Sun.’s Devo - The End of Rebellion

Read: 2 Samuel 20:14-22:20; Acts 1:1-26; Psalm 121:1-8; Proverbs 16:18
Sheba was still on the run from David’s men because he wanted to usurp David’s kingdom from him. He fled to the fortified city of Abel Beth Maacah. When Joab set a siege ramp to batter the walls and make them fall, one of the wise women of the town asked to speak to Joab. She asked him why they were doing that to a loyal city of Israel. He told her about Sheba and she told him to stop because the city would throw Sheba’s head over the wall to him. They stopped and they did. This makes me wonder how many battles would be stopped if we just got to the root of the problem. Many times it could be stopped without a fight and the loss of innocent people.
David was then able to organize his kingdom and have rest until they went into a three year famine. Once again, David went to the Lord to ask him why. He revealed that it was because of Saul. In his zeal, he had killed the Gibeonites who the Lord had told to spare and that was the reason for the famine. David went to their survivors and asked them how he could avenge their wrong. They asked for seven of Saul’s descendants. David gave them to them and they killed them and exposed them on a hill before the Lord. They did this during the Passover season. Jesus was killed and exposed on a hill for the sins of all the people just as these seven were killed and exposed for the sins of Saul. Then God lifted the famine and the prayers of the people were answered.
David fought in his last battle because he was getting too old and his life was too precious to Israel. David had trained his army well and they were able to continue without him. This is the goal of every good leader.
We begin the acts of the apostles today. Jesus had appeared to them for forty days after his death, pouring into them about the kingdom of God on earth. He told them that they would receive the Holy Spirit and power to be his witnesses in all the earth. Jesus was taken up in a cloud and they all saw it. He said he would come back the same way.
The disciples and the women met constantly praying and encouraging one another. They chose a disciple to replace Judas who had bought a field with his betrayal money and died. He hung himself and then his body was thrown over a wall onto rocks. The place was called the pit.
In every generation, there arises an anti-christ but every time it ends bad for him.
Lord, help us to be deliverers of righteousness and healing.