Tag: King David

God’s Provision

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 13, 2023

Psalm 160 from Beyond Psalm 150

Poor, widowed, and struggling to survive, Ruth lives with her destitute mother-in-law, Naomi. Yet God provides for Ruth (and her mother-in-law too) when Boaz marries Ruth as her kinsman-redeemer. Ruth and Boaz have a son—Ruth’s first child and Naomi’s first grandchild. (This boy, Obed, is the grandfather of the shepherd boy, David, who will one day become king over the nation of Israel.)

The women of the village share this psalm of praise with Ruth for God’s marvelous provision.

“Blessed be Yahweh, who has not left you today without a near kinsman. Let his name be famous in Israel. He shall be to you a restorer of life and sustain you in your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”
Ruth 4:14–15 (WEB)

Reflections on God’s Provision

The women praised Yahweh for providing Ruth with a husband and a son. Though most had families of their own, some of these women may have been waiting for a husband or longing for a child of their own, yet they celebrated with Ruth and Naomi anyway.

It’s one thing to remember to praise God for his blessings to us, but do we think to praise him for his blessings to others? May we thank God for the goodness other people receive from the Almighty.

Explore the other psalms—sacred songs of praise, petition, and lament—scattered throughout the Bible in Peter’s book Beyond Psalm 150.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

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Tags Beyond Psalm 150, Boaz, King David, Naomi, Ruth

Bible Insights

Satan Entices King David to Sin

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 5, 2023

The King Confesses His Mistake and Asks God to Take Away the Guilt

In 1 Chronicles 21 we read the account of David telling Joab to take a census of the people to determine how many fighting men are in the nation. This was Satan’s doing who tempted David into numbering his military. This could cause him to put his trust in the size of his armies and not God to give him victory, as he had always done.

Joab completed the momentous task and reported the numbers back to David. The king was immediately grieved for what he had done and confessed his sin to God. He implored the Lord to take away the guilt for his foolish act.

Today we know that Jesus has died to take away our guilt and absolve us from our sins. But this had not yet taken place in David’s time, and he had no such assurance. His guilt weighed him down. He confessed his sin and asked God to take away the guilt.

God gave him three sentence options and allowed David to select his punishment. David made his decision, opting for the one that was the shortest in duration and that came from God’s hand and not from human hands. It was a three-day-long plague over the nation.

It was David—and David alone—who sinned, but the whole nation received the penalty for David’s mistake. This doesn’t seem fair, and during the plague, David realized this.

He rightly confessed he was the one who sinned, and it was wrong for the people to suffer for his shortcoming. Yet instead of asking God to punish only him, David asks the Lord to punish him and his family.

Why didn’t David ask God to punish him alone?

Yet another question is why didn’t David—the man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22)—ask for mercy instead of judgment?

There are three lessons we can learn from this story:

A leader’s shortcomings affect those who follow.
Though we deserve punishment for the wrong things we do, we can ask God for mercy to take away the guilt.
Through Jesus, Father God forgives and forgets our sins.

May we hold onto this.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is 1 Chronicles 21-23 and today’s post is on 1 Chronicles 21:8. We can also read this account in 2 Samuel 24.]

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Tags forgiveness, Joab, King David, mercy, punishment, sin

Christian Living

What Happened to Integrity?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date July 9, 2023

May Our Life Honor God and Be an Example to Others

Integrity is largely missing in our world today. It looms as an out-of-date concept. Many even mock it as restrictive, limiting our desire to act however we want.

Integrity is an unwavering adherence to moral principles and ethical behavior. It’s being honest. It’s sound moral character.

Given this definition, don’t we want to deal with people of integrity? Certainly we expect the companies we do business with to act with integrity. But many do not.

Don’t we want our friends—especially our closest ones—to be people of integrity? And we desire that our family and loved ones will live lives of integrity.

Yet we must wonder if we act with the same integrity that we expect from others.

Integrity is also biblical.

Consider Job

In the Bible we see Job as a man of integrity. Even Satan, Job’s accuser, views him as a man of integrity (Job 2:3). So does Job’s wife (Job 2:9). And even Job himself (Job 27:5). In the end, God rewards him for it.

Other People in the Bible

The Old Testament says that David leads the people with integrity (Psalm 78:72). And Hananiah is a trustworthy man of integrity (Nehemiah 7:2).

Paul self identifies as a man of integrity (2 Corinthians 1:12). And he encourages Titus to do the same (Titus 2:7-8).

Lessons from Proverbs

The book of proverbs also covers this topic.

If we walk in integrity, we will walk securely (Proverbs 10:9).

Our integrity will guide us (Proverbs 11:3) and guard us (Proverbs 13:6).

Last, the bloodthirsty—implicitly evil people—will hate those with integrity (Proverbs 29:10).

Leadership

In Paul’s instructions to Timothy, he teaches his protegee to appoint leaders in the area. They must be people of integrity (1 Timothy 3:8), just as we expect from all our church leaders and spiritual mentors.

The Integrity of Jesus

Most importantly, we see throughout the four biographies of Jesus that he is a man of integrity.

Even Jesus’s detractors confirm this (Matthew 22:16 and Mark 12:14). Though their words may be disingenuous, complimenting him to catch him off guard, we realize they acknowledge an underlying truth that even they’re aware of.

Jesus’s life serves as an example for us to emulate, the best model we could follow. As we seek to be like Jesus, we will be people of integrity.

And as people of integrity, we will honor him, be an example to others, and serve as a witness to the world. And our actions will speak more powerfully than our words.

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Tags Jesus, Job, King David, Paul, Proverbs, witness

Bible Insights

Balance Freedom of Speech with Being Careful in What We Say

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date April 25, 2023

The Tongue Is a Dangerous Tool that We Must Tame

In one of his Psalms, David writes that he will be careful in what he says so that he doesn’t sin. He talks about putting a muzzle on his mouth (Psalms 39:1). He says nothing about having freedom of speech.

James is clear about the dangers of an uncensored tongue. A small part of our body, the tongue can do great harm, setting a whole forest on fire from the single spark of a careless word.

What we say can corrupt our whole being, setting our life on fire, a fire born from hell (James 3:3-6).

Jude likewise warns about us saying too much. He writes about people who slander what they don’t understand, operating on instinct like irrational animals. In doing so we destroy ourselves (Jude 1:10).

Freedom of Speech

Today too many people assume that freedom of speech gives them the unfettered right to say whatever they want. In the process they often hurt others and risk making themselves look foolish. Or worse yet, their tongue causes them to sin.

They—and us along with them—will do well to put a muzzle on our mouth, to tame our tongue. We should use our words to praise God (Psalm 40:3) but never to cause harm to another.

Watching our words with care will keep us from sin and setting our souls on fire.

Responsibility of Speech

As a society we will do well to follow David’s example, as well as James’s and Jude’s wise counsel.

Instead, too many people grasp the concept of free speech that we can say whatever we want, however we want, whenever we want without a thought given to the consequences.

Yet freedom of speech carries a responsibility. Our freedom of speech is not without limit.

As followers of Jesus, we have a duty to speak truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), to muzzle our mouth so that we do not sin, and to not say things that may harm others.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Psalms 36-40, and today’s post is on Psalms 39:1.]

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Tags James, Jude, King David, love, psalm

Bible Insights

The Final Failing of King Saul

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date April 4, 2023

The King Claimed to Be Afraid of His Men, When He Should Have Been Afraid of God

From a human standpoint, Saul appeared he had what it would take to be king. Yet from God’s perspective, his first king fell short. Saul had many character flaws, which ultimately caused God to reject him as king.

God picked David to replace Saul. Though David had his own share of missteps, God affirmed him as a man after his own heart (Acts 13:22).

But the book of 1 Samuel isn’t about King David. It’s about king Saul. It starts with Samuel anointing him as king (1 Samuel 9) and ends with Saul taking his own life 23 chapters later (1 Samuel 31).

Between his promising beginning and his shameful end, we read a series of King Saul’s failings. Perhaps the most fateful one occurs in 1 Samuel 15. Here’s what happens:

Samuel comes to the king with a message from God. He tells King Saul to go and completely destroy the Amalekites because of how they had earlier treated his people.

The instructions are clear. Do not spare anyone or anything. This includes both people and animals.

Saul raises an army and attacks the Amalekites, but he doesn’t completely destroy them. Instead, he lets the king live and spares all the choice animals. This is in direct opposition to what God told him to do.

Yet when Samuel confronts Saul for his failure to obey God’s instructions, the king insists he did exactly as commanded. Yet when Samuel presses him, Saul gives a different explanation.

He says he saved the animals because he was afraid of his men.

At this point, he admits he sinned. But it’s too late. God will not give King Saul any more chances. As punishment, God pledges to remove the kingdom from Saul and give it to another.

Saul claimed he was afraid of what his men would do, but he should have been more afraid of what God would do.

We should always fear God more than people.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is 1 Samuel 14-16 and today’s post is on 1 Samuel 15:24.]

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Tags disobedience, King David, King Saul, punishment, Samuel

Bible Insights

God Tells Moses to Assign Tasks to the Sons of Kohath

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 21, 2023

After Their Situation Changes, David Gives Them New Jobs

The book of Numbers is so named because it starts and ends with a census—a numbering of the people. These take place forty years apart. Moses orchestrates both counts, at God’s command.

For the third part of the first census, Moses counts all men who can serve God from the tribe of Levite—in this case specifically the sons of Kohath. This count focuses on those between age thirty and fifty.

There are two implications from this age range.

One is that it takes not only adulthood, but also a degree of maturity that comes from life lessons before they can serve. We can infer this occurs at age thirty.

I wonder at what age significant maturity tends to occur today. Is it sooner or later? I fear it’s later, if at all.

The second implication is that “mandatory retirement” occurs at age fifty. Yes, life expectancies were shorter than, but to see an upper age limit placed on their work for God is interesting.

These men, however, aren’t priests.

Their assigned work is manual labor. The sole task of the sons of Kohath is to move the tent of meeting and items relating to worship. This requires a degree of physical strength, so age does play a part in their work.

It also means they only have work to do when God tells his people to move from one campsite to another. Sometimes this happens frequently, and other times not often at all. The rest of the time they go about their everyday life.

They do this for forty years as the Israelites wander around the desert. But once they get to the land God promised to give them, their wandering stops.

The need to pack, move, and unpack the tent of meeting and the items needed for worship ends.

What work do the sons of Kohath do for God once they no longer need to move these items? Nothing.

A few centuries later, however, David gives them new assignments (1 Chronicles 23:25-32).

Though God had given the sons of Kohath a specific assignment, it wasn’t permanent. After their job ended, King David gave them new work to do, changing what God had originally told Moses.

Sometimes God’s commands apply forever and other times only for a season. May we wisely distinguish between the two.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Numbers 4-6 and today’s post is on Numbers 4:2-3.]

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Tags King David, Moses, serve God

Bible Insights

What Do We Do When God’s Commands No Longer Make Sense?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 6, 2022

Contrary to the Law of Moses King David Reassigns the Duties of the Levites

In the book of Numbers, Moses details the assignments and responsibilities of the tribe of Levi, mentioning them over fifty times.

Though the priests, descendants of Aaron, are from this tribe, the rest of the Levites have God-assigned responsibilities too.

Chief among them is taking down, moving, and setting up the tabernacle and related elements of worship. They must do this each time God’s people move camp as they wander about in the wilderness.

The nation of Israel spends about four decades in the desert, sometimes moving frequently and other times not so much. This keeps the Levites busy.

Then they get to the promised land, conquer it, and occupy it. No longer is there a need to disassemble, transport, and reassemble the tabernacle.

What do the Levites do now that their primary job is irrelevant? That’s a good question.

Over four hundred years later, some four centuries with the Levites having nothing to do, King David arrives on the scene. He reassigns the Levites to new tasks that relate to worshiping God.

Who does David think he is to countermand the commands of Moses, as received from God?

It seems ill-advised to ignore what’s in Scripture—God’s written word—and replace it with something that makes better sense to us. But this is precisely what David did.

Though we could concoct a principal from this and say that when Scripture—God’s past commands—no longer makes sense in the present, we are free to change them.

Just like David did. Yet, I’m not going to go there. I think it’s an overstretch, a misapplication.

Remember, after all, David was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). That’s significant.

Whenever I encounter something in the Bible that doesn’t make sense, I don’t ignore it. Instead I meditate on it. I ask the Holy Spirit to supernaturally explain it to me.

Sometimes he does so right away, in other instances it takes a few days, and on occasion I wait for years.

But until God instructs me otherwise, I’ll hold to what the Bible says and apply it the best I can to my life and our culture today.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is 1 Chronicles 24-26, and today’s post is on 1 Chronicles 24:3.]

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Tags Aaron, King David, Law of Moses, Levi, supernatural, worship

Bible Insights

Though David Says That God Is “My Refuge,” I Doubt David Feels It

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date May 17, 2022

When it Comes to God, Should We “Fake it Till We Make It?”

Psalm 142 is a prayer of lament. David’s hiding in a cave, likely fearing for his life. He feels alone with no one walking alongside him or having any concern for him. He cries out that he has no refuge, no protective shelter, no safe place.

Even though it seems his hideout in his cave provides a refuge, it’s a physical safety. Perhaps he also seeks a spiritual refuge. He feels he has none.

In his despair, he cries out to God. He writes, “I say, ‘you are my refuge,’”

Note that he doesn’t proclaim that God is “my refuge.” How could he do that when he just said he has no refuge? He merely says that he said it, not that he confidently believes that God is “my refuge.”

Push Through the Doubt

This reminds me of the phrase, “Fake it, till you make it.” I’m not sure how I feel about this adage when it comes to God and spiritual matters, or when it comes to anything, for that matter. But it seems that’s what David does.

Though he says God is my refuge, he doesn’t believe it. Not at that moment. But he prays it anyway. He’s pushing through his doubt, hoping to reemerge to find confidence in God again.

David isn’t being disingenuous in his prayer. He’s being honest—bluntly honest—as honest as he can be in that moment. He’s struggling to reach out to God amid despair and overwhelming opposition.

My Refuge

Intellectually, David may know that God is “my refuge,” but emotionally he’s not feeling it. Physically he’s not seeing it. Yet spiritually he pushes through.

He cries out to God, saying words in faith that he can’t yet put his confidence in.

But he knows he’ll get there. He knows that his weak prayer will move him from human doubt to godly confidence.

And God, I suspect, patiently waits for David to get there, for David to get to a point where he moves from going through the motions to a place of faith.

So David can boldly proclaim, “You are my refuge!” (Psalm 142:4-5, NIV).

When we’re struggling, hurting, or afraid, may we follow David’s example.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Psalm 140-144, and today’s post is on Psalm 142:4-5.]

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Tags doubt, faith, King David, prayer

Bible Insights

Longing for God

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date April 26, 2022

May Our Soul Pant for God with the Same Urgency as a Deer Panting for Water

King David penned Psalm 41. He opens with a powerful image of a deer panting for water. It illustrates David longing for God. David concludes his song by confirming he will praise God.

Sandwiched between the opening and ending of this Psalm, David shares the turmoil churning in his soul.

But we’ll focus on the opening two verses.

A Deer Pants for Water

Imagine a thirsty deer running up to a stream, anticipating a refreshing drink of water. This isn’t so much as to keep the deer hydrated. It’s more urgent.

The deer, a mighty buck, has traveled a distance and has a vital need to drink. He’s dehydrated and needs water to live. The deer needs living water.

The buck pants after traveling in the hot sun. His chest expands and contracts as he sucks in as much oxygen as possible, as quickly as he can. He perks up his ears to listen if danger lurks.

He looks right and then turns left. Confident he is for the moment safe, with no predators nearby, only then does the deer dip his head down to drink from the cool, energizing water he so longs for.

Our Souls Pant for God

Just as the deer pants for water, do we have a similar longing for God? Does our soul—our mind, will, and emotions—pant for God? Does our soul thirst for him?

Do we need the living God as much as the deer needs living water to survive?

As the deer traveled in the hot sun to find life-giving water, we, too, travel through the difficulties of life to find God’s living water. But for me my search doesn’t feel as imperative.

Yes, I know I should have a longing for God. But in actual terms, my search for him, and to be with him, doesn’t carry the urgency it should.

Seek God with All Your Heart

For our soul to pant for God the way a deer pants for water, we can start by seeking God with our whole heart. Three of David’s other songs mention this: Psalm 22:26, Psalm 27:8, and Psalm 69:32.

May we have a longing for God that causes us to seek him with all our heart.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Psalm 41-45 and today’s post is on Psalm 42:1-2.]

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Tags King David, psalm, soul

Bible Insights

The Power of David’s Example

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date April 5, 2022

David Models Bold Action and His Nephew Learns from It

Most people are familiar with the story of David and Goliath in the Bible. It tells of the young boy David, armed only with godly confidence and a sling, killing the warrior giant of a man Goliath.

David’s example an inspiring tale of courage and faith in the presence of improbable odds.

But this story isn’t in our text for today. It’s found in 1 Samuel 17 instead.

Though today’s passage is about David, it occurs much later when he is king. Squeezed among three chapters packed with battle stories of strategy and victory stands an incidental tale of David’s nephew Jonathan.

In this story Jonathan kills a huge man from Rapha. In addition to his ginormous size, he is noted for having six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot.

Like Goliath before him, this man from Rapha taunts the army of Israel. And like his uncle before him, Jonathan slays the cocky titan.

Why is this significant?

Jonathan, no doubt, heard of the exploits of Uncle David in confronting the jeering giant of a man Goliath.

Of how, in godly confidence David, though completely outmatched, fell the hulk with a small stone guided by his sling and then cut off the fallen warrior’s head using his own sword.

Talk about inspiring.

What bold action will we take in our lives that will inspire others in theirs? When we trust God with the outcome, it isn’t hard. David’s example proves that to be true.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is 1 Samuel 17-19 and today’s post is on 1 Samuel 17:51-52.]

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Tags faith, King David