Remember the consequences of David’s sin that he had to endure in the temporal world? His infant son, first conceived by Bathsheba died. The sword is devouring his household. First, Amnon raped Tamar. Second, Absalom killed Amnon. Third Absalom is now seeking to kill David. But I think there is another caveat tucked in here that is related to focusing upon our honor above the Lord’s. It is the little village of Bahurim located east of Jerusalem near the mount of Olives on the old road to Jericho. It is here that David extricated his first wife, Michal, from her second husband, Paltiel, in defense of his honor for the way that Saul had defamed him in giving Michal away. This is a village of strong loyalties to the household of Saul. Out comes Shimei of the household of Saul pronouncing curses upon David, saying,
Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! 8“The LORD has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!
Is this not true? Did not the Lord Himself say, “You have shed much blood and have made great wars; you shall not build a house for My name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in My sight?” Had not the Lord Himself pronounced the consequences of David’s murder of Uriah? It is partially true. Notice here how the enemy of our souls will twist the truth of God’s word to drive us into depression. Here Shimei says, “The LORD has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned.” The consequences of David’s sin were not for his behavior toward the house of Saul but for His murder of Uriah. The enemy is trying to drive David into despair as though the LORD had no hope for David. Even when we are living out the consequences of past sin, there is always hope. The LORD never forsakes us or leaves us for He can never forsake Himself. It looks grim for David, but there is hope. Sometimes we need to let the past go because we are following a God of hope. That is what I see glorious about our LORD in this passage. He gives us hope. Even in the midst of living out the consequences of our sin, He gives us hope. He remains with us. Even in the dark times, we must cling to Him. David clung to Him with what little emotional strength that he had left at this time. It was during this time that he wrote the third Psalm. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
What Bahurim might have looked like:
Psalm 81
I have never seen an episode of the TV show Desperate Housewives. Seeing one commercial was enough to convince me that I should not let my mind wander there. I have enough difficulty remaining pure without dwelling on someone else’s impurity. Yet, I imagine that the housewives of that show are fitting illustrations of the wife of the Lord as described in this Psalm. But I do not want to describe any more of her than is necessary to give an antithesis of Him.
He is faithful to His unfaithful wife. He delivered her out of slavery in Egypt. He gave her fresh water when it was bitter. He gave her filtered water when there was none. She ran after other men (foreign gods). He wooed her to Himself with promises of joy and provision, but she would have none of it. He remained loyal to her. He desired to give her the best. He wanted to give her the best foods and deserts. He even desired to give honey from the rock. In a place where there could be no food, he could give honey. He is infinitely sweet to His wife. But that sweetness permits her to pursue her own stubborn design, to walk in her own counsels. Those ways lead to death.
You and I are or can be that unfaithful wife. Lord, You are the ever faithful One! Even now you give me the finest of wheat, figuratively and literally! Help me protect my heart from foreign Gods! They constantly woo me! But only You can satisfy. It is Your glory to satisfy. You are most glorified when we are most satisfied in You! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Daniel 2
Sometimes the politics and wars of this world seem more than overwhelming. In the words of “Bones” in the old Star Trek TV series, it is, “Madness!” The killing is everywhere. If God is there, why does He not stop it? If He really does raise up and take down the rulers of this world, why does He permit the Hitlers, the Stalins, the Husseins, the Ammins, the Kim Ils, of this world to rule so long and wreak so much havoc? Daniel knew firsthand the ruler/builder/killer/madman of his world, Nebuchadnezzar. It was Nebuchadnezzar who destroyed Judah. It was he who defeated Egypt at Carchemish. It was he who humbled nations from Persia to Egypt, and he did not achieve it by being Mr. Niceguy. It was to this ruler/madman that God reveals his world plan.
It was in a dream, a dream that haunted the ruler of the world, a dream meant for instruction, a dream meant to bring action and hope, a dream of warning. God revealed that yes, He is in control of the rulers of this world. It was a dream that was so accurate that skeptics refuse to believe that it could have been recorded by Daniel, for if Daniel recorded it, then indeed the Lord is the ruler of all. It projected the history of the Near East for the next 500 years and then to the end of the world. It revealed that ultimately the Kingdom of God would destroy every ruler of man, and He would then rule as king forever!
You and I are players in that dream, like Nebuchadnezzar we have a role to play. It may not be as dramatic or as visible as his, but it is never-the-less a similar role. Our role is to choose. Will we choose to cling to the fact that:
Wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him.
And so choosing will we permit that faith to yield obedience? Why does God permit this madness? He does so to demonstrate the human heart. We all think we are little kings and queens of our universe. We want our sovereign will to be accomplished. God permits us to have our own way for several reasons, but one is to clearly demonstrate to us that if He permits us to go our own way, we will together become corrupt unto madness. Ultimately He will step in and defeat our madness. The only question which we can answer is which side will we be on when He steps in? I want to be in His light, basking in His glory. I want to be found in the sanity of His glory, not the madness of man! Yes, He is in control, even when it hurts. Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
2 Corinthians 12
We all possess infirmities and weaknesses that we would rather not have. We all go through humbling experiences that we would rather not go through. I don't know about you, but I would rather cover over those things and forget about them. Paul boasts in them. Why? It is in our weaknesses when Jesus shows Himself to be strong. Our first instinct is to ask the Lord to be set free from them. Sometimes the Lord does set us free from them--to the praise of His glory. But sometimes the Lord says to us, as He said to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."
When we understand that key thought from the Lord and submit ourselves to Him, then we are enabled. His grace floods our lives. The weakness is still difficult. But we gain a new power to rise through the weakness. It becomes apparent to us and those around us that we have a power that does not come from ourselves. We and others can see His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
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