Daily Thoughts From God's Word

The kingdom divided!  Rehoboam heard counsel both wise and foolish.  He took the foolish counsel, and the results are there for everyone to see: a pagan, idolatrous nation in the north and a sharply reduced kingdom in the south.  Both were nothing much more than weak rump kingdoms at that point.  Bad decisions.  Bad results.  For generations, though, the Lord continued to send his prophets and to rescue the people.  It’s certainly not a license to sin and to disobey, but how

Solomon accomplished so much during his reign:  the building of the temple and his own palace, he built up Israel’s army in order to defend the nation, he built a great administrative state, he built structures (both military and civilian) all over Israel, and he built a fleet of ships that traded all over the Mediterranean and brought him great riches.  So rich did Solomon become that the queen of Sheba said to him, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your wo

A firmly established fact is that Solomon was a flawed character.  Wiser than all men, obeying God and trusting him in so many things, ruling wisely and protecting the nation; on the other hand, allowing idolatry, even introducing it to the nation through his many wives and concubines, and putting all sorts of burdens on the people by way of taxes and forced labor.  But there is also this, he built the temple, and the Lord said to him, “Concerning this house that you are buil

For Resurrection Sunday, how about we read Isaiah’s great prophecy and just meditate on it?   52 13 Behold, my servant shall act wisely;    he shall be high and lifted up,     and shall be exalted. 14  As many were astonished at you—     his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,     and his form beyond that of the children of mankind— 15  so shall he sprinkle many nations.     Kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for that which has not been told them they

“Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter.  He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem. The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places” (3:1-2).  Solomon fell into the trap so many leaders succumb to, i.e., trusting in treaties and alliances rather than God and, especially, this was a problem for Israel, a nation tied to God by covenant.

The royal intrigues continue:  “Now Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, ‘I will be king.’  So he got chariots and horses ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him.  (His father had never rebuked him by asking, ‘Why do you behave as you do?’  He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom.)” (1:5-6). All this is to say that Adonijah was a spoiled and entitled brat.  Entering into a conspiracy with Joab and Abiathar in the last days of D

“David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.  He said:            ‘The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;          my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,          my shield and the horn of my salvation.          He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—          from violent people you save me’” (22:1-3).   David knew who “buttered his toast.”  You know, that wording s

After his son Absalom’s rebellion and death, David returned to Jerusalem where he pardoned his enemies, those who had opposed his kingship.  Among them was Shimei who pleaded for forgiveness:  “And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan, and said to the king, ‘Let not my lord hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem.  Do not let the king take it to heart.  For your servant k

David’s life and reign seems filled with trouble and heartache, beginning with yesterday’s episode with Bathsheba and Uriah.  Troubles, however, continued:  Amnon and Tamar, the murder of Amnon by Absalom, Amnon’s attempted coup, Ziba’s rebellion, Shimei’s cursing of David, and the death of Absalom among many trials and tribulations.  We might wonder, how in the world did David keep his sanity?  How did experience any joy at all?  How was he able to remain so resolutely a kin

Who doesn’t know, even if only in its broad strokes, the story of David’s sin with Bathsheba!  It’s a story of a king who, while lounging safely in his palace sent his men to die on the battlefield.  Catching a glimpse of Bathsheba and infatuated with her, David not only committed adultery with her but concocted a plan to have her husband, Uriah, killed so that he could marry the widow.  Just an awful story.  But who also does not know the rest of the story!  David, broken an

Chapter 8 lists military victories David enjoyed over his and Israel’s enemies.  But his greatness was not found merely in the fact that he delivered, always with God’s help, Israel from her enemies:  “So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people” (8:15).  David’s greatness is so powerfully displayed as he asks, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (9:1).  There wa

Chapter 5 tells the story of David being anointed king over Israel, and the remaining chapters tell us much about his rule, his accomplishments, his failures, his battles, etc.  In the midst of all the details, one verse stands out above all others.  God entered into covenant with David and promised him, “Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever” (7:16).  Know what this means?  Well, it means that there exists

Saul had fallen in the battle with the Amalekites.  He was close to death and in much anguish when an Amalekite man came by.  Saul asked this man to kill him and so he did.  The man took Saul’s crown and armlet and took them to David, perhaps thinking he could curry favor with the man who would become king.  David’s response?  “Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Sa

I have often told the story about teaching “Intro to Old Testament” at the Baptist seminary in Bandung, Indonesia.  We were in 1 Samuel 28 and the story of Saul and the medium of En-dor.  Samuel, Saul’s trusted advisor, had died and now Saul was unsure as to whether or not he should go up to fight against the Philistines.  Now, Saul had “inquired of the LORD, [but] the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets” (28:6).  We should not be surprised f

An amazing story of trust (in God) and loyalty (to the king) on David’s part.  Saul was told, “’Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.’  Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David [to kill him]” (24:1-2).  The story goes like this:  Saul went into a cave to relieve himself and, unknown to Saul, David was hiding there.  David’s men saw a great opportunity for David to kill Saul and escape but David stealthily cut off a corner of Sa