Exodus 15:11
Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?
2 Samuel 23:1
[ David’s Last Words ] These are the last words of David: “The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse, the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, the hero of Israel’s songs:
2 Samuel 23:2
God's Spirit spoke through me, his words took shape on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke to me, Israel's Rock-Mountain said, "Whoever governs fairly and well, who rules in the Fear-of-God, Is like first light at daybreak without a cloud in the sky, Like green grass carpeting earth, glistening under fresh rain." And this is just how my regime has been, for God guaranteed his covenant with me
Acts 13:22
…. he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’
Exactly how did David embody God’s justice or rather God’s just-ness? He simply acted with a reverent fear of God, nothing more. He was not a perfect man, far from it. Time and time again, we read of his failures, his miss-steps and his lapses in judgment. But along with that we also know that David was a man after God’s heart. What does that mean? The meaning could be two fold really: a) one who has a heart like God’s or, b) one who seeks God’s heart.
A heart like God’s heart, what might that look like? In that we have God’s Word, the Bible available to us, you would think that God’s heart would be easily found out. That’s not necessarily the case. The number of interpretations about the will or intent of God are as numerous as the number of kinds of churches that have existed since the Cross. Factor in the number of different sects of Judaism that grew out of the Hebrew people and you can certainly conclude that no one group or ‘church’ has all the answers. That is as it should be. There is only one Jesus. If any one group or denomination or person laid claim to all divine knowledge what else might they lay claim to?
But a heart is a unique in that each of us has one. Only one. In that God is not a respecter of persons; each heart is individually fashioned to be conformed to the likeness of the heart of its Creator, God. How does that play itself out in real life? There are a couple of ways that come to mind. The first or most significant way is through the ‘born again’ experience. Regardless of darkness of your past or the hopelessness of your present, if you give your heart to Christ, He will change it. Let there be no doubt. Jesus is a ‘heart fixer’ and a ‘mind regulator’. The other way that God conforms a heart is through heritage. This is how David came to know God.
1 Samuel 16:18
One of the young men spoke up, "I know someone. I've seen him myself: the son of Jesse of Bethlehem, an excellent musician. He's also courageous, of age, well-spoken, and good-looking. And God is with him."
The Bible doesn’t say much about Jesse, the father of David, except that he was the father of David! We know that Boaz and Ruth were the great grand parents of David, but in all likelihood, David never met them. Obed, David’s grandfather, has no prominent mention in scripture. We don’t know much about Jesse and nothing of his wife, but we can surmise a little about Jesse from what we know about David. David was a shepherd, a musician, a young man of courage and character. And he was a worshiper of God. All of this happened in the household and under the tutelage of … Jesse. David learned godliness at home. David learned God consciousness (there is a difference) at home. David’s relationship with God started in the house of Jesse. He learned to hear God at home. He learned to trust God at home. He learned to pursue God at home. Am I belaboring the point? Children learn by example. Their first examples come from home. In a home where there God fearing parents, the hearts of the children are ripe for purpose of God to be sown into them.
Malachi 2:15
… God, not you, made marriage. His Spirit inhabits even the smallest details of marriage. And what does he want from marriage? Children of God, that's what. So guard the spirit of marriage within you. Don't cheat on your spouse.
David exemplifies the second case as well; one who seeks after the heart of God. Somewhere, somehow, David had gotten God’s attention. They, God and David, were in a developing relationship. How, where, when, why? I don’t know, but somewhere along the line, God acknowledged and honored David’s worship and pursuit by speaking clearly to him. Two or three people come to mind when speaking of this kind of relationship with God: Abraham - the father of faith, Jacob / Israel – who became wrestled with God and prevailed and Moses – the Deliverer of God’s people. David followed the example of these great men of God in his pursuit of God, in his desire for intimacy with God. There’s hope for you and I beloved. The same kind of intimacy that David shared with God is available for the believer that will pursue Him. Not only is that intimacy available to the believer (you and I), but God desires that very same intimacy with us, with you.
Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Allow to close with this final thought: by the end of his life, we all find some stuff out about David that we might not like to have known. His shortcomings were and are eternally recorded in Scripture. What then set David apart as a just ruler of God’s people? At the end of the day it comes down to a couple of things: He set an example for the people of God of a purity of worship, worship from the heart. When you read the psalms attributed to him, you get it. Everyone does. David laid a path in Psalms that is easy to follow. Secondly, he said what God told him to say and did what God directed him to do (mostly). The ‘saying’ is important. Out the heart, the moth speaks. Out of the heart are the issues of life. David ‘Blessed’ the people God put under his rule. He blessed them with the Word. You and I have that same opportunity. Not only may we bless one another with our words, but we offer hope to the lost, the hurt, the down trodden, through the preaching of the Gospel; God’s Holy Word. Speak the Word beloved, in season and out. Let you’re your words be seasoned with grace. Let your heart be conformed to the likeness of your Father, God’s heart and you will do well.
Selah,
.wb
2 Samuel 23:2
God's Spirit spoke through me, his words took shape on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke to me, Israel's Rock-Mountain said, "Whoever governs fairly and well, who rules in the Fear-of-God, Is like first light at daybreak without a cloud in the sky, Like green grass carpeting earth, glistening under fresh rain." And this is just how my regime has been, for God guaranteed his covenant with me
Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?
2 Samuel 23:1
[ David’s Last Words ] These are the last words of David: “The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse, the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, the hero of Israel’s songs:
2 Samuel 23:2
God's Spirit spoke through me, his words took shape on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke to me, Israel's Rock-Mountain said, "Whoever governs fairly and well, who rules in the Fear-of-God, Is like first light at daybreak without a cloud in the sky, Like green grass carpeting earth, glistening under fresh rain." And this is just how my regime has been, for God guaranteed his covenant with me
Acts 13:22
…. he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’
Exactly how did David embody God’s justice or rather God’s just-ness? He simply acted with a reverent fear of God, nothing more. He was not a perfect man, far from it. Time and time again, we read of his failures, his miss-steps and his lapses in judgment. But along with that we also know that David was a man after God’s heart. What does that mean? The meaning could be two fold really: a) one who has a heart like God’s or, b) one who seeks God’s heart.
A heart like God’s heart, what might that look like? In that we have God’s Word, the Bible available to us, you would think that God’s heart would be easily found out. That’s not necessarily the case. The number of interpretations about the will or intent of God are as numerous as the number of kinds of churches that have existed since the Cross. Factor in the number of different sects of Judaism that grew out of the Hebrew people and you can certainly conclude that no one group or ‘church’ has all the answers. That is as it should be. There is only one Jesus. If any one group or denomination or person laid claim to all divine knowledge what else might they lay claim to?
But a heart is a unique in that each of us has one. Only one. In that God is not a respecter of persons; each heart is individually fashioned to be conformed to the likeness of the heart of its Creator, God. How does that play itself out in real life? There are a couple of ways that come to mind. The first or most significant way is through the ‘born again’ experience. Regardless of darkness of your past or the hopelessness of your present, if you give your heart to Christ, He will change it. Let there be no doubt. Jesus is a ‘heart fixer’ and a ‘mind regulator’. The other way that God conforms a heart is through heritage. This is how David came to know God.
1 Samuel 16:18
One of the young men spoke up, "I know someone. I've seen him myself: the son of Jesse of Bethlehem, an excellent musician. He's also courageous, of age, well-spoken, and good-looking. And God is with him."
The Bible doesn’t say much about Jesse, the father of David, except that he was the father of David! We know that Boaz and Ruth were the great grand parents of David, but in all likelihood, David never met them. Obed, David’s grandfather, has no prominent mention in scripture. We don’t know much about Jesse and nothing of his wife, but we can surmise a little about Jesse from what we know about David. David was a shepherd, a musician, a young man of courage and character. And he was a worshiper of God. All of this happened in the household and under the tutelage of … Jesse. David learned godliness at home. David learned God consciousness (there is a difference) at home. David’s relationship with God started in the house of Jesse. He learned to hear God at home. He learned to trust God at home. He learned to pursue God at home. Am I belaboring the point? Children learn by example. Their first examples come from home. In a home where there God fearing parents, the hearts of the children are ripe for purpose of God to be sown into them.
Malachi 2:15
… God, not you, made marriage. His Spirit inhabits even the smallest details of marriage. And what does he want from marriage? Children of God, that's what. So guard the spirit of marriage within you. Don't cheat on your spouse.
David exemplifies the second case as well; one who seeks after the heart of God. Somewhere, somehow, David had gotten God’s attention. They, God and David, were in a developing relationship. How, where, when, why? I don’t know, but somewhere along the line, God acknowledged and honored David’s worship and pursuit by speaking clearly to him. Two or three people come to mind when speaking of this kind of relationship with God: Abraham - the father of faith, Jacob / Israel – who became wrestled with God and prevailed and Moses – the Deliverer of God’s people. David followed the example of these great men of God in his pursuit of God, in his desire for intimacy with God. There’s hope for you and I beloved. The same kind of intimacy that David shared with God is available for the believer that will pursue Him. Not only is that intimacy available to the believer (you and I), but God desires that very same intimacy with us, with you.
Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Allow to close with this final thought: by the end of his life, we all find some stuff out about David that we might not like to have known. His shortcomings were and are eternally recorded in Scripture. What then set David apart as a just ruler of God’s people? At the end of the day it comes down to a couple of things: He set an example for the people of God of a purity of worship, worship from the heart. When you read the psalms attributed to him, you get it. Everyone does. David laid a path in Psalms that is easy to follow. Secondly, he said what God told him to say and did what God directed him to do (mostly). The ‘saying’ is important. Out the heart, the moth speaks. Out of the heart are the issues of life. David ‘Blessed’ the people God put under his rule. He blessed them with the Word. You and I have that same opportunity. Not only may we bless one another with our words, but we offer hope to the lost, the hurt, the down trodden, through the preaching of the Gospel; God’s Holy Word. Speak the Word beloved, in season and out. Let you’re your words be seasoned with grace. Let your heart be conformed to the likeness of your Father, God’s heart and you will do well.
Selah,
.wb
2 Samuel 23:2
God's Spirit spoke through me, his words took shape on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke to me, Israel's Rock-Mountain said, "Whoever governs fairly and well, who rules in the Fear-of-God, Is like first light at daybreak without a cloud in the sky, Like green grass carpeting earth, glistening under fresh rain." And this is just how my regime has been, for God guaranteed his covenant with me
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