Whisper Of God Ministries

What Do You Remember?

We see in this week’s reading David living outside the city of Jerusalem, which is a result of Absalom’s rebellion. In last week’s reading, his son moved into the city crowning himself king and David fled. Yet, God’s purpose for David was to be king of His people and David’s reign wasn’t finished. In His providence, He accomplishes His purposes.

In chapters 17 through 22, we read of a faithful servant going back into the city to pledge allegiance to Absalom and as a result is able to warn David of his plan. Absalom is killed and his father takes his rightful place in Jerusalem on the throne. As the king mourns for his son, which as you remember is not the first son to be murdered, his commander rebukes him encouraging his focus to return to those who are alive and loyal to him. Then, we read of more rebellion and further victory. David takes the opportunity to right a wrong of Saul. And our reading closes this week with a beautiful song written by David to his Lord praising Him for His deliverance from all his enemies.

Our reading of David’s life story is almost complete. Yet, his legacy lives on to encourage and teach us as well as those who live after us. Truly, his life is fascinating. It is full of ups, downs, twists, turns, rebellions, victories, sins, consequences, repentance, and forgiveness. These are reasons why his life intrigues me and I receive much encouragement as well as wisdom from him. Some of us may not choose the exact sins of David, but nonetheless, sometimes we choose sin. We may not suffer the same consequences as he, but our sin will result in consequences. But, surely we will follow David’s example and fall on our face before our King, choose repentance and seek His forgiveness, that we may not only be reconciled to Him but restored in relationship with Him. Which do we remember more, his sin or his repentance? From which do we learn more?

Some may characterize King David by his sinful choices or the terrible consequences, but his repentance and restoration are apparent to me. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) But not all choose repentance and seek God’s forgiveness in order to be right with Him, our True King. David valiantly shows us an example of true repentance, genuine forgiveness, actual restoration, and heartfelt praise for his God who accomplished each of these through him.

Have you thought today what legacy you will leave? What will characterize your life in the memory of those around you? Will it be sin and consequences or repentance and restoration leading to a fruitful life? I pray for our sakes that we live a life reflecting Christ, our King, fully enjoying a relationship with the Living God and choosing Him above all else.
Ashley Jones

Our Refuge

This week’s reading proved to be full of turmoil brought on by lying, cheating, and stealing. Also, we see much deception weaved throughout David and his household. And he starts it off! I always see new insights when I read about David and Bathsheba and I am taken aback by just how far reaching his sin took him and the resulting destruction it brought on his family.

We see God’s hand of mercy in action as He gently reveals David’s sin through Nathan, a trusted friend and prophet. When he realizes his sin, immediately he confesses. He doesn’t try to hide, rationalize, or justify it. He simply confesses. Yet, there are consequences from which he cannot hide. Then, turmoil strikes much of the family through Amnon’s wrong against Tamar and the subsequent murder of Amnon by Absalom. This leads to David’s son fleeing the family and the city. Later, Absalom returns, plots rebellion and pronounces himself king.

Let’s look at chapter 14 which is where Joab, David’s commander, perceives that the king is missing his son, Absalom. So, Joab concocts this plan to encourage David to call him home. Joab uses a woman to approach the king with a story of her two sons. One son has killed the other son and the family wants to avenge the murder by killing the living son. The “widow” pleads for the king to allow no harm be done to her son so that her family name may be continued. David grants her plea. Then read with me verses 13-14: “The woman said, ‘Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring back his banished one. For we will surely die and are like water spilled on the ground which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away life, but plans ways so that the banished one will not be cast out from him.’”

Basically, she asks David why you will be so merciful to my son whom you do not know, but not your own son, Absalom. And she reminds the king that God has set up cities of refuge for murderers…”so that the banished one will not be cast out from him.” In Old Testament days, God in His law put in place a refuge for murderers. They could live safely in this city of refuge, until they received a fair trial. If the murderer left this refuge, then they could be killed and their committed murder avenged. The point being that God in His mercy planned a place of safety, a refuge, for these people. God is merciful. It’s His character. Since David received mercy (2 Samuel 12:13), shouldn’t he give mercy to his son?

The wording is what catches me…but plans ways so that the banished one will not be cast out from him. God did this for you and me through His son, Jesus Christ. Through Christ we are forgiven of our sins and are made right with God so we are not banished from His presence. We receive the same mercy David received through forgiveness of our sins and we receive God’s grace through His planned way of redemption through salvation. He provides refuge in Christ, a person in whom we are safe. Is He your refuge?

Ashley Jones

Accepting No

The Bible is a fascinating read to me. In one chapter we read of God’s holiness and how very serious He is about this attribute. Then we see how tender God is in protecting His children from walking the wrong path. And all the while we can see His plan unfolding, a plan that includes us today as His children. Do you ever think to yourself how intriguing is the Word of God? It is full of unbelievable, yet believable by faith, plot-twisting, hair-raising truth. That’s what I see in the entire Bible, but especially in this weeks reading.

We begin in chapter 6 with the sad and sometimes hard to understand story of Uzzah who died just from touching the Ark of the Covenant. God is serious about His holiness, which means we should be, too. David is doing a good thing by moving the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, but he isn’t doing it in the manner in which God prescribed. Does that ring a bell with anyone? With the help of God’s Spirit, our intentions are good most of the time, but the manner in which we carry out those intentions must be God’s way. David failed at carrying out the move God’s way. He had been very specific with how to move His ark. Yet, David probably thought he was doing well by putting it on a new cart, not just an old one. Perhaps, the Philistines had influenced David without him realizing it? Remember, it was they who first transported the ark by cart. Are we ever influenced by worldly (Philistine) thinking even when God has made it clear in His Scripture? Knowingly or unknowingly?

Return to Uzzah. I read his intention as just trying to keep the ark from falling to the ground. Out of reaction, he reached up to steady the ark. Yet, God had mandated no touching, not even with good intentions. How many of us have with good intention and out of reacting, acted in a manner not worthy of our God? Honoring our God takes careful intention from us. At least He has made it easy, right? Let me rephrase. He has equipped us by giving us His very Spirit to dwell within us as our Helper. And He has made it very clear in His Scripture.

After a short while, David does bring up God’s ark into Jerusalem. God blesses this action as he accomplishes the task in His way. Then David has a very good idea. He wants to build God a house. In chapter 7 verse 2, David says “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within tent curtains.” Do you read the devotion in his heart? David loves God and wants to honor Him by building Him a house. It’s as if he can’t believe that he, the earthly king, lives in such a nice house and God, the Heavenly King, lives in a tent. I see that as quite humble and a heart filled with awe, love, gratitude, and worship that wants to honor His God by building Him a house which in David’s mind would be a great gesture towards God.

Nathan, David’s human friend and prophet, encourages David to do it and even tells him that the Lord is with him. However, neither of the two consulted God about this house. Interesting to me is that in previous chapters David had been careful to ask God before he moved or went into battle. So why not ask now? Maybe he became caught up in doing something great for God. Do you feel like that sometimes? I do. At times, I am so awestruck and overfilled with love and gratitude for my Savior that I just want to do something great for Him! I want to make a great impact in God’s Kingdom! And truly, it’s out of a heart for Him not really glory for me. I think that was David’s motive, too. He simply wanted to do something for God that would show Him that he cherished Him. And God deserved to live better than David, right? I mean, He is the One, True, Living God.

Chapter 7 verses 4-7 say “But in the same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, ‘Go and say to My servant David, Thus says the Lord, ‘Are you the one who should build Me a house to dwell in? For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle. Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, which I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’’’”

Basically, God said no to David and his plan, even though his intentions were honoring and his heart was in the right place. David was not God’s chosen to build Him a house (1 Chronicles 28:3). God’s plan for David’s life didn’t include what he thought was a good idea. God’s plan for David was to be a shepherd, valiant warrior, and God-honoring king that would defend and unify Israel, His chosen people. So God said no.

We see that David accepted God’s no. For in the next few chapters, David resumed what God had for him. He didn’t build God’s house. He conquered the surrounding nations. I think it’s a beautiful picture of God’s servant choosing God’s plan instead of his own. Even amongst David’s mistakes, God directed him to take his place in God’s kingdom and he was kept there ever so gently by God with a simple “no.” Sometimes, it takes just as much faith to accept God’s no as it does to accept God’s yes. Has God said no to you and what you think is a good thing for Him? He has to me. I’ll close with this encouragement from God through His Word: Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

Ashley Jones

The Honesty of the Bible

This week we have finished up the last chapter of 1 Samuel and read on to the 5th chapter of 2 Samuel. You can read the parallel passage in 1 Chronicles starting about chapter 10. In this section, Saul takes his own life during the battle with the Philistines, and David comes to power. Interestingly, we often think of Saul simply dying and David coming to power as God’s ordained successor. As you have read these chapters, you see that is not the case.

When Saul dies, a battle rages between the household of Saul and the household of David. David has been hand picked by God through Samuel to be the next king. In fact, God had already removed himself from Saul because of Saul’s sinfulness. David had God’s presence and blessings even before he “officially” took the throne. In these chapters we see Saul’s son, Ish-Bosheth, named king in Israel while David ruled in Judah. While Saul’s only surviving son only rules a short time, we see that the transition from Saul to David is not easy or calm. Death, destruction, and pain accompany the ascension of the man after God’s own heart.

I find these chapters fascinating. Not only is the narrative interesting, but also the thought has again struck me about how honest the Bible is with the characters in it. Most religions paint a happy and too-perfect picture of their characters. Not the Bible. Christianity is not just a religion; it is a way of life. In that, it always appears relevant in a chaotic and messy world in which we all live. The Bible never tries to hide the flaws of the servants of God. That is one reason Jesus sticks out so in the record. He never sins yet is surrounded by dear, faithful (sometimes), well-meaning (most of the time) followers who just seem messed up all the time. David’s story that is unfolding as we read is full of failures on his part. Yet David is the chosen line for the future and final King of the Earth.

Speaking for myself, I appreciate how God shows us all the warts, failures, and shortcomings of those chosen before the foundation of the earth to spend eternity with him. It gives me hope. I find hope in Christ. He knows my sinful nature and yet he loves me. God is well aware of the blackness of my heart and yet he sent his one and only Son to die for me. I am also washed over by his grace in these stories. In spite of my shortcomings in Christ, his grace is sufficient to cover all my sins. As bad as I can be, he still chooses to use me in his Kingdom work. Amazing!
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.

I am thrilled to read about God’s movement in the life of David. I appreciate that God had decided not to show me perfect characters but sinful ones – just like me – who need the love and grace God so freely gives to all who call upon him. Do you need more of God’s amazing grace? Pray to him, call out to him. He is faithful to answer in our time of need.