Thur.’s Devo - Jesus’ Trial

Read: 2 Samuel 14:1-15:22; John 18:1-24; Psalm 119:97-112; Proverbs 16:8-9 Joab could see that David longed to see Absalom but his pride would not let him invite Absalom to come home. So, Joab sent a wise woman to act as a woman who had two sons. They got into a fight and one of them killed the other. The relatives wanted the living son to be killed but then she would have no-one to carry on her name and receive her inheritance. David sided with her and promised she and her son would not be harmed. Then, she showed him how he was doing the same thing by not letting Absalom come back to him. David’s decision to ban Absalom would be used as a standard in others situations since the king had so much influence. David asked the lady if Joab had put her up to this and she admitted he had. *** David called Joab in and told him he could bring Absalom back to Jerusalem, but he was never to see him. *** Absalom returned to Jerusalem. He was handsome and had three sons and a daughter named after his violated sister, Tamar. *** Absalom tried to speak with Joab, but he kept ignoring him till Absalom caught his barley field on fire. Then Joab wanted to see Absalom. Absalom asked him why the king brought him back if he was never going to see him. Joab went to David and convinced him to see Absalom. They met and reconciled, somewhat. *** Absalom then bought himself a chariot and horses to look like a king. He wanted the people to be conditioned to seeing him as a king. He soon gained the favor of the people because he was such a smooth politician. He could be seen mingling with them and acted like he could help if only he was the king. *** After four years of his wooing the hearts of the people, Absalom asked David if he could go to Hebron to fulfill a vow he had made. This was not the real reason. He planned a coup to conspire against David and name himself as the king. It worked, and when David learned what he had done, he and his followers fled Jerusalem. Six hundred men from Gath followed David led by Ittai. *** Ittai had been a soldier in the Philistine army who had found David to be a trusted leader. He became one of David’s generals. David tried to get him to return to Jerusalem but he vowed to follow David to death if it meant that. That is devotion! *** In John, Jesus had gone to the garden in Gethsemene to pray. Judas knew Jesus would be there because he went there so often. He led a group of Roman soldiers and Temple guards with torches, lanterns, and weapons. They all ascended upon Jesus and his disciples. *** Jesus let them know right up front who was the more powerful. When he said who he was, they all fell down. Can you imagine the look on their faces as they picked themselves up from the ground. The only one to use a weapon was on Jesus’ side - Peter. He used his sword to cut off the ear of the slave of the high priest. Jesus healed it and the night continued as the most unusual night ever. It followed the narrative written in heaven. Peter denied the Lord three times right according to the script. *** Inside the courtyard of Annas, the father-in-law to Caiaphas, the high priest, Jesus was being interrogated by the priests. They asked Jesus what he taught the people. He told them they knew because he didn’t teach them in secret and they were there for every sermon. Jesus got slapped for being flippant with the high priest. Jesus replied he didn’t know he was the high priest. What Jesus was saying was that his Father didn’t recognize him as a high priest. He really wasn’t the high priest but then they bound Jesus and sent to Caiaphas, the high priest. (As you can see, they had totally messed up the priesthood and many of the priests were political assets appointed by man, not holy men of God.) *** Lord, may we clean up the temple in our hearts. Then, may we clean up the world around us by letting our light shine and living according to your Word. May your Word be the standard of our country.