Bible Pathway - April 12
Read 2 Samuel 3
Highlights:
The house of Saul wars against the house of David (2 Sam. 3:1); Abner deserts Ish-bosheth; Joab murders Abner; Ish-bosheth murdered; David declared king of all Israel; Jerusalem captured.
And David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto David Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand (2 Sam. 5:19).
David was a man of prayer. He was not a perfect man. He was a man that for the most part consulted God and listened for His answer. God had blessed him abundantly for being a man that sought after Him.
Starting at a very young age, God delivered David out of the hands of many enemies. He had blessed David in many battles. David had slain the Philistines' greatest warrior, Goliath, many years before this. God had made him a victor in many battles and wars since then.
It was actually these victories given by God that had endeared David to the people of Israel. However, it was not the people who chose David to be their king. God had decided that many years ago. We read earlier this month of Samuel anointing David as a young man.
It would only seem right to conclude that David's prayer and obedience brought the blessings that God placed on his life. That is not to say those that pray and obey will not have difficult time in life. For certain, David saw his share of difficult times throughout his life. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust (Matt. 5:45).
The greatest blessings of God are spiritual in nature. The person that stays in constant communication with the throne of God will hear from Him. The guidance of God on our lives is one of the greatest gifts we could possibly receive. To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace (Luke 1:79). As this verse says, God hears the prayers of repentance from the unbeliever and guides them into His marvelous grace. We who are saved by the glorious redemptive power of Christ are for sure the most blessed people in the world.
David looked to God for answers and they came. In today's time, prayer is just as important as it was in David's time. A life of prayer will draw us closer to God. If we pray more, we will hear from God more. If we hear from God more, we will better recognize His voice when He speaks. Let us be a people of prayer.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly (Matt. 6:6).
Thought for Today:
God always fulfills His Word. He rewards those who are faithful to Him.
Christ Portrayed:
By David, the anointed king over Israel (2 Sam. 5:3). Christ is the Lord's anointed. "Christ" is Greek for the Hebrew word Messiah (Anointed One) (Ps. 2:2; John 1:41). Jesus is the rightful King of the earth. Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. . . . and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin (John 19:19-20).
Word Studies:
3:1 waxed, grew; 3:10 translate, transfer; 3:12 league, covenant; 3:27 smote, stabbed; 3:31 bier, a stand for carrying a corpse; 4:2 reckoned to, considered part of; 5:8 getteth up to the gutter, enters the city through the water tunnel; 5:23 fetch a compass, circle around.
Prayer Suggestion: Pray with unwavering faith so that your prayers may be answered (James 1:5-7).
Optional Reading: Acts 13
Memory Verse for the Week: John 11:25
