Saturday, March 25, 2023
I Kings 2:12
Saturday, March 25, 2023 |
Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.
For further study - I Kings 2:1-12
This is the record of the death of one King and the installation of another. It is also the first installment of the promise made to King David. Before we look at these two issues, let's look at King David's charge to his son who was to become "King of Israel".
As David began the charge he used a very picturesque description for his pending death. "I go the way of all the earth", is a statement that shows David was a realist who knew he would soon die and thus the reason for the charge to his son, the "heir apparent".
As I read the "charge", I was reminded of the "charge" Moses gave to Joshua. There are some familiar phrases which are actually good Biblical principles for us to follow as well.
Notice verse 3. David charges Solomon to "walk in the Lord's ways and to keep His statutes", as written in the word of God. The promise for doing this will be that Solomon and each of us also will prosper.
Just this reminder - to "prosper" is not necessarily to be "wealthy". That is not what the Lord has in mind. The Lord's idea of "prosper" is to “fulfill the will of the Lord for our lives and to bring glory to Him”.
Before I look at the first installment of God's promise to King David, notice verse 10. King David, after serving 40 years as King of the Jewish people, dies and is buried in the city of David, which is the city of Jerusalem.
The place of David's burial is the actual location of where the events of what happened in Acts 2 took place. The Day of Pentecost, when the church was born, is at the same spot where King David is buried, Acts 2:29.
Verse 12 tells us that David's son Solomon did indeed ascend to the "throne of his father" and thus fulfilled the first installment of the Davidic Covenant, II Samuel 7:12-13.
This is evidence that God's plan was in force and will be in force in the future as well. The Davidic Covenant will be fulfilled - a King from David's family will be on the throne in the Temple in Jerusalem with a Kingdom that will be forever.
Solomon was the first installment of that promise. The coming Messiah, Jesus Christ will be the ultimate fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant. I believe we are living in the days of that Kingdom, which is yet to come.
The "chain of events" leading up to that "Kingdom Temple" is found in God’s Word. The Rapture, precedes the Tribulation Period, the seven years of judgment on the Earth. At the end of the time of judgment Jesus Christ returns to Earth to set up His Kingdom, with Jesus on the "throne, in the Temple".
Notice that the next event on God’s "agenda of end time events" is the Rapture and it can happen at any time, even today. Keep looking up.
PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank you for keeping Your promises, Lord, to each of us, as You did to King David.
Thursday, March 23, 2023
I Kings 1:39
Thursday, March 23, 2023 |
And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.
For further reading - I Kings 1:28-40
The time is around 3,000 years ago as we come to the record of King David anointing his son Solomon to be king of all of Israel. It almost did not happen this way for another son of David, Adonijah had plotted to seize the kingdom from his stepbrother Solomon.
When their father, King David, learned of the plan he had Bathsheba call a member of the King’s staff to his death bed to make certain Solomon was crowned King. Bathsheba brought Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet to anoint Solomon King of Israel.
It is interesting to note that this prophet Nathan is the same prophet that told King David that he would not be allowed to build the temple. Instead, the Lord would set it up so that the first Temple would be built by David’s son, Solomon.
Nathan also is key in the giving of the Davidic Covenant, II Samuel 7, to David. It was Nathan who helped select Solomon to be the third king of Israel and one of the ones to anoint Solomon.
God had promised David that one of his seed would rule on the throne and also play a key role in the building of the permanent "worship center" of the Lord, the Temple. That promise will ultimately be fulfilled by Jesus Christ who will return to earth and build His Temple, Messiah's Temple, Zechariah 6:12. The Lord Jesus will also reign from that Temple as the King, Zechariah 6:13.
Thus we have seen the first step in the long journey, over the centuries, to Jesus through the Davidic line. But, I want you to notice something else in this passage.
Nathan, the prophet and Zadok , were to bring Solomon to the Gihon River, which is located in the city of David, the original site for Jerusalem. It was at the Gihon that these men would anoint Solomon to be king over Israel.
Maybe you remember where you have heard of that river, the Gihon, before. If not, look back to Genesis 2. The Gihon is one of the rivers mentioned in the reference to the Garden of Eden, Genesis 2:13. In fact, the Gihon is the river, the one river, that flowed out of the Garden of Eden and became four rivers somewhere outside of the Garden, Genesis 2:10.
This text is telling us that, as Jewish scholarship has believed for almost 6,000 years, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is the original site of the Garden of Eden. (See my audio series, Return to Eden)
One of David's seed will rule from a Temple in the original Garden of Eden one day. That one, from David’s seed, is Jesus Christ, the same member of the Godhead that performed the act of "Creation", Colossians 1:16, in the Garden of Eden.
Where Jesus started everything Jesus will rule and reign from forever, the Garden of Eden. By the way, this fact about the Garden of Eden is also believed by the Muslim world as well. That is why the Muslims don’t want the Jews in Jerusalem.
The current events that you see with a focus on the city of Jerusalem are evidence that Jesus is making ready to call all Christians out of this world at the Rapture. The Rapture could happen at any moment. You must make sure that you are ready.
PRAYER THOUGHT: Because I am prepared, help me to be pure and productive as I await His return.
Wednesday, March 22, 2023
II Samuel 24:18
Wednesday, March 22, 2023 |
And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, go up, rear an altar unto the Lord in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
For further study – II Samuel 24:1-25
As we come to the last twelve chapters of II Samuel we see, like I said in the last devotional, that David is just a "man" with the human characteristics to be able to "sin" and fail the Lord with the actions in his life style that are not pleasing to the Lord.
Though David was forgiven of his sins, he did suffer the consequences of these sins, here on the earth in his lifetime. Our sins will be forgiven if we confess them, I John 1:9, but we must remember that there will be consequences for our sins that we must live through, in this lifetime.
II Samuel 13 to 24 is the record of David’s life as a result of his failures in his life. These sins, "adultery and murder" were bad enough but the Lord was concerned about David’s "numbering" of the people of Israel, chapter 24:1-9.
The Lord, through the "seer" Gad, gave David three possible punishments for his sin and he choose the last, which resulted in seventy thousand men, from Dan to Beer-sheba, dying of the "pestilence" sent by God upon Israel, found in our devotional reading in II Samuel 24:15.
Notice that "the angel of the Lord" was next to the "threshing-place" belonging to Araunah the Jebusite, verse 16. When you see the phrase "the angel of the Lord" your speaking of a "pre-incarnate" appearance of Jesus Christ. The text indicates that the Lord was about to destroy Jerusalem, verse 16.
This destruction did not take place because the Lord "repented", took another direction, and instead had David to "buy" the threshing floor, which is the same location that Abraham brought Isaac to offer him in sacrifice, Genesis 22.
It is also the location where King Solomon, David’s son, would build the first Temple, II Chronicles 3:1. Solomon's building of this Temple is the first installment of the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant.
What is so interesting to me is that King David would not take the land as a gift, but insisted that he pay for it with "fifty shekels of silver". That is a large sum of money in today’s money. It is the money paid by a Jewish King.
The real estate that we’re talking about was the location of the first and second Temples and will be the same location for the last two temples, yet to be re-built. This land is the "most sacred location in all of Creation".
The location that King David paid "cash money" for yesterday will be the site for the next two temples, yet to be rebuilt. It is the location today of the "Dome of the Rock" on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
This sacred site, the Temple Mount, is today controlled by the Muslim "Islamic Trust" and they claim they have the "custodial rights" to this location. Any effort by the Jews to rebuild their Temple there will result in a major conflict in Jerusalem. This is the case even though King David paid "cash money" for the location.
This information is evidence that the stage is being set for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled. The Temple Mount will be the focus of the world as the Lord allows His plan for the future to be played out in our day.
PRAYER THOUGHT: Lord, it is so exciting to watch your plan for the future being played today. It is also evidence that should make everyone of us be alert to the soon return of Jesus Christ. Help me to live in light of this information and be ready for the any moment return of Jesus Christ at the Rapture.
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
II Samuel 12:13
Tuesday, March 21, 2023 |
And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
For further study - II Samuel 12:1-23
This portion of II Samuel selected for today's devotional reveals a very sad ending to the "double act of sin" that King David committed while serving as King of Israel.
David had lusted over Bathsheba, the wife of one of his "mighty fighting men", Uriah. David was driven so much by his lust for Bathsheba that he had her husband killed. The King then had a child by this other man's wife.
These sins had already taken place, and then the prophet Nathan who tells King David a story of how one man mistreated another. The story made the King angry until Nathan told David that "he was the man". The man who had mistreated the other, verses 1-11.
David's anger changed to sorrow and repentance, verse 13, and the Lord did not kill the King of Israel for these sins right then. However, Nathan told David that his son by Bathsheba would die because of the sin. Notice, verse 12, what David had done secretly, the Lord would reveal openly before all of Israel.
David would pray that his son would not die because of the sins he, David, had committed. But the Lord did take the son. Verse 14 tells us why the Lord took David's son. The sins of King David had given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme Him, and therefore the Lord would take the child.
In no way can one commend David for what he did, murder and adultery. However, David confessed his sins and the Lord forgave the King even though he would have to pay the consequences, his young son would die. There are consequences for sin.
Before we leave this passage please notice the last verse of our extended reading. Though it is not an absolute, the verse seems to say that "babies" at death go directly into the presence of God to be with Him forever.
We know that David will be in heaven, and the verse tells us that his "baby" will be there also, "I shall go to him but he cannot return to me", verse 23.
Though David was forgiven of his sins, he did suffer the consequences of these sins, here on the earth in his lifetime. Our sins will be forgiven if we confess them, I John 1:9, but we must remember that there will be consequences for our sins that we must live through, in this lifetime.
PRAYER THOUGHT: Help me Lord, to stay away from sin, so that I don't give occasion to others to blaspheme You, and thus I will also escape the consequences of sin.
Sunday, March 19, 2023
II Samuel 7:24
Sunday, March 19, 2023 |
For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art become their God.
For further study - II Samuel 7:18-29
As we once again visit the 7th chapter of II Samuel we look at the last half of the chapter, this visit. The first seventeen verses of II Samuel 7 are the "Davidic Covenant", a promise to King David that one of his descendants will one day sit on the throne in Jerusalem in the Temple and will do so, forever.
The God-man, Jesus Christ, will be that one on the throne of David forever. The last half of this chapter, David acknowledges that the Lord God is a great God and that he, the once lowly shepherd boy, is in awe of who God is and what He has done for David's people.
David as a servant of God, verses 19-21, says "who am I", that You have brought me to this position, King of Israel and this promise, the Davidic Covenant, as it relates to the future.
David realizes that the God of the Jews is "great", that there is none like the Lord God. Then David asks the rhetorical question, "what one nation in the earth is like thy people", verse 23.
The Jewish nation is a nation whom God went out to redeem from among all the peoples of the earth, for a "people to Himself". A nation whom God will give a piece of land, actually a piece of land ten times the size of the land the Jewish nation has today.
David also recognizes that the Lord confirmed to Himself the "people of Israel" to be a people unto Him, forever, verse 24. This statement declares that God has a future plan for the Jewish people. He is not finished with Israel. Israel, the nation and the people, have not been replaced, Biblically, by the "church".
The Lord will, and is today, revealing that plan to His chosen nation. By the way, that word "forever" is "olam" in Hebrew and it means not just during this time, but forever, even into eternity future. The Jewish people will be His chosen nation, forever.
Notice that Jeremiah 33:20-21 says "day and night will cease from being, before the Lord breaks His promise to David". Because God keeps His promise to David and his nation, the Jewish people, we can know for sure He keeps His promise of eternal life for you and for me. If He could break one promise He could break the other. God cannot break either promise.
What we have read for today and thought through is actually the worship and prayers of King David after God gave him the Davidic Covenant. With the promises that God has made to us, as Christians, we should pray and worship Him also. Thank you Lord.
PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank you, thank you, thank you Lord for keeping your promises to me, those promises of salvation and eternal life.
Saturday, March 18, 2023
II Samuel 7:16-17
Saturday, March 18, 2023 |
And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established forever before thee: thy throne shall be established forever. According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
For further study - II Samuel 7:4-17
The promise of a house (Temple), Kingdom and throne for a descendant of King David from the Lord is known as the Davidic Covenant. This is a promise that will only fail if the day and the night are no longer in existence, Jeremiah 33:19-21.
For almost 6,000 years, we have had a night followed by a day - God's promise to David is as true as the next moonlit night or majestic sunrise. The Davidic Covenant will be fulfilled by that member of the linage of King David, the person of Jesus Christ.
The complete fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant is yet future. It will be fulfilled when Jesus Christ returns to the Earth, to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem to set up His Kingdom by building His Temple on the Temple Mount (Zechariah 6:12-13) in Jerusalem.
It is in that Temple, where Jesus will be seated upon His "throne" as the promised descendant of King David. Jesus will rule and reign, forever. This is evidence that we are not now living in "the kingdom period".
The "kingdom" is yet to come, right now Jesus is seated at the "right hand" of His Father in the heavens, Hebrews 1:3, 8:1 and 12:2. One day in the future the Father will give His Son, Jesus, the "kingdom", Daniel 7:13 and 14.
Current events in this present world, in light of Bible Prophecy, seem to indicate that the coming of the Messiah is quickly approaching. The fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant's promise is drawing closer.
One of those current events is the preparation to build another Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and this Temple will be built prior to the "Kingdom Temple", in the Tribulation Period, Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15, II Thessalonians 2:4 and Revelation 11:1.
All the preparations have been made for that Tribulation Temple to be erected in Jerusalem at any time. The only thing that must happen before the next Temple is built is the Rapture, Jesus calling us to be with him in the heavenlies.
PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank you Lord for keeping your promises, like the Davidic Covenant, to the Jews, which confirms that You will keep all of Your promises to me.
Friday, March 17, 2023
II Samuel 6:17
Friday, March 17, 2023 |
And they brought in the ark OF THE LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before THE LORD.
For further study - II Samuel 6:1-23
In our previous readings in II Samuel we looked at chapter 5, which was the record of King David capturing the Jebusite stronghold of Jerusalem and making it the "political capital" of the Jewish people.
We will also look at chapter 7 which records that God made a covenant with King David, the Davidic Covenant, which promises that a descendant of David will sit on the throne in Jerusalem forever.
Now we read from II Samuel 6, which records King David bringing the Ark of the Covenant, that sacred piece of Temple furniture, into the city of Jerusalem. The account reminds us that Uzzah died beside the Ark because when he reached out to stop the Ark from falling from the cart it was being transported on, it angered the Lord, II Samuel 6:7. God also smote the driver of the "new cart", II Samuel 6:3.
The problem was that King David was following the example of the "secular world", the Philistines, by using a "new cart" to transport the Ark. The Manual, (God's Word), said that four Levites were to bare the Ark when it was moved.
Therefore, David would wait three months before he would be able to bring the Ark to Jerusalem. The record tells us that David would transport the Ark the proper way from the home of Obededom up to Jerusalem, II Samuel 6:11.
When all else fails, read and follow the "Manual".
David placed the Ark in a "temporary Tabernacle" until it would be placed in the Holy of Holies in the Temple that would be built by David's son Solomon. By this action, David made Jerusalem not only the "political capital" of the Jewish people, but it is their religious, or "spiritual capital" as well.
After having the First Temple built, King Solomon would place the Ark inside the Holy of Holies, II Chronicles 3:1 & 5:1-7. In God's promise to King David, the Lord said that Jerusalem would be the "eternal, spiritual capital" of the Jewish people.
In the Temple that Jesus will build in Jerusalem, Zechariah 6:12, there will be no Ark. Jesus Christ is the Ark in the Holy of Holies. However, in the next Temple to stand on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem there will be this same Ark that King David brought into Jerusalem. The next Temple is a "false temple" built by a "false messiah" - the Antichrist.
The next Temple is ready to go up in Jerusalem, with the Ark ready to be placed in the Temple. The only thing to happen before that is the Rapture of the Church, which could happen today.
PRAYER THOUGHT: Help me, Lord, to live ready for the Rapture.
Thursday, March 16, 2023
II Samuel 5:12
Thursday, March 16, 2023 |
And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake.
For further reading - II Samuel 5:1-12
On our journey through the Bible we come now to the book of II Samuel. I Samuel is the record of the first King of Israel, King Saul. As we read through II Samuel you will see that it is the record of the second King of Israel, King David.
In the first chapter David hears of the death of King Saul and we see his reaction to the King’s death. David is made King of Judah in chapter 2 and moves his family to Hebron to reign over this one tribe of the twelve tribes of Israel in chapter 3.
The event recorded here in II Samuel 5 took place 3,000 years ago which is very significant as it relates to Jerusalem, both politically and prophetically. The men of the tribe of Judah had come to David to appoint the grown-up shepherd boy of Bethlehem as king of their tribe, II Samuel 2:4, how-be-it , only one of the tribes of the twelve of Israel.
King David would serve as King of Judah for 7 and a half years before all the tribal leaders of Israel would come to him where he served in Hebron, to make him the King of all twelve tribes. King David made a league with them before the Lord and they anointed David King over Israel.
Now David must find a neutral location to headquarter his kingdom, some location other than Hebron. David's search took him to a Jebusite stronghold between the tribal locations of Benjamin and Judah known as Jerusalem.
After capturing the city, King David makes Jerusalem the political capital of the Jewish people. By the way, that was done some 3,000 years ago - before the Islamic faith came into existence.
Jerusalem, and in particular the Temple Mount, became the political center for the Jews. The Jews were occupying the Temple Mount over 1,000 years before the Muslims were ever in existence, especially before the prophet of the Islamic faith ever thought of riding a horse from the stone under the Dome of the Rock into heaven to meet with Allah.
The truth be known, the Quran never even mentions Jerusalem and most Islamic scholars debate whether Mohammad ever was in Jerusalem.
King David has a real connection to the Temple Mount. The second King of Israel actually paid cash money for the Temple Mount, II Samuel 24:18-25, the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
God made King David a promise, the Davidic Covenant, that there would be a Jewish temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and one of his descendants would be there to serve as co-regent, administrator of the Temple Mount.
The Davidic Covenant cannot be broken, however, there is one exception. If you can make the sun, the moon, and the stars disappear, then the Lord would forget all the promises He made to the "chosen people", Jeremiah 33:20-21, and King David.
God used this shepherd boy, giant killer and natural leader to not only lead the Jewish people in ancient times but He will also raise King David to serve along side the Messiah Jesus Christ for the 1,000 year Kingdom that is coming to Jerusalem, a kingdom that will be there forever.
That "kingdom" is yet to come and it will be a literal kingdom here on the Earth. But before that time there will be a "terrible time of judgment" known as the "Tribulation". This is a seven-year period of time of "judgment" on the Earth, which is preceded by the Rapture of the Church.
The Church is made up of those of us who are true "Bible-believing born-again Christians". The Rapture, as I often remind you, could happen at any moment, even today. Keep looking up.
PRAYER THOUGHT: Dear Lord, as I await your call for me to join you in heaven at the Rapture, mold me and make me to your specs to serve you now - and forever.
Wednesday, March 15, 2023
I Samuel 28:17-18
Wednesday, March 15, 2023 |
And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.
For further study - I Samuel 28:7-19
After David’s victory over Goliath and the Philistines the fame of this young shepherd boy started to spread. God had done, and would do a marvelous work through David, a young man that was totally committed to doing the will of God.
Israel’s King Saul had been there to watch the Lord using this shepherd boy to defend the children of Israel, and it was as if he was helpless to fulfill the leadership roll as the first king of the Jewish people.
The facts are that King Saul had not done that which the Lord had commanded him to do, kill all the Amalekites, including their king Agag, our key verses in our devotional for today. There are consequences for not being obedient.
With the fame of David and the Lord bringing judgment upon King Saul he moved farther away from doing the will of God and even started working against the Lord’s will. I Samuel 18 to 27 reveal the record of how that part of the story played out.
As we come to I Samuel 28 we see the result of both "disobedience" and "obedience". God takes the leadership role of Saul and gives it to David, verses 17 and 18. However, there is more to the story of Saul and his relationship with the Lord.
King Saul, the first king of Israel, consulted with the Witch of Endor, a satanically possessed woman. Because of that encounter, the Lord withdrew from King Saul and would not answer him.
The influence of the Devil has been present since the "fall of man" in Genesis 3. The Devil has in the past sent evil angels in the form of demons and witches into the world to cause havoc.
At the first coming of Jesus Christ there was much demonic activity that Jesus would confront. Demonic activity will be prevalent at the time of His second coming, and more so as we draw nearer to the coming of the Lord, Matthew 24:4-5, 11 & 24. In fact, demonic deception was the first indication that Jesus said would signal His Second Coming.
The last days are quickly approaching, I Timothy 4:1-2. As we understand these truths we can see just how close we may well be to His return. This knowledge also alerts us to the way to stand against this Satanic activity, James 4:7.
But please notice our key verses for today, verses 17 and 18. The Lord took the kingdom from King Saul and gave it to David because Saul had failed to follow the command of the Lord to destroy the Amalekites, I Samuel 15.
By the way, the problems that Israel has today with the Palestinian people are due to the fact that King Saul did not obey the Lord. You see the Palestinian people of today are the Amalekites of yesterday.
The scenario found in our devotional reading for today is very similar to the scenario of what will happen in the last days leading up to the Rapture and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Actually, the Rapture is the next thing to happen on God’s time clock of Bible prophecy and there are no prophecies to be fulfilled before the Rapture, it could happen at any moment, perhaps today.
PRAYER THOUGHT: Dear Lord help me to be obedient to you, no matter what your will for me might be.
I Samuel 17:46
Wednesday, March 15, 2023 |
This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
For further study -I Samuel 17:31-54
This portion of I Samuel 17 that we have chosen for our extended devotional reading today is the record of David's victory over the giant, Goliath. This is one great story. In reality, it would make a good movie script; however, it may be too wholesome for today's "movie-goers".
David, the youngest son of Jesse, from Bethlehem, was selected to take some "food-stuffs" to his brothers who were about to enter battle with the dreaded enemy of the Jewish people, the Philistines.
The young shepherd boy, and I mean boy, was most likely in his early to mid-teen years, David caught up with his brothers in the valley of Elah to the west of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. He saw that the Israelites were fearful of entering the battle, especially in light of the leader of the Philistines, a giant of a man, most likely over nine feet tall.
David immediately said to Saul that no one should fear or "let his heart fail" because he would go out to fight this Philistine, verse 32.
David told King Saul that when he had watched over his father's sheep on two different occasions a bear and a lion had come to attack the sheep and that he had killed both of them, verses 34-36. He was able to overcome the bear and the lion because the Lord was with him.
David assured Saul that because the Philistines had defied the "armies of the living God," the giant leader would be defeated. David refused Saul's armour, sword and helmet and took five smooth stones from the brook to go to battle with Goliath.
David would use the weapon that God had given him as a shepherd boy to protect his Father's sheep, the "slingshot", to kill the giant. By the way, David took five stones because he had heard that Goliath had four brothers. He thought he might have to defeat the whole family.
David killed Goliath, the children of Israel defeated the Philistines and David carried the "head" of Goliath into Jerusalem. He did this to let the Jewish people know that their God was the only true God and would protect them from their enemies, in His own way, not their way.
In fact, this whole incident was done, David and the children of Israel defeating Goliath and the Philistines, so "that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel", verse 46.
God, has for four thousand years, given the Jewish people the victories over seemingly unbeatable enemies so that the world would know that there is a true, powerful, almighty, holy God, the God of Israel.
The Jew has been, is now, and will be the evidence of that truth, even into the future. Also, the Jew is the key to knowing where God is in His timeline for the end of times, the Rapture, the Tribulation, and the Return of Jesus Christ to the Earth.
We all need to keep our focus on the Jews and their nation, and its capital city, Jerusalem, to know what God is doing. God has a "plan" for the last days, it’s called Bible Prophecy, all we need to do is read His prophetic word to see how what is happening today is setting the stage for these prophecies to be fulfilled.
As we see God’s plan being worked out today it will reveal to us how close the complete fulfillment of these prophecies may well be. This knowledge of what God is doing should cause us to live for Him as we eagerly await His Return.
PRAYER THOUGHT: Help me to live Lord so that the world will know that You are real and can change all who come unto You and receive eternal life as I did when I came unto You.
PRAYER THOUGHT: Help me to live Lord so that the world will know that You are real and can change all who come unto You and receive eternal life as I did when I came unto You.
Monday, March 13, 2023
I Samuel 16:13
Monday, March 13, 2023 |
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
For further study - I Samuel 16:1-13
This portion of I Samuel selected for our devotional reading today is the record of a young shepherd boy being selected to be the second King of Israel. This account follows the account of Saul, the first King of Israel, who failed to follow the instructions of the Lord that Samuel the prophet had given him.
God had told Samuel to have King Saul kill all of the Amalakites, and even their king, King Agag. King Saul failed to obey the Lord, and thus God rejected King Saul as the King of Israel, I Samuel 15:23.
Samuel mourned for King Saul and as he did so the Lord told the prophet to go to Bethlehem and select one of the sons of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, as the next King of the Jewish people.
In our extended reading you can see the record of Samuel's trip to Jesse's home and how he finally got to the son that the Lord wanted to be King over Israel. It is so interesting to see that God's choice was not among those first seven sons presented by Jesse, their father.
Finally, Jesse brought his youngest son, David, a young shepherd boy, to the prophet. That is when the Lord told Samuel to anoint David as the next King of Israel. This appointment was the beginning of a life given over to God.
In fact, God called David, "His friend", and made a covenant with him, the "Davidic Covenant", which would promise the Jews, through the line of King David, that a King would sit upon a throne in the Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. And that He would rule and reign from that spot forever.
Of course, the Davidic Covenant will be fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ, when He returns to earth to set up His Kingdom. The Lord also has already selected King David to be "co-regent" with Jesus at the Temple for the “thousand year millennial kingdom” that is coming, as promised, Ezekiel 34:23-24 and 37:24-25.
The Lord took a little shepherd boy and set him in the place of high service in the plan of God, during his own lifetime. The Lord has also determined for David a place of service in the future. He selected David to be a special servant unto Himself.
By the way, the Lord does that for us as well when we give our all to Him. God has a special “plan” for each of our lives. All we must do is to be available for Him to use us as He has planned. As we spend time in His Word and prayer He will make known what that “plan” is for us.
PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank you Lord for saving me and using me in your service as I surrender my will to Your will.
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