Mon.’s Devo - David’s Escape

Read: 2 Samuel 17:1-29; John 19:23-42; Psalm 119:129-152: Proverbs 16:12-13 Ahithophel, Absalom’s advised Absalom to leave immediately and attack David and his troops while they they were tired. Absalom called in Hushai, David’s advisor and after he heard Ahithophel’s advice, he told Absalom he should not do that, but instead send out messages to the other tribes and gather a big army. They would need that to fight David because David was such a great warrior. God caused Absalom to take Hushai’s advice even though Ahithophel’s was better. Hushai sent the priests to find David and tell them what Absalom was going to do. He told David to quickly take his men across the Jordan during the night. When Ahithophel realized his advice had not been taken, he got his affairs in order and hung himself in his hometown. David crossed the Jordan and camped in Mahanaim where leaders of the Ammonites brought him food and provisions. David had lived among them for years when he fled from Saul, so many of them were his friends. Lo-debar was where Mephibosheth was from so they would have heard of the kindness David showed to him. In John, the Romans soldiers divided Jesus clothes and cast lots for his robe just as David prophesied in Psalms 22. Jesus said, “It is finished” at the exact time the high priest said it at the temple. The temple lamb would have been sacrificed right before 3 which was exactly when Jesus died. The Jews had till 6 o’clock that evening to get Jesus’ body off the cross before the Sabbath. When the soldiers came to break his legs so he would die faster, they didn’t need to break Jesus’. He was already dead. A soldier pierced his side where water and blood flowed just like it did from the altar. All of the things they did to Jesus had been prophesied years before. Two secret disciples of Jesus had been Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. They went to Pilate and begged for the body of Jesus. They laid it in Joseph’s tomb and anointed his body with spices of perfumed myrrh and aloes. Lord, thank you that when things look so bleak, we know that resurrection is right around the corner. Joy comes in the morning!