failure

When Things Look Down, Look Up

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A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.

1 O Lord, how many are my foes!
    Many are rising against me;
2 many are saying of my soul,
    “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah

3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,
    my glory, and the lifter of my head.
4 I cried aloud to the Lord,
    and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah

5 I lay down and slept;
    I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
    who have set themselves against me all around.

7 Arise, O Lord!
    Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
    you break the teeth of the wicked.

8 Salvation belongs to the Lord;
    your blessing be on your people! Selah – Psalm 3:1-8 ESV

While Psalm 2 addressed the issue of foreign adversaries standing opposed to God’s anointed king, this Psalm portrays a more intimate and internal threat. David has had to abandon Jerusalem and his throne because his son, Absalom, has taken over his kingdom. The details of this tragic event are recorded in the Book of 2 Samuel.

Absalom had recently returned from Geshur, where he had been living in exile after having killed his half-brother, Amnon. The sordid details of this story paint a less-than-pleasant picture of David’s homelife and parenting skills. He had a large and rapidly growing family because of his many wives. These marriages were in direct violation of God’s command.

“The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the Lord.” – Deuteronomy 17:17 NLT

While David had managed to remain faithful to Yahweh, his large blended family was anything but a picture of domestic bliss. His violation of God’s command produced a series of unfortunate events that ultimately led to the events recorded in Psalm 3. Chapter 13 of 2 Samuel 13 records Amnon’s lust-fueled rape of his half-sister Tamar. This violent act went unpunished by David, leaving Tamar in a state of mourning over the loss of her virginity. She was damaged goods and, in that culture, would likely remain unmarried the rest of her life. When her brother Absalom saw that their father was not going to deal with Amnon’s crime, he took matters into his own hands and arranged for Amnon’s death. This crime also went unpunished by David. Rather than stepping up and meting out justice, David remained silent and allowed Absalom to escape to Geshur.

In time, David allowed his exiled son to return, but refused to restore their relationship. In time, Absalom became embittered by his father’s passive-aggressive behavior. David’s avoidance of his son only fueled Absalom’s disrespect and resentment for him. Eventually, Absalom devised a plan to steal the throne from his father. Through a series of clever ploys, Absalom managed to win the hearts of the people and pull off a bloodless coup that forced David to abandon Jerusalem and concede the kingdom to his son.

Psalm 3 was written as all this was going on. So, David was going through some significantly trying circumstances. He had lost everything, including his kingdom, the love of his own son, and the respect of his people. His world had been turned upside down. To make matters worse, his enemies used this collapse of David’s fortunes to torment him. They accused God of having abandoned His anointed kind.

“God will never rescue him!” – Psalm 3:2 NLT

Even as David fled the capital, he was confronted by a man named Shimei, who took the opportunity to berate the fallen king and accuse him of getting what he so richly deserved.

As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out of the village cursing them. It was Shimei son of Gera, from the same clan as Saul’s family. He threw stones at the king and the king’s officers and all the mighty warriors who surrounded him. “Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!” he shouted at David. “The Lord is paying you back for all the bloodshed in Saul’s clan. You stole his throne, and now the Lord has given it to your son Absalom. At last you will taste some of your own medicine, for you are a murderer!” – 2 Samuel 16:5-8 NLT

These were dark days for David, but this Psalm reveals his understanding of God’s faithfulness. Despite all that had transpired, David maintained a confidence in God that came from personal experience. He knew his God was a shield about him – a form of protection from attack. No matter how bad things got, David knew God would preserve and protect him.

But you, O Lord, are a shield around me;
    you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
I cried out to the Lord,
    and he answered me from his holy mountain. – Psalm 3:3-4 NLT

As a warrior, David used his familiarity with the tools of his trade to describe the faithfulness of God. Yahweh was as reliable as the shield a soldier used in battle to protect himself from certain death. David viewed God as his greatest defense because he knew that his life existed for God’s glory. He had been called and commissioned by God. His reign had been God’s idea and only He could give David honor in the sight of others. David may have lost his throne, but he knew he was in God’s hands. Others may have lost their respect for David, but he knew that ultimately any honor he received was from God and not from his position or possessions. God gave David’s life “weight.” In other words, it was David’s relationship with God that gave his life value – not his job, title, or resume. That is why David could sleep well at night, even when his world seemed to be falling apart.

I lay down and slept,
    yet I woke up in safety,
    for the Lord was watching over me.
I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies
    who surround me on every side. – Psalm 3:5-6 NLT

Despite his losses, David maintained his confidence in God. He knew that God cared for him and was fully capable of rescuing him. His circumstances did not alter his understanding of God. Yes, he had run away from his own son. He had abandoned his throne and was hiding in the wilderness. But David knew that God was the lifter of heads. The Almighty could revive David’s fortunes and even restore him to the throne – if that was His will. That is why David expressed his confidence in God even as he abandoned the city to his son.

“If the Lord sees fit, he will bring me back to see the Ark and the Tabernacle again. But if he is through with me, then let him do what seems best to him.” – 2 Samuel 15:25 NLT

David knew his God. He had faith in his God. He could rest in his God. He had confidence in his God. So, he cried out to his God. Then he waited. David was not going to let circumstances determine His view of God. A bad day would not alter his understanding of the goodness of God. Unexpected and unwelcome events should never cause the believer to doubt the power or presence of God. Instead, life’s adversities should cause us to turn to Him for help, hope, and healing. Cry out. He answers.

Victory comes from you, O Lord.
    May you bless your people. – Psalm 3:8 NLT

Father, give me the confidence of David. Give me a view of you that is not determined by my circumstances. Help me to see Your faithfulness in the midst of difficulty. Help me to trust You even when things seem out of control, unfair, and difficult to understand. You are my shield, glory, and the lifter of my head. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Death of a Generation.

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29 After these things Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being 110 years old. 30 And they buried him in his own inheritance at Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, north of the mountain of Gaash.

31 Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the Lord did for Israel.

32 As for the bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel brought up from Egypt, they buried them at Shechem, in the piece of land that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money. It became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph.

33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died, and they buried him at Gibeah, the town of Phinehas his son, which had been given him in the hill country of Ephraim. – Joshua 24:29-39 ESV

Joshua lived to the ripe old age of 110. He had served Israel for many years and had led them into the promised land, but also in their efforts to conquer and possess it. Under his guidance, the Israelites had gone from a rag-tag assemblage of former slaves to a powerful force in the Middle East. They had successfully and, in most cases, miraculously defeated the inhabitants of the land of Canaan, taking over their cities, villages, pastures and fields. By the end of his tenure as Israel’s spiritual and military leader, the Israelites were well-established in the land promised to them by God many centuries earlier. But as they say, all good things must come to an end, and Joshua’s life-span reached its allotted course. He died, leaving the people of Israel without an appointed leader. Joshua had not followed the example of Moses, who had passed on the mantel of leadership to him before his own death. Perhaps Joshua assumed that each of the 12 tribes, now established in the land with their own inheritance to manage, would appoint their own leadership. After their renewal of the covenant at Shechem, each of the tribes had dispersed to their own cities and villages, and they were to have begun the final stage of God’s command to eliminate the Canaanites from the land. There were no longer going to be any joint military efforts combining the forces of all 12 tribes. Instead, each tribe would be expected to police and possess its land allotment on its own. And one of the things that will become increasingly clear as their story unfolds is that, without proper leadership, the people of Israel tended to lack follow-through.

In the opening verses of the book of Judges, which chronicles the next chapter in the story of the Israelite’s conquest of the land of Canaan, it becomes clear that the tribes are attempting to follow the example for them by Joshua. They seek the counsel of God in order to determine their next steps.

1 After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel inquired of the Lord, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?” 2 The Lord said, “Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand.” 3 And Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me into the territory allotted to me, that we may fight against the Canaanites. And I likewise will go with you into the territory allotted to you.” So Simeon went with him. 4 Then Judah went up and the Lord gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand, and they defeated 10,000 of them at Bezek. – Judges 1:1-4 ESV

They begin to form some strategic alliances among themselves in order to improve their chances of success against the Canaanites. And God gave the tribes of Judah and Simeon success in their efforts. But there is a nagging pattern of incompleteness that permeates the opening chapters of Judges. They enjoyed success, but it seems that it was always marked by a failure to finish what they had started.

And the Lord was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country, but he could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain because they had chariots of iron. – Judges 1:19 ESV

Notice what this verse says: The Lord was with Judah…BUT. God was fighting alongside the people of Judah and Simeon and they had enjoyed numerous victories as a result. But the presence of chariots of iron had stopped their progress. They had come up against a superior force that had somehow stymied their efforts. But years earlier, long before the Israelites had made it into the land of Canaan, God had told them:

“When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” – Deuteronomy 20:1 ESV

Their inability to stand against an enemy with chariots and horses was due to a lack of faith on their part, not a deficiency in God’s power to deliver. And their failure to trust God would become a pattern that would repeat itself in the story of each of the tribes.

But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites have lived with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day. – Judges 1:21 ESV

Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages, for the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land. – Judges 1:27 ESV

And Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them. – Judges 1:28 ESV

Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants of Nahalol, so the Canaanites lived among them… – Judges 1:29 ESV

Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon or of Ahlab or of Achzib or of Helbah or of Aphik or of Rehob, so the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they did not drive them out. – Judges 1:31-32 ESV

Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, so they lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. – Judges 1:33 ESV

The Amorites pressed the people of Dan back into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the plain. – Judges 1:34 ESV

These are not just statements of military failure or incomplete conquest. They are a reflection of the state of Israel’s spiritual health. They were failing because they were no longer trusting God. They were making compromises and concessions. Allowing their enemies to remain in the land was easier than stepping out in faith and eliminating them completely as God had commanded them to do. And God reprimanded them for their lack of faith, accusing them of not only disobedience, but of failing to keep the covenant they had made with Him.

1 Now the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, 2 and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done? 3 So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.” – Judges 2:1-3 ESV

Their disobedience to God was going to be costly. They were going to learn just how difficult spiritual warfare was going to be without God’s help. And the book of Judges provides us with an important detail concerning the leadership of Joshua and its impact on the people of Israel.

…the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work that the Lord had done for Israel. – Judges 2:7 ESV

But this is followed by a sobering caveat, a all-telling addendum that will set the stage for all that comes later in the book of Judges.

And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel. – Judges 2:10 ESV

The final chapter of the book of Joshua chronicles the deaths of Joshua and Eleazar. It also provides details concerning the interment of Joseph’s bones, brought back from Egypt. But it really paints a bleak picture concerning the death of an entire generation. Those who had come from Egypt under the leadership of Moses had died in the wilderness because of their failure to enter the land the first time. And all those who had played a role in conquering the land under Joshua’s leadership would eventually die as well. Their days in the land would be numbered, just as Joshua’s had been. And as long as he was alive, they had served the Lord. But with his death, they began to falter and fail in their commitments to God and their capacity to trust His word. And by the time they pass off the scene, the next generation had long forgotten who God was or any of the great things He had done.

11 And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals. 12 And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the Lord to anger. 13 They abandoned the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. – Judges 2:11-13 ESV

It happened just as God said it would. They had failed to do what God had commanded and, as a result, their hearts were led away from Him. The failure of a single generation to maintain their covenant faithfulness to God resulted in an entire spiritual meltdown on the part of their descendants.

The book of Psalms provides a stark reminder of just how different things should have turned out, had the people of Israel done what they had been told to do.

3 What we have heard and learned—
that which our ancestors have told us—
4 we will not hide from their descendants.
We will tell the next generation
about the Lord’s praiseworthy acts,
about his strength and the amazing things he has done. – Psalm 78:3-4 NLT

6 so that the next generation, children yet to be born,
might know about them.
They will grow up and tell their descendants about them.
7 Then they will place their confidence in God.
They will not forget the works of God,
and they will obey his commands.
8 Then they will not be like their ancestors,
who were a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation that was not committed
and faithful to God. – Psalm 78:6-8 NLT

But, sadly, there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)  Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

The Theology of Glory.

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“Judgment has come upon the tableland, upon Holon, and Jahzah, and Mephaath, and Dibon, and Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim, and Kiriathaim, and Beth-gamul, and Beth-meon, and Kerioth, and Bozrah, and all the cities of the land of Moab, far and near. The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, declares the Lord.

“Make him drunk, because he magnified himself against the Lord, so that Moab shall wallow in his vomit, and he too shall be held in derision. Was not Israel a derision to you? Was he found among thieves, that whenever you spoke of him you wagged your head?

“Leave the cities, and dwell in the rock,
    O inhabitants of Moab!
Be like the dove that nests
    in the sides of the mouth of a gorge.
We have heard of the pride of Moab—
    he is very proud—
of his loftiness, his pride, and his arrogance,
    and the haughtiness of his heart.
I know his insolence, declares the Lord;
    his boasts are false,
    his deeds are false.
Therefore I wail for Moab;
    I cry out for all Moab;
    for the men of Kir-hareseth I mourn.
More than for Jazer I weep for you,
    O vine of Sibmah!
Your branches passed over the sea,
    reached to the Sea of Jazer;
on your summer fruits and your grapes
    the destroyer has fallen.
Gladness and joy have been taken away
    from the fruitful land of Moab;
I have made the wine cease from the winepresses;
    no one treads them with shouts of joy;
    the shouting is not the shout of joy.

“From the outcry at Heshbon even to Elealeh, as far as Jahaz they utter their voice, from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah. For the waters of Nimrim also have become desolate. And I will bring to an end in Moab, declares the Lord, him who offers sacrifice in the high place and makes offerings to his god. Therefore my heart moans for Moab like a flute, and my heart moans like a flute for the men of Kir-hareseth. Therefore the riches they gained have perished.” – Jeremiah 48:21-36 ESV

The Moabites were evidently a prideful people. And, as God continues His oracle against them, He focuses His attention on that particular characteristic. They were a nation that had experienced its fair share of success. They had enjoyed a relatively peaceful existence and had developed a reputation for being excellent vintners. Their wine was of an excellent quality and was highly sought after. God has already used weaved into His oracle several references to wine.

“Moab has been at ease from his youth
    and has settled on his dregs;
he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel…” – Jeremiah 48:11 ESV

…I shall send to him pourers who will pour him, and empty his vessels and break his jars in pieces.” – Jeremiah 48:12 ESV

And God is not done. He continues to utilize references to wine as declares His coming judgment against Moab.

“Make him drunk, because he magnified himself against the Lord, so that Moab shall wallow in his vomit, and he too shall be held in derision.” – Jeremiah 48:26 ESV

The Moabites would become like a man who drinks wine with a care-free attitude, seemingly without a problem in the world, only to end up staggering drunk and walloing in his own vomit. And God makes it clear that the real issue behind His anger with Moab is their insolence and pride. They saw themselves an blessed in some way. Perhaps they believed that their false god, Chemosh, was the source of their ongoing success. They probably believed that their worship of him had brought them peace and prosperity. And as they found themselves enjoying relatively good times and a trouble-free existence, they began to believe that they were invincible and destined for further greatness.

This kind of attitude is what Martin Luther referred to as “the theology of glory.” It was a religious belief put man at the center of all things. A theology of glory makes the god who is being worshiped, a distributor of blessings. He becomes like a grand gift-giver, who hands out health, wealth, happiness and success to those who worship him well. Pleasing your god brings you his pleasure, in the form of tangible blessings, like protection, ease, comfort, victories over your enemies, and a trouble-free existence. In a theology of glory, there is no place for pain, suffering, sickness or struggle. Those are the signs of a displeased deity. And they are to be avoided at all costs.

But the Moabites were about to discover that Yahweh, the God of the Jews, was not happy with them. Their theology of glory did not take into account the one-and-only God of the universe. He had had enough of their pride, arrogance, and self-inflated sense of self-importance.

“We have all heard of the pride of Moab,
    for his pride is very great.
We know of his lofty pride,
    his arrogance, and his haughty heart.
I know about his insolence,”
    says the Lord,
“but his boasts are empty—
    as empty as his deeds.” – Jeremiah 48:29-30 NLT

Their theology of glory was about to run headlong into the theology of God’s judgment. Their prideful arrogance was going to be dealt a deadly blow by God’s righteous indignation. And once again, God reverts back to His wine comparisons.

“Joy and gladness are gone from fruitful Moab.
    The presses yield no wine.
No one treads the grapes with shouts of joy.
    There is shouting, yes, but not of joy.” – Jeremiah 48:33 NLT

They had believed that they were blessed by their god. They had been convinced that Chemosh was happy with them and it had shown up in all kinds of ways. Their wines were shipped across the seas and the profits flowed back into their hands. Their wealth had increased. Their reputation had grown. And their pride had swelled. But God has bad news for them. “Therefore the riches they gained have perished” (Jeremiah 48:36 ESV). When He was done with them, their pride would be broken, their vineyards destroyed, their reputation sullied, their wealth taken from them, and their theology of glory exposed for what it is: A lie and a delusion.

They had left the one true God out of the equation. They had concocted a god of their own making. These descendants of Lot, who had at one time been worshipers of Yahweh, had determined to leave Him in the dust and seek out their own god. But their disobedience would not go unpunished forever.

“I will put an end to Moab,” says the Lord, “for the people offer sacrifices at the pagan shrines and burn incense to their false gods.” – Jeremiah 48:35 NLT

Idolatry is an abomination to God. He will not tolerate the worship of false gods. He will not put up with men who make gods of their own choosing, and who then become boastful and arrogant when they begin to believe that their success is due to their lifeless, helpless deity. God will not share His glory with anyone or anything. God will not tolerate the worship of anything other than Himself. And the pride of the Moabites had become nothing less than just another god they worshiped. They served the god of self. It was all about them – their pleasure, success, happiness, comfort, and health. But God was going to turn their pride into humiliation, their joy into sorrow, their success to failure, and their confidence into defeat.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

The God of David.

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Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established. – 1 Kings 2:10-12 ESV

And David died. His long, circuitous life came to an end. The book of 1 Chronicles adds the detail: “Then he died at a good age, full of days, riches, and honor” (1 Chronicles 29:28 ESV). David had been king for 40 years and had experienced all the ups and downs that come with life. He had enjoyed his fare share of great victories, but had also known what it was like to suffer defeat. He had enjoyed the accolades of the people and then stood by and watched as they turned their backs on him. He had been blessed by some and cursed by others. He had lauded as a great king and accused of being a usurper to the throne. David had been a man of great faith, but he had also shown signs of doubt and displayed a tendency to take matters into his own hands. He could be decisive and, at the same time, doubtful. At times, he was impulsive and driven by his desires. At other times, he was unwilling to act until he had heard from God. David was a man of God and a murderer, a man of great faith and an adulterer. He loved God, but he also had an inordinate love for women, marrying far too many of them and disobeying God in the process. David had a heart that beat fast for God, but that, at the same time, struggled with ungodly desires. In other words, David was human. He was just a man.

Too often, we deify someone like David. We turn him into a saint and place him on a pedestal, treating him as an icon rather than seeing him as a living illustration of what it means to walk with God. David was not perfect. He is not presented to us in Scripture as a super-saint or intended to be some kind of unapproachable model of holiness. In the life of David, as portrayed in the pages of the Scriptures, we are given a vivid glimpse into all his faults, failures, weaknesses, and sins. Nothing is held back. We are not given a neatly sanitized version of his life, an autobiographical treatment complete with all the less-than-flattering parts removed. No, we are treated to a warts-and-all, no-holds-barred chronicle of his life. The good, the bad and the ugly. Most of us would be mortified if we knew that our entire life’s story was going to be put in a book for all to read, for generations to come. All our dirty little secrets would be put in print and outlive us for thousands of years. But that’s exactly what happened to David.

David was not an icon of virtue. He was not a perfectly pious saint. He was a man, chosen by God, and commanded to serve as the shepherd of God over the people of God. This was not a position for which David aspired. He had not asked to be chosen. He had been content shepherding his father’s sheep. But one day he was protecting his sheep from predators, and the next he was standing face-to-face with a Philistine giant. David’s life was one of extremes. He would go from the peace of the pasture to the political intrigue of the palace. He would become a warrior of great renown. But he would also become a fugitive with a bounty on his head. David would know what it means to succeed and fail, to experience the heady thrill of glory and the heart-breaking darkness of defeat and disappointment. He would know the pleasure of life in the palace and the uncomfortable reality of life in a cave.

The real hero in the story of the life of David is not David, it’s God. He is the one who chose David. He is the one who stood beside David, through all the ups and downs of his life. God is the one who lovingly disciplined David and graciously equipped and empowered David for each and every victory he enjoyed. God remained faithful to David throughout his life. God never abandoned David or turned His back on him. Yes, there were moments when it appeared as if God had walked out on David, but He was there. God was watching over him, protecting him, teaching him, molding and making him into the kind of man he was meant to be. David, like all men, had rough edges that needed to be smoothed out. He had sinful dispositions that needed to be exposed and eliminated. And David recognized that God was intimately involved in his life, lovingly disciplining him in order that he might be the kind of man God had called him to be. That is why he could write the words:

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. – Psalm 139:23-24 NLT

David loved God and trusted Him to do what was right and just. He didn’t always obey God. He didn’t always rely on God. But when all was said and done, David always came back to God help, hope, strength, and direction. He knew his life was nothing without God. He knew his future was directly tied to the power and promises of God. His life would end, but the covenant God had made with him would last long after he was gone.

David was a man of faith. He trusted God. In fact, his name in mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11, the Great Hall of Faith, where the names of the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Old Testament are given as examples of unwavering faith in the promises of God.

How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. – Hebrews 11:32-34 NLT

Like Abraham, David believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. He trusted in the promises of God. He knew that God was going to preserve his kingdom and place a descendant on his throne, ensuring that his kingdom would have no end. Like all the other Old Testament saints, David would die long before he saw this promise fulfilled in its entirety. But thousands of years later, God would send His Son, Jesus, born as the son of Mary and as a descendant of David. He would be the legitimate and legal heir to the throne of David. Yet, Jesus would die a criminal’s death on the cross. He would be buried in a borrowed tomb. But He would be raised back to life and return to His rightful place at His Father’s side. And one day, He will return. And when He does, He will return as the conquering King and the rightful heir to the throne of David. He will rule from Jerusalem over His people, Israel, and all the nations of the earth will bow before Him as the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—
    to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength
    and honor and glory and blessing.”

And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang:

“Blessing and honor and glory and power
    belong to the one sitting on the throne
    and to the Lamb forever and ever.”

And the four living beings said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb. – Revelation 5:11-14 NLT

The story of David is the story of God. He is the faithful, covenant-keeping God who chooses to use men like David to accomplish His will and bring about His divine plan for humanity. God doesn’t need us, but He graciously uses us. Yet, we need Him. We must trust and rely upon Him, knowing that He will do what He has promised and complete what He has started. Our lives may end, but His work will not. We are temporary, but He is not. And our future is in His hands.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Day 131 – John 18:15-18, 25-27

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In Front of Witnesses.

John 18:15-18, 25-27

Simon Peter followed Jesus, as did another of the disciple. That other disciple was acquainted with the high priest, so he was allowed to enter the high priest’s courtyard with Jesus. Peter had to stay outside the gate. Then the disciple who knew the high priest spoke to the woman watching at the gate, and she let Peter in. – John 18:15-16 NLT

John’s account of what happened that fateful night when Jesus was arrested and Peter denied Him sheds a whole new light on things. In his usual style, John refers to himself in the third person, saying, “as did the other disciple” and “then the disciple who knew the high priest.” Previously unnoticed by most of us, John was at the scene of Peter’s worst moment and witnessed it all. If you’re like me, you probably pictured Peter as having been alone that night. And if you only read the  three synoptic gospels, you would never have realized that John accompanied Peter and even made it possible for him to gain entry into the inner courtyard of the high priest’s house. Somehow John was acquainted with the high priest and was recognized by the woman who was manning the gate, so he was afforded immediate access into the courtyard. Peter, unknown to the woman, was denied entry. But a word from John made it possible for Peter to join him inside the courtyard. And it was there that Peter’s already devastating night turned into a personal nightmare. His denial of Jesus did not take place in anonymity, but was witnessed by one of his closest friends and fellow disciples. John seems to be gracious in his account, somewhat softening the force of Peter’s three denials. And yet, it was probably he who informed Matthew, Mark and Luke just what was said that night. Or perhaps, some time after Pentecost, Peter himself was the one who shared the exact words he used that night.

But it is painful to think just how embarrassing and humiliating Peter’s actions must have been to him, having been witnessed by his friend John. But John makes to statement or levels no indictment against Peter. He draws no conclusions or reaches no verdict. He simply states what happened in a somewhat matter-of-fact manner. “Again Peter denied it. And immediately the rooster crowed” (John 18:27 NLT). But the weight of what Peter had done drove him to run from the courtyard weeping bitterly. He had denied His Lord and Savior. He had done exactly what Jesus had predicted he would do. And he had done it right in front of one of his own friends. It is one thing to fail alone. It is another thing to fail in front of witnesses. It is quite another thing to fail in front of those you know and whose opinion of you matters. And failure had to have been one of the feelings Peter encountered that evening. He had failed to live up to his own hype. He was the disciple who had sworn that he would die for Jesus before He ever denied Him. Strong words. Weak resolve.

While we are not told what happened next in the courtyard, we can assume that John stayed right where he was as Peter ran away. And John seems to have stayed by the Lord’s side all the way to the cross. He will be the only one mentioned as having been at the cross the day Jesus died. Everyone else, including Peter, had run away. There is not a lot to conclude from all this. There is no real moral lesson at this point. Jesus is under arrest. He has been beaten about the head and face, spit upon and ridiculed. Peter has denied him. John has had to witness it all and must have felt incredibly alone and despondent as he watched his friend slink away in shame and His Master be led away in chains. It was not a good night. And the next day would not get any better. But for those of us who know how the story ends, we know there is a light shining in the darkness. There is hope right around the corner. Peter’s shame will turned to rejoicing. John, all alone for the moment, will once again find himself surrounded by friends and fellow believers. This dark moment was necessary. Peter’s denial had to happen, but he would one day proclaim unashamedly and boldly, “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. Now he is exalted at the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand” (Acts 2:32-33 NLT). And John would be there to witness his transformation from a denier into a proclaimer.

Father, the story of Peter is the story of us all. We are all capable of denying Your Son at any given moment. We are all guilty of having denied Your Son on numerous occasions over our lifetimes. But You are the God who transforms deniers into proclaimers. You are always using our weakest moments to remind us of our need for You. You even use those who witness our failures to encourage us to remain faithful. You are still writing the next chapter of each of our lives. Because You are faithful, loving and gracious. You were not done with Peter and You are not done with me. Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Day 117 – Matthew 26:31-35; Mark 14:27-31; Luke 22:31-38; John 13:31-38

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Ready To Die.

Matthew 26:31-35; Mark 14:27-31; Luke 22:31-38; John 13:31-38

“But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I’m ready to die for you.” – John 13:37 NLT

I love the impetuousness of Peter. He was a speak-before-you-think kind of a guy. Too often he put his mouth in gear before his brain was engaged. And this was another one of those times. Peter was constantly speaking up. He wasn’t afraid to share his views or speak his mind. And it oftentimes got him in trouble. Jesus knew that his last days were going to be difficult for the disciples. As He drew nearer to the culmination of His ministry here on earth and His divine appointment with the cross, the pressure on the disciples was going to increase dramatically. So He warned Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and returned to me again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22: 31-32 NLT). This statement had to have hit Peter like a fist to the stomach. It took the wind out of him and sent him reeling in confusion. He immediately defended himself and denied that he was a liability or a potential quitter. He responded, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you” (Luke 22:33 NLT). It all sounded so good. Not only was Peter NOT going to do anything worthy of needing repentance, he was willing to give his life for Jesus. Or so he said. But Jesus knew better. He knew Peter better than Peter knew himself. He regretfully, but accurately informed Peter exactly just how he was going to deny Him. “Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny me three times that you even know me” (Luke 22:34 NLT). Again, Peter speaks before he thinks. He doesn’t stop and consider that Jesus, the Messiah and the Son of God, might know something he doesn’t know. Instead, he vehemently denies Jesus’ words, in essence, calling Him a liar to His face. “No! Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” (Mark 14:31 NLT). The others heartily agreed with Peter, not wanting to look like they were any less committed than he was.

But Jesus had already told them that they would all desert Him in His hour of greatest need. He quoted from Zechariah 13:7, “God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered” (Mark 14:27 NLT). They would all scatter like cockroaches in the sudden glare of light. This would be a wholesale desertion of Jesus by the disciples. In fact, the only one we know for certain was at the site of the crucifixion during Jesus’ final moments, was John. No one else was anywhere to be found. But Jesus told Peter He was praying for him. He told him that, in spite of his denial, he would repent and return to Jesus. He would also serve as a source of encouragement to the other disciples.

One of the most encouraging stories in all of Scripture is the one that reveals the depths of Peter’s denial and the joy of his return. What Peter did that night in the garden was indefensible. It was incomprehensible. But it was forgivable. Peter would ultimately deny that he even knew Jesus. Not once, but three times. The man he claimed he would die for, he denied even knowing. His human nature would get the better of him. In the face of fear and possible death, he would forget all about his promise to die with Jesus and run for his life. But Jesus understood. He was gracious and kind, merciful and forgiving. Peter would be given a second chance. The real key to service for Jesus is not in our ability to remain steadfast and faithful, never failing or falling, but in our willingness to repent and return to Him. We will let Him down. In spite of the greatest of intentions, we will let sometimes end up denying the very one we way we love and to whom we have committed our lives. But just as Jesus had prayed for Peter, He has prayed for us. “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify themin the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:14-17 NLT). Jesus knows we live in a difficult environment, surrounded by a world that hates us. He knows that because we belong to Him, we are no longer of this world. So He has asked God to protect us and to sanctify us with the Word. Jesus does not expect perfection from us. He knows we will struggle and sometimes stumble and fall. But each time, when we repent and return we will find forgiveness and restored usefulness.

Father, like Peter, I sometimes talk a bold game, but then fail to come through in the clutch. I can come across as super-faithful in the good times, but when things get a bit tough, I can easily turn and run. But thank You that there is always forgiveness each time I return and repent. I can never wear out my usefulness to You, as long as I never stop remembering my complete dependence on You. I can’t live this life on my own. I can’t remain faithful on my own. I need Your strength, Your Spirit, Your Word, and the body of Jesus Christ, Your Church, to help me. Keep me dependent and repentant. Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org