From Jerusalem to Amman is about 60 mi (100 km) east, with the Jordan River at the halfway point. Amman, capital of the kingdom of Jordan, began as a settlement on a small triangular plateau in the foothills of the Ajl?n Mountains. Also called Rabbah or Rabbath Ammon (meaning “Great Ammon”), in the 3rd century […]
Love and loyalty are the hallmarks of David’s covenant with Jonathan, and of God’s with us. Recall the three things David wanted to do once crowned king over all Israel. 1. To exalt the name of God by taking Jerusalem. 2. To exalt the glory of God by bringing back the ark. 3. To exalt […]
David wasn’t selfish in gathering wealth; as we should, he “dedicated these to the Lord” (2 Sam 8:11). During the reign of Saul, the surrounding nations incessantly harassed the Israelites. It’s true, David often intervened to drive back enemy incursions, but these armies lived to fight again. Now that David had ascended the throne over […]
Along with God’s covenants with Abram and with Israel at Sinai, this was a high-water mark in history. You see that 2 Samuel 7 is divided into four unequal parts: David talks with Nathan (vv 1-3); God talks with Nathan (vv 4-16); Nathan talks with David (v 17); and David talks with God (vv 18-29). […]
Read More… from January 3, 2024 — David’s Heartfelt Response
This is the Land of the Dying ; but wait till you get to the Land of the Living. Forever and ever! It’s always great to have a restful evening, but that night the Lord had some important things to say to Nathan. Nathan was His spokesman, and there needed to be some points of […]
At one time, they all lived in tents. Now there’s only one Person still camping after all these years. After some serious difficulties, with joy they brought the ark up to Zion, “and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it” (2 Sam 6:17). At this […]
Michal could help David get away from Saul, but she couldn’t help him get closer to God. It would be hard to imagine Saul, Jonathan, and Michal belonging to the same family— if we didn’t see the same combination repeated so often. Saul seems to have few redeeming qualities. Jonathan is his father’s antithesis: honest, […]
Obed means “servant.” Edom is linked with red, and man, and blush, and blood. Ah, the mercy seat! Often like our Christian lives, in fits and starts the ark was slowly making its way to its proper place. But also like our lives, it finally made it to the Holy City. All of the Lord’s […]
Read More… from December 28, 2023 — The Blessing Of Obed-Edom
David was filled with unwarranted anger when Uzzah died, but God’s anger was well deserved. The ark of God had been in the house of Abinidab for a very long time. We read in 1 Samuel 7:1-2, “The men of Kirjath Jearim came and took the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the […]