Thurs.’s Devo - Man's Injustice Leads to God's Judgment

Read: 2 Samuel 15:23-16:23; John 18:25-19:22; Sam 119:113-128; Proverbs 16:10-11 David and all his followers cried as they left Jerusalem. Zadok and the Levites brought the Ark and followed David until he told Zadok and Abiathar to return the Ark to the city. If it was God’s will, he would return to worship another day. He told the Levites to hide by the Jordan River and wait for reports from Zadok. They would relay them to David. *** Like Jesus on the day of his crucifixion, David walked to the Mount of Olives. He found out that his trusted adviser Ahithophel was betraying him to follow Absalom. This was the place where Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. *** Hushite the Arkite was waiting for him, dressed in mourning. David sent him back to Jerusalem to be his inside spy. He arrived just as Absalom did. *** David was met by Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth with food and wine for his men. When David asked where Mephibosheth was, Ziba said he was celebrating revenge. (We don’t know if that was true or not.) David gave all of Mephibosheth’s property to Ziba. *** When David came to Bahurim, he was met by Shimei from the clan of Saul. He came out throwing rocks and cursing David and his men. David’s men wanted to kill him, but David wouldn’t let them. *** David and his men got to the Jordan where they rested. Meanwhile, Absalom and his army arrived at Jerusalem along with Ahithophel. Hushai went straight to see David to proclaim his loyalty to Absalom. Absalom turned to Ahithophel for advise. Ahithophel told him to set up a tent so all could see, and go in and sleep with David’s concubines showing total disrespect for David. This was the fulfillment of Nathan’s prophecy that what David had done with Bathsheba in secret, would be done to him in the open. *** Absalom chose to follow Ahithophel’s advise in everything. *** In John, two more times, Peter was asked if he was Jesus’ disciple and he denied it. Immediately the cock crowed. *** They took Jesus to the Romans so they could sentence him to die. When they were asked what crime he committed, they couldn’t come up with one so the Roman’s told them to judge him themselves by their own law. They didn’t want this because their law didn’t allow crucifixions. *** Pilate asked for Jesus to be brought to him and he asked him if he was the king of the Jews. Jesus asked him if he was wanting to know for himself or did someone tell Pilate about him. Pilate was angry. He told him he was not a Jew, but was trying to understand why his own people were bringing him to be judged by a Roman. *** Jesus answered that his Kingdom was not of this world. If it had of been, there would have been a fight. When Pilate asked him if he were a king, but all Jesus would talk about was truth. Pilate didn’t understand that so he went out and told the people that he couldn’t find any crime to charge Jesus for. *** Looking for a way out of this volatile situation, Pilate chose Jesus to set free. He always pardoned a prisoner at Passover. He put him up against Barabbas who everyone knew as a murderer and an insurrectionist. To his surprise, the crowd chose to crucify Jesus and set Barabbas free. *** Pilate had Jesus flogged and the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They put a purple robe on him and mocked him as the king of the Jews. 
 *** Pilate brought Jesus out to the crowd and made it clear that he found him, ‘not guilty.’ The leading priests began a chant, “Crucify him!” and the crowd followed. *** Pilate took Jesus back inside and tried to get more information out of him. When Jesus wouldn’t talk, Pilate asked him if he realized he had the power to save him or put him to death. Jesus answered and told him that he had no such power, only God had that power. Pilate tried to release him but the priests told him that if he released Jesus, he was not a friend of Caesar but a rebel against the throne. *** Pilate came out and sat on the seat of judgment and presented them with their king. The crowd yelled for his death by crucifixion. Pilate turned Jesus over to them and they took Jesus to be crucified. Two others were crucified on either side of Jesus. Pilat had a sign made which read “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. It was written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek so all could read it. *** The priest asked him to change it to read, “He said, I am King of the Jews,” but Pilate refused to change it. *** Lord, may we realize that when you bring death, you always plan for resurrection.