Tues.’s Devo - Covenants

Read: 2 Samuel 20:14-21:22; Acts 1:1-26; Psalm 121:1-8; Proverbs 16:18 Sheba, traveled throughout Israel trying to raise support to take over David’s throne. He came to the town of Abel-beth-maach. All the men from his own clan, the Bicrites followed him into the town. Joab arrived and built a siege ramp against the town. *** A wise woman went to talk to Joab and find out why they were attacking a town in Israel. She told him that their town was known for having very wise people who gave advise to others and it would be ashamed to kill them all. Joab told her he was only interested in the head of Sheba. She said they would throw his head over the wall. *** She went to the leaders of the town and told them what Joab had said and soon Sheba’s head came flying over the wall. Joab blew the ram’s horn and called his troops and they went home. *** Israel had a famine for three years. When David asked the Lord why, he told him that it was because Saul had murdered the Gibeonites. They were the ones who fooled Joshua into thinking they were from a far off land, so he made a covenant with them. Saul had broken that covenant. Covenants don’t wear out with years. They are eternal. Thank God they are because God has a covenant with us that is everlasting. *** David went to them and apologized for Saul’s zeal and asked how he could make amends. They wanted seven of Saul’s sons handed over to them so they could execute them. David held back Mephibosheth because of his covenant with Jonathan. He gave them seven other sons of Saul. They were killed around Passover. Passover’s theme was that a sacrifice had to be made to atone sin. That is what this was. *** One of the mothers of two of the sons came and watched over the dead bodies of her sons making sure the wild animals or the birds didn’t eat them. That would mean they were cursed. When David found out what she was doing, he had their bones taken down and buried in their family plot. Then the famine stopped. It was very important where bones were laid to rest because they spent all that time in Sheol till Jesus died and came and delivered them. *** Then we read of the killing of four giants of Gath that David and his warriors killed. *** In Acts, Luke is writing again to Theophilus, who he wrote his book of Luke to also. Luke had told him in the Book of Luke all the things Jesus had done till he was taken to heaven. This would be the sequel. Before he went, Jesus told his disciples about the kingdom of God and told them to wait in Jerusalem for the gift of the Holy Spirit. *** The apostles had asked Jesus over and over when would be the time he would free Israel and restore the kingdom. Jesus told them he had no authority over that, but this was the time when they would receive power to be his witnesses on the earth. *** Then, Jesus was taken up into a cloud. Two angels told them to stop staring into the sky - Jesus was gone for now. He would return the same way much later. *** The apostles returned to Jerusalem and met in an upper room. There were 120 of them who met regularly and prayed. They prayed and cast lots and chose Matthias to take Judas Iscariot’s place. *** Lord, help us to discern the times we are in and be faithful to the moment we were created to live in. Thank you for our covenant of peace and salvation.