KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Thursday, May 17, 2018
Chapters: II Samuel 16-18
Message: Being Justified Freely
Hello My Friend,
When I first got saved and dedicated my life to Christ I got drawn into this notion, mostly from misguided counsel, that even though all my sins were forgiven I would have to confess each and every sin if I wanted a right relationship with God. It took me a while to figure it out, I mean, how many of us can remember sins from the time we realized what sin was, but I discovered that I am forgiven, my past is in the past, God has forgiven me and if there was something specific that He did want me to address than He would show me, and He did. Okay, so, there are always repercussions to sin, but the important thing to remember is that we are forgiven by God, we are the ones who drag things out and make it worse by dwelling on them. We cannot do anything about the past, that is why we come short of the glory of God, but we are justified through Christ, and therefore, we are forgiven. “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” – Romans 3:22-24.
At some point, we all have to come to grips with the fact that God does chasten His people, but realize also that it is a way for us to not only develop our relationship with Him, but to turn away from ever doing those things again. Absalom was David’s oldest living son and if he had done everything right he would have rightfully been the next king by heir, but he was not willing to receive the crown by growing in God as David did, he wanted it now, even willing to kill his father to get it. Now, David, not fearing for his life, but rather his people, could have questioned why God used his own son to judge him, but he knew that all this was repercussions of his sin with Bathsheba. As he made his way up to Mt. Olivet, a man began cursing David, revealing to all the people with him that all of this was a result of what he had done to Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband in having him killed.
“Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him. It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day. And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill’s side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.” – II Samuel 16:9-14.
“It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction,” Finally, David is starting to come around and trust God to see him through. Yes, he might have prayed, but I suspect that it was not fully executed because of his guilt, once he got over it, and reminded himself that God is merciful, that was when he actually turned to God for help. I am guilty of this, I spent years praying to God, but never had gotten over the guilt of my past, and that hindered my one on one relationship with God. Imagine serving God with a guilty conscious over something that happened years ago that you never fully forgiven yourself for? That was until I realized that I was the one punishing myself, God had already forgiven me, He will see me through my affliction, and He did. “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” – II Corinthians 4:17-18.
When we know we have done something wrong it can be hard to come to God, even after we confessed our sins, it is as if we know we deserve the punishment so we say nothing to Him about it. We must remember that God may chasten us, but it will not last. God made His point, He executed the judgment He placed upon David, and now it was time for all of this to end. It all started when Absalom sought advice from his trusted adviser Ahithophel and Hushai, who was there secretly on behalf of David. Ahithophel had his own wicked plan for seeing Absalom become king, but his plan was overthrown by the advice of Hushai.
“Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person. So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one. Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there. And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom. Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled. Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.” – II Samuel 17:11-16.
“to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.” You see, God never intended for David to die for his sin, and as for Absalom, he had his own sins to be judged for, having killed his own brother. Hushai suggested that all the forces of Israel be gathered and that Absalom, the commander-in-chief himself, be at the head of his great army. Doing it this way, gave him a sense that he would gain the recognition of being the rightful king of all Israel while it gave David and his army time to prepare for the battle. The wicked are often successful for a time and it may even appear that all their plans have been fulfilled, but there comes a time when God says, “The punishment is over, I served my purpose with you and now justice will be served for your sin.” Many of the men who joined in the ambush were killed, and not even in the battle itself. Absalom, full of pride even rides on a mule to distinguish himself as a king, but his pride caught up to him when he lost his life.
“So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim; Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men. For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away. And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak. And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle. Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.” – II Samuel 18:6-11,14.
“and thrust them through the heart of Absalom,” We have all been deceived by a friend, family member, and even our own flesh and blood from time to time in their attempts to gain control of things, they do not care who they have to deceive, destroy, or kill, they will do everything in their power to get what they want, even if it takes years to get it. You would think that with so much energy being put into deceiving people that they could have put it to better use and really done something good with their lives? However, God will use anything to His advantage, He used Absalom to fulfill His purpose in fulfilling the judgment that He placed upon David, but he went too far and now God judged him for going after His anointed. Always remember, family or not, judgment comes to all for their sin, we are responsible for our own actions, and they are responsible for theirs, He is no respecter of persons. “Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;” – Romans 2:9-12.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,” – II Samuel 17:27. Mahanaim was a city of refuge for those who feared for their lives, Jesus is our refuge who saves our souls.
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for Your gift of eternal life that no law is required to be saved from my sins, but that I admit I am a sinner, believe in the finished work of Your Son, who died in my place for my sins, and accept Him as my Saviour. I truly believe that all my sins are forgiven on the cross, buried in the tomb, and forgotten in the resurrection, but that does not mean there are no repercussions of sin. However, Your chastening does not last forever, and through it You teach me, grow me, and make me more like Your Son. Lord, try me, prove me, reveal to me anything that I have not acknowledged that You want me to confess. Lead me and guide me, fill me with Your mercy, grace, and the power to endure any affliction. I face. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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