Today's Scripture
David’s last words – 2 Samuel 22:1-7
TODAY’S READING SCHEDULE: 2 Samuel 22-23 Psalm 57 (CEB)
These are David’s last words:
This is the declaration of Jesse’s son David,
the declaration of a man raised high,
a man anointed by the God of Jacob,
a man favored by the strong one of Israel.
2 The Lord’s spirit speaks through me;
his word is on my tongue.
3 Israel’s God has spoken,
Israel’s rock said to me:
“Whoever rules rightly over people,
whoever rules in the fear of God,
4 is like the light of sunrise
on a morning with no clouds,
like the bright gleam after the rain
that brings grass from the ground.”
5 Yes, my house is this way with God!
He has made an eternal covenant with me,
laid out and secure in every detail.
Yes, he provides every one of my victories
and brings my every desire to pass.
6 But despicable people are like thorns,
all of them good for nothing,
because they can’t be carried by hand.
7 No one can touch them,
except with iron bar or the shaft of a spear.
They must be burned up with fire right on the spot!
What does this passage mean to me/us
These are the last word of David, spoken through the Spirit.
It starts by describing David as a person ‘favored by the strong one of Israel.’
How could David earn such regards, from both the people and God?
Was it because of his accomplishments?
I see it was more from his willingness to follow God, regardless of the situations.
Even in his last words, which can be considered as a prophecy, he says;
Whoever rules rightly over people,
whoever rules in the fear of God,
is like the light of sunrise
on a morning with no clouds,
Some might say, I have nothing to rule over.
However, when we read this verse, it has to be understood how we should live our lives.
When we live our lives by fearing God, respecting God and honoring God’s way, we will see how God’s favor will rest on us.
When God favors us, we might earn the favor of the people. But the reason why we earn that favor is that we want to show them who God is.
Do I honor God in all my ways?
Prayer
Lord, help us honor you with our entire life. When we live, respecting your name, may your favor rest upon us, so people will see you clearly. In Christ name, AMEN.
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