My mom had a saying when I was growing up that “all that glitters isn’t gold.” Perhaps that sentiment can be used to describe the aftermath of the death of Absalom, David’s son. What should have been a moment of rejoicing was really a moment of sadness for the kingdom of Israel in general and for King David in particular. Though the war was over ... [Continue Reading]
A Listening Ear (2 Samuel 16-18)
When David was confronted by the curses of Shimei he had a couple of choices. One option was to have his mighty warriors wipe Shimei from the face of the earth. Another option was to listen to Shimei's words and to take heed. Certainly, the people on David's side were hoping that he would give them permission to destroy the little pipsqueak who was making derogatory ... [Continue Reading]
A Snowball Effect (2 Samuel 13-15)
David's sin with Bathsheba carried extreme consequences. For one thing, a person who no longer has moral authority also doesn't have the freedom to speak truth into the lives of others. Perhaps that's why David never addressed the sin of his son, Amnon, and the violation of his half-sister, Tamar. The story, however, is certainly a strong ... [Continue Reading]
What To Do When You Sin (2 Samuel 11-12; 1 Chronicles 20)
What I’m about to say isn’t in any way an excuse for sin. In fact, I just finished preaching about temptation, and the good news of the Gospel is that Jesus’ death not only provides forgiveness for our sins, but it releases us from the shackles of temptation, and it gives us the power through the Holy Spirit to say “no” in the face of temptation. However, there will ... [Continue Reading]
The Danger of Assumptions (2 Samuel 10; 1 Chronicles 19)
When I was in middle school I learned a cute little phrase to remember how to spell the word assume... unfortunately this blog probably isn't an appropriate place to repeat it. However, there is a lot of truth behind the idea that assumptions are often wrong, and this is underscored by the grave mistake of Hanun, King of the Ammonites. He listened to some ... [Continue Reading]
Character Matters (2 Samuel 8-9; 1 Chronicles 18)
Yesterday I spent some time talking about David’s humility. Today another aspect of David’s character can be highlight – his integrity. David wasn’t always perfect in this area of his life, but for the most part, his integrity was very strong. One of the best examples of this relates to his treatment of Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth. David was ... [Continue Reading]
Who Am I? (2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17)
It was David's question, "Who am I?" in 2 Samuel 7, that made him worthy of being king of Israel and that distinguished him from his predecessor. David fully recognized that he was, in fact, no one before God and that he had nothing for which he could boast. His humility was astonishing in light of his military record. He brought down ... [Continue Reading]
How is Your Heart? (1 Chronicles 15-16)
When is the last time you did a heart check? I'm not talking about your physical heart; I'm talking about your spiritual one. The problem with David's wife, Michal, is that her heart was sick. She despised David because of his commitment to the Lord and for his perhaps somewhat reckless worshipping of God. David had nothing to hide ... [Continue Reading]
Misunderstanding God (2 Samuel 5:11-6:23; 1 Chronicles 13-14)
God has been misunderstood by many over the years, and no doubt the passage from today's reading doesn't help the confusion. Even David, in the moment, did not fully understand God because the experience with the Ark of the Covenant and Uzzah left him with a new level of fear. To us, it seems unreasonable that God might strike Uzzah dead for what ... [Continue Reading]
God’s Guiding Presence (2 Samuel 5:1-10; 1 Chronicles 10, 11:1-9)
A stark contrast certainly existed between King David and King Saul as it came to God's presence in their leadership. The difference between the two men was that David sought to bring glory to the Lord and Saul sought to bring glory to himself. Since David's efforts were directed at the Lord, his work prospered under God's hand. No verse ... [Continue Reading]
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