Year One, September 18

The Most High Does Not Dwell in Houses Made by Hands1

2 Samuel 7:1-17

1Now when the king lived in his house and the LORD had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.”

It was good for David to compare his house to the place where the ark was kept and it is good for us to think along the same lines. If we live in a comfortable house and our place of worship is neglected, then let us not be slow to do what we can to correct the situation.

3And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.”

Good people naturally like to encourage good intentions and Nathan spoke from the love in his heart. But he was mistaken. Only the Lord Jesus knew the mind of God perfectly and therefore always spoke it perfectly. Other prophets only spoke the mind of God when the spirit of prophecy rested on them. If they spoke without full knowledge, the Lord quickly corrected them. Nathan did not refuse to correct his own advice when he was better informed and neither should any of us be slow to retract any error we have unknowingly taught.

4But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, 5“Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. 7In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” 8Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. 9And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house.’”

The Lord knows the desire of our heart and he rewards the desire as though it has already been accomplished. Because David wanted to build God a house, God built David’s house. Truly, we serve a good master.

12“‘When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” (This was a glorious covenant even as to its surface meaning, but there was a deeper meaning to it. The promise also has a special reference to that greater Son of David building up his church and establishing it forever. Some translate the words, “when he commits iniquity,” as “when I make him sin,” and believe this entire passage is about, “Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”2)

17In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David. (In 1 Chronicles 22:7-8, David mentions one of the reasons why he was not allowed to build the temple: “I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the LORD my God. But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth.’” It was not right that he who had been the Lord’s executioner on such a large scale should build the temple. God is very jealous of his own honor. Even where there may be no real sin, a person’s way of life may disqualify them from some positions in the Lord’s service.)

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¹ Acts 7:48

² 2 Corinthians 5:21 (New American Standard Version)

Year One, September 17

Serve the LORD With Gladness!1

2 Samuel 6:12-23

12And it was told King David, “The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing.

Obed-edom’s prosperity was a sure sign that the Lord was ready to bless all who would treat his ark with reverence. When God blesses people “with a nature like ours,”2 we are encouraged to expect that he will bless us also.

This time the ark was carried by the priests and Levites, “Consecrate yourselves, you and your brothers, so that you may bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it. Because you did not carry it the first time, the LORD our God broke out against us, because we did not seek him according to the rule.”3

13And when those who bore the ark of the LORD had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. 14And David danced before the LORD with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. (He took off his royal robes and exchanged them for the simple outfit of the Levites to show that he, too, was a servant of the Lord. He “danced before the LORD with all his might.” Krummacher says, “He gave expression in outward movements, and by a rhythmic action of his body, to the feelings which swelled in his heart. The idea that the world of the present day likes to associate with the word dance is not appropriate here at all. In Israel, dancing was a form of divine worship, in which the highest and holiest inspiration often expressed itself. For example, in the case of Miriam and her companions at the Red Sea. If it had not been so, how would the spirit of prophecy have said by the prophet Jeremiah, ‘Again you shall adorn yourself with tambourines and shall go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.’4”5 And why would the singer of Psalm 150 have encouraged the God-fearing, by saying to them, “Praise him with tambourine and dance”6!) 15So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the horn.

16As the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart. 17And they brought in the ark of the LORD and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 18And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts, 19and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed each to his house.

20And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ female servants as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” (She could not share David’s enthusiasm. No doubt she thought he was half-crazy. Even today, cold, heartless religious people complain about those who are enthusiastic about the Lord. They call holy excitement hypocrisy and fanaticism.) 21And David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the LORD--and I will celebrate before the LORD. (He reminded her of God’s electing love. Truly, if anything can make a person’s heart dance this will.) 22I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” (One is reminded here of Paul counting “everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”7 If others think less of us because we glorify God, we should rejoice.) 23And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death. (She acted more as the daughter of Saul than as the wife of David, and therefore like her father she died, leaving no heir to the throne of Israel.)

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¹ Psalm 100:2

² James 5:17

³ 1 Chronicles 15:12b-13

⁴ Jeremiah 31:4b

⁵ F. W. Krummacher (1796-1868).

⁶ Psalm 150:4a

⁷ Philippians 3:8

Year One, September 16

A God Greatly to Be Feared1

1 Chronicles 13

1David consulted with commanders of thousands and of hundreds, with every leader. 2And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and from the LORD our God, let us send abroad to our brothers who remain in all the lands of Israel, as well as to the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasturelands, that they may be gathered to us. 3Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.” 4All the assembly agreed to do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. (The son of Jesse loved the Lord too well to forget to honor him. As soon as he became king over all Israel his first thought was to glorify his God. How different this is from many who obtain wealth and honors. Most turn their back on the God who has given them so much!)

5So David assembled all Israel from the Nile of Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. 6And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim that belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the LORD who sits enthroned above the cherubim. 7And they carried the ark of God on a new cart, from the house of Abinadab, and Uzzah and Ahio were driving the cart. (At this point they made a critical mistake. The law commanded the priests to carry the ark using poles on their shoulders. God will be served in his own way and not in ours. Ignoring God in even the smallest detail may lead to serious consequences. The two young men who drove the cart had probably grown so familiar with the ark, that they no longer respected it as they should. A stern lesson was needed to teach all Israel that the Lord is “a God greatly to be feared.”)

8And David and all Israel were rejoicing before God with all their might, with song and lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets.

9And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen stumbled. 10And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God. (There are very many today who commit the sin of Uzzah. They dream that Christianity will suffer greatly unless they adapt it to the tastes and whims of their generation. They change its teachings. They decorate its worship to satisfy modern desires. They add philosophy to the simple gospel. Plain speaking must give place to eloquence. In their zeal and conceit they attempt to help HIM who does not need such helpers. They insult the true religion their unbelieving fear tries to protect. We must beware of even imagining that our hand is needed to steady God’s ark. The thought is blasphemy.)

11And David was angry because the LORD had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzza (which means “the breaking out against Uzzah”) to this day. 12And David was afraid of God that day, and he said, “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?” 13So David did not take the ark home into the city of David, but took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

Israel’s joy in the Lord was interrupted that day, because God and his law were not given the holy respect they deserve. This was actually good for David and all Israel. It postponed their rejoicing, but it removed lightheartedness and disrespect from their hearts. It taught them to be not only zealous for, but obedient to, the Lord’s word. We all need to be taught these lessons.

14And the ark of God remained with the household of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that he had. (As a family, may we always cheerfully open our house to the Lord’s servants. Many households have been blessed because they did.)

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¹ Psalm 89:7

Year One, September 15

This God—His Way is Perfect1

We will now return to Psalm 18 and read from verse 30 to the end.

  

Psalm 18:30-50

30 This God--his way is perfect;

The experience of all his people bears witness to this. Perfect wisdom, perfect truth, and perfect love, are to be seen in all that he does. Blessed be his name.

the word of the LORD proves true;

The word of the Lord has been tried, proven and tested, but it has never failed. Our soul knows this is true.

he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

This is true for us too, even though our faith has often been weak.

31 For who is God, but the LORD?

And who is a rock, except our God?--

32 the God who equipped me with strength

and made my way blameless.

Believers have been equipped with complete armor, of which the belt of truth is a most important part.

33 He made my feet like the feet of a deer

and set me secure on the heights.

The apostle Paul refers to a believer’s spiritual shoes as “given by the gospel of peace.”2 They are from God, permitting the believer to walk safely where others fall.

34 He trains my hands for war,

so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

In spiritual conflict, the believer’s hands are made strong so they can break the enemy’s weapons by the power of truth.

35 You have given me the shield of your salvation,

and your right hand supported me,

and your gentleness made me great.

Above all, we are to take the shield of faith, which is made in heaven, and extinguishes all the enemy’s flaming darts.3

36 You gave a wide place for my steps under me,

and my feet did not slip.

Never let us forget that unless the Lord protected us, we would have fallen as others have done, to our shame and ruin.

37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them,

and did not turn back till they were consumed.

38 I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;

they fell under my feet.

39 For you equipped me with strength for the battle;

you made those who rise against me sink under me.

40 You made my enemies turn their backs to me,

and those who hated me I destroyed.

41 They cried for help, but there was none to save;

they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them.

42 I beat them fine as dust before the wind;

I cast them out like the mire of the streets.

David gives God the credit for all his victories. Notice how often he repeats the word “you.” “You have given.” “You equipped.” “You made.” You, oh Lord, have done it all.

43 You delivered me from strife with the people;

you made me the head of the nations;

people whom I had not known served me.

The neighboring nations submitted to David’s authority. When God is with us, “he makes even his enemies to be at peace with” us,4 or else they are powerless to harm us.

44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;

foreigners came cringing to me.

45 Foreigners lost heart

and came trembling out of their fortresses.

46 The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock,

and exalted be the God of my salvation--

47 the God who gave me vengeance

and subdued peoples under me,

48 who rescued me from my enemies;

yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me;

you delivered me from the man of violence.

49 For this I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations,

and sing to your name.

50 Great salvation he brings to his king,

and shows steadfast love to his anointed

to David and his offspring forever.

As we read this psalm we should try to apply these expressions of praise to ourselves and personally bless the Lord for all the benefits that our own lives have witnessed. Has not the Lord done great things for us also? Shall we not also give thanks to his name? Yes, certainly. We will!

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¹ Psalm 18:30

² Ephesians 6:15

³ An allusion to Ephesians 6:16

⁴ Proverbs 16:7

Year One, September 14

I Love You, O LORD, My Strength1

After David had sent his enemies retreating and his kingdom was firmly established, he sang this sacred song to the Lord.

  

Psalm 18:1-24

1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.

2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

3 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,

and I am saved from my enemies.

4 The cords of death encompassed me;

the torrents of destruction assailed me;

5 the cords of Sheol entangled me;

the snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress I called upon the LORD;

to my God I cried for help.

From his temple he heard my voice,

and my cry to him reached his ears.

7 Then the earth reeled and rocked;

the foundations also of the mountains trembled

and quaked, because he was angry.

Oh! the power of prayer. It can move heaven and earth. It can climb to heaven and bring the Lord down to earth to help his people. Traps are broken, sorrows are removed, death is defeated, and Satan is frustrated. Who would not pray?

8 Smoke went up from his nostrils,

and devouring fire from his mouth;

glowing coals flamed forth from him.

This is an Oriental way of expressing fierce wrath. God came to help his servant, burning with displeasure against his enemies. The following verses describe the Lord as using storm and wind to help his suffering servant.

9 He bowed the heavens and came down;

thick darkness was under his feet.

10 He rode on a cherub and flew;

he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.

God helps his people quickly. He will come in time, because the winds carry him.

11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him,

thick clouds dark with water.

12 Out of the brightness before him

hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.

13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens,

and the Most High uttered his voice,

hailstones and coals of fire.

14 And he sent out his arrows and scattered them;

he flashed forth lightnings and routed them.

Who can stand against this frightful God? Who can injure those he protects?

15 Then the channels of the sea were seen,

and the foundations of the world were laid bare

at your rebuke, O LORD,

at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

16 He sent from on high, he took me;

he drew me out of many waters.

17 He rescued me from my strong enemy

and from those who hated me,

for they were too mighty for me.

18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,

but the LORD was my support.

David’s enemies were very strong, but God was more than capable of helping him.

19 He brought me out into a broad place;

he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

20 The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness;

according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.

21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD,

and have not wickedly departed from my God.

22 For all his rules were before me,

and his statutes I did not put away from me.

23 I was blameless before him,

and I kept myself from my guilt.

24 So the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,

according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

Happy is the one who can bless God from their heart because they have been kept pure and true. They will discover, like David, that the Lord would sooner destroy the heavens and dry up the seas, than leave the godly to their enemies.

This psalm is so long, we must wait until our next worship time to finish it.

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¹ Psalm 18:1

Year One, September 13

Fight the Good Fight of the Faith1

David soon found that being the king gave him not only advantages, but hard work and wars as well. As it was true of David, it is of all believers. Victory over this wicked world involves struggle.

  

2 Samuel 5:17-25

17When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. 18Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.

Their success against Saul made them bold to attack David. They did not consider the important difference between the two men. Saul had been abandoned by God and was defeated easily. But David was approved and strengthened by the Lord of Hosts. He was a very different opponent. It is hopeless to fight against someone who has God for their friend.

19And David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the LORD said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”

David’s path seemed obvious, but he wanted God to lead in every step he took. No one ever lost their way by asking for directions too many times. Asking the Lord to direct us is never unnecessary. Every member of our family should follow David’s example. If we do, we will walk in the way of peace all our days.

20And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The LORD has burst through my enemies before me like a bursting flood.” (David did the fighting, but he gave all the glory to the Lord. Grace is active and fights, but it is also humble and gives praise to him who gives the victory.) Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim. (Or, “the lord who breaks through,” because the Lord had broken the ranks of the enemy, and made a way for David to scatter them.) 21And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away. 

As the Philistines had once captured the ark, so now the Israelites seized their idols. We read in First Chronicles 14:12 that the idols “were burned.” They destroyed them to show their intense hatred of them and to prevent their becoming a snare to Israel.

22And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 23And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. 24And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the LORD has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” (When the wind rustled among the leaves of the trees, David was to regard it as a sign for battle. As we wait for God to direct us, he will give us hints to know when to become active. Surely, whenever we hear that the Spirit of God is moving like the wind through the churches, it should move us to sevenfold activity.) 25And David did as the LORD commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.

If we do as the Lord commands us, he will command success to be with us.

By successfully defeating the invading foe, David was firmly established as king. In Psalm 101, he tells us how he is determined to act in his exalted position.

  

Psalm 101

1 I will sing of steadfast love and justice;

to you, O LORD, I will make music.

2 I will ponder the way that is blameless.

Oh when will you come to me?

I will walk with integrity of heart

within my house;

3 I will not set before my eyes

anything that is worthless.

I hate the work of those who fall away;

it shall not cling to me.

4 A perverse heart shall be far from me;

I will know nothing of evil.

5 Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly

I will destroy.

Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart

I will not endure.

6 I will look with favor on the faithful in the land,

that they may dwell with me;

he who walks in the way that is blameless

shall minister to me.

7 No one who practices deceit

shall dwell in my house;

no one who utters lies

shall continue before my eyes.

8 Morning by morning I will destroy

all the wicked in the land,

cutting off all the evildoers

from the city of the LORD.

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¹ 1 Timothy 6:12