Those who follow vanity quickly become vain.           SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... The LORD restrained Judah from waging war against the northern tribes of Israel, confirming that the kingdom’s division was from His hand. What followed was not a recovery, but a steady descent—especially in Israel, which immediately established a rival system of worship with golden calves, setting a pattern of idolatry that every northern king after followed. Though prophets like Elijah and Elisha powerfully confronted this rebellion and called the people back to covenant faithfulness, their warnings largely went unheeded. Kings rose and fell in rapid succession, many through violence and assassination, each one doing evil in the eyes of the LORD and leading the people further astray. Meanwhile, Judah fared only slightly better, with occasional faithful kings interrupting a pattern of compromise and decline. Ultimately, after generations of persistent idolatry and refusal to listen to the LORD’s prophets, the northern kingdom reached its breaking point. Assyria conquered Israel, carried its people into exile, and scattered them among the nations—just as the LORD had long warned. 2 Kings 17:7–20 (NIV) 7  All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the L ORD  their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods 8   and followed the practices of the nations the L ORD  had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced. 9   The Israelites secretly did things against the L ORD  their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city they built themselves high places in all their towns. 10  They set up sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. 11  At every high place they burned incense, as the nations whom the L ORD  had driven out before them had done. They did wicked things that aroused the L ORD 's anger. 12  They worshiped idols, though the L ORD  had said, “You shall not do this.” 13  The L ORD  warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: “Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your fathers to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.” 14   But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their fathers, who did not trust in the L ORD  their God. 15  They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their fathers and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the L ORD  had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.” 16  They forsook all the commands of the L ORD  their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal. 17  They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sought omens and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the L ORD , arousing his anger. 18  So the L ORD  was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left, 19  and even Judah did not keep the commands of the L ORD  their God. They followed the practices Israel had introduced. 20  Therefore the L ORD  rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers, until he thrust them from his presence. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 94 Q. What does the Lord require in the first commandment? A. That I, not wanting to endanger my very salvation, avoid and shun all idolatry... Summary Today's passage is a sad summary statement showing how quickly David's kingdom had toppled from its zenith and quickly hit rock bottom. Our narrator uses sweeping words to describe the totality of the infection: all of this took place because the Israelites had sinned... they built themselves high places in all of their towns... they set up sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree... and at every high place they did as the nations whom the LORD had driven out before them had done. The text makes clear that the LORD didn't just sit back and let His stiff-necked people go. The LORD warned Israel and Judah through all His prophets and seers, calling them to once again observe His commands and decrees. Verses 14 & 15 show how it is that this infection so quickly spreads among God's people - Israel then and us now. It starts with a refusal to listen to God's Word. All throughout the Bible, God primarily communicates audibly with His people. Sometimes He did so in ways everyone could hear, as He did from Mount Sinai, other times through individual prophets. But He did so most often through fathers talking about God's commandments at home with their children ( Deuteronomy 6:4 ). Once the people refuse to listen, their descent accelerates: they no longer trust the LORD their God. Next they rejected His decrees and the covenant He had made with their fathers and the statutes He had warned them to keep. All of those old prescriptions seemed so repressive to the people that longed to imitate the nations around them. But in jettisoning them, they not only lost the pragmatic blessings that come from living the way God designed people to live, but more importantly they were no longer distinct from their pagan neighbors. In other words, they were no longer the holy people that God had called them to be.   Dig Deeper   The final sentence of verse 15 captures in a few words the entire essence of those who reject the LORD: They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. The author here uses a loaded Hebrew term which is translated by the NIV as worthless, so it's not surprising to see other translation use other words, since no one English word can completely capture the full meaning: ESV: They went after false idols and became false... NET: They paid allegiance to worthless idols, and so became worthless [to the LORD]. Perhaps the KJV captures the idea the best: They followed vanity , and became vain . This is the same Hebrew word that gets used in the book of Ecclesiastes : hěʹ·ḇěl , where it's often translated as meaningless. It's something that looks solid and attractive from a distance, but that can be never fully apprehended, because like smoke it just dissipates when grabbed. So those who refuse to listen , reject God's covenant law and chase vanity may look good from a distance, but ultimately there's nothing substantial to them. Peter describes you as having become part of God's chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light . The way He sovereignly holds you in this position is through audibly proclaiming His Word to you. Don't make the mistake these Israelites of old made. Don't stop listening and thereby trade your holiness for vanity. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who rejects those who do not listen to Him; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that listening to God's Word will be your top priority, that it might shape you into the holiness that Christ has won for you; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Life's summits never last long, but the LORD always is in control. alittleperspective.com           SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... The LORD declared that although He would tear most of the kingdom away because of Solomon’s idolatry, He would preserve a remnant for the sake of David and Jerusalem. By the time Solomon died, the once-united kingdom stood on the brink of fracture. 1 Kings 12:1–24 (NIV) 12 Rehoboam [Solomon's son] went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king. 2  When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt. 3   So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him: 4  “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.” 5  Rehoboam answered, “Go away for three days and then come back to me.” So the people went away. 6  Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How would you advise me to answer these people?” he asked. 7  They replied, “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.” 8   But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. 9   He asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?” 10   The young men who had grown up with him replied, “These people have said to you, ‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.’ Now tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. 11  My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’ ” 12  Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, “Come back to me in three days.” 13  The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders, 14  he followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” 15  So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the L ORD , to fulfill the word the L ORD had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite. 16  When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What share do we have in David, what part in Jesse’s son? To your tents, Israel! Look after your own house, David!” So the Israelites went home. 17  But as for the Israelites who were living in the towns of Judah, Rehoboam still ruled over them. 18  King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram,  who was in charge of forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to get into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. 19  So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. 20  When all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David. 21  When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered all Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—a hundred and eighty thousand able young men—to go to war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam son of Solomon. 22  But this word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God: 23  “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, to all Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, 24  ‘This is what the L ORD  says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.’ ” So they obeyed the word of the L ORD and went home again, as the L ORD had ordered. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 31 Q. Why is Jesus called “Christ,” meaning “anointed”? A. Because he has been ordained by God the Father and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit to be [our chief prophet and priest] and... ... our eternal king who governs us by his Word and Spirit, and who guards us and keeps us in the freedom he has won for us. Summary Anybody who's driven over a mountain pass knows you don't spend much time at the summit. The climb feels long and demanding, but the descent comes quickly, and before you know it, you're back in the flatlands. So it was for the Kingdom of Israel. King David had clawed his way nearly to its peak, while his son Solomon took the final steps and planted the flag, so to speak, by building a temple and palace. But those glorious days didn't last long. Solomon, having lost much of his faithfulness along the way, died and gave rise to his sons, and it was all downhill from there. After Rehoboam took the throne, it didn't take long for Jeroboam, who had exiled himself to Egypt after it was prophesied that he would gain the bulk of a divided kingdom, to return and whip up public outcry against the kingdom's burdensome taxation. King Rehoboam spurned the advice of his father's wise elders, throwing all in with his young buddies and put the hammer down all the harder. Rebellion ensues, and just like that, less that 20 verses after Israel reached its summit, it fell to the bottom, irreparably broken into two pieces.   Dig Deeper   Remember that as we read through the Old Testament, we're not just in it for the ancient history, as fascinating as it can be. In every story and every chapter our quest remains the same: how does this passage point us to Christ, the true King who forever reigns on David's throne? First of all, realize that in all of the chaos, brokenness and disappointment of today's passage, God remains fully in control. Not only had He ordained Israel's ugly fall as a result of Solomon's wandering heart, but He conscripted Jeroboam to be the one to drive the ten northern tribes off a cliff by disavowing the house (and consequently the covenant) of David rather than pay their high taxes. But even though Rehoboam was an awful and ungodly king himself, God preserved a remnant of His people through him. This turn of events was from the LORD. And King Rehoboam's heavy handed greed helps us see the servant leadership of King Jesus in contrast. Whereas Rehoboam doubled down and made the already oppressive load heavier on his people, Jesus calls out to all who are weary and burdened, and promises to give rest... for He is gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls ( Matthew 11:28-29 ). AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who preserved the line of David that leads to King Jesus; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that unlike Rehoboam, you'll consult the LORD, and not just various advisors; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

The wisest man in the world serves as a tragic cautionary tale. Photo credit: Hassan Pasha, via Unsplash           SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... David—though forgiven after his sin with Bathsheba—began to experience the painful consequences of his actions within his own household, as the sword never departed from his house. The kingdom passed through seasons of turmoil marked by rebellion, division, and grief, yet the LORD remained faithful to His covenant promises. After David’s death, Solomon was established as king and asked not for riches or power, but for wisdom to govern God’s people. The LORD granted his request abundantly, and under Solomon’s reign Israel reached its height—marked by peace, prosperity, international renown, and the construction of the temple where God’s glory dwelt among His people. The kingdom now stands at its pinnacle, with Solomon’s wisdom and wealth drawing the nations to Jerusalem. 1 Kings 11:1–13 (NIV) 10:23  King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. 24  The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. -- 11 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. 2   They were from nations about which the L ORD  had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. 3   He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. 4   As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the L ORD  his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5   He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6   So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the L ORD ; he did not follow the L ORD  completely, as David his father had done. 7   On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. 8   He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods. 9   The L ORD  became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the L ORD , the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 10  Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the L ORD 's command. 11  So the L ORD  said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. 12  Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13  Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.” Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 108 Q. What is God’s will for us in the seventh commandment? A. God condemns all unchastity. We should therefore thoroughly detest it and, married or single, live decent and chaste lives. Summary I wonder how many times a post here on Unfading Truth claims that so and so is the most tragic character in the Bible. Because it seems like we keep meeting a new 'most tragic' all the time - so many men who have been given so much by the LORD, yet squander it, or who come so close to salvation yet ultimately miss out on it. Which Biblical men men would be on your 'most-tragic' list? Which women (if any!!)? Share a comment below! Solomon certainly belongs on anybody's top ten list of tragic figures - and probably somewhere near the top! On one hand, King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth . And there's no secret as to where that wealth came from. When given the chance to ask the LORD for absolutely anything - a divine blank check - Solomon humbly asked for wisdom. The LORD was so pleased with Solomon's request that not only did He make Solomon the wisest man to ever live, but He also gave him great wealth and honor (1 Kings 3:12-13). But wisdom - even at its greatest - is no match for the sinful nature. So for all of the great things Solomon did in the first ten chapters of 1 Kings (including building the Temple), we jump into the book this week on a low note: King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women... As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods... So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely. Solomon's great wisdom - inspired by the Holy Spirit - has been canonized in the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. But ironically, it's that great wisdom and wealth that put him on our list of tragic figures. The very gifts God had given him, instead of endearing him to the LORD, estranged Solomon from Him. This is an important lesson for you, because although your levels of wisdom and wealth are nowhere near Solomon's, it's quite likely they far exceed that of those around you. Be thankful for those gifts; use them well for God's glory - but don't ever let these otherwise good things cause you to lose your reliance upon God's grace alone.   Dig Deeper   The question often gets asked by those questioning the Bible's seemingly restrictive sexual morals: how come I must be chaste while so many Biblical 'heroes' are polygamists? Sadly, they have a point. So many Old Testament men used in mighty ways had multiple wives. Solomon tops the chart with seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines. But two key elements need to be included in this discussion. First, God never ordained nor blessed polygamy. It's always a sin. Second, so often polygamy causes problems. Big problems. Solomon's wives led him astray. But Solomon's sins were far deeper than adultery. Notice how those seven hundred wives are described: they're of royal birth. Each one of them represented some sort of treaty or agreement with the pagan kingdom they came from. These were exactly the types of agreements God had forbid Israel to enter into. So heed the words Solomon wrote, inspired by the Holy Spirit: though it cost you all you have, get wisdom and understanding (Proverbs 4:5-9). But don't become reliant upon them. Do not let your heart turn away from the LORD, the God of Israel. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the LORD, the God of Israel, who becomes angry when our hearts turn away from Him; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for wisdom, and that you would cling to the God who grants it; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Confession demolishes filthy sin and constructs a clean heart in its place.           Psalm 51 (NKJV) To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David When Nathan the Prophet Went to Him, After He Had Gone in to Bathsheba. 1       Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. 2       Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3       For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is  always before me. 4       Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this  evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And  blameless when You judge. 5       Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. 6       Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part  You will make me to know wisdom. 7       Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8       Make me hear joy and gladness, That  the bones You have broken may rejoice. 9       Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. 10       Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11       Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12       Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your  generous Spirit. 13       Then  I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You. 14       Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, And  my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. 15       O LORD, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise. 16       For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. 17       The sacrifices of God are  a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise. 18       Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. 19       Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 126 Q. What does the fifth request of the Lord's Prayer mean? A. “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” means, Because of Christ’s blood, do not hold against us, poor sinners that we are, any of the sins we do or the evil that constantly clings to us. Forgive us just as we are fully determined, as evidence of your grace in us, to forgive our neighbors Summary Today's summary and dig deeper sections are reposted from Dec 21, 2023 It's easy to think of the confession of your sin as a purely negative  act, in that you're asking for your sins to be taken away, or negated. But this week's psalm helps us understand that confession involves two distinct aspects: the removal  of sins for sure, but also the restoration of godly behavior. David asks for his sins to be washed away  (v3), and his iniquity to be blotted out (v9). This necessary first step removes the filfth and decay brought about by the sins being confessed. In today's passage, there are three actions David asks God to perform within him: to create a pure heart, to renew  a steadfast spirit, and to restore  the joy of salvation. These requests are sandwiched around the key ingredient for the new life that David is asking for: the internal presence of the Holy Spirit. Think of the process of replacing delapidated buildings with new construction. The project isn't finished once the old buildings are mowed down and hauled away. In fact, that's often the quickest and easiest part of the project! Raising up the new buildings takes hard work, resources and time. This is how confession works: it's not just asking God to demolish your sins and haul them away (that's actually the easy part!), but confession also must involve inviting the Spirit to (once again) begin new construction in your life.   Dig Deeper   Too often people equate forgiveness and salvation as nothing more than a bunch of divine do-overs, as if whenever you mess up God's expectation for perfect righteousness in your life, you can simply confess your sins and God will give you another new blank slate so you can try again. Of course the big problem with this type of thinking, aside from the fact that it's completely contrary to scripture, is that it's totally hopeless. Even if you were given an infinite amount of do-overs, you would never meet the perfect standard God requires. David wrote Psalm 51 roughly 1,000 years before Jesus lived, so David had no way of understanding the theological details describing how Jesus would become the perfect righteousness we need in order to satisfy God's demand. But even so, David knew he didn't just need his sin demolished and taken away, he needed a pure heart and steadfast spirit built back up in the spot that sin had been, and he knew that he was completely reliant on the Holy Spirit to construct these things within him. So confess your sin often, just as Jesus commands us in the Lord's Prayer. But in doing so, don't just ask for another hopeless do-over. Instead, pray that Holy Spirit will fill the void left by the blotted out sin with the pure heart and steadfast spirit you need. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father; who restores to us the joy of His salvation; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray your sins will be taken away and that the Holy Spirit will create, renew, restore and grant you a pure heart. A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

David found freedom from guilt for two key reasons.           CONTEXT: Yesterday we read of how complacency led David off of a moral cliff . David buries the problem by burying Uriah, Bathsheba's husband, and taking her as his wife to coverup the pregnancy that would have evidenced their scandalous affair. 2 Samuel 12:1–23 (NIV) 12 The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor.   2  The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle,   3  but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. 4   “Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.” 5   David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this must die! 6  He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.” 7   Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8   I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. 9  Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10  Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ 11  “This is what the LORD says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. 12  You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ ” 13  Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan replied, “The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14  But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the LORD, the son born to you will die.” 15  After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. 16  David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground. 17   The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them. 18  On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.” 19  David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.” 20  Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate. 21  His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!” 22  He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ 23  But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” Canons of Dordt Point V, Article  5: The Effects of Serious Sins By such monstrous sins [that saints often fall into], however, they  greatly offend God,  deserve the sentence of death,  grieve the Holy Spirit,  suspend the exercise of faith,  severely wound the conscience,  and sometimes lose the awareness of grace for a time— until,  after they have returned to the right way by genuine repentance,  God’s fatherly face again shines upon them. Summary Today's summary and dig deeper sections are reposted from October 29, 2025 Nathan's proclamation of you are the man! hit King David like a ton of bricks. That's what's so shocking about this sad story: David's cold callousness and seeming lack of guilt. Internally, we know David's bones were being crushed by his conscious ( Psalm 51:8 ), but externally he doesn't seem to have a care in the world. Afterall, it had been almost a year since those awful events, and he seemed to have gotten away with it. David likely thought the prophet Nathan just dropped by to say hi. Apparently Nathan needed the king's help bringing a sheep swindling noble to justice, but just like that, BAM! Everything changed in an instant as God's messenger leveled His indictment. Yet David's demeanor at the beginning of this episode isn't the only mysterious element; his reaction becomes even stranger after his newborn son, the product of his sin, died, having taken the brunt of the punishment that should have been due to David. His servants were so terrified to tell him for fear he'd commit some sort of self harm, but after deducing the baby's death on his own, David immediately washes up and resumes life. What's going on here?   Dig Deeper   David could break free from the guilt and move after his son's death for two key reasons: 1) His confession After Nathan levels the boom, David immediately came clean. He didn't offer pathetic denials, or make flimsy excuses. He simply and humbly admitted he had sinned against the LORD. And as the child lay sick and David  fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground, he penned the Bible's model confession of sin in Psalm 51 . Total and complete confession is the key to experiencing total and complete forgiveness. 2) His theology David understood the value of his confession because he knew so well the God he confessed his sin to. He knew exactly what it is that the Canons have reminded us of this week: that as he returned to the right way by genuine repentance, God’s fatherly face would again shines upon him . AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who has mercy according to His unfailing love (Ps. 51:1); A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Confess your sins to your Father, knowing that in doing so He will restore to you the joy of your salvation and grant you a willing spirit to sustain you (Ps. 51:12); A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

There's a steep drop off on either side of the narrow road. Photo: Ankush Minda via Unsplash           Since we last left off... David’s kingdom has been firmly established, marked by justice and righteousness for all his people, and even extending covenant kindness to unlikely recipients like Saul's grandsons. Yet as his rule expands beyond Israel’s borders, conflict intensifies: a diplomatic gesture is rejected and humiliated, triggering a broader war. Once again, the LORD grants victory, as David’s forces subdue these surrounding nations, demonstrating that his reign is not only just within but also powerfully defended beyond Israel. Things are as good as they will ever be for the Israelites. 2 Samuel 11:1–16 (NIV) 11 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. 2  One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3   and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4  Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home. 5  The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.” 6  So David sent this word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent him to David. 7   When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. 8  Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. 9   But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house. 10  David was told, “Uriah did not go home.” So he asked Uriah, “Haven’t you just come from a military campaign? Why didn’t you go home?” 11  Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!” 12  Then David said to him, “Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13  At David’s invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master’s servants; he did not go home. 14  In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15  In it he wrote, “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.” 16  So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. Canons of Dordt Point V, Article 4 - The Danger of True Believers’ Falling into Serious Sins Although that power of God strengthening and preserving true believers in grace is more than a match for the flesh, yet those converted are not always so activated and motivated by God that in certain specific actions they cannot by their own fault depart from the leading of grace, be led astray by the desires of the flesh, and give in to them. For this reason they must constantly watch and pray that they may not be led into temptations. When they fail to do this, not only can they be carried away by the flesh, the world, and Satan into sins, even serious and outrageous ones, but also by God’s just permission they sometimes are so carried away—witness the sad cases, described in Scripture, of David, Peter, and other saints falling into sins. Summary The opening paragraph of today's chapter perfectly frames the overall problem: David, this young shepherd boy whom the LORD had vaulted into the throne established for all eternity, had become complacent. At the time of the year that kings needed to go out and defend their country, David sat comfortably at home while his men took care of business for him. Temptation struck David one evening, or as the ESV better renders it, late one afternoon, a time when everyone around the palace would still have been busy with the day's work. Everyone, that is, except David, who was lounging in bed strolling around on the roof (better understood as a patio). As the saying goes, idle hands are the devil's workshop. But David's downhill descent wasn't over yet. Facing a scandal that would have turned his fiercely loyal army against him, David concocted a failproof plan to let Bathsheba's husband come home and wash his feet (an obvious euphemism). But David's devious plan withered in the presence of Uriah's honor. And so Uriah was sent back to battle while, once again, the king whom the LORD had anointed to fight Israel's wars stayed at home. But Uriah carried his own death sentence in a sealed envelope. It's in this ugly moment that David finds the bottom.   Dig Deeper   Fifteen verses. That's all it takes to describe one of the most spectacular falls in all of history. Chapter ten ended with a description of King David with all the world in his hand. Enemies had been routed, spoils taken home, tribute was being paid, and peace was at hand. Certainly there would be ongoing skirmishes here and there, but David had men like Joab for that. As spring sprung, David's conquest had reached its zenith. But fifteen verses later, David was on the verge of losing it all. Just like his forefathers who grumbled in the desert because they detested the miserable food , David ceded control of his heart, soul and strength to his appetite. And when his appetite saw a beautiful woman bathing, it shoved everything David knew to be true right off that rooftop and didn't stop shoving until she came to him and he slept with her. Now remember who we're talking about here: David - the prolific psalmist, whom the Holy Spirit spoke through in some of the most beautiful ways ever... the king chosen by God, who had cut a covenant with him... the man after God's own heart. The Canons today remind us that even true believers can be carried away into sins, even serious and outrageous ones. So don't think that your faith is secure enough to resist temptation. If David's faith wasn't, yours' isn't. Tomorrow we'll be reminded that not even David's horribly egregious sins are too big for God's grace, but today, heed the Canons' warning: constantly watch and pray that you may not be led into temptations. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the God of Angel Armies, who gives victory to His covenant people; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you'll put on your Spiritual Armor and take your stand; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Why does the Old Testament seem so violent?!?           2 Samuel 8:1-15 (NIV) 8 In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines. 2  David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute. 3  Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his monument at the Euphrates River. 4   David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses. 5  When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. 6   He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The L ORD  gave David victory wherever he went. 7   David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8  From Tebah and Berothai, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze. 9   When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 10  he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze. 11  King David dedicated these articles to the L ORD , as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued: 12  Edom  and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek. He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah. 13  And David became famous after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 14  He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The L ORD  gave David victory wherever he went. 15  David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 123 Q. What does the second request of the Lord's Prayer mean? A. “Your kingdom come” means, Rule us by your Word and Spirit in such a way that more and more we submit to you. Keep your church strong, and add to it. Destroy the devil’s work; destroy every force which revolts against you and every conspiracy against your Word. Do this until your kingdom is so complete and perfect that in it you are all in all. Summary Passage like today's, which tell of Israel's conquest over Canaan, grate upon our modern ears. Our modern translations try to soften a passage like this by using words like subdue and defeat rather than ugly and aggressive words like smite or smote that the old KJV used. But no matter how elegant the words used to translate episodes like today's are, it's hard to read that David made the Moabites lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. Not even the horses escaped such torture: David hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses [this prevented the speed necessary for pulling a chariot, but preserved some utility for the horses for other uses]. Even more surprising is the central verse of this chapter. It would seem shocking enough if David's military campaigns came as a product of his own ego or desire to dominate everything around him that had gotten out of hand, and that the LORD would later take him to task for his brutality and excesses. But it's quite the opposite! David was waging these wars in the LORD's name! Verse 6 makes this crystal clear: The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.   Dig Deeper   Christianity has become very personalized in our own day and age. Our evangelism often centers around inviting others into a personal relationship with Jesus, not inviting others to take up their cross and follow Jesus as He battles the forces of evil. The primary purpose of the Bible for so many is simply a guide to experiencing personal peace and fulfillment. While the Bible does certainly give this guidance, it's important to remember that it comes packaged in an ongoing story of cosmic conflict and war . Because we live in such a blessed time where evidence of this war is repressed or twisted into something that seems far less insidious, it's so easy to forget this. Dale Ralph Davis helps puts this all in perspective: David’s kingdom is not a perfect but a preliminary and principial form of Christ’s kingdom. The kingdom pattern, however, is the same: conflict precedes conquest. Both Old and New Testaments testify that, on the whole, men and nations do not long to receive but live to resist Christ’s reign and that he will establish his rule at the last not by popular demand but by armed might (see, e.g. Ps.2; Isa. 11:3b–5; Joel 3:9–17; Zech. 14:1–5, 12–15; 2 Thess. 1:7b–8, 2:8–10). The church tends to mute this virile biblical note and thereby emasculates the doctrine of the kingdom. Sometimes this bland sentimentality has become canonized in our hymns, e.g: For not with swords’ loud clashing Nor roll of stirring drums, With deeds of love and mercy The heavenly kingdom comes. There is a tad of truth in this but a great deal of distortion, as if should people only be nice enough the kingdom would arrive. But surely the cross has taught us that no one defeats the dominion of darkness in a bloodless coup. Nor will history simply ooze into the kingdom of God. That kingdom will come at the last because Christ, David’s seed, imposes it over all objection and opposition and conquers all his and our enemies. By God's amazing grace, you and I no longer need to smite the Moabites or hamstring chariot horses. But Paul reminds us that the battle continues. It's being fought externally: our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms ( Ephesians 6:12 ). It's also being waged - almost more fiercely - internally. Sarx (your old sinful nature) is waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me ( Romans 7:23 ). So realize these battles are being fought all around you. You can either surrender or fight back. So take courage that the same LORD who gave David victory also will carry you to victory in Christ. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the God of Angel Armies, who gives victory to His covenant people; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you'll put on your Spiritual Armor and take your stand; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

You will dwell in the house of the LORD forever! Biblia.com           SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... David has gone from a rising hero in Israel to a hunted fugitive and finally to the anointed king over all God’s people. Saul’s jealousy drives David into years of exile, yet the LORD preserves him and shapes his dependence. With Saul’s death, David mourns rather than celebrates, then gradually receives the kingdom—first over Judah and eventually over all Israel. He secures Jerusalem as his capital, defeats Israel’s enemies, and brings the ark of the covenant into the city with great rejoicing, even as his own household reveals tensions, setting the stage for both the height of David’s reign and the challenges still to come. 2 Samuel 7:1–17 (NKJV) 7   Now it came to pass when the king was dwelling in his house, and the L ORD  had given him rest from all his enemies all around, 2   that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains.” 3   Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is  in your heart, for the L ORD   is  with you.” 4   But it happened that night that the word of the L ORD  came to Nathan, saying, 5   “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the L ORD : “Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? 6   For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7   Wherever I have moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’ 8   Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the L ORD  of hosts: “I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. 9   And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are  on the earth. 10  Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, 11  since the time that I commanded judges to be  over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the L ORD  tells you that He will make you a house. 12  “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13  He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14  I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. 15  But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it  from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16  And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ” 17  According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David. Belgic Confession Article 18: The Incarnation We confess that God fulfilled the promise which he had made to the early fathers by the mouth of his holy prophets when he sent his only and eternal Son into the world at the time set by him... Summary Summary & Dig Deeper reposted from April 4, 2023 After David had fully established his kingdom in Israel, he expressed his desire to build a house for God, since God's presence still was within the tabernacle, a tent designed to move as Israel moved. David approached the prophet Nathan to be sure his idea of building a permanent temple was consistent with God's will. Nathan initially gave David the green light, telling David that the LORD was with him. But that night, the word of the LORD came to Nathan, revealing that David would not be the one to build Him a house, rather God would be the one who built a House - that is, a never ending dynasty - for David. This passage is significant as it establishes the concept of the Davidic Covenant, which promises a lasting dynasty and kingdom for David's descendants, ultimately fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ as the eternal king from the line of David.   Dig Deeper   It's often easy to just pray that God will be with us in our horizontal relationships: our jobs, families and other immediate concerns. Of course God will be with us in these things, and it is important to pray for them, but passages like this one remind us that God's concerns for us are much bigger than the particular challenges we struggle with on a day to day basis. God fulfilled this amazing promise to King David about 1,000 later on Christmas morning, and what's more, He's included you  in these promises! You have been chosen by God to be included in Christ, and so to reign with Him in a kingdom that will never end. God didn't need David to build a house for Him, rather God built a house for us through David! So whatever it is that's weighing you down today, take it to the LORD in prayer for sure! But even more so, be reminded that you're included in the Kingdom of God. Know that God will "plant you so that you can have a home of your own and no longer be disturbed (v10)." AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who rules over all things with His Son, who sits on David's throne forever; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Ask God to continually remind you of your kingdom citizenship in the midst of worldly struggles; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

The LORD delivers you from the pit. Over and over and over again.           CONTEXT: In Psalms 38 & 39, "David was extremely ill, because he was under the discipline of the LORD as a result of his sin. To make matters worse, his family and friends had become his enemies. In that situation David put his hope in the LORD and prayed for help. In Psalm 39 David reveals more of his internal struggles in that situation, resolves to hope in the LORD, and asks for his cry to be heard. The first half of Psalm 40, then, is a song of thanksgiving in response to God’s granting of help, while the second half is a prayer for deliverance from new troubles" ( Mark Futato ). Psalm 40 (NKJV) To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. 1      I waited patiently for the L ORD ; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. 2       He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And  established my steps. 3      He has put a new song in my mouth— Praise to our God; Many will see it  and fear, And will trust in the L ORD . 4       Blessed is  that man who makes the L ORD his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. 5       Many, O L ORD my God, are  Your wonderful works Which  You have done; And Your thoughts toward us Cannot be recounted to You in order; If  I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered. 6       Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. 7       Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is  written of me. 8       I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is  within my heart.” 9       I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness In the great assembly; Indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O L ORD , You Yourself know. 10       I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth From the great assembly. 11       Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O L ORD ; Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me. 12       For innumerable evils have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; They are more than the hairs of my head; Therefore my heart fails me. 13       Be pleased, O L ORD , to deliver me; O L ORD , make haste to help me! 14       Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion Who seek to destroy my life; Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor Who wish me evil. 15       Let them be confounded because of their shame, Who say to me, “Aha, aha!” 16       Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, “The L ORD be magnified!” 17       But I am  poor and needy; Yet  the L ORD thinks upon me. You are  my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God. Belgic Confession Article 28: The Obligations of Church Members We believe that since this holy assembly and congregation is the gathering of those who are saved and there is no salvation apart from it, no one ought to withdraw from it, content to be by himself, regardless of his status or condition. But all people are obliged to join and unite with it, keeping the unity of the church by submitting to its instruction and discipline, by bending their necks under the yoke of Jesus Christ, and by serving to build up one another, according to the gifts God has given them as members of each other in the same body... Summary David describes a difficult reality in the opening words or this week's psalm by using ugly adjectives: a horrible pit and miry clay. But even in the midst of this misery, he was able to wait patiently for the LORD. I'll confess that by God's grace, I haven't been in these conditions (David unpacks the horribleness of it even more in Psalms 38 and 39). So I'm wondering if it’s easier to wait patiently for the LORD when you’re trapped in the mire with no way out, than when you’re still knee-deep but surrounded by options that tempt you to pull yourself out instead of trusting Him. What do you think? But after patiently waiting, deliverance comes. David uses vivid contrast, going from a pit and clay to having his fee set upon a rock with a new song put into his mouth. And although David was the primary beneficiary of this salvation, it benefits all who see it and are inspired to fear and trust the LORD. The salvation that you've experienced - both the particular pits that God's delivered you from, and especially your salvation from the miry clay of sin and death that psalms like this ultimately point to, must be shared. David writes that he proclaims this good news, that he hasn't restrained his lips or hidden nor concealed the LORD's lovingkindness and truth. There's lots of places that you too can declare the LORD's faithfulness and salvation, but God has ordained one venue in particular: the great assembly - that is, the Church. The more you share this good news with those you meet with each Lord's Day, the easier it will be to share it with the world around you! It's in the midst of the LORD's salvation that David restates the primary theme and message of the entire Psalter: that blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust. Those who delight to do His will - that is, who make God's will their business - and who put His law (Word) within their heart will truly enjoy the blessings God created us for, both in this world and the one to come.   Dig Deeper   It might seem like David should have ended Psalm 40 on a high note at the end of v10 where his prayer of praise and thanksgiving draws to a close. But instead of ending, he shifts the genre - from thanksgiving to lament, and from unpacking the LORD's salvation to begging that the LORD would not withhold His tender mercies, lovingkindness and truth which continually preserves us. But that's how life in this broken world goes. God lifts us up out of one horrible pit, and we celebrate our salvation within the great assembly, but yet we're still surrounded by innumerable evils and overtaken by our own iniquities which drag us right back into the miry clay. So make the final few lines of Psalm 40 your own ongoing prayer and song: Let all who love your salvation say continually: The LORD be magnified! But I am poor and needy... Do not delay, O my God. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, whose wonderful works are many, and whose thoughts toward us cannot be numbered; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your first instinct, whether you find yourself in the pit or in a time of blessedness, will be to declare the good news of righteousness in the great assembly; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

True faith conquers fear. Faithlife.com           SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... Samuel has anointed David king, but Saul is still on the throne. 1 Samuel 17 (NIV) 17 Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Sokoh in Judah... 3  The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them. 4   A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. 5   He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; 6   on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. 7   His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him. 8  Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. 9   If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” -- 11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. -- 16  For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand. -- 32  David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” 33  Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” 34  But David said to Saul, “... 36  Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37  The L ORD  who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the L ORD  be with you.” -- 40  Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. 41  Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42  He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. 43  He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44  “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!” 45  David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the L ORD  Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46  This day the L ORD  will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47  All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the L ORD 's, and he will give all of you into our hands.” 48  As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49  Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. 50  So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. 51  David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 15 Q. What kind of mediator and deliverer should we look for then? A. One who is truly human and truly righteous, yet more powerful than all creatures, that is, one who is also true God. Summary Today's episode is framed by both fear and faith, both of which are quite easy to see. The fear makes itself evident right off the bat, as the Philistines - the arch enemy of the Israelites - sends out their giant champion. Sending Goliath out was not just an attempt to strike terror into the heart of the Israelites - which it clearly did - but it was an act of faith-fueled diplomacy as well. The Philistines were willing to stake everything on a one on one battle of champs - winner takes all. The war would be decided by a man in the middle. Such a contest would alleviate the need for an all out war between armies that would inevitably result in tremendous bloodshed for the same outcome. And it certainly wasn't hard to put all of their faith in their nearly ten foot tall hero clad in hundreds of pounds in armor and weaponry. It was exactly for moments like this that the Israelites had put their faith in a king like all the other nations to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles (1 Sa. 8:20). They had a king that looked like the perfect man for the job. Saul was no slouch - he stood a head taller than all the people (1 Sa. 9:2 & 10:23). But as Goliath's mighty mouth shouted insults, the man Israel put its faith held back, dismayed and terrified. But after forty days of Goliath taking his stand, a young shepherd boy showed up delivering supper for his older brothers. He heard Goliath taunting God's people, which David properly interpreted as taunts against the LORD God Himself. And David's simple faith in his Almighty God lifted the fear off of the faithless Israelites and placed it upon the Philistines, who, upon seeing that their hero was dead, turned and ran.   Dig Deeper   The typical application of this famous story is to have faith like David. And that's a great application! Be confidently faithful in the LORD! But it's not at all the primary point of this chapter. The point is that God's people have a champion to fight for them. Our Champion is more powerful than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and the stakes of the battle He's waged and won are far greater than control of a couple of hills separated by a valley . David's hopeful speech has come true in a much more significant way than he could have ever imagined: it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands . This is the victory we have in our champion , Jesus Christ. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the LORD God Almighty, to whom the battle belongs ; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your faith in your Champion will increase so that you can have confidence in the LORD in place of fear; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: