The Chapter-A-Day thread. (3)

[brinny]

I Samuel 17:

The Tale of the Headless Bully.
AKA Don't lose yer head.
or:
Q: What is the cure for the fear of bullies?
A: The fear of the Lord.

Now this just might be my fav'rite testimony of God's faithfulness and power, and a glimpse into the absolute trust and "free-fall abandon" right smack into the God of his faith, that David had. This was most evident when he RAN towards this giant, who was reportedly over 9 feet tall, as Saul the king, with all of his army, cowered in fear for days from this big ol' bully, who was not just mocking "them", but also mocking "God".

Now HERE is where we catch a bit of a glimpse into why God called David the "apple of His eye", and a "man after His own heart".

It's because of THIS:

When David brought his brothers food, and heard that this giant of a bully was mocking God's name, he was horrified. Yes, he was horrified that this big ol' bully was mocking God, but he was MORE horrified that NO ONE, including the entire army was defending their God and taking a stand for Him.

Now wait a minute, it goes even deeper than that. For what this indicates is that from king Saul on down, there was no "regard" or "fear of the Lord" nor any faith that accompanies it. No love whatsoever for God. The bottom line? There was no "heart" for God, whatsoever. Throughout God's Word, God speaks of the "wise-hearted", which means a "heart for God". David was exceptionally "wise-hearted".

David the "wise-hearted".

The ONLY one who was "wise-hearted" (had a heart for God) was David, the youngest, and smallest amongst them. In fact, he was a mere boy in size, so much so, that the king's armor didn't fit. He, in essence "swam" in it. Here's a deeper look into what this signifies. It is that NO "man's" armor, no matter how big n' bad it is, can stand up to the protection of the "covering" of God, when we are standing in, and defending His name, provides. For this is what comes into play here, and that is, when we "fear God", we fear NOTHING else (we are "wise-hearted"). And that fearing nothing else includes "man", or even big ol' beastly bullies, specifically giants named Goliath.

David had ALREADY been in God's "boot camp". God had equipped and prepared David to slay a bear and a lion, to protect his sheep. But even before this, there had taken root a "fear of the Lord" in his heart, soul, and mind. And this "fear of the Lord" had rendered David "fearless" when it came to anything else:

"And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine." ~I Sam 17:34-37

That is why he RAN towards Goliath. He was "fearless" when it came to beast, or man, or even a 9 foot tall gigantic bully.

All he needed was God, and the stones, and the slingshot, and God's own hand guiding that stone and making its mark. He was prepared for such a time as this. He KNEW God was with him and that God would protect him just as he did against the lion and the bear. So God called forth the boy that had a heart for Him, and Who "feared Him" to be the champion. (This is better than Jason and the Argonauts).

David: God's warrior.

"Blessed be the LORD, my rock who trains my hands for battle and my fingers for warfare." ~Ps 144:1

And that mocker, the big bad ol' gigantic bully Goliath?

He was demanding a champion come and fight him.

And he got what he asked for.

Only thing is, he lost his head over it.

 

[brinny]

I Samuel 18:

The king of jealousy.

AKA the Green eyed monster raises its oooogly head again.

And so it begins. Saul's jealousy is aroused, once again. This is because at the celebration of the returning warriors, the women and the people sang and celebrated their victory and their return. They of course gave tribute to king Saul, however they gave more tribute to David:

"And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." ~I Samuel 18:7

Uh-oh. Now why did they go there? LOL! Well they were being honest and accurate. Although Saul didn't see it that way. He was jealous. Now this merely was a manifestation of what had already been rooted in his heart against his own son Jonathan, when he would've killed his son over some contrived devilment he had commanded.

David had just, on his own, by the power vested in him by the living God, confronted, faced-down, and RAN to Goliath and then slain the big bad ol' bully Goliath, while king Saul and his entire army cowered in fear for days, allowing that big ol' bully to not only mock him and all his army and all of Israel, but also the living God.

And here he is, with that ol' jealousy raising its ugly head again.

"And Saul eyed David from that day and forward." ~I Samuel 18:9

And so it begins.

The "king of jealousy" begins a deadly vendetta, as the hounds of hell, so to speak, are unleashed against David.

"And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice." ~I Samuel 18:11

 

[brinny]

I Samuel 19:

The Murderous King.

AKA "The Narrow Escape".

So Saul plots against David, even to his son Jonathan (and his daughter Michal later), that if any see David, that they should kill him. Jonathan, however reminds Saul how David has been a good and loyal servant, and the slayer of Goliath the giant, that had held Israel at siege for days. He also reminds Saul that killing David would be a grave sin, for he would be killing him without cause and shedding innocent blood. And Saul relented, promising to not kill David:

"And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain." ~I Sam 19:6

He lied.

No, he didn't kill David "right then", but stay tuned.

War breaks out again, and lo and behold, guess what happens?

"And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled from him." ~I Sam 19:8

So, ok, it's after the war, and there was great victory for Israel, because of David. And as David is playing an instrument for Saul. now mind you, David is playing an instrument while Saul has a javelin in his hand. Ok, what's wrong with this picture?

Well here we go again. While David is playing this music, Saul is thinking of nothing but killing David with that javelin. he had a murderous heart towards David. But that's nothing new.....he had a murderous heart towards his own son Jonathan and would've killed him if the people did not stand up for him.

"And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. Saul also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David's wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain. So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth. And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick. And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him. And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster. And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?" ~I Sam 19:10-17

 

[brinny]

I Samuel 20:

A bridge over troubled water.
AKA: That's what friends are for.
AKA: All for one and one for all.

When you're weary, feeling small
When tears are in your eyes, I'll dry them all (all)
I'm on your side, oh, when times get rough
And friends just can't be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down..

When you're down and out
When you're on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you (ooo)
I'll take your part, oh, when darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
(partial lyrics from "A Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon and Garfunkel)

Now Jonathan was surely a great friend of David. He even made a covenant with David, yet he still had a "blind spot", and yes, he was determined to protect his friend David, yet he also KNEW what his father Saul had just said about "killing" David.

And that "blind spot" was the utter treacherous and murderous heart of his father's that determined to kill David, without cause.

Jonathan was still, a friend to David, bottom line. It just took him a while to gain clarity as his "blind spot" faded, and to see the picture clearly of how evil his father's heart was.

The bottom line is, that Jonathan WAS, in the end, a loyal friend to David, who would've given his life for him.

He was, in essence, a "bridge over troubled water".

 

[brinny]

1 Samuel 21:

Note: I was reminded by a friend this morning about this daily Chapter-A-Day. So i figured i'd start it again. Praying God's blessings and grace on it. I have never read the Bible through, ever. Praying that with the help and grace of God i will read it through in its entirety.

The Dastardly (psychotic) King.

So here in the 21st chapter we have David, in dire straits, and desperate to the nth degree. He was fleeing King Saul, who was bound and determined to murder David in cold blood, by any means necessary, "without cause", or any semblance of "rhyme or reason" to it. Therefore David, because he had to flee for his life, had no food or water or weapons. So he flees to Nob, where he seeks help from Ahimelech the Priest there in Nob. But he could not tell him why he needed the help.

Interestingly enough, and ironically, Goliath's sword was there, the very one that David used to cut off the head of the giant Goliath. The contrast of this hero of God, fleeing from a king that was bound and determined to murder David, without cause, is astounding. David, the very one who saved not only Israel, but this very king and his army, from Goliath and the entire host of enemies, was now fleeing for his life from this very same king.

How utterly dastardly and/or psychotic is THAT??!!!

So David took what the Priest, Ahimelech, gave to him, including Goliath's sword, and left quickly, continuing to flee from King Saul.

As a side note:
Ahimelech the Priest, had taken his own life in his hands to even help David at all.

As we shall see, King Saul had no regard for either God, or even God's own servants, the priests.

Stay tuned.

 

[Southernscotty]

1 Chronicles 21:

Note: I was reminded by a friend this morning about this daily Chapter-A-Day. So i figured i'd start it again. Praying God's blessings and grace on it. I have never read the Bible through, ever. Praying that with the help and grace of God i will read it through in its entirety.

The Dastardly (psychotic) King.

So here in the 21st chapter we have David, in dire straits, and desperate to the nth degree. He was fleeing King Saul, who was bound and determined to murder David in cold blood, by any means necessary, "without cause", or any semblance of "rhyme or reason" to it. Therefore David, because he had to flee for his life, had no food or water or weapons. So he flees to Nob, where he seeks help from Ahimelech the Priest there in Nob. But he could not tell him why he needed the help.

Interestingly enough, and ironically, Goliath's sword was there, the very one that David used to cut off the head of the giant Goliath. The contrast of this hero of God, fleeing from a king that was bound and determined to murder David, without cause, is astounding. David, the very one who saved not only Israel, but this very king and his army, from Goliath and the entire host of enemies, was now fleeing for his life from this very same king.

How utterly dastardly and/or psychotic is THAT??!!!

So David took what the Priest, Ahimelech, gave to him, including Goliath's sword, and left quickly, continuing to flee from King Saul.

As a side note:
Ahimelech the Priest, had taken his own life in his hands to even help David at all.

As we shall see, King Saul had no regard for either God, or even God's own servants, the priests.

Stay tuned.

I am enjoying them Brinny Thank you for these :] We see that God is always providing for David through all his circumstances ;]

 

[brinny]

I am enjoying them Brinny Thank you for these :] We see that God is always providing for David through all his circumstances ;]

Yes, amen. God was faithful to David through ALL of it.

 

[brinny]

1 Samuel 22:

King Saul: In Cold Blood.
AKA: An Unholy and Bloody Massacre.

So David has fled to the cave Adullam, and when his family hears of it, they come there, and David asks the king of Moab to allow his family to stay with him for their safety. David then heeds a prophet named Gad, and flees to the forest of Hareth.

Uh-oh.
In the meantime, King Saul hears that the Priest Ahimelech helped David. And he's enraged that anyone, priest or not, would help David. So he's bound and determined to "get" that priest now, and just for good measure, to "take out" ev'ry living and breathing being whether it be man, woman, child, baby, or beast.

And by golly he did.

"And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword." ~I Samuel 22:18-19

So King Saul has killed not only the priests of Nob, but ALL of the inhabitants of the city, including women, pregnant or not, and babies, and even the very cattle and animals of that city.

He had gone on a "killing spree".

 

[brinny]

1 Samuel 23:

An Unthankful City.

Now one of the sons of Ahimelech the Priest, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. He then told David of the slaughter of his father the Priest, and all the Priests and the entire city of Nob. David then regretted allowing Doeg the Edomite to escape back to Saul because he knew he would tell Saul, and thus David was in grief that such evil befell Abiathar's family, household, and city, and that he didn't stop Doeg the Edomite.

If this wasn't bad enough, David gets word that the Philistines are fighting the city of Keilah, and robbing them of their crops, etc.

Soooooo David prays about going to fight the Philistines to save the city of Keilah, and God tells him to go. Now David's men got nervous because they were fewer in number than the Philistines. So David asks God again, and God said that HE would deliver the Philistines into David's hand. So David and his men go. And there is a great victory, and thus David saved the city of Keilah from the Philistines.

But hold the horses, there's a weird twist here. Lo and behold, King Saul hears that David is in Keilah. And guess what happens then?

Well Saul is gonna go to Keilah and just "end" David, cuz he's gonna try to ambush him there. (Nice, huh?)

Somehow David knew that Saul was coming to Keilah. So he asks God if the people of Keilah would help to defend David against Saul, and he asks God. God tells him point blank that no, the people would not defend or help him.

Can you BELIEVE that??!!! These are the people that DAvid just saved from the Philistines!!! And they would turn on and betray David???

Yup, that's what God says.

So what does David have to do? He and his men have to run and hide here and there, like hunted animals, from King Saul.

Thanks Keilah.

 

[brinny]

1 Samuel 24:

The "Man after God's own heart".

It boggles me mind that David was ABLE to withstand what would've been simply "self-defense", and that is to slay this evil man, Saul, as he slept.

Yet he didn't. THIS alone gives us a clue as to why God Himself defined David as a "man after His own heart", and the "apple of His eye".

It was because of David's "heart" for God. He didn't spare Saul for "SAUL'S" sake. It was for GOD. It was to honor God, since God had appointed Saul as king. It was to honor GOD, not "Saul" that he spared this king.

 

[brinny]

1 Samuel 25:

Abigail.

Now there was a very rich man named Nabal who had a wicked and evil heart, who was very foolish and brutish, but who had a very wise, gracious, and beautiful wife named Abigail. (I'm convinced this was a "fixed" marriage).

Now Nabal, being the foolish wicked-hearted man that he was, sealed his own doom. Know what he did? He returned evil for good towards David. And it wasn't DAVID who had anything to do with Nabal's demise. It was God.

And Abigail? Well after she saved her foolish husband's "skin", so that David would not destroy not only Nabal, but the entire city, God stepped in.

God "smote" Nabal.

And he died.

David, upon hearing that Nabal had died by the hand of God, asked for Abigail's hand in marriage.

And she consented.

 

[brinny]

1 Samuel 26:

An unrepentant, stubborn heart.

"But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed." ~Rom 2:5

Again??!!!

Yes, again. Are you kidding me??!! King Saul, yet one mo' time, goes out after David to kill him. And this, after David SHOWED King Saul (back in chapter 24) that he could've very well killed him when he showed him the part of his garment that he had cut off while he was sleeping.

And now this???!!!

King Saul has REEEEALLY sealed his doom now, hasn't he?

This comes to mind:

"Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house." ~Pr 17:13

Now David knew that King Saul was after him again, to kill him. (Do you think that David was shocked or surprised that he was?)

And David finds King Saul, once again, sleeping. This time in a ditch. Interestingly enough God had caused King Saul and his men to fall into a deep sleep, and they were all oblivious that David was there. David took two of the king's items and left, went to the other side of the ditch, a distance away, and called out to the king's men, asking how they could've let someone so close to the king. Then Saul hears David and calls out to David, calling him "my son". (Seriously??!!)

And David responds, showing Saul that he had his spear and cruse of water. He was showing Saul that he could've EASILY killed him again. But didn't. He asks him what have i done to you that you seek my life? Again?

And Saul responds with "sorries" and promises to "never do it again" and to "return", for he will not try to kill David anymore.

Uh-huh.

David said, just as i have had the grace not to kill you twice, when i easily could have, have the grace and the decency to not attempt to pursue and kill me either.

And very very wisely, David did not return, but went his way, and Saul went his way.

"He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." ~Pr 29:1

 

[brinny]

1 Samuel 27:

David's despair.

David is discouraged and has lost heart at this last attempt and intention of Saul to kill him in cold blood, even after David had shown Saul without a shadow of a doubt, that David would never harm Saul, even if given the opportunity. He SHOWED Saul that he is INNOCENT of anything that Saul would accuse him of.

Now it's been TWICE that David showed Saul that he could've killed him dead, but didn't.

How much MORE can he do?

No WONDER he was sooo discouraged. It was crystal clear to him now that Saul was just bound and determined to kill David in cold blood.

Saul was nuts and not just nuts, but an "evil" kind of nuts. He was a stone-cold psychopathic king. He had no conscience. He had "spies" ev'ry where who would drop a dime on David without blinking an eye, just like they did again.

David is draggggging. His head is downcast. He's gotta GO. Anywhere but there would be good. He and his family were in danger from Saul. He was taking no more chances.

So he goes somewhere where Saul wouldn't DARE to go, and that was the land of the Philistines, in Gath. The Philistines were enemies of Saul. And the bottom line, is that Saul was a coward. He always was. Why do you think that Saul all of a sudden would not go after David yet one mo' time?

"And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him." ~I Samuel 27:4

Soooooo David goes to where? Gath. It was right smack in the midst of the land of the Philistines. And David speaks to Achish, the king of Gath, to ask if he and his family and his 600 men could dwell safely there. David asked Achish for a place in the country where he and all who were with him, and Achish agreed to. He gave David Ziklag.

 

[brinny]

1 Samuel 28:

The witch.

The Prophet Samuel has died. And all of Israel mourns. Simultaneously there are rumblings of the Philistines intending to war against Israel. King Saul, upon hearing this literally panics. The bottom line is, he's skeered to death of the Philistines. In addition, David is now abiding with the Philistines, and in Saul's mind, David might very well fight him, along with the Philistines, because of all the evil without cause that Saul intended, and did towards David and so many others, including Priests. He must've been hyperventilating BIG TIME. He sho' 'nuff wasn't thinkin' straight, cuz you know what he did?

He went searching for a witch of all things, namely the famous "witch of Endor". So he seeks the occult to do of ALL things, "divination", to "bring up the ghost of the Prophet Samuel". He went to her by night, disguised.

And whoever it was, it certainly was not Samuel the Prophet that appeared. Just how twisted WAS he to think it WOULD be, as he so blatantly disobeys God and blatantly does this abomination?

Talk about a darkened heart, and stubborn, stiff-necked, willful man.

There is such a man, right there.

"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. " ~I Samuel 15:23

"He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." ~Pr 29:11

 

[brinny]

1 Samuel 29

A blessing in disguise.

King Achish, hearing the grumblings and complaints of the princes of the Philistines, against David, spoke with David and urged him to go back, because he had no favor with them.

Now this was a blessing in disguise because it gave David an "out" from fighting with the Philistines and got him out of the big ol' tangled spiders web he was about to get even more tangled in.

So David and his men left to return to Ziklag.

 

[brinny]

1 Samuel 30

A man after God's own heart.

David knew WHO to go to in his times of distress and crisis. He sought God, and thus, strengthened himself in the Lord. He KNEW his "strength" was GOD. In return he delighted God's very heart, because it was "settled" in David's heart, mind, and soul that it was from GOD alone that he was strengthened.

This is why God called David a man after His own heart, and why God DELIGHTED in David.

"Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name." ~Ps 91:14

 

[brinny]

1 Samuel 31

A death without remedy.

"He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." ~Pr 29:1

Saul was a tragic figure of a man. Chock full of deception, cowardice, wickedness, stubbornness, rebellion, a murderous unrepentant heart, and a blatant contempt and lack of Godly fear for the living God.

This chapter gives the account of Saul's death.

He died in dis-honor and disgrace.

Tragic.

 

[brinny]

2 Samuel 1

David's chapter begins.

Saul has died, and a man comes to find David to tell him that Saul is dead. He was an Amalekite, and he said that he slew Saul (or "finished him off"). Little did he know, however, that he had just said his own death sentence, because David was horrified that this man just admitted killing King Saul, and David had him executed.

David also hears that Jonathan had also died. He mourns a king of Israel has fallen by the sword, and for his beloved country Israel, and his friend Jonathan's death.

"And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword." ~II Samuel 1:12

Thus ends the reign of Saul, and the beginnings of David's reign as king.

 

[brinny]

2 Samuel 2

The rise of King David.

Now David, for the sake of God, did not dishonor Saul, even at his death, but honored him to the last. Neither did he grab at or take by force his rightful place as King.

He inquired of the Lord what he should do, and God told him to go to Hebron. So he did.

Then the men of Judah came, and anointed David king over the house of Judah. (there was a lot of nonsense and confusion going on in Israel at this time) So it's only Judah that David is king over, for now.

 

[brinny]

2 Samuel 3

Abner's death.

Now Abner was a curious one. He was deceptive, and he conspired against David by making Saul's youngest son king of Israel, and in addition he killed Joab's brother, etc.

David's mourning of his death after Joab and his brother slew him, is curious, and something i have difficulty understanding. David also mourned because Abner foolishly came out of the City of Refuge, where Joab and his brother could slay him.

He should've never left the City of Refuge. He knew he had slain Joab's brother and that Joab would surely seek revenge for it.

Tragic.