against David caused 70,000 Israeli deaths.  God interceded through his prophet, Nathan, to avert a similar loss because of Adonijah.  In John 9 the Pharisees could not see the truth of Jesus, in spite of, because of all their religious trappings.  The man blind from birth had his physical and spiritual eyes opened by and to the truth of Jesus.  This truth, acknowledged by him, resulted in his being cast out from those who could see, but could not believe.    Do I speak out of my faith, my love and gratitude to God?  Am I willing to bear the consequences of doing this in a world that still says it sees but does not believe? This is the Great Divide.

The battle is lost or won in the secret places of the will before God, never first in the external world…In dealing with other people, the line to take is to push them to an issue of will. That is the way abandonment begins. Every now and again, not often, but sometimes, God brings us to a point of climax. That is the Great Divide in the life; from that point we either go towards a more and more dilatory and useless type of Christian life, or we become more and more ablaze for the glory of God – Our Utmost for His Highest

-Oswald Chambers

Causes of Affliction - Day 145 Through the Bible

The Historic Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, GA - "A Branch of the  Church of Scotland" - about 5 1/2 hours from Mt. Celo Church

Personal Meditations on Today's Readings

How David is Remembered at End / What David Remembers at End - (2 Sam 23)  He was: 1) the son of Jesse; 2) the man raised up on high; 3) the anointed of the God of Jacob; 4) the sweet psalmist of Israel.  He remembers: 1) the Spirit of the Lord spoke to him; 2) God's word was on his tongue; 3) God spoke to him that he who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God; 3) David's house was not so with God, yet He made with him an everlasting covenant, ordered and secure; 4) David recalls the 37 valiant men he had and their deeds.

My Lessons and Applications:  Lineage was important in the Old Testament and was included with the mention of most names - both in commendation and condemnation.  Son of Jesse is known to be the tribe of Judah, and this is the tribe of the promised Messiah, from the covenant God made with David.  Mentioning the father Jesse first, also evokes memories of David's humble beginnings as a shepherd, as a mere man, not Israel's greatest king from the beginning.  The next 2 attributes emphasize that the greatness of King David was all from God - he "was raised" - not "he raised himself" up on high, and he was God's anointed.  That David was the "sweet psalmist of Israel" leads into what David acknowledged of himself - that God had given him, spoken to him, put upon his tongue His word through the Holy Spirit.  The great triumph of David's life was a walk of obedience (and occasional disobedience) always lived out in humble submission to His God, an open book of faith, warts and all, that continues to sing the souls and hearts of the people of God.

David's Sin of Commission at the End and the Resulting Affliction: (2 Sam 24) Samuel commands Joab to take a census of all the men in Israel ready for war.  David should have relied on the LORD to provide the needed men.  This is confusing in that the beginning paragraph indicates God moved David to take the census.  1 Chronicles 21:1 says it was Satan that moved David to do the consensus.  One commentary says that the capitalized "He" in 2 Sam probably should not be.  It is clear that David knew he had done wrong, confessed his sin, repented, and knew there would be a consequence.  God gives him three choices for punishment.  David chooses the punishment by God's Hand rather than the other two by men's hands.  "I am in great distress.  Please let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man." God sends a plague; 70,000 die.  David begs God to end the punishment of the innocent "sheep", to bring it only on his house and his father's since the sin was his.  God tells David to build an altar at the threshing floor of Araunah where the angel of the Lord was completing the vengeance.  David refuses Araunah's offer of the place and oxen as gifts.  David wants this to be "his" sacrificial burnt offering to God that he pays for himself.

Jesus on Afflictions That Are Not a Result of Sin - (John 4) The disciples wanted to know why the man was blind.  Was it the man's own sin or his parents?  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."

My Lessons and Applications  As we have learned through the months of study through the Bible, sin is forgiven to a repentant heart, but there are still consequences - often severe.  Even worse, often innocent people suffer as the result of the sin of others.  As with David, my offerings to God must be mine alone.  My prayers, petitions, meditation on His Word, vows (covenants before God) must be from my heart to God's heart - no intermediaries.  However, not all afflictions are the result of sin.  John 4 is an example.  Sometimes afflictions are allowed that God may reveal His works.

Dr. Charles Stanley: Life Examples:  

"Life is hard, often unjustly so, and people are often critical.  But God loves you, and He is your hope.  Count on Him to be your strength, and His glory will be shown through you."  

The Lord Tests Hearts--Day 144 Through the Bible

                            It is God's desire that we enjoy an abundant life rather than suffer devastation.
                            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".

David and Jesus on the Mount of Olives - Day 143 Through the Bible

Celo Knob - near Mt. Celo Church - part of the Black Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountains

My Daily Study and Meditations Before God

The Foolish King of Israel (2 Sam 19 and 20) Absalom is dead; David is inconsolable.  "So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people".  War was waged by Israel on behalf of David against his traitorous son, Absalom.  The commander of the army speaks very forthrightly to David as is his custom, "I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well.  Now, therefore, arise, go out, and speak comfort to your servants.  For I swear by the LORD, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night.  And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now." David follows Joab's advice, the people come from hiding before David, and David is called back as king.  But, his new sin has brought forth more consequences.  The old prophecy of Nathan during David's sin with Bathseba is fulfilled.  The sword is not departing from David's house.  Now the kingdom is split.  Judah is with David; Israel follows Sheba, the rebel Benjamite.  Foolishly, David chooses another commander in place of Joab, likely to punish Joab for speaking the hard truth to him.  Again, Joab helps restore the full kingdom back to God, but through some unexpected wise guidance.

The Wise Mother of Israel (2 Sam 20) David's new commander is lax in pursuing the rebel Sheba and his forces, so David sends Abishai with troops.  Joab and his forces follow and encounter Amasa, David's new commander.  Joab kills Amasa, and the combined troops of Judah besiege Sheba as he and his troops hole up in the walled city of Abel.  Joab's forces batter the wall to throw it down, but a wise woman cries out from the city to Joab, "Hear these words of your maidservant...seek guidance...avoid disputes...I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel.  You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel.  Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the LORD? Joab listens and says that is not what he wants; he only seeks Sheba.  If the city delivers him, they will depart.  "Then the woman in her wisdom went to all the people.  And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab."  More civil war, more deaths were averted.

My Lessons and Applications - What inordinate affections hold sway over my life?  Have I chosen family over God?  Material possessions over God?  Political prejudices over God? Am I turning a great victory of God for His people, His purposes into mourning because something did not go the way I wanted it to go?  Do I seek guidance to avoid unnecessary disputes?  Am I willing to speak the hard truth to powerful people, knowing it may cost my life or all my material possessions?  Am I willing to listen to and heed truth?  Am I learning truth through study of God's Word and prayer with Him?

David and Jesus on the Mount of Olives - (back to 2 Sam 15 and 16 and John 8)  Transforming truths are revealed on this Mount.  David flees here when Absalom usurps control of the kingdom.  It is here that he worships God and prays for the LORD to turn the counsel of his enemies to foolishness (15:31).  Here he and his men are revived and refreshed with food, donkeys for the king's household to ride and wine to revive their spirits.  Here David and his men form the plans for victorious control of the kingdom.  Almost one thousand years later, the Promised Messiah Jesus Christ, from the lineage of King David, has come to earth and now to this Mount.  At the end of John 7, we are told that all the unbelieving Jews returned to their houses, "but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives."  Great lessons are learned here from our Master.  The woman caught in adultery is brought to Him for judgment.  He tells the accusers that the one without sin may cast the first stone to kill her.  He writes twice on the ground.  We do not know what these writings are.  The accusers' sins?  Whatever the words, they all leave, and the words we love follow:  "Woman, where are those accusers of yours?  Has no one condemned you?  She said, "No one, Lord."  And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you.  Go and sin no more." We also learn lessons on this Mount for victorious kingdom living as Jesus expounds to us the Olivet Discourse and the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes (the basic tenets of Christian discipleship).  It is here we are warned that we will face persecution as we prepare for the Second Coming.  It is here, on the Mount of Olives, that Zechariah tells us will be the final battle between Jesus and His enemies.

From Today's Psalm Reading (Ps. 67:1-2)

God be merciful to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us,

Selah

That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.

Developing a Personal History with God--Day 142 Through the Bible

                                      "And I will declare what He has done for my soul." Psalm 66:16

In 2 Samuel 17, we read that Ahithophel took his own life when his advice was not followed.  "The Lord had purposed to defeat the good advice of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring disaster on Absalom" (v. 14).  During Ahithophel's conversation with Absalom at the beginning of the chapter, Ahithophel refers to himself five times in three short verses.  It wasn't that his advice was not good advice, it was just not according to God's plan.  Ahithophel was devastated when his plan wasn't followed. In our own lives, spending time with God gives us flexibility that keeps us from breaking when things do not go our way.

David suffered a loss much greater than what Ahithophel had experienced--David lost a son. David's words in Samuel 18:33, reveal the depths of his grief, "O my son Absalom--my son, my son Absalom--if only I had died in your place!  O Absalom my son, my son!" Although David was king and the Messiah was prophesied to one day sit on the throne of David forever (Isaiah 9:7), yet David was not exempt from suffering.  However, David wrote in Psalm 66:16, "And I will declare what He (God) has done for my soul".  This is a reference to our souls being blessed even when our lives are less than happy. David continually developed a personal history with God in his obedience and faith.  (What is the extent of our history with God?)

Proverbs 16:32, teaches us that "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city".  Taking a city is a victory. According to this proverb, controlling our anger and being in control of ourselves is even a greater victory.  Dr. Stanley gives excellent insight on the subject of "Signs". He writes, "Do you ever want proof that God is going to do as He says?  Would a miraculous gesture convince you that God is going to be faithful?"  He points out that if we need assurance of His trustworthiness, there's a treasure chest full of examples in the Scriptures.

Things only happen when God says it is time. The Pharisees wanted to take Jesus ahead of the Father's timing and plan, however, it did not happen.  God is in charge!  We must be patient and trust in Him.  We must wait on Him and keep the faith one day at a time.  In today's passage in John, we also read that the Pharisees did not have all the facts about Jesus being from Galilee.  There is always something in every situation that we are unaware of. Remembering this could help us avoid making "snap judgments" about people and situations. There's a reason Jesus says in Matthew 7:1, not to judge others (we are reminded in Psalm 66:18, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear".)  John 7 ends with this disagreement among the people. The Pharisees had the final word and admonished the people to "Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee".  Verse 53 concludes: "And everyone went to his own house".  Jesus continues to be a source of "division among the people" even today.  However, our focus--in our own house--should be on developing that personal history with God in obedience and faith.

Betrayal by Family - Day 141 Through the Bible

Blooms along the Blue Ridge Parkway - near Mt. Celo Church

Gleanings from Today's Readings

Betrayal By Family ( 2 Sam 15 and 16; John 7)  King David receives back from exile Absalom, his son, who schemed the murder of his half-brother for the rape of his sister, Tamar (rather than going to David with the crime.)  With this "kiss" from his father (2 Samuel 14), the unrepentant, self-serving Absalom begins the scheme to usurp the kingdom from David.  For 40 years he seeks to turn the heart of the people to himself by deceit - promising that if he were king, judge, that all would have justice.  He then deceives David by telling him he will go to Hebron to keep His vow to the LORD.  Absalom's only god is himself.  His spiritual posturing is to play on his father's devotion to the LORD, when the son's real intent in this journey is to gather people and take the kingdom from his father.  In John 7, Jesus' half-brothers try to persuade Him to go to Jerusalem and publicly declare that He is the Christ, knowing that the Jews seek to kill Him.  His own brothers do not believe He is the Christ and will not until after the resurrection.  They, in essence, or giving a "put up or shut up" command to Christ.  Jesus does not fall into their unwise counsel.  It is not His time; He answers only to God.

My Lessons and Applications - We know this.  It is often those closest to us - family - that can undermine or destroy us.  Our guard is down; our loyalty and faith to them often unwarranted.  One of the most difficult things for believers is to acknowledge those within their blood or church families who "play" on our faith, use it as a means to get what they want from us or to lead us by unwise counsel. Our loyalty must remain to God alone.  Jesus said in Luke 14:26: “If any man come to Me and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.”  Matt 12:50: “For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” He understands our hearts, who and what is most likely to cause us to turn away from Him - familial connections, wealth, physical looks, or other outward appearance/trappings. John 7:24: "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."

Letting Go of Some, Clinging to the One - Shades of Ruth and Naomi and Eli and Samuel - David flees Jerusalem to escape Absalom's coming bid on the kingdom.  David entreats Ittai, the Gittite to return to his own place, not be in exile with him.  Ittai answers, "As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be."  Ruth said and did the same with Naomi in Ruth 1:16.  They chose God; they chose to be with God's servants.  As they flee Jerusalem, David and his men are cursed and stoned by Shimei, of the house of Saul.  David tells the men to let it go at this time; let the LORD work here as He wills.  Even Mephibosheth, the crippled son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul, now turns against David.  David has bequeathed the son all of Saul's property, but the son wants the kingdom.  Ziba, Mephibosheth's servant, stays loyal to David in his flight from Absalom and is repaid for this with all of Mephibosheth's holdings.  Hushai, the Achite, maintains his loyalty to David and is sent to infiltrate Absalom's inner circle - to "defeat the traitorous Ahithophel's counsel to Absalom."  Eli, Samuel and David all deal with evil sons, sons who are ungodly, sons who betray them.  Yet all three men come to the point they must choose and declare:  "Let God do to me as seems good to Him."  Even Jesus came to this point in His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, as He was betrayed by one of His inner circle. Matt 26:39: “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." 

My Lessons and Applications - There is a point when we must cease the struggle and put our lives - and those we love - into God's Hands.  He is, after all, Sovereign and Providential.  In His will is the best place to be, though it may be a very difficult road on this earth.  One of the hardest experiences in life is the betrayal of family or friends. Many of the Biblical saints endured this as we have seen in our study through the Bible so far.  Jesus said to his unbelieving brothers: John 7:7: "The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil." Jesus says to us:  Matt 10:22 “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” John 15:18-19:  “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”  Still we are sent out by Him on our Great Commission.  He says we are as sheep being sent out among wolves.  He calls to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves - not innocent - harmless (Matt 10:16).