APRIL 28 READINGS...2 Samuel 15:1-17:14
The pain of being betrayed...can it get any worse than to be betrayed by your own son? David had allowed Absalom back even after he had killed his half-brother...then David allowed Absalom back into his presence, but Absalom wanted more. The son was going to betray the father...and his scheme was well thought out and perfectly planned. Absalom took his time in manipulating the people as they came to Jerusalem to see the king...Absalom never let the people get to David, and he always gave them favorable judgment so that they would love him. He also lied to his father in order to go to Hebron...where he would begin to build his own army, and claim the crown that belonged to David. This whole scenario shows us that David's kingdom was in disarray...and the issues that were destroying the kingdom were coming from the palace. Here again we see the fulfillment of Nathan's prophecy concerning David's kingdom...as a result of David's sins of murder and adultery. Remember there are always consequences for our sin...even though we get to receive the forgiveness of God, as David did, the results of his sin, and our sin, will bring consequences in this temporal world.
It is by deception that Absalom would claim the throne...and it would be by deception that he would lose the throne. Right from the start of this coup David would place his man in the palace of Absalom. It was David's plan that Hushai would counter every counsel given by the traitor Ahithophel...and David's prayer was that Absalom would listen to Hushai and not Ahithophel. In the first test of who Absalom would listen to David's prayer was answered. Absalom listened to the counsel of Hushai, and in doing so would eventually lose his position as king of Israel. We are in the midst of the kingdom of David self-destructing. History is filled with one great nation after another self-destructing, because of their unwillingness to follow the Lord and His ways. From Babylon to Rome we have self-destruction...and our very own nation is headed in the same direction. Some, and I would not argue with them, feel our country has already gone too far, and we are in the midst of our own self-destruction. As Babylon and Rome fell from within, America is now doing the same. May the Lord continue to bless His people and in the midst of nation(s) falling, may we keep our eyes on the Author and Finisher of our faith...the Lord Jesus!
Please share your thoughts and insights from today's reading. Let me encourage you to keep your eyes only on Jesus...He is our only refuge and help in these troubling times.
TOMORROW'S READINGS...2 Samuel17:15-29 & Psalm 3 & Psalm 63 & 2 Samuel 18:1-19:30
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