Overview
2 Samuel: Ish-bosheth was afraid when he heard Abner was dead. (backfill – when Saul and Jonathan died Jonathan’s five-year-old son was crippled when his nurse fled with him. His name was Mephibosheth.) Two of Ish-bosheth captains came and killed him. They took his head to David. David killed them for killing an innocent person.
All Israel went to Hebron and anointed David king. He made a covenant with Israel. He was thirty years old and reigned for forty years. David then went and captured Jerusalem by entering through the water shaft. He built it up and called it the city of David. He became greater because the Lord was with him.
Hiram, king of Tyre sent messengers, cedar trees, carpenters, and mason to David to build a house for him. David took more wives and concubines for himself.
The Philistines came to attack when they heard David was king. David asked the Lord if he should attack and if he would succeed. The Lord affirmed both so David defeated the Philistines. They came a second time and David again asked the Lord. This time the Lord told him go around their rear and when he heard the sound of marching in the balsam trees he was to go against them because the Lord had gone out ahead of him to strike the Philistines.
David then went to Baale-judah to bring the Ark of the Lord to Jerusalem. He took 30,000 men. They put the Ark on a cart. They were all having a good time when the oxen stumbled and Uzzah steadied the Ark with his hand. The Lord killed him, David was angry and feared the Lord so he took the Ark to Obed-edom’s house instead.
The Lord blessed Obed-edom’s house so David went to bring it to Jerusalem. This time it was carried and when those carrying it had gone six steps he sacrificed an ox. With joy and dancing they brought the Ark to Jerusalem.
When they came into Jerusalem, his wife, Michal thought he was behaving like a commoner by leaping and dancing. David sacrificed, blessed the people, and gave them food. Everyone went home. David went home and Michal told him he was vulgar for his dancing and leaping. He reminded her that the Lord chose him over her father and he would make merry before the Lord even more and she would find him even more contemptable but the other women would honor him. She never had children.
Psalm: The Psalmist asks for help to keep God’s word as he delights in it. It keeps him going even when princes oppose him. He has chosen the way of faithfulness as he clings to and mediates on God’s word.
Proverbs: Listening to reproof and applying it brings wisdom and shows intelligence. Ignoring it shows how much you really hate yourself.
John: Jesus explains that when he is glorified, God is glorified and vice versa. He is leaving and they can’t come. His commandment is to love one another and world will know they are his disciples.
Peter asks where Jesus is going. Jesus says he can’t follow now, but will later. Peter asks why and says he will follow even to death. Jesus tells Peter he will deny Jesus three times before the cock crows.
Jesus tells them not to be troubled. They must believe in God and Jesus. He is going to prepare a place for them and will come back for them; they know the way to where he is going. Thomas says they don’t know the way. Jesus replies that he is the way and no one can come to the Father except by Jesus. He says if they know him, they know and have seen the Father. Philip asks to see the Father.
Jesus makes it clearer that if they’ve seen Jesus they’ve seen the Father. Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Jesus. His words and works prove it. If anyone believes in Jesus he will do the same works and greater ones because Jesus is going to the Father. Ask the Father in Jesus’ name or ask Jesus and Jesus will do it. It will glorify the Father.
What Stood Out
2 Samuel: “And David was angry because the Lord had burst forth against Uzzah. … And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, ‘How can the ark of the Lord come to me?’” (2 Sam 6:8-9).
Psalm: “My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word” (Ps 119:25)!
Proverbs: “Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence” (Prov 15:32).
John: “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it” (John 14:14).
Insight
2 Samuel: David and the people made a big mistake (sin) by hauling the Ark of the Lord on an oxcart. The Ark was supposed to be carried by priests with its pole. The consequence was Uzzah’s death. David became angry about that. What was his anger? At first, it would appear that he was angry with the Lord for killing Uzzah. Second glance would appear he was angry with the Lord because his plans were thwarted. But a third look shows he was angry with himself for not bringing the Ark to Jerusalem the way the Lord commanded. He asked how could the Ark come to him, implying that this holy object could not be brought to a person who had sinned so greatly that it cost Uzzah his life.
It also says the David feared the Lord. That fear could have been fear that God would strike him and everyone else down for their misbehavior. This is a good kind of fear. It made David stop and think about what had happened. It made him wait to see if the Lord would take action. It may have given him time to look up the commandments and bring the Ark the proper way the next time.
When we become angry with our sin, we are on the right path toward repentance. When we are angry with God, we are on the wrong path. Either way, we should take time to find out the Lord’s will and repent.
Psalm: Reading about the way the Psalmist yearns for God’s word is quite convicting. It doesn’t matter what is going on; everything from realizing that this life is just a sojourn, needing help in everyday problems, to princes plotting against him. He relates everything to God’s word. If we were one tenth as in awe of God’s word as he was, we would be much better Christians.
Proverbs: I’ve heard people say that what we really need is to love ourselves. In a way, the Bible does support that, but in a negative way. When we ignore disciple and continue in sinful ways, it shows that we really don’t love ourselves. If we really did, we would turn and repent and trust Jesus for our salvation. You have to really hate yourself to continue in actions and faithlessness that will cause you to end up in hell forever.
John: Jesus dumped a lot of theology on the Apostles in this passage. One of the most important theological concepts is that Jesus and the Father are in each other. Theologians like to discuss how the Son comes from the Father and is of the same essence as the Father. When they start over analyzing this it can be misconstrued to think that the Father created the Son. But these verses clearly show their equality and oneness in a way that we will never completely understand.
Another theological concept is that of the rapture. Jesus clearly states his intention to return and take his disciples to himself. This is important to remember because it emphasize the fact that we can’t get to the Father except trough Jesus. Whether we go to him through death or the rapture, Jesus will be the first one we see.
Jesus also endorses prayer to himself as God. John 14:14 clearly states that we can ask Jesus for anything in his name and he will do it. Because Jesus and the Father are one, asking Jesus is the same as asking the Father. Asking the Father is the same as asking Jesus. Don’t get muddled up trying to figure out who to ask, just ask in Jesus’ name. What we ask for must be in Jesus’ name. That means it has to be consistent with who Jesus is. We can’t ask for stuff that would not bring glory to Jesus and the Father. That eliminates a lot of our prayers whenever they are selfish or asked with the wrong motives.
Application
Just like David tried to do a good thing (take the Ark to Jerusalem) but did it in the wrong way, I can pray for something good but with the wrong motive. I need to always pray for Jesus to be glorified in my prayers otherwise, I’m likely to be praying in the wrong way.
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