Devotionary

We were once dead, but Christ made us alive. He canceled the record of our debt and removed the death penalty under which we had lived. The key to our continued spiritual transformation isn’t more hard work, but an increased dependency upon Jesus.

In Paul, we have a powerful model of what it means to be a servant of Jesus Christ, putting the needs of others first, and doing whatever it takes to see that every believer is mature in Christ.

Jesus, the creator of all things, subjected Himself to live as a man, taking on human flesh and dying a sinner’s death, all so that we might be reconciled to God. And as a result, we are members in good standing of God’s family.

Paul had a strong opinion regarding anyone who attempted to add to the gospel of Jesus Christ in any way. And he was not afraid to call them out as exactly what they were: Heretics.

God had been consistently, faithfully at David’s side, teaching him, preparing him, disciplining him, and molding him into the king he had appointed him to be.

David would pass on to his young son two duties he had been reluctant to take care of on his own. David was leaving his son a powerful and successful kingdom, but also a far-from-attractive set of instructions to do his dirty work for him.

As David prepared to hand over his kingdom to Solomon, he shared some tips about manliness and manhood. In David’s mind, a real man was a godly man. He had a heart for God and willingness to submit to the will of God, no matter what.

God had a plan that was going to include a King like no other king Israel would ever have. This King would be a descendant of David, but His kingdom would last forever. And He would bring righteousness to Israel as no one else ever had or ever could.

David is being forced to step in and make an announcement regarding his successor. But this passage isn’t just about the throne. It’s about God’s desire to have the right kind of man wear the crown.

Solomon was God’s appointed successor to the throne, but Adonijah was unwilling to accept that outcome. So, David was faced with yet another important decision to make. All eyes were on him. The future of his kingdom was at stake. How would he respond?

This scene is eerily reminiscent of Absalom’s attempt to usurp the throne from David. Once again, one of David’s sons exhibits rebellious tendencies, all because David had failed to provide him with proper guidance and discipline in his life.

David had seen the error of his way, but he had to pay the piper. His sin was going to require blood sacrifice. He had offended a holy God and, even with his confession, restitution would have to be made.

In 2 Samuel 24:1-10, we see David getting in trouble with God because he decided to take a census that would reveal just how big a standing army he could muster if he needed to. And God didn’t take David’s decision too well.

Joab wasn’t a fair-weather friend. And he wasn’t the type to ply David with false flattery. He loved him enough to say the tough things. But as we will see in 2 Samuel 23:24-39, Joab’s name is nowhere to be found.

From the very moment he fled from Jerusalem, seeking to put some distance between himself and Saul, David found himself surrounded by men who not only loved him but were willing to die for him.