Read: 2 Samuel 19:11-20:13; John 21:1-25; Psalm 120:1-7; Proverbs 16:16-17
The people who met David at the Jordan were the Benjamites who were the tribe that Saul was from, Shimei, the one that had cursed David when he left and Zia, the one who lied abut Mephebosheth and got his inheritance. They look a lot like the people who met John the baptist at the Jordan River. David forgave them all just as God forgave all who came to be baptized. Barzillai met him but was too old to go back to Jerusalem with David. He was one of the men who met David and his men when they were leaving and gave them supplies and food (2 Samuel 17:27). Instead he gave David his servant, Chimham which means, “my longing” because he longed to go with David.
It didn’t take long to have a church split. The men of Israel were mad that the men of Judah hadn’t told them that David was coming back so they could help him cross the river. A troublemaker named Bicri stood up and declared that Judah had no part in David and took the men of Israel and deserted David to follow him. His name means “first born”. Remember first we are born of the natural and need to be reborn of the spirit. Bicri stood for the unregenerated man.
When Amasa, the man who had led Absalom’s rebellion couldn’t rally the men of Benjamin in the allotted time, David let Abishai, the priest lead his army. Joab and his men went with Abisai. They met up with Amasa and Joab killed him. Joab had a zeal for the king that was bigger than David’s compassion.
In John, Jesus met for the third time, after his death, with his disciples. This time it was at the Sea of Tiberias while they were fishing. They hadn’t been able to catch any fish so Jesus told them to put their nets on the other side. They caught a net full. Jesus was trying to tell them that they would have to go to the other side of the sea to the Gentiles, because that was where the hungry souls were.
Lord, help us to get out of what we think and into what you think. Show us where to put our nets.
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