Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Samuel 3:1-16.

“Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David;  and David grew steadily stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker continually.

Sons were born to David at Hebron:  his firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;  and his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite;  and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur;  and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith;  and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;  and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah.  These were born to David at Hebron.

It came about while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David that Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul.  Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah;  and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”  Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah?  Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hands of David;  and yet today you charge me with a guilt concerning the woman.  May God do so to Abner, and more also, if as the LORD has sworn to David, I do not accomplish this for him, to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.”  And he could no longer answer Abner a word, because he was afraid of him.

Then Abner sent messengers to David in his place, saying, “Whose is the land?  Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel over to you.”  He said, “Good!  I will make a covenant with you, but I demand one thing of you, namely, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see me.”  So David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was betrothed for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”  Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Paltiel the son of Laish.  But her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her as far as Bahurim.  Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.”  So he returned.”  2 Samuel 3:1-16.

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We see more of the steps, some of them unusual, that the LORD provided for David to become king over all of Israel in addition to being king over Judah.  

In the first paragraph, we read the summary of “a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David;  and David grew steadily stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker continually.”  In the second paragraph, we read of the children born to David at Hebron.  In the third paragraph, we see the following unusual steps: Abner taking Saul’s concubine whose name was Rizpah, the calm and reasonable question of Ish-bosheth, but then the surprisingly angry and drastic decision by Abner to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel.  In the fourth paragraph, we see the making of the covenant between Abner and David, including the unusual stipulation of the return of Michal, Saul’s daughter, to David.

And, there is hope for us!

“When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” Proverbs 16:7.

“23 The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
And He delights in his way.
24 When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong,
Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.” Psalm 37:23-24.

“The LORD will accomplish what concerns me;
Your lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands.” Psalm 138:8.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Samuel 2:18-32.

“Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel;  and Asahel was as swift-footed as one of the gazelles which is in the field.  Asahel pursued Abner and did not turn to the right or to the left from following Abner.  Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?”  And he answered, “It is I.”  So Abner said to him, “Turn to your right or to your left, and take hold of one of the young men for yourself, and take for yourself his spoil.”  But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him.  Abner repeated again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me.  Why should I strike you to the ground?  How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?”  However, he refused to turn aside;  therefore Abner struck him in the belly with the butt end of the spear, so that the spear came out at his back.  And he fell there and died on the spot.  And it came about that all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.

But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and when the sun was going down, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is in front of Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.  The sons of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became one band, and they stood on the top of a certain hill.  Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever?  Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end?  How long will you refrain from telling the people to turn back from following their brothers?”  Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then the people would have gone away in the morning, each from following his brother.”  So Joab blew the trumpet;  and all the people halted and pursued Israel no longer, nor did they continue to fight anymore.  Abner and his men then went through the Arabah all that night;  so they crossed the Jordan, walked all morning, and came to Mahanaim.

Then Joab returned from following Abner; when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen of David’s servants besides Asahel were missing.  But the servants of David had struck down many of Benjamin and Abner’s men, so that three hundred and sixty men died.  And they took up Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb which was in Bethlehem.  Then Joab and his men went all night until the day dawned at Hebron.”  2 Samuel 2:18-32.

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Abner’s peace-making words resulted in at least temporary peace, and it leads us to meditate on the peacemakers and the merciful.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”  Matthew 5:9.

“Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.”  Titus 3:1-2.

“Who among you is wise and understanding?  Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.  This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.  And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”  James 3:18-18.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”  Matthew 5:7.

“The merciful man does himself good,
But the cruel man does himself harm.” Proverbs 11:17.

“Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.”  2 John 1:3.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Samuel 30:21-31.  Here is a link to this Scripture – 1 Samuel 30 NASB1995 – – Bible Gateway

I quote only the following verses.

“When David came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to follow David, who had also been left at the brook Besor, and they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him, then David approached the people and greeted them.  Then all the wicked and worthless men among those who went with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away and depart.”  Then David said, “You must not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us, who has kept us and delivered into our hand the band that came against us.  And who will listen to you in this matter?  For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike.”  So it has been from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.

Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold, a gift for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD:  …  and to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were accustomed to go.”  1 Samuel 30:21-26 and 31.

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Regarding the division of the spoil, David first properly credited and glorified the LORD Who “… has given us (the spoil), who has kept us and delivered into our hand the band that came against us.”  Verse 23.  

When credit is given to the LORD, it should be more understandable that all of the LORD’S people should share in the spoil, or at least those who were in support (those who stayed by the baggage).

David’s decision (“For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage;  they shall share alike.”) which David made into a statute and an ordinance for Israel was also consistent with the following Scripture.

“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “You and Eleazar the priest and the heads of the fathers’ households of the congregation take a count of the booty that was captured, both of man and of animal;  and divide the booty between the warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation.”  Numbers 31:25-27.

Today’s Scripture gives all of us, God’s people, hope today!

“11 The Lord gives the command;
The women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host:
12 “Kings of armies flee, they flee,
And she who remains at home will divide the spoil!” Psalm 68:11-12.

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”  Luke 12:32.

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”  Romans 8:32.

“So then let no one boast in men.  For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come;  all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ;  and Christ belongs to God.”  1 Corinthians 3:21-23.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Samuel 30:11-20.

“Now they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate, and they provided him water to drink.  They gave him a piece of fig cake and two clusters of raisins, and he ate;  then his spirit revived.  For he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights.  David said to him, “To whom do you belong?  And where are you from?”  And he said, “I am a young man of Egypt, a servant of an Amalekite;  and my master left me behind when I fell sick three days ago.  We made a raid on the Negev of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the Negev of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.”  Then David said to him, “Will you bring me down to this band?”  And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this band.”

When he had brought him down, behold, they were spread over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.  David slaughtered them from the twilight until the evening of the next day;  and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.  So David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives.  But nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken for themselves;  David brought it all back.  So David had captured all the sheep and the cattle which the people drove ahead of the other livestock, and they said, “This is David’s spoil.”  1 Samuel 30:11-20.

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We remember David’s previous inquiry to the LORD and the LORD’S answer to David.  “David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I pursue this band?  Shall I overtake them?”  And He said to him, “Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, and you will surely rescue all.”  1 Samuel 30:8.

In today’s Scripture, we see the fulfillment of the LORD’S promise that David “will surely rescue all.”

There is hope for us too!

“Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you;
He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” Psalm 55:22.

“4 I sought the LORD, and He answered me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.

8 O taste and see that the LORD is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” Psalm 34:4-8.

“17 The righteous cry, and the LORD hears
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the LORD delivers him out of them all.” Psalm 34:17-19.

“2 I will cry to God Most High,
To God who accomplishes all things for me.
3 He will send from heaven and save me;
He reproaches him who tramples upon me. Selah.
God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth.” Psalm 57:2-3.

“9 I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to You among the nations.
10 For Your lovingkindness is great to the heavens
And Your truth to the clouds.
11 Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.” Psalm 57:9-11.