Fri.’s Devo - The King Comes to His Kingdom

Read: 2 Samuel 1:1-2:11; John 12:20-5-; Psalm118:19-29; Proverbs 15:27-28
David was returning from his victory while Israel was returning from their defeat. One of the soldiers from Saul’s army saw an opportunity for advancement so he tried to scam David and tell him that he was the one who killed Saul. We read yesterday that even Saul’s own armor-bearer wouldn’t kill Saul; he ended up killing himself. This scammer’s plan back-fired on him and it didn’t help that he had defected from the Amelekites, the very ones that David had just fought. This man had loyalty to no one but himself. David killed him instead.
David wrote a beautiful song to honor Saul and Jonathan and thanked the people of Jabesh-gilead for burying them.
Saul’s army commander, Abner joined with Ishbosheth, Saul’s son and proclaimed him king over Israel while Judah proclaimed David their king. David made Hebron his capital and thus the kingdom was divided. He ruled from Hebron for 7 and a half years.
In John, it was the time of the Passover and Jesus was about to die. He explained that he was the kernel of wheat that had to die so that his seed could produce new kernels. Jesus started praying out loud for God to save him from this hour but he knew that he came into this world for this very moment. So he told his daddy to glorify his name. God answered back in an audible voice and said, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The people heard it - some heard it as thunder and others thought an angel had spoken to Jesus. Jesus explained that he was saying it to them.
The people were so confused became they thought the Messiah would live forever and Jesus was talking about his coming death. Jesus answered them in his riddle about the light that didn’t make any sense to them then but is crystal to us now. They didn’t understand eternal life, resurrection or heaven because their hearts were hardened. Some believed, but because they loved the praises of men more than the praises of God, they didn’t admit it. How sad!
Lord, may we stand and boldly profess our total commitment and love to you.