How much time do we allow to lapse before or if we choose to obey God? Are we waiting to confer with flesh and blood? What is it that restrains us from immediate obedience? We have an example of God giving a command to Abram in Genesis 12:1-4, which was the first time God spoke to him. Verse 1 reads, “Now the LORD had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you’” (NKJV). The first part of verse 4 reads, “So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him…” We are given further insight into Abraham’s unquestioning obedience on this occasion in Hebrews 11:8. “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” Would we have done that?

Genesis 21:1-14 is the account of Abraham and Sarah becoming parents to Isaac when Abraham was one hundred years old, and Sarah was ninety. Abraham had fathered a child by Hagar, an arrangement made by Sarah, since Hagar was her bondwoman. Ishmael was fourteen years old when Isaac was born. Genesis 21:9 says, “And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing.” Sarah was very distressed and told Abraham to “…Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.” Verse 11 tells us, “And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son.”

However, God told Abraham not to let it be displeasing in his sight because of Ishmael or Hagar. In the latter part of verse 12 and verse 13, God said to Abraham, “…Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.” Abraham’s actions in Genesis 21:14 are noteworthy. “So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her way. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba.”

Genesis 22:1-8 is the account of God’s ultimate test of Abraham’s faith and obedience. In verse 2, God said to Abraham, “…Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” In verse 3, Abraham’s response was outstanding. “So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.” Once again, his faith and obedience was unwavering – even after Isaac inquired of his father, upon observing the fire and the wood, “…where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” (v. 7). Abraham’s answer in verse eight is the model response for all time. “…‘My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering. So the two of them went together.’” God always provides for what He calls for us to do.

Hebrews 11:17-19 gives us further insight into this account and the unique relationship between God and Abraham. “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead from which he also received him in a figurative sense.” Romans 4:19-24 speaks to that divine truth forthrightly.

And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore “It was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Another side of Abraham’s sterling character is revealed in Genesis 18 and 19 in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. God said He knew Abraham and that he commanded “…his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him” (Genesis 18:19). God told the two men, who Abraham and Sarah had welcomed to their home, what He would do regarding Sodom and Gomorrah. Genesis 18:20-22 tells us:

And the LORD said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.” Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD.

The remainder of Genesis 18 contains Abraham’s impassioned plea to God not to destroy the righteous with the wicked. What Abraham said to God in Genesis 18:25 will cause any reverent, submissive, obedient Christian to catch his or her breath as he or she attempts to comprehend what Abraham said to the Almighty Creator of the universe! “Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked, far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” This was a man talking to and questioning God about what is right! Had he forgotten that it is a total impossibility for God to be wrong about anything?

Abraham started out asking God if fifty righteous people were found would He destroy the city. He kept supposing from fifty down to ten righteous people being found. In verse 32, God said He would not destroy it for the sake of ten. Verse 33 is another of those verses that reveals God’s longsuffering. One of the definitions of longsuffering is the ability to keep a hopeful, forgiving attitude toward people to avoid retaliating against a wrong. “So the LORD went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.” After the destruction of the cities, Genesis 19:27 tells us, “And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD. He looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace.” Genesis 19:29 says, “And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt.” Longsuffering!

James 2:21-24 puts inspired insight to this relationship between God and Abraham regarding faith and works.

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

Abraham was remembered in 2 Chronicles 20:7 as God’s friend forever. Why was Abraham called the friend of God? He always responded to God’s commands and expectations with no wavering, no questioning and no hesitation. His example shows us “early in the morning” obedience opens the door for God’s exceedingly abundant blessings for the remainder of the day and beyond. Glorify and magnify His holy and righteous name forever!

Marilyn LaStrape

What is the very first hymn you can remember singing in worship? Neal asked this question in class recently when teaching the Psalms. He said the first one he can recall is “Farther Along.” The first one I can remember as a little girl was “Old Rugged Cross,” led by a skinny old man named Mr. Ketchup in a small church in Florida. Looking back, he probably wasn’t that old and his name was probably Ketchem. But the song that was clearly a favorite of his has remained a favorite of mine as well.

Many of my long-time favorite songs have special memories tied to them. “A Beautiful Prayer” makes me think of sitting next to my grandma and hearing her sing alto. “Where The Roses Never Fade” takes me back to singing 4-part harmony with my family (I was tenor). And “Heaven Will Surely Be Worth It All” will always remind me of my earliest years with Neal because we sang it often when dating and first married.

I could go on and on, and would enjoy it immensely. I could talk about the songs that my sister and I sang together while washing dishes (“The Steadfast Love of the Lord”), or songs Neal and I sang with our boys when they were little (“Wonderful Love of Jesus”). I imagine you have your own list of songs that are close to your heart.

I have all of these “precious memories” (ha) because every worship service I’ve ever been to has been filled with singing. What a gift God gave us when He commanded it!

“Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19).

“Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col. 3:16).

What is it that’s so special about lifting voices together in praise? The harmony, the unity, the emotion, the conviction, the joy…? It’s a lifelong blessing. New memories keep being made and new songs are learned (my current favorite is “Behold Our God”). Singing ties us together, reminds us who we are, and sets our minds on things above (Col. 3:1-2).

I thank God for that. I’m thankful for song leaders who put their heart into it and for the Christians around me who do the same. I’m thankful for friends through the years with whom we’ve gotten together just to sing. I’m thankful for our young friend, Collins, who sits with us in worship and sings out with her pure, sweet soprano.

Oh, the power and beauty of congregational singing! Let’s make the most of it! Let’s get together more often to sing!

“Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise” (James 5:13).

By Kathy Pollard

On New Year’s Day, I heard one of the hosts of Fox News say that her New Year’s resolution was to fortify her family. She said that there is little she can do personally to change the climate in our nation, but she will do what she can with her family.

I often think how helpless I feel about the evil things that are happening in our country. As one person with no political influence, I feel like my hands are tied behind my back. There is little I can do to make my voice heard. This seems like the perfect way to feel like I can be heard, and just maybe someone is listening.

My son recently said something that hit me hard. He said that the issues are no longer political party against political party. It is good against evil. He is exactly right; and Christians had better see the decisions that are being made as just that—good against evil.

So, how do we go about fortifying our families? Fortify means to provide defensive works as protection against attack; to strengthen mentally or physically. So, what this news host was saying is that she is going to provide protection against the attacks being wielded against her family. She is going to fight evil!

How do we do that? There is only one way, to truly fight evil, and that is through God’s Word. When God spoke to the Children of Israel, He told them something that is as applicable today as it was then. He says, “…keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life” (Deuteronomy 4:9). Parents can’t fortify anyone if they aren’t conscientious and have a knowledge of God’s Word themselves. God is talking to parents who needed to remember the way God had blessed them and cared for them while they were in captivity. They needed to remember the miracles they had seen, how God had protected them and delivered them from bondage, and how all of this had changed their lives.

Although we haven’t been in captivity like the Jews or seen miracles, we have experienced God’s bountiful blessings over and over again. We need to remember that when we want to fortify our families.

In the remainder of verse 9 and following in verse 10, God tells the Jews to teach their sons and daughters so they can teach their children. This is a long-term commitment. We teach, so they can teach. If we don’t teach, they may not teach.

In Deuteronomy 6:6-7, God tells His people to keep His words in their heart. They are to teach them diligently to their children and talk about God’s commands in their homes, when they are walking together, when they are lying down, and when they get up. In other words, God’s commands have to be constantly taught in order for them to provide the fortification they need to live godly lives.

God’s teachings in the New Testament echo these instructions. Fathers are to bring up their children in “the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).

God also told the Jews, “For you are a people holy to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth” (Deuteronomy 14:2). This is repeated in the New Testament by Peter in First Peter 9-10. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

In this passage, Peter is speaking to both Jewish and Gentile Christians. He speaks of their royalty, the promised reign with Christ in heaven. The faithful are all one in Christ through obedience in baptism. Having been taught, having obeyed, and having lived a life pleasing to God, we are fortified against the devil. These are the things we need to teach our children and grandchildren.

The idea of fortifying our families is not to be taken lightly. It won’t happen if we don’t continue the teaching day and night, in good times and in bad, when they want to hear it and when they don’t, when they are listening and when they aren’t. God’s Word has to be the center of everything we do to strengthen us and generations to come.

Remember Paul’s admonition to the church at Rome. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:15).

Sandra Oliver

by Cindy Colley.

When I read Psalm 16, I envision David looking up as he says, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from You” (v. 2). Then I picture David looking around as he says, “As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight” (v. 3). What a beautiful psalm and prayer, one I heartily echo. “You are good, God, and I love You. And Your people are good, and I love them, too.”

David goes on to thank God for His guidance:

• “I bless the Lord who gives me counsel” (v. 7).
• “You make known to me the path of life” (v. 11).

And he also thanks God for His presence:

• “Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken” (v. 8).
• “In Your presence there is fullness of joy” (v. 11).

We can praise God for those things, too, and sometimes His guidance and His presence are experienced through His people. Think about the times you’ve received spiritual counsel from Christian friends, preachers, Bible class teachers, or elders. We know God uses His people for instruction (Rom. 10:14-15; 2 Tim. 4:2). And how can we not see God when we spend time with those who are doing their best to look and act like Him (Gal. 2:20; 1 Cor. 11:1)?

Perhaps the best part of this short psalm is how often David freely expresses his happiness:

• “delight” (v. 3)
• “pleasant” (v. 6)
• “beautiful” (v. 6)
• “glad” (v. 9)
• “rejoices” (v. 9)
• “fullness of joy” (v. 11)
• “pleasures forevermore” (v. 11)

We know David’s life wasn’t perfect or trouble free. He speaks of his pain in other psalms (see Psalms 6, 13, and 38). And yet his joy is undeniable. How is that possible? I think the answer goes back to the opening lines of the psalm. He looked to God for goodness and also saw goodness in the people of God. I love how David unashamedly praises God’s people. There was no doubt how he felt about them. “The saints are the excellent ones! I delight in them!” We’d get some funny looks if we went around talking like that. But I imagine we could all benefit from looking for and believing in the goodness of fellow Christians. And then freely sharing it with others. (Shouldn’t the people around us have an idea that we love God’s people and enjoy being with them?) Then we, too, will experience the joy, gladness, and pleasure of keeping God before us and His people around us.

Kathy Pollard

The healing of the nobleman’s son (bonus post).

A few Sundays ago, I was getting ready to go upstairs to my Bible class. The 2- and 3- year-old class is on the first floor, as well as an adult class. I was visiting with one of our families when one of our children, new to the congregation, came in. She ran back to her class and returned with a sad look on her face. She was upset because her teacher wasn’t there. Her grandmother assured her that her teacher would be there in time for class, but her response was an unhappy one. Her comment was, “She is supposed to be here”.

The teacher was delayed and arrived before class began, but this child had already learned that her teacher is there early; and she wanted to go to class—right then!

We have expectations of the children that come to our classes. We expect them to be prepared, bring their Bibles, know their memory work, get there on time, and have good behavior. Our elders expect that our children have read their Bible every day. They have the same expectation of us as teachers, as well as members. Think about it. Do you come to class prepared? Have you studied your lesson? Have you read your Bible every day? Did you bring your Bible to class?

I was excited to see a 3-year-old little girl anxious to get to Bible class. Her teacher is a new teacher but has been instantly accepted by the children. She works very hard on her lessons, and she loves the children.

Those two qualities—loving the children and working hard on the lessons are two of the most important things about teaching. The first, of course, is loving God.

There are a few other things that are important in teaching children. Some teachers have many years of experience, but they continue to teach the same way they did when they first started teaching. They teach the same class, use the same material they have been using for years, and continue to use the same visuals. Our children don’t learn the same way, so we need to update our lessons and our visuals. Believe it or not, children still like visuals.

In our congregation, our elders determined that our children were not learning a lot of basic information through the Bible classes. A new program has been put into place, and we have certain memory work that is required every quarter. That memory work starts with the 2- and 3-year-old class. At the end of each quarter, the children who complete their memory work receive a ribbon. Their pictures are displayed on the screen, and our minister reads their names to the congregation. At the end of this last quarter, there were only two children that did not do the memory work. One of those had just moved into the 2- and 3-year-old class. From the baby class. He will be presented with a ribbon as soon as he learns his required memory work.

This memory work is in addition to the required participation in Lads to Leaders Bible bowl for all children 2^nd grade and up. In order to be included in the convention, children must participate in Bible bowl and one other event. Good Samaritan bronze is also required to attend the convention. We have mentors working with all of these children, preparing them for Bible bowl. That is in addition to adults who are studying weekly with Bible bowl teams.

Our elders are committed to having our children learn all they can from the Scripture under godly teachers who love the Lord and His Word. It is remarkable to see these young people studying with one another and with their mentors.

If you are a teacher are you always in the worship service, in a Bible class when not teaching, studying the Scripture, and sharing it in any way that will encourage, educate, enhance, or elevate a more thorough knowledge of God’s Word?

Sandra Oliver

And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.  Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.  Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.  Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.  For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.  And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD.  And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.  Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die (2 Sam. 12:7-14).

David probably did not know that Bathsheba belonged to someone else when he called for her to be his wife, but he understood that he had sinned concerning Bathsheba and Uriah once he knew Uriah was her husband.  As it became harder and harder to cover his sin, he obviously thought about having Uriah killed in battle, but he was only fooling himself to think the people (especially his army) did not know what was happening.  He had shamed Israel and his own name before the world.

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Prov. 28:13).

At the same time, we need to keep David’s past life and record in mind as we deal with him.  David was no ordinary person, and before we decided anything about him, we need to keep his flawless record in mind.

“Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.” (1 Kings 15:5)

How many of us can say that we never turned aside from anything God commands all the days of our life until we are more than 30 years old?  Was David an ordinary man?  Then David made his mistake. Considering our own record, do we have any right at all to despise or speak against David?

How does God judge such a man?  According to the law of Moses, there is no forgiveness for adultery or murder.  Question:  are there other laws that God had before he gave the law of Moses?  Were those laws still in effect?  Don’t eat blood was a law given before the law of Moses.  Are we directed to follow that same law today?  See Acts 15:19-20. Are there then laws other than the law of Moses that God made that can forgive sins?

Notice the Psalm that was written about nine months after David’s adultery.

“For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psa. 51:16-17).

According to the Law of Moses, sin could be forgiven by animal sacrifice, but David did not seek to have his sins forgiven by any work of the Old Testament Law. Pay particular attention to what David did after he committed adultery.

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions” (Psa. 51:1).

In the next few verses we can see David’s heart as he pours it out before God.

“For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.  Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest” (Psa. 51:3-4).

One of the most beautiful passages in the Psalms is where David asked God to purge him and create a clean heart within him.

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.  Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psa. 51:7-10).

In the Psalm that is quoted in the book of Romans, David acknowledged and confessed his sin.

“I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah” (Psa. 32:5).

We see in the original passage quoted above, that God forgave David’s sin.

“And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die” (2 Sam. 12:13).

When David confessed his sin and asked God for forgiveness, God (through Nathan) told David that his sin was forgiven but He also told him there would be three “curses” which he would have to endure.  Those were the consequences of his sin.

Some seem to think God indeed is blind that he did not see David’s sin.

“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Heb. 4:13).

We have learned that to confess and forsake sin is righteous before God.

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Prov. 28:13).

Do we have the same law today?

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

How does our law today differ from the law that was in force in Solomon’s time?  Remember that Solomon wrote the Proverbs. Did Solomon make a new rule, or was this law in force before the law of Moses?

David knew that God forgives sin, but He also knew that God takes vengeance on man’s inventions.  After David’s confession, God forgave his sin, but note what happened because of that sin.  Forgiveness is not the end of the matter.

“Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.  He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.  Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions” (Psa. 99:6-8).

God promised to shame David openly and David accepted God’s judgment as well as his punishment.  Let’s notice the events that lead to David’s punishment being fulfilled.

The third “curse” took place within seven days.  The child died.

And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?” (2 Sam. 12:18).

The second “curse” pronounced upon David was that the Lord would raise up evil against him out of his own house.  A man would lie with his wives in the sight of the sun.  This took place several years later, but be assured that David had not forgotten the Lord’s words.

“Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun” (2 Sam. 12:11).

Absalom began his treachery against David and was successful in his attempts to supplant his father.

“And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.  And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.  Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!  And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.  And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel” (2 Sam. 15:2-6).

Absalom had no sooner arrived in Hebron than he pronounced himself king.

“But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.  And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.  And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counseller, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom” (2 Sam. 15:10-12).

The second “curse” was fulfilled by Absalom after David fled Jerusalem.

 “Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.  And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.  So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel” (2 Sam. 16:20-22).

The first “curse” that God gave to David lasted his entire lifetime.   David fought with the sword the rest of his life.  The sword did not depart from him.

“Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife” (2 Sam. 12:10).

Consider these details in David’s life.  These are things written for our learning.

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4).

Let us not be weary with the Lord’s correction or the Lord’s vengeance, if we have sinned against Him.

Remember:

The Lord sees.

The Lord forgives when we confess and forsake.

And He also takes “vengeance of their inventions.”

Beth Johnson

Chennai Teacher Training School

Women’s Studies

Muliebral Viewpoint

Articles and Books by Beth Johnson