Things that bring change Thursday May 12, 2011

  Today's treasure:  2 Samuel 3:1

  Read 2 Samuel 2:8-3:5
  You noticed David's additional wives.  According to Deut. 17:17, David's heart was certain to be led astray.  Polygamy was an extremely common practice among Eastern kings.  However common, the nation of Israel had been told not to "imitate the detestable ways of the nations"  David's actions were acceptable to men during this ancient era, but they were not acceptable to God.  
  One of the most important names has been Ish-Bosheth as identified as one of Saul's sons.  He is not listed in the beginning of Saul's reign in 1 Samuel 14:49 but appears in a final list of sons in 1 Chron. 8:33, indicating he was born after Saul became king.  Abner,commander of Israel's army, became the man in the power seat after Saul's death. He placed Ish-Bosheth, Saul's youngest son, in authority.  He reigned for 2 years.
  2 Samuel 3:1 shows how time plus conflict equals change.  We've fought some tough battles in our journeys--battles with temptations, strongholds, doubts, fears, addictions and compulsions.  Some of them have waged for years.  Time will pass and change will come.  Just like David and the house of Saul, we will wither grow stronger or weaker.  We cannot remain the same after a severe and long battle.  We can't always choose our battles, but we can certainly make choices to affect the outcome.  
  One of the most repeated themes in David's life and ours is warfare.  
  What does Ephesians 2:1-3 describe as the source of much warfare we experience?  The Word of God makes us aware of different enemies we have as Christians.
  Galatians 5:15-16
  Ephesians 6:12
  1 John 2:15-16


  We will fight these enemies to varying degrees for the rest of our lives.  We can be assured that time plus conflict will equal change.  God wanted us to learn from David's approach to warfare because He included so many of David's psalms addressing the subject.  
  Read Psalm 20:1-9


  According to 1 John 2:20, how could Psalm 20:6 apply to Christians?


  Compare verses 1 and 9 of Psalm 20.  God is so anxious to answer us when we are in distress, but an answer requires a plea for help.  
  David continually called on God to fight his battles for him.  David always knew whose hand brought the victory.  The battles God allowed David to fight were means toward a divine end.  We cannot pick fights or choose our own battles and expect God to get involved and fight for us.  But when God ordains or permits our battles to be used to accomplish a divine end and we depend on God through every sweep of our sword, we will grow stronger instead of weaker.