Thursday, January 16, 2014

Coming Full Circle. First Samuel 22-23; Acts 3

May the mumbling commence!

Sometimes our lives take us full circle.  Both David and Saul’s life show this truth.  David’s grandmother was from Moab.  When times got tough, where did he send his mother and father for their safety… Moab.  Read from First Samuel chapter twenty-two:

Later David went to Mizpeh in Moab, where he asked the king, "Would you let my father and mother live here under royal protection until I know what God is going to do for me?" 
The king agreed, and David's parents stayed in Moab while David was living in his stronghold. (Verses 3-4)

Life, for David, had come full circle.  The same is true for Saul.  Once the Lord had commanded Saul to totally destroy the Amalekites, and Saul refused to do so – in deference to his men.  But, as time unfolded, King Saul was enraged at the priests of the Lord from Nob (who had helped David).  Saul put the ban on the priest of the Lord at Nob that he would not put on the Amalekites!  Read from First Samuel chapter twenty-two:

"But sir," Ahimelech replied, "is there anyone among all your servants who is as faithful as David, your son-in-law? Why, he is the captain of your bodyguard and a highly honored member of your household!  This was certainly not the first time I had consulted God for him! Please don't accuse me and my family in this matter, for I knew nothing of any plot against you." 
"You will surely die, Ahimelech, along with your entire family!" the king shouted.  And he ordered his bodyguards, "Kill these priests of the Lord, for they are allies and conspirators with David! They knew he was running away from me, but they didn't tell me!" But Saul's men refused to kill the Lord's priests. 
Then the king said to Doeg, "You do it." So Doeg turned on them and killed them, eighty-five priests in all, all still wearing their priestly tunics.  Then he went to Nob, the city of the priests, and killed the priests' families – men and women, children and babies, and all the cattle, donkeys, and sheep. 
Only Abiathar, one of the sons of Ahimelech, escaped and fled to David. (Verses 14-20)

Saul had come full circle in his disobedience to the Lord.  May we not be so stubborn in our sinful wanderings!  May we heed the words of Simon Peter, as recorded in Acts chapter three:

"Friends, I realize that what you did to Jesus was done in ignorance; and the same can be said of your leaders.  But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had declared about the Messiah beforehand – that he must suffer all these things.  Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins.  Then wonderful times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will send Jesus your Messiah to you again.  For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his prophets.” (Verses 17-21)

Let’s turn back to God and be refreshed.  Let’s welcome the Christ into our lives in a deeper and more personal way.  Let’s welcome Christ into our corporate lives so that we might praise and glorify His holy name.

Enough mumbling for now…


Peace Out

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