It was back in II Samuel 7 that David first considered all he had and how the Ark of the Covenant was still residing in a tent. But from the start, the Lord told him it would not be him to do the actual construction of the Temple. (II Samuel 7:12-13) What God did permit David to do was preparation, planning, and stockpiling of materials. Now David could of been offended by this…but he wasn’t. He understood that he was a warrior with blood on his hands and that Jerusalem wasn’t yet secure enough to begin construction. What it all boiled down to was appropriateness and proper timing. All during our Christian life there will be times when we’ll plow the hard ground…someplace else we may plant seed…and another time will find us watering the seedbed. All these things are vitally important for a harvest…but it is only God that brings it about, for only He can make it grow at the perfect time. (I Corinthians 3: 6-9) We all want to see immediate results in people’s lives, but we also need to be content in whatever the Lord gives us to do…for at the proper time He will make it happen.
Tag: King David
I Chronicles 29:17 ” I know, my God, that You test the heart and are pleased with integrity.”
David was known as a man after God’s own heart, and in this prayer we see him understanding that God examines the heart to determine the essential character of a person…especially integrity. For David knew that the Lord took delight in those who conducted themselves in a upright, just, and fair manner towards others.
Psalm 55: 12-13 ” If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend…”
If you read the first eight verses of Psalm 55 you have to wonder – what’s gotten into David. This mighty man of God and fierce warrior…someone who as a youngster killed Goliath with a single stone…is now quaking in his boots. Bravery has been replaced by abject terror…overwhelming fear now overshadows this once courageous man. It’s to the point, in verses 6-8 that David is ready to give up and just run away. So who is this person that’s affecting David so? It turns out to be his own flesh and blood…his son, Absalom, who’s attempting to seize the kingdom away from him. This once fierce warrior is facing an enemy he’s never encountered before, and his anguished heart can hardly bear it.
II Samuel 16:1 ” When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting for him…”
Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul. And after their deaths, in an act of kindness, King David had restored their property to the handicapped Mephibosheth. This deal included Ziba, who had once been a servant in Saul’s household. Within verses 1-4, Ziba cleverly manages to protect his own interests and accuse Mephibosheth of treachery and disloyalty against King David…all the while spreading malice gossip and lies. Sadly, King David took Ziba at his word and did not check it out first for authenticity before hastily responding. He reacted rather than acting in a responsible way…and thus was easily swayed by deception and drama.
II Chronicles 6:7-9 ” My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. But the Lord said to my father, David, ‘Because it was in your heart to build a temple for My Name, you did well to have this in your heart. Nevertheless, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, who is your own flesh and blood – he is the one who will build the temple for My name.’ “
Just because you have a desire and passion for something doesn’t mean you’re the one to accomplish it. David was one of Israel’s most famous kings, and the Lord had laid on his heart the desire to build a temple…a permanent place for the glory of the Lord to dwell. But God had different plans for him. I Chronicles 28:3 says, “But God said to me, ‘You are not to build a house for My Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood.’ ” David was a man of war, where his son Solomon, the successor to his throne, was a man of peace. Now David might have felt he needed to be the one to build the temple, but he didn’t argue with God. He then understood that his job was to do the preliminary planning…and before he died, David had procured and amassed many of the building materials needed so that his son Solomon could then start the project. For many of us, we’re God’s preliminary planners…we have God’s vision and the passion for the task at hand. But our job is that of prayer and intercession…for God has in mind someone else to fulfill the mission.
I Chronicles 29:12 ” Wealth and honor come from You; You are the Ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. “
In this prayer, King David was acknowledging that it was only from God – the source of everything – that he possessed abilities and achievements. David was also acknowledging the sovereignty and authorship of God as he viewed the world around him. Later, his son Solomon would write in Ecclesiastes 5:19-20, ” When God gives any man wealth and possessions,and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work – this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.” Recognizing and thanking God for His benevolence in our lives gives rise to one of the greatest gifts we can ever receive…it’s peace and contentment.
Psalm 46:1 ” God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
God is your helper. He is not indifferent to your plight. He is not just siting there watching you go through tough times, detached and uncaring about what’s happening. It tells us in Psalm 18 that when David cried out to God for help, He reached down from on high and rescued him. That’s called divine intervention by a ever-present, ever-loving God. Whatever you’re going through today, know that the Lord is actively involved and is keenly aware of every detail. Cry out to Him and He will respond.
Isaiah 11:1 ” A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.”
Researching genealogy and our ancestry has become a popular pastime…and it’s fun to find out where we came from. Likewise, we can start to trace Jesus Christ’s lineage from this verse. Here Isaiah spoke of the coming Messiah as the branch or shoot spouting up from the stump or roots of Jesse, King David’s father. Matthew 1:1-14 then gives us the complete genealogy of Jesus…all 42 generations. This family tree is spoke about again in Revelation 5:5, “See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed.” But Jesus also transcends all genealogy, all ancestry as we know it…for He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end…all man, but all God.
I Samuel 16:13 ” So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power.”
God had sent the Prophet Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse’s seven sons as King. As six strapping young men paraded past Samuel…each time he thought to himself, “This has to be the one!” But God reminded Samuel in verse 7, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” It wasn’t until the youngest son, David, was called from the pasture, that God declared, “He is the one.” This should give all of us encouragement…especially those who have said to themselves, “I have nothing to offer God.” The Lord doesn’t consider outward appearances. He looks only at what He can do through us if we’re a willing worker.
I Samuel 25:25 ” May my lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name, his name is Fool, and folly goes with him.”
David and his men were holed up in the Desert of Maon where a wealthy landowner with thousands of sheep and goats pastured his livestock…his name of Nabal. He was married to a beautiful and intelligent woman named Abigail. David and his men had protected Nabal’s shepherds and sheep…so when shearing started, his men had come with greetings, looking for favor…but instead, found insults being hurled at them by Nabal. When David got wind of this, he gathered his men to launch an assault on the household. Meanwhile, Abigail had been told of her husband’s faux pas and quickly intervened by packing up a large quantity of provisions, and setting off to intercept David. When their paths crossed, Abigail was able to very eloquently and diplomatically change David’s mind…and so halting the annihilation of her entire household.
Safetypinlove 