It is amazing to me that Rechab and Baanah actually thought that David would reward them for Ishbosheth’s head, but then, think about it. David had assembled with the Philistines before the battle in which Saul met his demise. Perhaps only the Philistines knew that David was sent home because they did not trust him. David did not come to Saul’s rescue. There had been war between the David’s men and Ishbosheth’s men for 7.5 years. There had been no conflict between David and the Philistines during that time. From a human viewpoint, why wouldn’t David desire Ishbosheth’s death. But David was not concerned about the human viewpoint. He still believed in not touching the anointed of the Lord. But their unrighteousness triggered a final act that was needed to reunify the country.
Now that the country was moving toward unification, what could David do that would solidify it? Our country had the same problem as we sought to find a capital to unify the country. In what later became known as the Compromise of 1790, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and Thomas Jefferson came to an agreement that the federal government would assume war debt carried by the states, on the condition that the new national capital would be located in the Southern United States. Thus the District of Columbia, our nation’s capital, was built. David wisely found a Jebusite border town that had never been conquered, Jerusalem. He conquered it. By royal right of conquest, the city became his. He made it the new capital. It was perfectly situated near the border of Benjamin and Judah giving it a central location.
With the unification of Israel under David at a new capital, the Philistines came to the realization that David was no longer their vassal, but he had become a king with rapidly growing power. They attacked. True to form David asks the Lord for advice on when and how to attack the Philistines. The Lord instructed him. We are in a spiritual battle. The Lord calls us to battle. But we must be dependent upon Him by asking for his battle plan. Most of the plan is given in the Word. But it is His Spirit who takes the word and instructs us in the specific use of it. Let us ask Him for His plan for only then will His glory be predominate. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
A Tunnel coming up from the water shaft:
Psalm 71
“Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; Incline Your ear to me, and save me.” Throughout David’s life God had delivered him from many adverse situations. Now he is old. Once again he is in an unnamed tenuous situation. Once again he calls out to God for deliverance. This time he requests deliverance in God’s ‘righteousness.’ What does that mean? Does it mean that because God is righteous, then He ought to deliver David? The implication would be that God is righteous, and David is righteous, and God should deliver righteous people, and therefore He ought to deliver David. One of the problems with that logic is whether or not the second premise is true.
At least twice in the Psalm, David refers to his old age. I am beginning to realize that I am old, I’m 60. I suspect that David was older than 60 when he wrote this Psalm. What was David encountering at my age? Absalom was born to David in Hebron to David’s fourth wife (I’m including Michal). That means that David was between 30 and 37 when Absalom was born. I’m guessing that David sired Absalom when he was 31 or 32. So Absalom was around 25 when David was 57, probably during the time that David was having problems with Absalom. David died at around 70 years of age. If I die at 70, I only have about 10 years left. My last child was born just 13 years ago. The Reese Chronological Bible dates David's death to 985 BC and Absalom's rebellion to 993 BC. That makes David about 62 when Absalom died. Absalom was about 30.
This Psalm has the feeling that there has been some distance in time for healing from Absalom’s death. Yet David still has detractors that threaten him:
Verses 12–13 O God, do not be far from me; O my God, make haste to help me! Let them be confounded and consumed who are adversaries of my life; Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor who seek my hurt.
My guess is that David wrote this during the rebellion of Sheba. This rebellion came on the heels of Absalom’s rebellion. David was again threatened. He would have been at least 62, maybe older, definitely old age, less than eight years from death. In the midst of his trouble, David declares that he will sing in rejoicing and declare with his lips his own redemption and the righteousness of God. Hmmmm. . . One would think that after all the adversity through which David has come that at some point David would say, “Lord, You are not being fair with me! Don’t I deserve a break in my old-age? Why don’t you call off the dogs?” But what he desires more than anything is the nearness of God and the help of His presence! Why? Because he is grounded in the redemption and righteousness of God.
I need to continually remind myself of redemption and righteousness of God. This is a great part of His glory! All that comes into my life is allowed because He is righteous! Indeed He is merciful because I deserve worse treatment than I receive. That is part of redemption. His blood was shed so that I might drink the cup of redemption, salvation. He is right all the time. He is also a sure help in times of trouble. I will declare His righteousness in all situations. How about you? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Ezekiel 40
This morning (2015) I awoke from a fitful dream. In the dream I returned from vacation to enter the church building in the middle of a governing board meeting. A friend of mine, who is pastor of one of the larger churches in Stillwater, was present in the meeting. In the dream he had been fired by the congregation. He and a small remnant had come to our congregation for refuge. They were in exile seeking a place for healing in the presence of the Lord.
Ezekiel was a priest before his exile in 597 BC. Chapter one retells his first vision which occurred in 593 BC, four years after the exile. Ezekiel is given a hard task of prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem because of her whoredom committed with other gods. Then in chapter ten he is given the vision of the glory of the Lord beginning to withdraw from the temple in Jerusalem. Why is He given that vision? The Lord removes His glory before He permits the heathen to destroy His temple. He created His people that His glory might dwell among them, but when their whoredom becomes so intense that it sullies His glory, He removes His glory for the discipline of His people. As a priest, His whole life revolved around the temple, its sacrifices and the glory of the Lord. The temple was destroyed in 586 BC.
It is now 572 BC. Ezekiel is 25 years into his captivity. The temple has lain destroyed now for 14 years. God gives Him a new vision. The temple is rebuilt; the priests are re-employed; the building is prepared for the glory of the Lord to return. Much ink has been spilled over whether or not this is a literal building that will be built and used in the Millennial kingdom, or whether this is metaphorical in nature. If it is metaphorical, then why is so much detail given in the measurements of the building? If it is literal then why are the sacrifices reinstituted if Christ is the summation of all the sacrifices? I am neither able nor equipped to give a definitive answer to those questions. However, there seems to be one sure literal interpretation here: The glory of the Lord is revealed in His holy temple.
Ezekiel’s temple was a temple made with hands. It was rebuilt after His death. The temple built by the returning exiles after Ezekiel’s death certainly was not rebuilt according to the specifications given here. In a metaphorical sense, it is being rebuilt right now. Paul teaches us that we, the church, are the temple of God which Jesus is building to dwell in us (1 Cor. 3:16,17; Eph. 2:21), but Hebrews 8 & 9 tell us that there is a true temple, tabernacle, sanctuary, which the earthly sanctuary is only a pattern. Jesus is the High Priest of the true sanctuary. 2 Peter tells us that we are living stones being fitted together as a spiritual temple in which God may dwell. Not only are we the stones of the spiritual temple, but we are also the priests of the temple offering up spiritual sacrifices of praise to Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Where is the glory of the Lord revealed? In His holy temple.
We live in a world that is in exile from the glory of the Lord. Many are seeking healing from the dreadfulness of sin. The church is being built by our Lord as a dwelling for His presence. The Master Builder gives great attention to the details of its building. When He is finished, it will be a place for His glory. We are the building materials, and the priests who offer the sacrifices of praise. Each of our lives are a minutia of details, that may be boring to others, but in the esteem of the Master builder, each detail is of great significance. Each person is of great significance. He will not permit His glory to be sullied by the whoredom of seeking other gods or by the exaltation of our own traditions or plans which drive wedges between us. The greatest revelation of His glory is seen in the truth of His Greatness as God, as He purifies His people and in our love for each other. It is there among His holy people, who love each other, that He reveals His glory. Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
2 Corinthians 3
Jesus fulfilled the Law. At the time the Law was delivered, it came through Moses and was written on stone tablets. Moses daily communed with God. After communing with God, he would speak with the people. His face shone brightly from the glory of the Lord. He put a veil on so that they could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. Was it passing away each day, or was it constant every day and the total glory of the law was eventually passing away? What was the purpose of the Law? It was to condemn sin so that we might know that we needed someone to make us righteous. That was a glorious ministry! It was illustrated by the glow on Moses' face.
Jesus' ministry to us is not to use the Law to condemn us, but His ministry is to transform us into men & women who meet all the righteous standards of the Law. As we read His word, part of which is the Law, we listen to His voice. His Spirit writes His life on our hearts not on stone or pieces of paper but upon our hearts. As we listen, we see His glory! As we gaze on His glory we are transformed into his image. His Spirit takes His word, His life and writes it in our heart, speaks it in our heart. We see His glory. We are changed. Am I listening for His Spirit? He speaks to those who listen. His glory shines when we listen. What is He saying? Perhaps it is, "I love you." Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
No comments:
Post a Comment