Month: February 2015

Same Name, Different Men

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1 Chronicles 23:7, 9, “The sons of Gershon were Ladan and Shimei…The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers houses of Ladan.” ESV

“The man Shimei mentioned in this verse was the head of a subdivision in the family of Laadan, which was a smaller part of the Gershon clan. The man named Shimei mentioned in verses 7 and 10 was the son of Gershon (Ex. 16:17; Num. 3:18) and the founder of a division of the Gershon family.” ESV Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible

This is not the Shimei who cursed David as he was fleeing from Absolom, see 2 Samuel 16:5-8.

1 Chronicles 26:1, “As for the divisions of the gatekeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah, the son of Kore of the sons of Asaph.” ESV

“The man named Asaph mentioned here should not be confused with the psalmist, who had the same name and was a member of the clans of Gershon. The Korahites, who guarded the temple gates, belonged to the clan of Kohath.” ESV Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible

 

 

Mourning Into Dancing

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My husband and I went with our friend to pick up her husband at a hospital over 2 hours away today. He’s been in hospitals for most of the last three weeks. They have four very young children and she just started a new job. She is holding down two jobs to support the family until he is able to return to work.

How do you encourage someone who is carrying such a heavy burden?

Psalms 30:11, “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.”

Their time together is so much sweeter because of their time apart.

You should have seen them leaving the hospital, holding hands and wearing the most contented expressions. It was beautiful to see.

What Was David’s Sin?

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2 Samuel 24:1, “Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, ‘Go, number Israel and Judah.'”

“Opinions vary concerning the sin involved in this census. Josephus stated that David failed to collect the proper offering, which had been commanded in Exodus 30:12. Some scholars feel that the sin was a result of David’s attitude of pride and arrogance. Others suggest that his intentions were to maximize military strength and to tax the people further. In any event, when David repented, God gave him three options as the consequences of his sin: famine, military defeat, or pestilence. David fully trusted in God even as he chose, preferring to fall into the Lord’s merciful hands (v. 14). While one may experience God’s chastening, he must still rely on his grace, trust him fully, and be committed to him.” ESV Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible

Prayers Answered Immediately

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Psalms 138:3, “On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.”

I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like God answers my prayers on the day I speak them.

Sometimes, the answer is delayed, see Daniel 9:20-23; 10:10-14.

Sometimes, the answer is “no” and I keep praying, hoping God will change his mind, see 2 Samuel 12:15-23.

Other times, the answer is simply, “not yet.” That is why we are instructed to wait on the Lord. It is during the waiting that the strength of our soul increases.

No Huffing or Puffing Required

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Psalms 18:15, “The channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.”

In fairy tales, the big, bad wolf could blow a house of straw over by huffing and puffing.

In contrast, just the air being breathed out of God’s nose is enough to force back the waters of the sea until its bed is revealed and expose the foundations of the world.

Why Did Joab Kill Amasa?

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2 Samuel 20:9, “And Joab said to Amasa, ‘Is it well with you, my brother?’ And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.”

Why did Joab kill Amasa? Because he had been replaced by him.

2 Samuel 17:25, “Now Absalom had set Amasa over the army instead of Joab…”

Why did Amasa trust him? The answer is found in the same verse.

2 Samuel 17:25, “…Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ishmaelite, who had married Abigal the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeuriah, Joab’s mother.”

Amasa was his cousin. Joab killed his cousin because he wanted to be in charge of the army.

“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Abraham Lincoln

Sway the Hearts

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King David was not only a great warrior, he was a good politician. He was able to unite all the men of Judah in support of him.

2 Samuel 19:14, “And he swayed the heart of all the men of Judah as one man, so that they sent word to the king, ‘Return, both of you and all your servants.'”

 

Leave Room for Reconciliation

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2 Samuel 16:22, “So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.”

“This lewd display was one of the things that Nathan predicted would happen as a result of David’s sin with Bathsheba (see the note on 2 Samuel 12:1-14). Absalom did it on the counsel of Ahithophel (v. 21). Besides the fact that this was forbidden by God, it made Absalom’s reconciliation with David impossible and forced the people to take sides between the two of them.” ESV Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible

All of the counsel of Ahithophel was esteemed by David and Absalom, v. 23. Yet this time, his counsel broke God’s law and made reconciliation impossible.

We want to burn bridges out of anger, but we must always leave room for reconciliation…even if God has led us on different paths. This is especially important among Christians, after all, we will be spending eternity together.

David didn’t burn his bridge, he gave orders to protect Absalom, (see 2 Sam. 18:5, 12).

 

I Will Trust in You

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Week 7 of my husband’s unemployment is almost over. The list of job openings has not changed in the last few weeks. Even worse, is when you try to apply for an opening, only to find the company is not hiring. Yet, that “job opportunity” keeps appearing on the lists.

And the phone calls…yuck:

  • We can help you go to school.
  • We can help you get out of debt. (We are.)
  • We can help you buy your own business.

So far, the only thing that has happened is someone helped themselves to our credit card!

Over and over, every day, I proclaim: “God, I trust you to take care of us.”

He does! He found the credit card fraud that Liifelock missed!

Psalms 55:23, “But you, O God, will cast them down into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in you.”

And All the Little Ones

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2 Samuel 15:22, “And David said to Ittai, ‘Go then, pass on!’ So Ittai the Gititte passed on with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.”

“David’s band of rebels that had fled with him from Saul to the Philistine city of Gath (1 Samuel 27:2) and continued with him in Ziklag, Hebron, and Jerusalem (1 Sam. 30:1; 2 Sam. 2:1-3; 5:6) was originally composed of six hundred men. Some thirty years later, as David fled from Absalom, this group of men was still together.” ESV Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible

It is one thing to follow when you are in your 20’s, single, and a bit of a rebel. But sometimes we are called to go in our 50’s and 60’s and to take our children and grandchildren with us!

Traveling, not knowing your destination or the length of your trip, with little ones is not for the faint of heart! They didn’t even know where they would get food!