Still Vertical - Living in Faith - Part 2

We recall the events of Pentecost, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the conversion of the 3,000, and the beginnings of the church in Acts 2. As we pick up the story in Acts 3, Peter and John are heading to the Temple.

Acts 3:1-5 - One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

There might be a few questions that come to mind. Why isn’t James accompanying them? The three of them were always together during the time that Jesus was with the 12. Why are they are headed to the Temple? Wasn’t the Temple a place where Jews went to worship? Are Peter and John still Jews?

We can’t answer the first question, but the second question is simple. Peter and John are Jews! They just happen to be Jews who believe Jesus is the Messiah. We are certain that they are not coming to the Temple to make sacrifices, but they have been commissioned by Jesus. They want to tell everyone about Jesus, and the Temple is a HUGE gathering place of the people.

Let’s take a moment to talk a little about the Temple. I used the word HUGE above, and it was. Actually, the Temple in this account refers to the major face lift that Herod gave to the second Temple. Solomon built the first Temple, atop the Temple Mount in approximately 1,000 BC. The land associated with the Temple Mount was purchased by David, and this is the site where Abraham brought his son Isaac for sacrifice. The Israelites strayed from God after the time of Solomon, and they eventually fell under the hand of their enemies (I encourage you to read Jeremiah). And, in 580 BC, the Babylonians destroyed the Temple. The Israelites were in Exile, and the Persians allowed them to return to the site in 538 BC. A smaller version of the temple was built in 515 BC, and then Herod took on the task of restoring the Temple, and completed it near 19 BC.

Now, just how HUGE is HUGE? Are we talking about a structure the size of Terrace, or something larger, like First Baptist Church? We can give a definitive “No” to both. The walls were 30 meters tall, and the entire structure was the size of 29 football stadiums! The Temple was HUGE! Read about it. There were over 1,000 engineers and 10,000 laborers involved in its construction, and there was NOTHING holding it together aside from great engineering.

Anyway, let’s get back to our story. Peter and John are going to the Temple to tell people about the good news of Jesus. As they are entering one of the Temple gates (there were 8), they encounter a beggar, and apparently he was one that had been coming to this spot for years. We learn later that he was approximately 40 years old, and he had been lame since birth.

Acts 3:4-10 - Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

We have to love Luke! Notice his attention to detail. Peter grabbed him by the “right” hand. I can only imagine the line of questioning that Luke put people through when he was writing about this.

We have all heard this story a multitude of times, and I have no doubt that there were many occurrences of miracles of this sort, but Luke chooses to record this one, and I think it speaks volumes. After the healing, the formerly lame man follows Peter and John into the Temple, where all are astonished, and Peter and John preach Jesus.

Many were moved by the teaching, but not everyone was pleased.

Acts 4:1-4 - The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.

Just who were these Sadducees? Well, during this time period, there were two primary Jewish parties; the Sadducees and the Pharisees. The Sadducees were very conservative, and only believed the written law of Moses as authoritative. They did not believe in resurrection, or punishment or reward after death. As a result, you can only imagine their objections to the teachings about Jesus. You might also imagine that there was some jealousy and concern. They stood to lose considerable power if this movement continued to grow. Still, there was no denying the miracle that occurred, as everyone knew the lame man.

Acts 4:5-22 - The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ (referring to Psalm 18:22) Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.

Upon reading this, we are reminded of

Matthew 10:19-20 - But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Notice the contrast. Peter and John are steadfast in their beliefs, and are not concerned with the beliefs of the people before them. The Sadducees seem to lean in the other direction.

When Peter and John are released, the believers rejoice, and raise their voices to God (Acts 4:23-31). These are dangerous times, and both flogging and stoning are common. Everyone is aware of the potential consequences, and I’m sure there was a sense that this issue was not over. Indeed, we pick the story up again in Acts 5.

Acts 5:12-16 - The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.

And then, the confrontation escalates, and God shows up.

Acts 5:17-42 - Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.” At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to. Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.

The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

Don’t breeze past the mention of Gamaliel. Saul was a student of his school, and no doubt, Saul is present at this hearing. As we move further into Acts, Saul will become the greatest enemy of the early church, until he also encounters Jesus.

 I just love how God shows up! Call out to God when everything is closing in on you, and you are overcome with doubts and fears. He’ll show up, and give you the peace that passes all understanding.

Prayer – Lord, we thank you for your son Jesus, and we pray that you will give us the wisdom and courage of the apostles, so that we can boldly share our faith.

Still Vertical – Living in Faith – Part 1

There is an amazing period of time consisting of roughly 27 years, from the time of Jesus’ resurrection to Paul’s second imprisonment. This is the period in which the early church is formed, and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is shared boldly by his followers. We don’t know as much as we’d like about the activity of the early church during this time period, but we do have the writings of Luke in the book of Acts.

The story recounted in Acts is both compelling and riveting, starting from the time immediately following Jesus’ resurrection, with his instructions and promises to his followers.

Acts 1:4-11 - On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.  “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

I think it is safe to say that there is no way they could have understood the power of the Holy Spirit, and they were probably completely freaked out by the ascension, regardless of the fact that Peter, James and John witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus (as recorded in Mark 9). It is also clear that his followers still have not understood Jesus’ intentions. They are stuck in the past, and thoughts of Israel returning to the glory it held during the time of David. In addition, it is clear from repeated accounts in Acts that Jesus’ followers believed he would return soon. I’m certain that at some point, it must have crossed their minds that their own teachings about Jesus’ coming being foretold from the time of David (over 1,000 years prior) might be a hint that things will not unfold so quickly.

At any rate, Jesus’ followers do what he asks, and they stay in Jerusalem, in constant prayer. We are told in Acts 1:15 that there are currently 120 believers, and they begin to act as a single body of believers as they await the gift from the Father.

That’s when things get a little strange.

Acts 2:1-4 - When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Actually, I prefer the version of verse 1 in the King James version, where it is stated that they were all with one accord in one place. 

But before we get into this, perhaps we should say something about Pentecost. For Christians, Pentecost marks the birth of the church, but Pentecost was a Jewish celebration that took place 50 days (hence the term Pente) after Passover. During this time, there would have been Jews of roughly 70 different nationalities visiting Jerusalem, with most of them speaking in different languages. On this particular Pentecost, something truly incredible happened. God sent the gift of the Holy Spirit. Literally, God came to indwell with us.

As an aside, let me mention that the verses above seem reminiscent of verses in 1 Kings.

1 Kings 19:11-13 - And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

Notice how a violent wind preceded God’s presence in 1 Kings, and we see the same thing again in Acts. Then we see something described in terms of fire, and this is reminiscent of what we see in Exodus when God gave us the law, and made a covenant. 

The happenings here are part of God’s new covenant, and as Jesus’ followers are filled with the Holy Spirit, they are speaking in tongues. Not only that, but recorded further in Acts 2, we learn that all of the visitors in Jerusalem can hear them speaking in their native tongues, even though all of the men filled with the Holy Spirit are Galilaeans (Acts 2:7). Incredible!

There are some who initially pass this off as ridiculous, and even say that the men are drunk, but then Peter lifts his voice and delivers an incredible sermon that pierces the hearts and souls of all who are listening (Acts 2:14-36), causing them to ask what they should do, and leading to Peter calling them to repent, be baptized, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (verse 38).

Acts 2:41 - Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about 3,000 were added to their number that day.

The number 3,000 above is significant, and I want to return to God originally giving the law to Moses and making a covenant with his people, as recorded in Exodus. You might recall that when Moses goes to the top of the mountain to meet with God, the people become impatient, and they break the covenant that they had so recently made with God by creating and worshiping a golden calf, and even making sacrifices to this calf.

Exodus 32:25-28 - Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him.

Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’” The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about 3,000 of the people died.

Notice that God’s original covenant with the law brought 3,000 deaths, and God’s outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost resulted in 3,000 lives being saved. Mover, notice how the presence of the Holy Spirit is transformative!

Acts 2:42-47 - They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

This was a powerful time. The Holy Spirit completely transformed the lives of a multitude of people, and perhaps for the first time, they were acting in one accord, and thinking collectively, instead of individually.

Prayer – Lord, we thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit, and your constant presence in our lives. We pray that you will continue to guide us to do your will, lead us to live in community with others, and boldly share our faith.

David - Part VI

Vacuums Get Filled

Life is a patient teacher, and many of its lessons are repeated throughout the ages. The story of the life of David offers many lessons, and many of the ones from the last 20+ years of his life are consequences of the vacuum that David created by his poor judgement and lack of activity.

By the time of David’s and Bathsheba’s union, some of David’s children were grown. Among these were Amnon (his oldest son), Absalom (his third oldest son) and Tamar (his daughter). (Note: We never hear about David’s second oldest son, Daniel.) Absalom and Tamar were brother and sister, and Amnon was their half-brother. Tamar was beautiful, and Amnon lusted after her, leading him to devise a scheme to lure her into his chambers and have her. The encounter ended in rape, and even worse, with Amnon disgracing Tamar by putting her out. Absalom learned of what happened and took Tamar in, asking her to not speak of this, and not to worry about it (letting her know he would deal with it). I think the following passage speaks to the complete dysfunction of David’s household.

2 Samuel 13:21-22 When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry. And though Absalom never spoke to Amnon about this, he hated Amnon deeply because of what he had done to his sister.

Although David was angry, he took no action. But Absalom was not willing to let it go.

2 Samuel 13:23-29 -  Two years later, when Absalom’s sheep were being sheared at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king’s sons to come to a feast. ²⁴ He went to the king and said, “My sheep-shearers are now at work. Would the king and his servants please come to celebrate the occasion with me?”

The king replied, “No, my son. If we all came, we would be too much of a burden on you.” Absalom pressed him, but the king would not come, though he gave Absalom his blessing.

“Well, then,” Absalom said, “if you can’t come, how about sending my brother Amnon with us?”

“Why Amnon?” the king asked. But Absalom kept on pressing the king until he finally agreed to let all his sons attend, including Amnon. So Absalom prepared a feast fit for a king.

Absalom told his men, “Wait until Amnon gets drunk; then at my signal, kill him! Don’t be afraid. I’m the one who has given the command. Take courage and do it!” So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.

Absalom fled too, heading to the land of the Philistines, which was the ancestral home of his mother (his grandfather was the king of Geshur). At this point, David became despondent, and fell into a pattern of inactivity. Interestingly, he did not grieve for his son Amnon, but spent his time grieving for Absalom. During this time, his kingdom was crumbling around him, and Joab (David’s friend and the commander of David’s army) became desperate to help. So, he devised a plan to (2 Samuel 14) to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem so that David will stop grieving his absence. But David was not willing to allow Absalom to reenter the palace.

2 Samuel 14:25-33 - Now Absalom was praised as the most handsome man in all Israel. He was flawless from head to foot. He cut his hair only once a year, and then only because it was so heavy. When he weighed it out, it came to five pounds! He had three sons and one daughter. His daughter’s name was Tamar, and she was very beautiful.

Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years, but he never got to see the king. Then Absalom sent for Joab to ask him to intercede for him, but Joab refused to come. Absalom sent for him a second time, but again Joab refused to come. So Absalom said to his servants, “Go and set fire to Joab’s barley field, the field next to mine.” So they set his field on fire, as Absalom had commanded.

Then Joab came to Absalom at his house and demanded, “Why did your servants set my field on fire?”

And Absalom replied, “Because I wanted you to ask the king why he brought me back from Geshur if he didn’t intend to see me. I might as well have stayed there. Let me see the king; if he finds me guilty of anything, then let him kill me.”

So Joab told the king what Absalom had said. Then at last David summoned Absalom, who came and bowed low before the king, and the king kissed him.

Now, Absalom had more in his mind than reconciling with his father. He had his eyes on the kingdom, and since David was not acting like a leader, Absalom decided he would fill the void (see 2 Samuel 15). So, he bought a chariot and horses, and hired men to run with him, and he portrayed himself as a man who would be king. He stationed himself outside the city gate, and met people who wished to see David to have their matters judged. And, slowly, as David continued to do nothing, Absalom began to win over the people. When it was clear that his support had become substantial, and many people had lost faith in David, Absalom went to Hebron, raised an army, and marched on Jerusalem to overthrow his father and become king.

David and his faithful learn that Absalom is coming, and they flee the city. Then Absalom gathers his advisers and plots a course of action to pursue David and his followers, with the intention of killing David. But, one of David’s faithful is actually posing as an adviser to Absalom (2 Samuel 17), and causes just enough delay for David and his followers to find safety, regroup, and gain strength. Ultimately, this leads to Absalom’s defeat and death (2 Samuel 18), and grieving from David and nearly costs him the kingdom for good.

2 Samuel 19:1-8 - Word soon reached Joab that the king was weeping and mourning for Absalom. As all the people heard of the king’s deep grief for his son, the joy of that day’s victory was turned into deep sadness. They crept back into the town that day as though they were ashamed and had deserted in battle. The king covered his face with his hands and kept on crying, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

Then Joab went to the king’s room and said to him, “We saved your life today and the lives of your sons, your daughters, and your wives and concubines. Yet you act like this, making us feel ashamed of ourselves. You seem to love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that your commanders and troops mean nothing to you. It seems that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died, you would be pleased. Now go out there and congratulate your troops, for I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a single one of them will remain here tonight. Then you will be worse off than ever before.”

So the king went out and took his seat at the town gate, and as the news spread throughout the town that he was there, everyone went to him.

Afterwards, there was considerable division in Israel, and David had a lot of work to do to reunite the kingdom. Unfortunately, he showed poor judgement in his handling of things, and ultimately caused further rebellion within Israel from a man named Sheba and his followers. Eventually, David’s kingdom was restored, but he was never the same.

David become further removed in his old age, forgets his promise to Bathsheba, and ultimately causes the death of his fourth son Adonijah at the hands of his young son Solomon (1 Kings 1).

David was clearly paralyzed by his sin. His actions in the latter part of his life point to considerable depression, and collateral damage to those around him was considerable. And yet, David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22). People are often perplexed by that statement. But God meets us where we are, knowing our human side, and turns our mistakes into victories. Like us, David failed again and again. Like us, the Lord loved David, and David loved the Lord. Read Psalm 31:9-24. I believe David wrote this in his last years, and revealed his true self.

Psalm 31: 9-24 - Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress.
    Tears blur my eyes. My body and soul are withering away.
I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness.
Sin has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within.
I am scorned by all my enemies
    and despised by my neighbors—
    even my friends are afraid to come near me.
When they see me on the street,
    they run the other way.
I am ignored as if I were dead,
    as if I were a broken pot.
I have heard the many rumors about me,
    and I am surrounded by terror.
My enemies conspire against me,
    plotting to take my life.

But I am trusting you, O Lord,
    saying, “You are my God!”
My future is in your hands.
    Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.
Let your favor shine on your servant.
    In your unfailing love, rescue me.
Don’t let me be disgraced, O Lord,
    for I call out to you for help.
Let the wicked be disgraced;
    let them lie silent in the grave.^[a]
Silence their lying lips—
    those proud and arrogant lips that accuse the godly.

How great is the goodness
    you have stored up for those who fear you.
You lavish it on those who come to you for protection,
    blessing them before the watching world.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence,
    safe from those who conspire against them.
You shelter them in your presence,
    far from accusing tongues.

Praise the Lord,
    for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love.
    He kept me safe when my city was under attack.
In panic I cried out,
    “I am cut off from the Lord!”
But you heard my cry for mercy
    and answered my call for help.

Love the Lord, all you godly ones!
    For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him,
    but he harshly punishes the arrogant.
So be strong and courageous,
    all you who put your hope in the Lord!

David - Part V

Forgiveness

We hear a lot of about forgiveness, and as Christians, we know plenty of scripture that has been woven into our very being. Some popular ones are listed below.

Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Matthew 18:21-22 - Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Personally, my favorite comes from the story of the prodigal son.

Luke 15:11-20 - Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

Notice that the father’s forgiveness happens before the son’s confession.

And, of course, we have all been washed in “The Lord’s Prayer,” and the phrase

And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.

We sometimes almost think romantically about forgiveness, and unfortunately, more often than not, forgiveness is misunderstood. This misunderstanding can lead to feelings of guilt and great pain. We hear people say things like “Why can’t you let it go? You have to forgive him and take him back.” The problem is that forgiving, forgetting and reconciliation are all different. So, before we go further, it might be helpful to set the record straight.

1. We are not God.
2. Forgiveness can take time.
3. Forgiveness DOES NOT involve condoning or approving what happened.
4. Forgiveness DOES NOT have to be contingent up someone confessing or admitting or apologizing for what they did. It might not happen.
5. Forgiveness DOES NOT eliminate the consequences or prevent justice.
6. Forgiveness DOES NOT imply forgetting what happened. There are times when you forget and move on, but sometimes you don’t. In fact, sometimes it is important to remember.
7. Forgiveness DOES NOT always lead to reconciliation.
8. Forgiveness DOES NOT always lead to renewed trust.
9. Forgiveness DOES NOT always lead to boundaries being removed.

So, then what is forgiveness? Forgiveness is an act that allows us to live in the present, instead of dwelling on the past. It removes our inward focus associated with an action, and frees us to be a child of God. Unforgiveness is poison, intended for another, that kills us instead.

There is a great teaching about forgiveness in the story of David, illustrating items 3, 4, 5 and 6 above, and it’s stuck in the heart of one of the most famous stories in the old testament. You might recall that after the tragedy at Ziklag, David reconciled with God, all was restored, and for a long period of time, David worshipped the Lord, and sought His guidance in all matters. During that time (see 2 Samuel chapters 1-10) David was successful in nearly all endeavors, including becoming King of Israel, defeating all of his major enemies, bringing the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem (after one failed attempt), and receiving an incredible promise from God

2 Samuel 7:16 – “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.”

I’m sure David was riding pretty high at this point. He was a handsome man, a great warrior and a successful leader. He was King of a great nation, his kingdom was secured from all major enemies, he was rich and popular beyond belief, and on top of everything else, he had God’s promise. And then, just when it looks like there might be a happy ending, David shows his human side.  He gets bored. There are no great conquests, and David is suffering the same malady that we suffer when we remove our focus from God, and place it on things. The things we have are only temporarily satisfying. Everything we attain loses its “new car smell,” and leaves us looking for the next thing. Things do not lead to contentment. David has taken his eye off God, and he makes the mistake that so many of us make. He begins to feel entitled, and he overreaches.

2 Samuel 11:1-4 - In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. Then she went back home.

David has everything a man could want, he is finally bored with war (it’s only 40 miles away), and he reaches for something that belongs to someone else. David has surely noticed Bathsheba before. He did not own binoculars. He’s at least 50 years old, and he probably does not have eagle eyes. How far can Bathsheba be situated from the palace? David has probably noticed her before. He may have planned this. This might not have been his first conquest of this type. However, let’s give David the benefit of the doubt. David has had his pleasure, and he probably isn’t worried about consequences. Unfortunately, deception and sin often leave an ugly trail.

2 Samuel 11:5 - The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.”

Oh my... Now David has a problem. You see, Bathsheba’s husband is off at war, she’s pregnant, and word will get out. The servants are probably already gossiping. David thinks as quickly as possible, and in the panic of the moment, he comes up with a ridiculous plan.

2 Samuel 11:6 - So David sent this word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent him to David.

Now, let’s be clear on a few things. The text quickly glosses over Joab, but let me assure you that he is an intelligent man. The wheels are turning in his head. He knows exactly who Uriah is, he has seen David operate in the past, and he knows something is up. Rabbah is only 40 miles from Jerusalem, and Joab is the commander of the army. He may well have spies in the palace, and he probably knows full well what is going on. Joab is probably filing this away for later use. And, of course we know David is sending Uriah home, thinking he will sleep with his wife Bathsheba, and all will be well. She’ll give birth, and people will be convinced that her pregnancy was from her husband. 

Unfortunately, Uriah was a little more honorable than David.

2 Samuel 11:7-11 - When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house.

David was told, “Uriah did not go home.” So he asked Uriah, “Haven’t you just come from a military campaign? Why didn’t you go home?”

Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!”

Undaunted, David decides a little alcohol will take care of the situation.

2 Samuel 11:12-13 - Then David said to him, “Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. At David’s invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master’s servants; he did not go home.

Things did not go David’s way, so he does what many desperate powerful men do. He has Uriah killed.

2 Samuel 11:14-17 - In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. In it he wrote, “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.”

So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.

That’s right, David committed adultery, and then added multiple murders to sweeten the deal. Of course, being the man that he was, David did the (cough) honorable thing.

2 Samuel 11:26-27 - When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son.

By the way… The mourning period was typically 7 days. Also, I’ve left out one important detail, and it’s the one that David also forgot. At the end of verse 27, we read

But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.

Now, if you think the Lord always acts swiftly, then think again. David has married Bathsheba, and she has bore him a son. Time has passed. David is probably thinking he’s gotten away with this, and that is why he is taken so off guard when the prophet Nathan visits him.

2 Samuel 12:1-6 - The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, ‘There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.

‘Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.’

David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.’

Wait for it… Nathan is about to lower the boom.

2 Samuel 12:7-14 - Then Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: “I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.”

‘This is what the Lord says: “Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.”’

Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’

Nathan replied, ‘The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die.’

Notice: Nathan tells David that he is forgiven, but

1. There are serious consequences that go far beyond the death of David’s and Bathsheba’s son.
2. God might have forgiven David, but He is not going to forget what happened. David’s punishment is a life-long punishment.

If you don’t think the rest of the punishment is severe, then think again. Some people read Nathan’s last statement in 2 Samuel 12:14 as meaning the death of the child is the punishment. Read it again. Nathan basically says, “You won’t die for your sin, but your son will.”

The calamity in David’s household is monstrous. One of his sons (Amnon) rapes his half-sister Tamar. Another (Absalom) burns with anger over this, plots the murder of his brother Amnon, and completes the task. David is so afflicted with pain and guilt that he is unable to take action in either of these matters, and this leads to further strife. Then Absalom conspires to overthrow David’s rule, and he sleeps with David’s concubines. David is forced into war against Absalom to save his kingdom, and then he suffers the remorse and calamity that befalls his entire family when Joab kills Absalom in battle.

Unfortunately, collateral damage is the biggest part of the punishment associated with our sin. David is forgiven, but the suffering and punishment is still present. God did not condone or approve what happened. God’s forgiveness took place before David admitted his sin. God’s forgiveness did not eliminate the consequences for David’s actions, and no one forgot what happened. In fact, we are still reading about it today…

I pray that you will find release from any guilt you have carried from not being able to forget, trust and renew relationships with those who have caused you great pain. Trust may or may not be renewed, and relationships may or may not be repaired. I pray that you realize that you can love those close to you, and those that have been placed at a distance. I pray that you will find the strength to forgive someone who has caused you pain, so that you can move forward with your life, live in the present, and enjoy God’s blessings for your life. 

David - Part IV

Preparation and Apppointment

After David’s great loss at Ziklag, he realigned himself with God, and sought God in all things. His renewed relationship with God eventually lead to David becoming King over all of Israel, David capturing Jerusalem, and David leading Israel to victory over the Philistines.

Having subdued the worst of his enemies, David set his sights on recovering the Ark of the Covenant and moving it to Jerusalem. Before we delve into that process though, let’s examine the Ark, and also recall why David did not already have the Ark.

The Ark of the Covenant is mentioned many times in the Bible, and yet is it a great mystery. For example, we find instructions concerning the Ark in several verses.

Exodus 25:10-22 - “They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside shall you overlay it, and you shall make on it a molding of gold around it. You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. And you shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you.

“You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.

Exodus 37:1-9 - Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half was its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. And he overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold around it. And he cast for it four rings of gold for its four feet, two rings on its one side and two rings on its other side. And he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold and put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark. And he made a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. And he made two cherubim of gold. He made them of hammered work on the two ends of the mercy seat, one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim on its two ends. The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat were the faces of the cherubim.

Exodus 40:20 - He took the testimony and put it into the ark, and put the poles on the ark and set the mercy seat above on the ark.

Deuteronomy 10:8 - At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord to stand before the Lord to minister to him and to bless in his name, to this day.

Deuteronomy 31:26 - “Take this Book of the Law and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against you.

If nothing else about the Ark was mentioned, then we would be curious beyond belief. However, we also read

Joshua 4:18 - And when the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord came up from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up on dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, as before.

Leviticus 16:1-34 - The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the Lord and died, and the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. But in this way Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with a bull from the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. He shall put on the holy linen coat and shall have the linen undergarment on his body, and he shall tie the linen sash around his waist, and wear the linen turban; these are the holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water and then put them on. And he shall take from the congregation of the people of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. ...

Jushua 6:1-5 - Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

We also recall the things that occurred that lead to the Ark being captured from the Israelis when they foolishly decided to carry the Ark into battle without seeking God’s will (1 Samuel 4). This occurred before the time of Samuel, and long before the lives of Saul or David. The Philistines dealt the Israelis a huge defeat that day, and they captured the Ark and took it back to their cities. Unfortunately, the Ark caused them to suffer greatly from its presence among them, because Holiness cannot abide sin. So, the Philistines sought to send the Ark back to Israel, and it was eventually set down in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh.

1 Samuel 6:19-21 - And He struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked upon the ark of the Lord. He struck seventy men of them, and the people mourned because the Lord had struck the people with a great blow. Then the men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? And to whom shall He go up away from us?” So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down and take it up to you.”

In the King James version, verse 19 says

And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.

The Ark did not reside with the Israeli people during the entire reign of Saul, and David decides to it is time to bring the Ark back. So, David attempts to bring the Ark to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 6:1-10 - David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. He and all his men went to Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark. They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it. David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.

When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.

Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.

David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?”

He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

I want you to look closely at the first verse. I’m sure you notice something very significant there. David has assembled a huge group of people to bring the Ark to Jerusalem. He and 30,000 men are traveling with the Ark, and the verse describes David and all of Israel “celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.”

How much planning do you imagine went into this process? It must have been considerable. The logistics were surely a nightmare, and I can only imagine the celebrations that were planned in advance of the Ark coming to its intended resting place. It’s too bad that David did not take care of the essential preparation that was needed to transport the Ark. Otherwise, there would not have been any accidents. Everyone would have known NOT TO TOUCH the Ark. Everyone would have known that the Ark had to be handled in very specific ways. If David had inquired of the Lord, he would have surely been reminded that there were specific teachings associated with handling the Ark. It is quite possible that David’s past successes led him to believe his great talents could be used to accomplish anything. In the midst of these thoughts, David momentarily lost sight of God, and relied too heavily on himself and other people.

Have you, or people you know, prepared everything except the essential items associated with an important endeavor, and then failed? David failed that day. But then, look at what happened next.

2 Samuel 6:11-19 - The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.

Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.

They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.

I get the feeling that David must have done his homework before he tried a second time, and he surely discussed the matter with God. And, in the process, surely David felt another renewed closeness with God, and it led him to desire to build a temple for the Ark.

2 Samuel 7:1-3 - After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”

Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”

But, then, as we read further in 2 Samuel, we see that things do not go as planned.

2 Samuel 7:4-17 - But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’

“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.

“‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 1I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 1But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’”

Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

I’m guessing that most people would feel some pain and disappointment when they received this message. But that is not what we hear from David. We read David’s prayer in the remainder of 2 Samuel 7, and clearly, David feels blessed. His cup is more than half full. God has given him so much in life, and he is both humble and grateful.

2 Samuel 7:18-29 - Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:

“Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human!

“What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign Lord. For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.

“How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.

“And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight.

“Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”

Like David, we are nothing without the God’s blessings. Our talents are great gifts from God, and we must find time daily to thank God for His many blessings, and His hand in our lives.  

David was abundantly blessed by God, and this may have caused his humanness to overreach. 

I pray that you will receive God’s calling on your life, and when you overreach God’s calling, you will find the blessing and love that David found in His rebuke.