Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Samuel 24:1-14.  Here is a link to this Scripture – 2 Samuel 22 NASB1995 – – Bible Gateway

I quote only the following verses.

“Now again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah.” The king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, “Go about now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and register the people, that I may know the number of the people.”  But Joab said to the king, “Now may the LORD your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see;  but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?”  Nevertheless, the king’s word prevailed against Joab and against the commanders of the army.  So Joab and the commanders of the army went out from the presence of the king to register the people of Israel.  …  And Joab gave the number of the registration of the people to the king;  and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

Now David’s heart troubled him after he had numbered the people.  So David said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done.  But now, O LORD, please take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”  When David arose in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, “Go and speak to David, ‘Thus the LORD says, “I am offering you three things;  choose for yourself one of them, which I will do to you.”’”  So Gad came to David and told him, and said to him, “Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land?  Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you?  Or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land?  Now consider and see what answer I shall return to Him who sent me.”  Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress.  Let us now fall into the hand of the LORD for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”  2 Samuel 24:1-4 and 9-14.

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As we meditate upon the sin of David in taking a consensus in today’s Scripture, we can infer that David was motivated by pride.  David wanted to feel pride as king of the army by the number of people in his army.  This desire is in sharp contrast to David’s humble song of praise to God in the immediate prior Scripture of 2 Samuel chapters 22 and 23.

The first lesson that we can glean is to be careful that we do not think that we can, so to speak, finish our praise to God and dependence on God, and then turn our attention and dependence to ourself.  We may have had a wonderful worship experience yesterday (Sunday), but will we turn our attention and dependence to ourself on today (Monday) as we go to work?

The second lesson that we can learn is if we are going to take a census, would it not be better to take a census of our weaknesses rather than our strengths?!  “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”  Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.  Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake;  for when I am weak, then I am strong.”  2 Corinthians 12:9-10.

The third lesson is to know the LORD. 

“13 The LORD looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men;
14 From His dwelling place He looks out
On all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 He who fashions the hearts of them all,
He who understands all their works.
16 The king is not saved by a mighty army;
A warrior is not delivered by great strength.
17 A horse is a false hope for victory;
Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.

18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope for His lovingkindness,
19 To deliver their soul from death
And to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the LORD;
He is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.
22 Let Your lovingkindness, O LORD, be upon us,
According as we have hoped in You.” Psalm 33:13-22.

The fourth lesson is to seek God’s mercy. As today’s Scripture states: “His mercies are great”.

“Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
4 Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.” Psalm 51:1-13.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Samuel 23:8-39.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2023&version=NASB1995

I quote only the following verses.

“These are the names of the mighty men whom David had:  Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains, he was called Adino the Eznite, because of eight hundred slain by him at one time;  and after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there to battle and the men of Israel had withdrawn.  He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and clung to the sword, and the LORD brought about a great victory that day;  and the people returned after him only to strip the slain.

Now after him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite.  And the Philistines were gathered into a troop where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the people fled from the Philistines.  But he took his stand in the midst of the plot, defended it and struck the Philistines;  and the LORD brought about a great victory.

…

Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty.  And he swung his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name as well as the three.  He was most honored of the thirty, therefore he became their commander;  however, he did not attain to the three.

Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab.  He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day.  He killed an Egyptian, an impressive man.  Now the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.  These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name as well as the three mighty men.  He was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three.  And David appointed him over his guard.”  2 Samuel 23:8-12 and 18-23. 

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“And what more shall I say?  For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,  quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.”  Hebrew 11:32-33. 

“16 The king is not saved by a mighty army;
A warrior is not delivered by great strength.
17 A horse is a false hope for victory;
Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.

18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope for His lovingkindness,
19 To deliver their soul from death
And to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the LORD;
He is our help and our shield.” Psalm 33:16-20.

“The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But victory belongs to the LORD.” Proverbs 21:31.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Samuel 22:47-51.

“47 “The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock;
And exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,
48 The God who executes vengeance for me,
And brings down peoples under me,
49 Who also brings me out from my enemies;
You even lift me above those who rise up against me;
You rescue me from the violent man.
50 “Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the nations,
And I will sing praises to Your name.
51 “He is a tower of deliverance to His king,
And shows lovingkindness to His anointed,
To David and his descendants forever.” 2 Samuel 22:47-51.

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The LORD shows lovingkindness to His chosen ones, His elect whom He has placed in Christ.

“I will sing of the lovingkindness of the LORD forever;
To all generations I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth.
2 For I have said, “Lovingkindness will be built up forever;
In the heavens You will establish Your faithfulness.”
3 “I have made a covenant with My chosen;
I have sworn to David My servant,
4 I will establish your seed forever
And build up your throne to all generations.” Selah.” Psalm 89:1-4.

“24 “My faithfulness and My lovingkindness will be with him,
And in My name his horn will be exalted.
25 “I shall also set his hand on the sea
And his right hand on the rivers.
26 “He will cry to Me, ‘You are my Father,
My God, and the rock of my salvation.’
27 “I also shall make him My firstborn,
The highest of the kings of the earth.
28 “My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever,
And My covenant shall be confirmed to him.
29 “So I will establish his descendants forever
And his throne as the days of heaven.” Psalm 89:24-29.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.  …”  Ephesians 1:3-8. 

“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”  1 Corinthians 1:30-31.

“For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes;  therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.  Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.”  2 Corinthians 1:20-22.

“Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Samuel 22:21-28.

“21 “The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.
22 “For I have kept the ways of the LORD,
And have not acted wickedly against my God.
23 “For all His ordinances were before me,
And as for His statutes, I did not depart from them.
24 “I was also blameless toward Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.
25 “Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to my cleanness before His eyes.
26 “With the kind You show Yourself kind,
With the blameless You show Yourself blameless;
27 With the pure You show Yourself pure,
And with the perverted You show Yourself astute.
28 “And You save an afflicted people;
But Your eyes are on the haughty whom You abase.” 2 Samuel 22:21-28.

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As we read today’s Scripture, we may be puzzled by its apparently proud language. But, then we come to the concluding verse: “And You save an afflicted people; But Your eyes are on the haughty whom You abase.” Verse 28.

Whatever righteousness that David had, it was given to him through God’s grace, through God’s salvation of him and other “afflicted people”.

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:1-9.

“13 The LORD looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men;
14 From His dwelling place He looks out
On all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 He who fashions the hearts of them all,
He who understands all their works.
16 The king is not saved by a mighty army;
A warrior is not delivered by great strength.
17 A horse is a false hope for victory;
Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.

18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope for His lovingkindness,
19 To deliver their soul from death
And to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the LORD;
He is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.
22 Let Your lovingkindness, O LORD, be upon us,
According as we have hoped in You.” Psalm 33:13-22.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Samuel 20:13-26.  Here is a link to this Scripture – 2 Samuel 20 NASB1995 – – Bible Gateway

I quote only the following verses.

“As soon as he was removed from the highway, all the men passed on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

Now he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, even Beth-maacah, and all the Berites;  and they were gathered together and also went after him.  They came and besieged him in Abel Beth-maacah, and they cast up a siege ramp against the city, and it stood by the rampart;  and all the people who were with Joab were wreaking destruction in order to topple the wall.  Then a wise woman called from the city, “Hear, hear!  Please tell Joab, ‘Come here that I may speak with you.’”  So he approached her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?”  And he answered, “I am.”  Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your maidservant.”  And he answered, “I am listening.”  Then she spoke, saying, “Formerly they used to say, ‘They will surely ask advice at Abel,’ and thus they ended the dispute.  I am of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel.  You are seeking to destroy a city, even a mother in Israel.  Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?”  Joab replied, “Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy!  Such is not the case.  But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against King David.  Only hand him over, and I will depart from the city.”  And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”  Then the woman wisely came to all the people.  And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it to Joab.  So he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, each to his tent. Joab also returned to the king at Jerusalem.”   2 Samuel 20:13-22.  

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The words and actions of the wise woman remind us of the the following words of Caiaphas, and they point us to Jesus Who died “for the nation, and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.”  

“But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.”  Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.”  John 11:49-52.