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Day 87 – Thru the Bible
Today we begin Second Samuel and continue Psalms.
Here’s a video that walks us through 2nd Samuel.
Video – Read Scripture: 2 Samuel
2 Samuel 1-3 – It is often remarked that “good things come to those who wait.” Anointed to be king already in 1 Samuel 16, David has nevertheless waited—waited on the Lord through years of difficulty and danger in the wilderness. Even when given opportunities in 1 Samuel 24 and 26 to rid the kingdom of the rejected king Saul—who refuses to step down—David resists temptation and waits.
Now, David is finally made king over all Israel, south and north. Blood is spilt on David’s way to the throne but, as the biblical writers are at pains to point out, not by David. In fact, even when Saul dies in battle (Saul, who for many years thought about little else than sending David to an early grave), David takes no pleasure in his death and deals harshly with the opportunistic Amalekite who seeks to benefit from it by falsely claiming to have killed Saul.
Then, in one of the most moving eulogy-laments of world literature, David honors Saul right alongside his beloved and loyal friend Jonathan. David has no desire to gain the throne by just any means or tactic.
When the power-hungry former captain of Saul’s army, Abner (3:6), is treacherously murdered by Joab (3:27), David does not rejoice but, rather, places a curse on Joab (3:28–29) and forces him and all the people to “put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner” (3:31).
Yes, “good things come to those who wait.” But it depends, of course, on what or whom one is waiting for. David waited for the Lord. David’s world and his mind were infused with the reality of God. David was patient, because he knew that nothing and no one could thwart the good purposes of God for him or for any who are the Lord’s. Because God carried (and carries!) more weight than any threat, challenge, or enemy, David had confidence that “evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land” (Psalm 37:9).
We sometimes say, “Patience is a virtue.” More biblically, we should say, patience is a mark of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). David suffered much at the hand of Saul—hardship, dishonor, and slander—but he refused to return evil for evil (see Romans 12:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; 1 Peter 3:9).
David chose rather to bless and not curse (Romans 12:14) and even to eulogize Saul in his death. Such conduct is possible only for those filled with and empowered by the Spirit of God (remember 1 Samuel 16:13).
In God’s economy, suffering ends in exaltation.
As Believers, we can expect suffering (“in the world you will have tribulation”; John 16:33), but how do we know our hope at the far side of suffering is even grander than David’s? Hint 1 Peter 5:10.
Therefore, what is our response? Hint: 1 Peter 5:6–7.
Psalm 87 – The covenant nation is “glorious” because she is loved by the God whose glory is his mercy. Given the degraded nature of those who will finally make up the church, it is essential that a sovereignly gracious God be the foundation of God’s people (Hebrews 11:10).
“Rahab” (which here means “arrogant one” in Hebrew) refers to Egypt, but someday her citizens would bow the knee to God.
Babylon represents confusion, yet God promises that her citizens will see the light.
Though a wrathful opponent, Philistia would come to peace with God.
A commercial city, Tyre represented covetousness, but she would someday make God her soul’s chief treasure.
Though Ethiopia (Cush) represented the most remote and spiritually illiterate nation of the known world, God’s good news would someday come even to them, enabling them to identify with God’s people and setting them free.
God will see to it by his Spirit that His chosen ones will be reborn as citizens in His city (Galatians 4:26–27). In the fullness of time, God will ultimately unveil that He was drawing His people to a Person, not a place—“to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant” (Hebrews 12:24).
The Father will ensure that they are transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of his beloved Son (Colossians 1:13). He will Himself write in His book, “This one was born [in Zion]”.
How does experiencing God’s grace ignite exuberant living? Hint: John 7:38.
Since this deliverance is really true, how could our response be anything less?
What other thoughts or questions does today’s video and reading bring up?
Some of these notes are from the ESV Gospel Transformation Bible study notes. We highly recommend this study Bible.
Videos produced by www.TheGospelProject.com.
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