Sun.’s Devo - God’s Plans Always Succeed

Read: 1 Samuel 29:1-31:13; John 11:55-12:19; Psalm 118:1-18; Proverbs 15:24-26 David planned to join Achish and the other Philistine armies in their battle against Saul’s army and Israel. When the other Philistine commanders saw David and his army bringing up the rear they threw a fit. They told Achish that there was no way David and his army was fighting with them because David might use it as a way of becoming a hero for his people and fighting against the Philistines. David acted offended when Achish had to tell him to go home. Achish totally trusted in David’s allegiance to him. *** It was such a move of God’s plan to send David home. Now, David would not have to fight against his own people, which I believe he would have turned on Achish. If he didn’t he might be accused of killing Saul since God had determined that he would die in this battle. Also, David needed to get back home because the Amalekites had raided Ziklag and taken all their wives and children and burned their town to the ground. **** When David arrived at home and found this had happened, his men were very bitter and talked of stoning David. David found strength in the Lord. He told Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod and asked God if he would get their families back if they pursued the Amalekites. God said they would, so he took 400 men and left 200 who were too exhausted to continue. *** They found an Egyptian who had been left for dead. He had not eaten for three days and was sick so they nursed him back to life. He told them that he had been a captive of the Amelekites and promised to lead them to them if they swore they wouldn’t kill him or return him to his owner. *** He led them to the Amalek army where they were eating, drinking and partying. David and his men fought them for two days and recovered all, plus all their spoil they had from other battles. They returned to the other 200 that had not had the strength to go with them. Some of the men who went with David were called men of Belial which means they were wicked and ungodly. They didn’t want to share with the men who had not gone with them but David rebuked them. He set a new policy which said that both those who fight and those who guard the supplies would share in the same reward. *** When they got back to Ziklag, David sent the excess spoils they had gathered to other towns in Judah. These were towns that had housed and helped David and his men. *** Back at the battle between the Philistines and Saul… it happened just as Samuel had predicted. Saul, and three of his sons were killed in battle. Jonathan was one of his sons who died. They took Saul and his son’s bodies and fastened them to the wall in the city of Beth-shan. They proclaimed their victory in the pagan temple to Ashtorah and placed Saul’s armor there giving the glory of their victory to their pagan gods. The victory was really the Lord’s. Now God could put his anointed choice of king on the throne of Israel. *** Men from Jabesh-gilead came and took the bodies from the wall and brought them to Jabesh and buried them. They fasted for seven days to mourn the death of their king. *** In John, it was nearing the time of the Passover. The Jewish leaders had sent out notice that if anyone saw Jesus, they were to report it to them so they could arrest him. *** Six days before the Passover, Jesus stopped and had his last supper with Lazareth, Martha and Mary. Mary anointed Jesus feet with expensive perfume and wiped them with her hair. Judas Iscariot commented that the perfume she wasted could have been better spent if she had sold it and given it to the poor. Judas had no care for the poor, he was only thinking of himself. He was the treasure of Jesus’ money and he often stole from it for himself. Jesus knew all this. *** Jesus told Judas to leave Mary alone. She was doing this in preparation for his burial. There would always be the poor among them. People flocked to their house because they had heard the wonderful miracle of Lazareth. The leading priests decided they might need to kill Lazarus also. *** As Jesus approached Jerusalem, the people who had palm branches laid them down for him to walk on. Jesus came into the city riding on a donkey. That was the symbol of a king coming to his kingdom. It had also been prophecied years before (Zechariah 9:9). They sang songs to Jesus from the Hallel. *** The Pharisees were indignant and jealous of Jesus’ popularity. *** Lord, thank you for your perfect plan. Help us to trust in your plan for our lives and the future of our nation. Thank you that you have great plans beyond our imagination.