Tues.’s Devo - David Returns to Jerusalem

Read: 2 Samuel 19:11-20:13; John 21:1-25; Psalm 120:1-7; Proverbs 16:16-17 David sent news to Zadok and Abiathar who were the priests in Jerusalem to convince the elders to bring him back as their king. He also send word to Amasa to remind him that David had been made him commander of his army instead of Joab. So the men of Judah came to Gilgal to meet David and bring him over the Jordan. *** Shimei, the man who had cursed David came out to meet him along with a thousand men from Benjamin. He fell down before David and begged for forgiveness. David’s men wanted to kill him but David spared his life for the time being. Ziba of the house of Saul came down with his fifteen sons and twenty servants and helped bring all David’s people across the the Jordan. *** Mephibosheth also came to meet David. He had not trimmed his beard or washed his clothes since David left Jerusalem. When David asked him why he didn’t go with David when he fled, he said that Ziba tricked him. He told him he would bring him a donkey, but then didn’t. David gave him back his half of his land he had given to Ziba. *** Barzillai the old man from Gilead came to meet David. He had provided food and provisions for David and his men while they were away. David tried to get him to move to Jerusalem so he could take care of him, but Barzillai wanted to go home and live out the rest of his days at his own home. David took Barzillai’s youngest son, Chimham to serve with him. Later, he would give Chimham an inn in Bethlehem which was believed to be the one Jesus was born in. *** The men of Israel showed up and were angry with the men of Judah for not letting them be the ones to help David return to Jerusalem. They argued with the men of Judah till one of them from Benjamin, Sheba blew his trumpet and declared that Bichri, another Benjamite was their king. So all of Israel changed their allegiance from David to Bichri. *** When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines who had been taken by Absalom and placed them in a separate house where they lived as widows. *** David had Amasa call all Judah to meet with him in three days. When Amasa was not back in the three days, David sent Abishai with an army to pursue Bichri. Abishai met Joab and his men who were also going to kill Bichri. Joab killed Abishai for taking his place, then continued to lead the army to find Bichri. *** In John, Peter was with Thomas, the sons of Zebedee and two other disciples. Peter announced he was going back to fishing. The others went with him but they caught nothing all night. *** Just as the day was dawning, Jesus stood on the shore and asked them if they had caught anything. They didn’t recognize him. He told them to cast their net to the right side of the boat. When they did, they were not able to haul in the fish there were so many. This reminded Peter of the first time Jesus had done this. John recognized him as the Lord and jumped into the sea and swam to shore. The other men dragged the fish to the shore. *** Jesus had prepared a fire and told them to bring their fish to cook them. They had caught 153 fish. Jesus gave them bread and fish to eat. *** After eating Jesus asked Peter if he loved him three times. Each time Peter told him he did and Jesus told him to feed his sheep. He encouraged him to follow him. *** Peter asked Jesus about John, and Jesus told him John was not his business. He would take care of John. John, who wrote this book said that Jesus did so many miracles that books could not contain them. *** Lord, thank you that you are such a personal God and you have explicit plans for each of us. May we follow our path that you have set for us and not be distracted by what you have planned for others. We are all part of your wonderful family.

Mon.’s Devo - David’s Victory

Read: 2 Samuel 18:1-19:10; John 20:1-31; Psalm 119:153-176; Proverbs 16:14-15 David divided his army into three parts and put Joab, Joab’s brother Abishai, and Ittai in charge of the three groups. They refused to let David go to battle with them because if he died, their cause would die with him. *** David’s men defeated Israel’s army and killed 20,000 on the first day. They fought in a thick forest which killed more men than the sword. *** Absalom was caught in the thickets by his hair which was a huge source of his pride. One of Joab’s men saw him hanging from the tree and reported it to Joab. Joab wanted to know why he didn’t kill him and the man said he had heard David tell them not to harm Absalom. Joab shot threw three javelins into Absalom’s heart and his body guards finished him off. ** Joab blew a trumpet meaning the war was over and they had won. Joab took Absalom’s body and threw it into a pit and put stones over his body. All Israel fled to their homes. *** Sadly, the only thing Absalom had to remember him by, since he had no sons, was a pillar he had had erected which he named “Absalom’s monument.” *** Ahimaaz, the priest wanted to carry the news to David, but Joab wouldn’t let him. Instead he sent a Cushite runner with news they had won and Absalom was dead. Ahimaaz begged to go after him and finally Joab let him. *** Ahimaaz took the short cut and got their first. He told David they had won, but didn’t tell him Absalom was dead. The next runner told him Absalom had been killed. David was so upset over Absalom’s death that he couldn’t rejoice over the victory. David’s army heard of David’s mourning and crept into the city in shame. 
 *** Joab rebuked David for caring more for his rebellious son who wanted to kill him than all the faithful people who had risked their lives to save him. He warned David that if he didn’t go out and congratulate and thank his troops, it would be worse for him than ever before. David heard him, went out to sit in the gate and everyone came to hear what he had to say. *** Meanwhile, back in Jerusalem the people argued about why they had not brought David back to be their king since Absalom was dead. *** In John, on the third day after Jesus had been crucified, Mary went to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been rolled away and Jesus body was gone. He ran to tell Peter and John. They ran to the tomb but Peter got their first. He saw that the only thing in the tomb was the linen garments they had wrapped Jesus in and the face cloth. When John saw it, he believed what Jesus had said about rising from the dead. *** They went back home, but Mary stayed weeping outside the tomb. She saw two angels sitting where Jesus had been laid, one at the head and one at the feet. They asked her why she was weeping. She told them that someone had taken Jesus body and she didn’t know where. Then Jesus asked her why she was weeping. She though he was the gardener and answered him the same. When Jesus called her name, she recognized him and ran to hug him. He told her that she couldn’t touch him because he hadn’t gone to heaven yet. Mary ran and told the disciples what she had witnessed. *** That evening, Jesus stood among them and showed them his hands and his side. He blessed them with peace and told them to receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus told them they now had power to forgive sins and withhold forgiveness of sins. That evening would have made it the 4th day which was exactly when Jesus went and brought Lazareth out of the grave and revealed him to the disciples. *** Thomas was not with them and when he heard they had seen Jesus, he remarked that he wouldn’t believe unless he had seen the place where they put the nails in his hands and see his side where they struck him. *** Eight days later, Thomas got his chance. Jesus came right through the locked door and offered Thomas to put his finger in his hands and in his side. Thomas believed and blessed those who believed with out having to see the proof. *** John let us know that he only recorded a few of the many miracles that Jesus did. He wrote the ones he did so that we who read them might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and in believing in him, we have eternal life. *** Lord, we believe though we haven’t seen. We thank you for the Holy Spirit who has revealed the truth to our hearts. We do see though the eyes of our spirit. Thank you for putting on the hearts of your disciples to write down everything they saw in their books so that we can read them and have understanding. May we use the power of the Holy Spirit to believe, to witness, to forgive and to reveal Jesus to the world.