Sunday, May 24, 2020

Sun.’s Devo - Securing a Kingdom

Read: 2 Samuel 4:1-6:23; John 13:31-14:14; Psalm 119:17-32; Proverbs 15:31-32
Saul’s family ended in shame. Ishbosheth, Saul’s son means “man of shame”. Once Abner was killed, Ishbosheth was paralyzed in fear and later killed by Recab and Baanah. Jonanthan’s sons name was Mephibosheth which means “breathing shame”.
Recab and Baanah had hoped for a reward from David but they got judgement and were killed instead.
David was made king at Hebron at the age of 30, the same age Jesus entered into his ministry. He reigned in Hebron for 7.5 years but his reign over Israel and Judah was 33 years, the same age Jesus was when he died.
David had to take Jerusalem from the Jebusites and was successful because the Army of God fought with him. King Hiram of Tyre sent cedar and carpenters and stonemasons to build David a palace. There he married more women and had 11 more sons.
David was attacked by the Philistines and God gave him a mighty victory in which they confiscated their idols.
David gathered 30,000 of his best soldiers to go and bring back the ark of God. They carried the ark on a cart, the way the Philistines had carried it. When the oxen stumbled and the priest put out his hand to keep the ark from falling, God killed him. This frightened David so much that he took the ark to the house of Obed-edom where it stayed for three months while David sought the Lord as to why this happened. He must have taken out the law and read that the ark was to be carried on the shoulders of the priests because when he came to get the ark, that is how he had it carried. He offered sacrifices every six steps and danced before the Lord with all his might wearing a priestly garment.
Michal, his wife, looked out her window and saw him dancing as he entered the city and was embarrassed. When he got home, she told him how undistinguished he looked in front of his servant girls. David replied that he was willing to look even more foolish than this and be humiliated in his own eyes and as for his servant girls, he looked distinguished to them. Michal was barren and never bore a child because of her pride.
In John, Jesus told his disciples that he would only be with them a short time because God was about to show his glory through him. Jesus had told the Jewish leaders that they would not be able to go where he was going but he told his disciples that they would be following him later. Peter said he was willing to die for him but Jesus told him that he was not ready yet. In fact, he would deny him three times. (When he received the Holy Spirit he would be laying down his life daily for him.) Jesus was going to prepare heaven for them and when it was ready he would call them up.
Jesus gave them a new commandment to love others as he had loved them and lastly he told them that they had seen God through him. Now, they would be showing both the Father and the Son through their lives. We are to do even greater works because Jesus went to heaven and now operates there through his body here.
Both David and Jesus were securing and establishing a kingdom with God’s presence.
Lord, may we pray your heart and see the results of your power here on earth.

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