Sat.’s Devo - David’s Kingdom Established

Read: 2 Samuel 4:1-6:23; John 13:31-14:14; Psalm 119:17-32; Proverbs 15:31-32 Ishbosheth heard that his head army commander, Abner had died surrendering to David and this filled him with fear. Two of his other army commanders, Recab and Bannah, saw their opportunity to advance in David’s army so they murdered Ishbosheth in his own bedroom and took his head to David. Instead of getting the promotion they were seeking, David had them killed for murdering an innocent man. *** With Ishbosheth gone, there was no one standing in the way of David becoming the king of Israel. The people of Israel came to David at Hebron and made a covenant with him and anointed him king of Israel. David was 30 years old and reigned another 33 years over all Israel and Judah. *** David led in an attack on Jerusalem and though the Jebusites who lived there said he couldn’t even conquer the blind and lame, David won. He camptured the city of Zion and named it the City of David. *** King Hiram of Tyre sent cedar, carpenters and stonemasons to help David build his palace in Jerusalem. David married more wives and concubines and had eleven more sons in Jerusalem. *** The Philistines came to attack him and the Lord told David to go fight them and win. They returned later to fight again and this time the Lord told David not to attack them like before - straight on, but to attack from behind them at his signal. David obeyed and won again. *** David longed to bring the ark to Jerusalem so he had the army go to Baalah where the Ark was. The Ark was placed on a new cart and brought from Abinadab’s house. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadad’s sons were guiding the cart since it was on a hill. All the people were there celebrating and singing praises to God. When they got to the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen carrying the ark stumbled. Uzzah reached out to steady the Ark so it wouldn’t fall and he was struck dead. *** David was mad at the Lord for killing Uzzah and ruining their celebration. He was now afraid to bring the Ark to Jerusalem so he left it at Obed-edom’s house for three months. During that time, God blessed Obed-edom’s whole household. When David saw that God was blessing and no longer mad, he found out how to carry the Ark correctly. He went to get the Ark and the priests carried the Ark with the poles on their shoulders. Every six steps they took, David would stop and sacrifice a bull and a calf. David danced before the Ark with the people. *** As the Ark and the people entered Jerusalem, Michal, his wife, watched from her window. She saw David leaping and dancing before the Lord and was filled with contempt for him. *** David sacrificed to the Lord, blessed the people and sent them home with gifts. When he got home, Michal met him with all her complaints. She told him he looked disgraceful out there dancing like a common person. David told her God was worthy of even more humiliation than he had given him. She reminded them that God had chosen him to rule Israel above her father. God cursed her with a barren womb. *** In John, Jesus was with his disciples in the upper room and Judas had just left to go betray Jesus to the Pharisees. Jesus told them he was soon leaving them. He gave them a new commandment to love others as he had loved them. This was even more stronger than loving someone as you love yourself. Jesus loved his disciples with God’s love that was willing to lay down his life for them. *** When Peter told Jesus he was willing to lay down his life for Jesus, Jesus assured him he wasn’t. He would deny him three times before the rooster crowed. *** Jesus told them again, that he had come from God, his Father, and was returning home. Any of them who believed in him could do the works he did and even greater ones. They were to ask in his name and He would do it. *** Jesus had given them a new commandment that is impossible to do without God’s Spirit and his grace. It was a command to receive the Spirit of God which was coming. *** Lord, help us to simplify all you told your disciples and just believe that you are who you say you are and you are a rewarder of those who diligently seek you.