Day 117, Chronological Bible Study Timeline. Map. Go to today’s Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): 1Chronicles 12:23-40; Psalm 2; Psalm 78
Unity and Securing God's Favor
Just give me a second chance, and I’ll do better this time. This is a plea for grace. We all do wrong things. Doing wrong or failing to do right things is called sin in the Bible (more…). We are no strangers to sin, but we want some hope that our lives will be better. We want our nation, family, or the members of the organization we work with to be unified and strong. Unity comes easier when we secure God’s favor. How do we do that? Stay tuned.
Unity is also what the Israelites wanted. They were a divided country, separated by civil war. Ten tribes were north, and two tribes were south. But they aspired to be one nation with a powerful king to lead them to victory against their enemies. But they had a problem.
The Israelites had a history of disobedience. Time after time, God had been gracious to them. He freed them from Egypt (February 4 and 5 Bible studies) and later granted them victory over the Moabites and Amorites (March 6-7 Bible studies).
In the period of the Judges, God chose leaders to save them from the oppression of their enemies (April 1-9 Bible studies). Then Israel, in disrespect for God, demanded a king. The LORD gave them Saul.
The Philistine often raided Israel, but she achieved partial victories over them through Saul. He was a good king until his power went to his head, and he disobeyed and dishonored the LORD. Afterward, he and his sons died in battle. Saul’s remaining son, Ishbosheth, was weak and lacked courage, and two leaders from his tribe assassinated him.In today’s Bible reading, Israel needs new hope and a strong, unified country.
Unity
Do we need new hope? Have we been divided?
To attain unity and favor with God, we must humble ourselves, confess sins, and rely on His deliverance. (more...).The LORD can give us forgiveness, peace, and spiritual life. He can bring help and healing. As God was gracious to Israel, he will be kind to us if we seek his favor. Again, we can have peace and unity.
God chose David to be the next king. David would be their agent of hope; he would unite the tribes into one powerful nation and lead them to follow the LORD. God was with David, and all the people of Israel and Judah loved him. The composer of Psalm 78 says,
He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them. (Psalm 78:70-72, NIV)
David learned to lead people by shepherding. He bound the wounds of his sheep, and now he binds the emotional wounds of Israel from their civil war.
Do we want unity? We can learn to be kind and apply balm to others’ emotional wounds.
David exercises skillful diplomacy in helping them to become a secure and unified nation. He’s also a spiritual leader. With him, the country has peace and victory.
Do we want unity? We should exercise diplomacy and lead others to follow the LORD.
A musician penned Psalm 2 just after David’s capture of Jerusalem (2Samuel 5:6-7), He wrote it for his coronation, and it shows God’s favor upon David. The “nations that conspire” against him may refer to the Philistines and other unnamed nations. However, the Psalmist predicts, “You [David] will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery” (Psalm 2:9, NIV).
Psalm 2 is also a prophetic hymn, prophesying the future reign of the Son of David, Jesus Christ (he was a descendant). David was a figure or type of Christ (more…).
Would we like to be a part of the future reign of Jesus Christ? We will rule and reign with him if we trust him for the deliverance of our sins and are faithful (Revelation 5:10; 20:6; 22:3-5). Jesus Christ is our ultimate hope in this life and the next.
Securing God’s Favor
How do we get God’s favor and keep it? By keeping it, we do not mean eternal security—the Holy Spirit protects all true believers in Christ for an eternity. He seals them on the day of their salvation from sin (Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30). To protect our favor with God in this life, however, we need to remember the lessons of the past. An anonymous person once said,
“ The definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result.”
We must learn from our mistakes, turn from our sins to God, and live in obedience to God, setting an example for the next generation. How do we do this? Psalmist tells us:
What we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.
He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they, in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. (Psalm 78:3-7, NIV)
To help secure faith in God for future generations, we should share the things the LORD has done. We should also share what God’s Word says and the lessons he has taught us.
Focus Verse
Isaiah 46:9 (NIV) “Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.
Discussion
How can we be unified?
How can we enjoy God’s favor now and for the next generation?
Write a private prayer response to today’s Bible study:
Please send your comments to me, Rod (the author)
Looking Ahead: Having unified the country, now David begins his leadership. Join us for our next lesson: Leadership—Starting Right.
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