Podcasts about Abiathar

Brother Mike Madsen traces the downfall of King Saul through 1 Samuel 20-26, contrasting his pride and jealousy with Jonathan's loyalty and Abigail' s Christlike intercessions, and the hard, personal work of forgiving and laying down a vengeful heart.FREE PDF DOWNLOADS OF followHIM QUOTE BOOKSNew Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastNTBookOld Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastOTBookBook of Mormon: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastBMBook WEEKLY NEWSLETTERhttps://tinyurl.com/followHIMnewsletter SOCIAL MEDIAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/followHIMpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcastTIMECODE0:00 - Part 2 - Brother Michael Madsen1:37 Alma 29 and the abundance vs scarcity mentality3:16 Saul consumed by “I” disease4:57 David at Nob5;42 David flees to Gath, then to caves6:33 Doeg the Edomite and the slaughter of 85 priests8:04 D&C 121–power, the priesthood, and unrighteous dominion9:01 “What makes you think you're not in a similar spot now?”10:39 Tending your own small kingdom13:19 Why do you want to be with the Savior?14:59 Two kings, three temptations, and one prevailed15:24 Looking for Christ in everything and 1 Sam. 2316:33 Abiathar, the ephod, David spares Saul20:52 Samuel dies and Nabal's request22:44 David's weakness and marching to take revenge23:57 Abigail intercedes26:52 Sister Yee: ‘Abigail as type of Jesus Christ”28:53 Nabal's death29:13 Sister Yee's “Beauty for Ashes”32:28 Was David traumatized and receiving counsel35:52 The boy caught in the cog37:22 “Take all you'd like,” and the heart that changed in a cornfield38:11 President Oaks held at gunpoint43:00 President Nelson: “He is coming, get the youth ready”46:53 End of Part 2 - Brother Mike MadsenThanks to the followHIM team:Steve & Shannon Sorensen: Cofounder, Executive Producer, SponsorDavid & Verla Sorensen: SponsorsDr. Hank Smith: Co-hostJohn Bytheway: Co-hostDavid Perry: ProducerKyle Nelson: Marketing, SponsorLisa Spice: Client Relations, Editor, Show NotesWill Stoughton: Video EditorKrystal Roberts: Translation Team, English & French Transcripts, WebsiteAriel Cuadra: Spanish TranscriptsAmelia Kabwika: Portuguese TranscriptsHeather Barlow: Communications DirectorSydney Smith: Social Media, Graphic Design "Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonaldhttps://www.marshallmcdonaldmusic.com

This powerful exploration of 1 Samuel chapters 21-23 takes us into the wilderness with David as he flees from King Saul's murderous pursuit. We discover three profound truths that speak directly to our own seasons of difficulty: the Lord provides in the wilderness, the Lord protects His purposes, and the Lord guides those who seek Him. David's story isn't one of immediate triumph after his anointing as king. Instead, we see fifteen years of running, hiding, and surviving with a ragtag group of outcasts—the distressed, the indebted, and the bitter in soul. Yet in this unlikely setting, God shapes a future king. The bread of the presence and Goliath's sword become symbols of divine provision when we have nothing. The survival of one priest, Abiathar, demonstrates how God protects what matters for His purposes even when evil seems to triumph. Most remarkably, we see David repeatedly inquiring of the Lord—even asking whether he should risk his life to save a city that would later betray him. His psalms from this period reveal a heart that thirsts for God even in a dry and weary land. The parallel to Jesus in the wilderness after forty days of fasting reminds us that our King of Kings also trusted the Father for provision, protection, and guidance. When life feels like wilderness—when we're isolated, pursued by difficulties, or uncertain of the next step—we're invited to trust the same God who sustained David and who gave us His own body and blood as the ultimate provision.

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week. 2 Samuel 16:15-17:29 Spencer Cary Download TranscriptMy name is Spencer and I am one of the pastors here. We are going to be in 2 Samuel chapter 16. We're going to go all the way through chapter 17 today. So, if you have a Bible around you, those black Bibles, you can grab one of those. We're going on page 306. and most of the text or all of this text will be on in those Bibles. We'll have some text on the screen as well. I'll try to cue when that comes up, but you can go ahead and follow along there. I've been following Jesus for 20 years at this point.And there are times when you follow Jesus long enough that just feel really dark. whether that's for suffering, whether that's affliction, sadness, all types of things that come upon us. But there are times where it just feels very very dark. But like the words we just sang, when darkness seems to hide his face, as the original hymn said, when darkness veils his lovely face. It's just this idea that if you follow God long enough, you're going to have times where you just don't feel the presence of God. you don't feel his goodness. And then when that happens, there are questions that begin to linger.Does God love me? Is he for me? Does he care about me? And those questions can linger in a way and surface and sometimes resurface when we are going through times that are difficult, when we're traveling through times that are very dark. Man, if you follow Christ long enough, that's that's going to happen. the reality of following Jesus this side of the fall. But then there are moments there are moments where God in the middle of darkness and his kindness breaks through. And it doesn't always mean that your circumstances get better. But in the middle of suffering, in the middle of what feels like hopelessness, God meets us in some wonderful and powerful ways.And that is the experience that all of God's people feel in the lifetime, the marathon of following Jesus. And maybe that's you right now. Maybe that maybe that's where you're at. That you just feel darkness and all the things that come with that we just talked about. And if that is you, and certainly for all of us, it will be us at some point. If that is you, then this part of the story of David is actually going to be, I think, wildly encouraging because David's been in it. We have I mean it's like week after week as we're following his story right now. He's living in the aftermath of his sin against Bathsheba and Uriah and he's dealing with the discipline of the Lord and it just feels unrelenting.But today, we're going to see that in the middle of all of this darkness that he's walking through, we're going to see God shine through like like a like like in a really difficult storm, like a light that just pierces through. We're going to see some hope that's found in that. And then as we look at this as Christians, we'll be able to take a step back and see that this is the hope that he has for us as well. So, I'm going to pray for us and then we're going to work through the story together. Heavenly Father, I thank you for the good news of the gospel that we just got to read, sing, and pray.I pray that you would help us as we seek to understand who you are even as we encounter the sufferings of this present life. So may you give us ears to hear in Jesus' name. Amen. All right. All right. So, before we jump into verse 15, let's recap a little bit where Mike took us last week. Absalom, the son of David, has been leading to this point a very successful rebellion, a civil war against his father, King David. And David has fled Jerusalem. Absalom has entered Jerusalem, is set up on the throne. And now Absalom is seeking to establish his reign. Picking up in verse 15. Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel came to Jerusalem and Ahithophel with him. Okay? So Absalom has a party of men of followers of leaders and it's going to be referred to as the men of Israel. And the most prominentfigure in that party is a man named Ahithophel. Ahithophel is a counselor to the king. He was a counselor to David. He was someone that David brought in to give wise counsel and advice. But now he's betrayed David and he's joined his son in this rebellion. And we don't really know why. Some have theorized that Ahithophel that when you follow his line, he has a son named Iliam. And that that might be the same Iliam that is the father of Bathsheba. That this might be the grandfather of Bathsheba and that he's exacting some type of revenge against David here. We don't know that to be true, but he has betrayed David and now he's joined in with Absalom and he's giving counsel to him. But he's not the only one seeking to give counsel to this new king. Verse 16.And when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, "Long live the king." Long live the king. Okay, we'll pause there. There are a lot of names as we're going to see in the story today. There's a lot of names last week, so some of this stuff is hard to track. But if you remember back from last week, Hushai is a spy that David has sent to disrupt Ahithophel. So in 2 Samuel 15, what we read last week in verse 34, this will be on the screen. It says, "But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, I will be your servant, O king, as I've been your father's servant in time past, so now I will be your servant. Then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel." This is David sending in Hushai to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which he knows is going to be veryhelpful to Absalom. And then in verse 37 it says, "So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem." So that's what's happened here. He has sent he sent Hushai in to be rival counsel to Ahithophel to disrupt all of this. And Hushai, who's playing the part of double agent quite well, comes in immediately and says, "Long live the king."Now Absalom may be pretty but he's not that stupid because he knows that Hushai is a friend to David. So he responds verse 17. And Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?" And Hushai said to Absalom, "No, for whom the Lord and this people and all that the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. And again, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you." So Absalom says, " don't you like play golf with my dad?Like, aren't y'all boys? What's happening here? Why are you where why are you here?" And he's like, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I play golf with whoever sits on the throne. I'm for the position, not the man. And the Lord is with you and the people are with you. So I am with you. So I'm here to help you. And it's great. You're David's son. You're the next. So he plays the part of double agent quite well. He doesn't get immediately thrown out. The question is, is he going to be able to keep his cover as he's trying to infiltrate his way into Absalom's influence? Verse 20, then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give your counsel. What shall we do?" So he's looking to what's my next move is now that I've established my place in Jerusalem. And Ahithophel in verse 21 said to Absalom, "Go into your father's concubines whom he has left to keep thehouse and all Israel will hear that you've made yourself a stench to your father and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened." Okay, that is a diabolical plan. All right, for a variety of reasons. First, this is a egregious sin. This is an egregious violation of the law. Leviticus 20:11 prohibits this. It gives the death penalty for anyone who will lay with his father's wife. And though concubines were seen as lesser status wives in the reign of the kings, they still are wives of the king. So what Ahithophel has recommended is a wicked and gross violation of the law. But as far as evil plans go in and its most brilliant base form, it's smart. From a worldly perspective, from a godless perspective, this is a massive power play. This is his way to show all the rebels that are fighting for him that I mean business.So it's wicked and it's evil and it's vile and it's obscene, but also it's very cunning. So Ahithophel gives him this counsel and Absalom listens. Verse 22. So they pitch a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went into his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God. So was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed both by David and by Absalom. And that's a way of saying that Ahithophel's counsel was so valued. It was like hearing the word of God. Meaning that the word of God says this, you do it. Ahithophel says this, you do it. And he recommends this rebellious, cunning, and wicked act. And Absalom does it. And they pitch a tent. And they work out this plan in front of all of Israel. But this is also fulfilling the prophecy of Nathan after David sinned with Bathsheba and murdering Uriah. For Nathan the prophet in 2 Samuel 12 will be on the screen. It says, "Thus says the Lord, behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house, and I will take your wives before your eyes and givethem to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of the sun. for you did it secretly, but I will do this before this thing before all Israel and before the sun. So God gives up Absalom to his own sinful desires. And this brings judgment upon David and his house. And Ahithophel's counsel is followed. And he makes himself a stench to David and his followers. Now he's got more counsel to give becausenow they've got to reckon with David himself. And this is where we're going to see rival counselors Ahithophel and then Hushai is going to come into the scene and both of them function like the cabinet of the king. Right? So if you follow US history every US president has a cabinet and if you follow some of the biggest battles that have happened between these cabinet members. These are counselors to the king. The biggest one is is the original cabinet. So in Washington's presidency, he had Jefferson and then he had Hamilton. And both of them represented two very different political philosophies. That's why he put them in the counsel in the first place in the cabinet because he wanted to see two rival philosophies go at it, which didn't work out very well. They actually ended up forming two different political parties that came out of that. But if you follow theythey've written all this down. If you follow some of the history of how they fought, there were times where Hamilton would go on these 45minute monologues. He just go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and it's and this recorded that Jefferson would just be like head back just like just so annoying. And then there are times where Jefferson would win the day and he would get the influence of Washington and it's recorded that he would like sneer and like make faces at Hamilton, which is just funny because these are our founding fathers. of the people that helped found this nation and we can all act like children in our own sinful state at times. But that's not abnormal.That's not just US history. That's ancient history. That's happened for thousands of years that kings and presidents and prime ministers and sovereign leaders, they have counsel that they bring in often to oppose one another to find what is the best way forward. So what we're going to see is that type of cabinet battle here starting in verse one of chapter 17. Moreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Let me choose 12,000 men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. I will come upon him while he is weary and discouraged and throw him into a panic, and all the people who are with him will flee. I will strike down only the king, and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man and all the people will be at peace and the advice seemed right in the eyes ofAbsalom and all the elders of Israel. Okay. So Ahithophel's plan I'll be honest is very very good. This is a good plan. He says listen we have a standing army of 12,000 men tonight that we can ride out of here. In fact, I will lead this. I will lead. You can stay put. I'll lead these 12,000 men. And we're going to catch David because David's not just traveling with his warriors. He's also traveling with his wives and probably some of his children, but with some grandchildren. He's got and they're tired and they're discouraged and they're weary. And he says, "You know what's going to happen?We're going to come upon them. It's going to be like lightning warfare. Boom. We're going to come in quick. And then all we have to do is cut off the head of the snake. All we have to do is take out David. There won't be lots of bloodshed. Only one man has to die. And then guess what? You're good. There's no more threat. Everyone gets behind you and you're the king. Now, that's an objectively good plan. All the commentators, everyone's looked at this and said, "That's a smart way to do this." And they hear it and they say, "Absalom likes this. The elders who are sitting in counsel like this." Now seems to be happening here is you got Absalom with a counsel of elders. Ahithophel comes in he makes his pitch and they like it and then he exits. Then verse 5, then Absalom said call Hushai the Architealso and let us hear what he has to say. So Ahithophel leaves Hushai comes in and now Hushai has to follow up a very very good plan. And that's difficult because if you have to outdo a very very good plan, you it's hard. If someone said, you know what, you're going to have to out-pitch ice cream as the staple dessert. That's a hard thing to do. You know why? Because ice cream is amazing. The fact that you can take the best part of milk, which is cream, and slowly turn it to where it's not so hard where it's just like ice, and it's not too soft that it's just this perfectly formed. and you could throw chocolate in it and all types of things. The person who pitches that idea originally, that's a good pitch. It's for you to come in and try to pitch something else. Unless milkhates you, it's a pretty good dessert. So that's what's that's happening here. Hushai is has to come in. He's going to outdo a very very good plan. Verse six. When Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom said to him, "Thus has Ahithophel spoken. Shall we do what shall we do as he says? If not, you speak." So they tell him, "This is Ahithophel's plan. Should we do what he says?" Verse 7. Then Hushai said to Absalom, This time the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good, which I so appreciate as the opener to what we're about to read as a monologue because it's like Ahithophel has chosen poorly. Like, this is just no. It's the equivalent of Trump just saying wrong when someone says something it's just no immediately we're diverging this is not a good plan so then he starts to pitch his plan first by poisoning thewell of Ahithophel's plan verse eight said you know that your father and his men are mighty men and that they are enraged like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your father is an expert in war. He will not spend the night with the people. Behold, even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits or in some other place. And as soon as some of the people fall at the first attack, whoever hears this, hears it will say, "There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom." Then even the valiant men whose heart is like the heart of a lion will utterly melt with fear. For all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and those who are with him are valiant men. All right, pause.Hushai basically chooses fear. He chooses fear, which I don't know if you've been bombarded with the most obnoxious political ads that have been ra running right now, but all of them, 95% of them are fear-based because fear is effective. So, he chooses fear. He says, "You ever seen a bear robbed of her cubs? It's not good. You don't want to get in the middle of that." And he's enraged. They're furious. They're very upset with you, Absalom. So, I know you're thinking, "We've got the numbers. We've got 12,000 men. We can catch them off guard. First off, no you won't. You think David is stupid? He's hiding. He's off. You remember how you used to be hiding in the caves all the time? You think you're going to find him easily cut off the head of the snake? No. No.No. You He's not with his people. You're about to enter a hornets's nest. And let me tell you something. This is what he does. He says he says, "Your men, they've got strong hearts. Some of them courageous like lions. But the moment they start taking L's on the battlefield, the moment they start getting slaughtered, it's going to spread like wildfire. And everyone knows that David and his mighty men are bad. And that is 100% true. I mean, you look at some of their resumes, they are bad to the bone. And he says the moment that they start hearing that people are getting slaughtered, your men'll run.Seeing them not super courageous once they start getting defeated, that's a bad plan. So that's how Hushai begins. He poisons the well with fear. Okay. Now that he's poisoned it, he's going to shift to his plan. Verse 11. But my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you from Dan to Beersheba as the sand by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. So we shall come upon him in some place where he is to be found and we shall light upon him as dew falls on the ground and of him and all the men who are with him not one will be left. If he withdraws into a city then all Israel will bring ropes to that city. We shall drag it into the valley until not even a pebble is to be found there.Okay. So what Hushai just did is he is wisely buying time. That's what he's doing. Ahithophel's plan is quick. That night he says, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no. You don't want that. Already talked about this. This is this this is going to go wrong for you. Also, Ahithophel's super old. You want him leading you to battle?" No. Here's what's going to happen. We're going to slow it down. We're going to go from Dan to Beersheba, which is basically from north to south. Think Maine to Florida. Okay? We're going to gather all the people of Israel, not 12,000 men, hundreds of thousands of men. We're going to get all of them in our side. that we're going to find David and we're going to surround him. He doesn't matter how mighty his men are, we will have numbers upon numbers upon numbers. And then once we surround him, we're going to win. And ifsomehow he escapes and he makes it to a city where there's where there's walls, guess what? We'll have so many people we'll take ropes, throw it over the wall, rip the walls down, bring all the pebbles into the valley, and guess what? We'll kill every single one of them. That's the option. That's the one you should choose. It's guaranteed. It's going to take some time. But let me tell you something. You don't want to go out without the numbers. That is Hushai's plan. And you've got these two different plans. One, which still, I'll be honest, is way better. Very quick. 12,000 men coming upon them as they've been running. They've got women and children with them. Boom. Kill David. Done. or Hushai's plan which is long drawn out buying time.What are you going to choose? Both are given. Verse 14. And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel so that the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom. So they choose Hushai's plan. And what we see in this is this is what David prayed for. If you remember back in 2 Samuel 15:31, it says, "And David said this on the screen." Oh Lord, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. He prays this and God answers this prayer. For it says, "The Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel so the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom." David's prayer is answered because ultimately God is going to bring judgment upon Absalom for his wickedness and his rebellion against David, the Lord's anointed king.So while that's happening, Hushai seemingly he's out of the room. So he's left the room. They're in here discussing this and they are making the decision that Hushai's plan is very very good. Hushai outside the room is now not going to wait to see what happens next because he heard Ahithophel's plan and that's a good plan. So he has got to get a word to David because David is exactly where Ahithophel said he would be. He's out in the open. He's not hiding. So that was all smoke and mirrors and he's got to get word to David in case Ahithophel's plan is taken. And that's what we pick up in verse 15. Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priest. Okay, we got a lot of names here. Stay with me. Zadok and Abiathar are priests, Levitical priests that were loyal to David. So Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar, the priest,thus and so did Ahithophel's counsel, Ahithophel counsel, Absalom and the elders of Israel. And thus and so have I counseled. Now therefore send quickly and tell David do not stay tonight at the fords of the wilderness but by all means pass over lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up. So he says you've got to leave now. If they follow Ahithophel's plan they're going to catch you. You've got to get out of town. You got to get out of the wilderness. You got to get away as far as you can. So that's the word they give to Zadok and Abiathar. Verse 17. Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En-rogel. Okay. Jonathan and Ahimaaz are sons of Zadok and Abiathar. They are Levitical priests as well. And they're waiting at En-rogel which is just outside of Jerusalem. And it says a femaleservant was to go and tell them. And they were to go and tell King David for they were not to be seen entering the city. So what we have here is a chain of spies. One to the next to the next to the next to get to David. so that David and his crew can leave and flee danger. But verse 18, the young man saw them and told Absalom. So both of them went away quickly and came to the house at a man at Bahurim who had who had a well in his courtyard. And they went down into it. And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth and scattered grain on it, and nothing was known of it. So while they're trying to get the message out, one of Absalom's men sees what happens. So they go, they hide in a well and then the woman very smartly spreadscovering over the well, puts grain on top of it, very much like Rahab and the spies in Jericho and hides them so that they can evade capture. Verse 20. When Absalom's servants came to the woman of the house, they said, "Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" And the woman said to them, "They have gone over the brook of water." And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. So they successfully evade capture. Verse 21. After they had gone, the men came up out of the well and went and told King David. They said to David, "Arise and go quickly over the water, for thus and so has Ahithophel counseled against you."Then David arose and all the people who were with them, and they crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan. So chain of spies works. They cross and guess what? They didn't even need to because Hushai's plan won. And Ahithophel's plan was defeated because God has determined to bring his judgment upon Absalom. And that plan is now in full effect. And Ahithophel cannot handle the defeat of this rival counselor. Verse 23. When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father. Now, it's possible that Ahithophel was so poisoned by his own pride and self-worth and his own great advice, his own great counsel that the moment that he's defeated, he can't handle it and hecommits suicide. It is also possible that at this point he may see the writing on the wall and that David is actually going to win this war and he'd rather take care of it himself as opposed to falling to David's sword. We don't know for sure. I lean towards the former. I think the text more I think pushes in that direction that when he says his counsel was not followed I think what's bound up in here is pride which just for the moment is a very good case study and a warning sign to anyone who puts their worth and their value and their work and their abilities and their talents and what they do. Because if you put so much value into those things and those things are taken from you, what you've done is you've set up an idol to worship. And when that idol is taken, it can lead you to some very dark places.And what this serves as is a cautionary tale to be mindful of not putting so much of your value and your worship and the things that you do because that's what I think Ahithophel does. And when his counsel is not followed because of his shame, he goes and takes his life.So let's finish out the chapter verse 24. Then David came to Mahanaim and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. Now Absalom had set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ishmaelite who had married Abigail, the daughter of Nahash, the sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother. and Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead. Verse 27. When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites and Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim brought beds, basins and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, flour, parched, beans and lentils, honey and curds and sheep, and cheese from the herd. for David and the people with him to eat. For they said the people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.The chapter ends with even though they're in the wilderness and even though they're on the run for their lives and even though it seems like things are going against them, God still cares and raises a people to provide provisions for them in the wilderness. And that closes chapter 17 to set up next week which we will see is the great battle between Absalom's men and David's men.Okay. So, if you've been with us the last few weeks, if you study this just in its immediate context, it's very hard to see the light in all of this darkness because we've seen so much of it. At this point, David has suffered for years under the discipline of God. He's watched his family be torn apart. He's watched his nation be torn apart. He's had to deal with the emotional agony of his own son leading a rebellion against him to murder him. I mean, he it's all these chapters, it's dark. And in the middle of all this darkness, in the middle of all this brokenness, in the middle of all of this pain and suffering, is a reminder that God is still for David.Because what commentators will say is that in all these chapters of suffering, right in the middle in verse 14 of chapter 17 is this shining light that breaks through the storm. So it says, "For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom." And that right there is the glimmer of hope that the wickedness and the evil, the dishonor of his father, the dishonor of his nation, the dishonor of his God, Absalom will be judged. and that the covenant that God made with David is remembered. Does David deserve to have favor? Absolutely not. Does God remember his covenant of favor towards David?Absolutely. That no matter how dark it has gotten, no matter how bad has gotten for David, God remembers his covenant to him. God remembers his covenant to his people. That is the glimpse of light that breaks through the storm of all of this darkness that we're reading. And as you take a step back as a Christian, it is a helpful reminder for us because we I think also we forget this because we will go through seasons of intense present darkness, of suffering, of affliction. And in the middle of all of the suffering, in the middle of the affliction, in the middle of all of it, those questions can linger. Is God for me?Does he care about me? Does he love me? Because it doesn't feel like it right now. If you follow Jesus long enough, you will have been there. And the good news is we don't just have the scriptures that testify to how God meets his people in the middle of darkness. We also have wonderful stories from church history. In the modern missions movement in the 19th century, there's a lot of missionaries that went out to parts of the world that were very difficult to reach and very difficult to reach with the gospel. One of them was named John Paton. John Paton was a missionary.Him and his wife, they went to the island of the New Hebrides Islands in the 19th century. It's an island that had zero Christians, had tribes that were cannibals. And he arrived on the island then not long after arriving there, his wife died. And then their infant son also died. And in his autobiography he says, "Then in a moment altogether unexpectedly, she died on March 3rd to crown my sorrows and complete my loneliness, the dear baby boy whom we had named after her father, Peter Robert Robson, was taken from me after one week's sickness on the 20th of March.Let those who have ever passed through any similar darkness as a midnight field for me, as for all others, it would be more than vain to try to paint my sorrows. And he just says that after losing his wife, after losing his son, after being obedient to the Great Commission to go and make disciples of nations that did not know him, that he felt such an intense loneliness it would be vain to try to paint and describe his sorrows. So he dug two graves with his hands and buried his wife and buried his son. and he's alone on an island with people who are trying to kill him.And this is what he writes. I'll put this on the screen. Stunned by that dreadful loss and entering upon this field of labor to which the Lord had himself so evidently led me, my reason seemed for a time almost to give way. The ever merciful Lord sustained me. But for Jesus and the fellowship he vouchsafed to me there, I must have gone mad and died beside that lonely grave. And it's such a wonderful reminder that even in the darkest of moments, even when all hope seems lost, even as he's buried his wife and his son and he's alone on an island under the threat of death, that in the intense darkness that he faced, Jesus Christ came. He says, "The ever merciful Lord sustained me. but for Jesus and the fellowship vouchsafed to me there, he says without it I would have gone mad beside that lonely grave and that story in some versions happenedover and over and over again and he continued and now that island for centuries at this point was converted to Jesus and has a legacy of Christ but God's people sometimes go through intense bouts of suffering I don't think any of us have ever faced anything like that. But in the middle of darkness, in the middle of complete what seems like hopelessness, God shines through to his people. And the reason he does this is because when he saves you and redeems you and seals you with the Holy Spirit, he never leaves or forsakes us. He is for us. And even though darkness may seem like it's prevailing, even though hope may seem like it is lost, even though it feels so sad and lonely, God is for you if you belong to him. He is for your good. It may not seem like it and he may not answer you with the circumstantialchange that you want, but God breaks through to his people. I don't know why some of you have suffered in the way that you have. I don't know why you feel the way that you do, but I do know that if you belong to Jesus Christ, he is with you. And my hope and my prayer is that you would sense it just like Paton did. That he would break through. That you would sense it just like David did and be reminded that just as David had a covenant that was made with him, we because we belong to Jesus Christ have a covenant that was made with us by his blood. that when Jesus Christ goes to the cross and sheds blood for our sin and then captures us and brings us into the family of God, that covenant is remembered and it is never forgotten that our God is for you. And wecelebrate that regularly and remember that as we come to the table. George is going to come up and we're going to prepare to take the Lord's Supper, which is a meal of remembrance that Jesus instituted and gave to the church. On the night that he was betrayed, he took bread and he broke it. He said, "This is my body that was broken for you." And then he took the cup of the new covenant. He said, "This is my blood that was shed for you that as often as you eat and drink this, you proclaim my death until I return." And Jesus gives us that meal to remember the covenant that was made with his blood.That God loves you so much that he gave up his one and only son. that you even in this life that is filled sometimes with suffering and darkness would persevere by faith trusting in the finished work of Christ and finding those moments where God encounters us with his presence and breaks through the dark questions that linger in our soul looking forward to a day when there will be no more questions like that because there will be no more suffering or sin or brokenness. There will only be him in eternity. So as a Christian you get to come to the table remembering the work of Jesus Christ as a reminder as a memorial as remembrance that he is for you. Even if it doesn't feel like it right now he is.So may you prepare your hearts and then in a moment you can come to the table. There's gluten-free at that table back there. If you do not belong to Jesus Christ, we don't want you to come to the table. We want you to come to Jesus. We want you to place your faith in him. We want you to see what it is like to walk with a God who loves you so deeply that he gave himself for you.And the invitation is for you to follow Christ. And if you want to know more about that, find me, find another pastor, find a Christian who brought you here today, and we can show you what it means to follow Jesus Christ. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I pray that you might prepare our hearts to receive this meal of remembrance. God, I pray that you might help us, especially those of us that belong to you that are right now feeling so hopeless, feeling such darkness as so many of your people have done and felt. God, I pray that you would as they take this meal, would you break through the darkness, would you help them see that you love them, that you're for them, that they belong to you, that they're treasured by you.May they remember who you are. And for those who do not belong to you, I pray, God that you would compel them to faith in you this morning. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Come when you are ready.

With King David on his death bed, the royal family knows that the time to transfer power is drawing near. David's oldest son, Adonijah, gains support for himself from well-known leaders like Joab and Abiathar, calling Judah together for a feast to celebrate his bid for kingship. Nathan the prophet catches word, and teams up with Bathsheba to alert the king. Later, the Lord appears to King Solomon in a dream, and instead of asking for wealth or long life, he asks the Lord for wisdom to lead God's people. This pleases the Lord, who promises blessing upon Solomon's reign. 1 Kings 1 - 1:15 .  1 Kings 2 - 12:49 .  1 Kings 3 - 23:28 .  Psalm 87 - 29:00 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.Additional context: Watch the theology teaching video, What is the Bible? 2 Samuel 15 Mike Goble Download TranscriptAll right, so Chet and Spencer are away. Let's get down to business. No, no, no, no, no. My name is Mike. I'm an elder in training here. Last week at the end of the sermon, I had three people come up to me and say that I reminded them of Absalom.I had one person come up and tell me I reminded them of Abimelech and I reminded them that that's not what the story was about and that was Raz. So when they told me that I reminded them of Absalom, I said, "Oh, of course, the striking good looks." And they all pretty intentionally clarified, "No, that is not why. it is because you have long hair and you are trying to convince people to leave this church and go out with you to plant another church. And so that brings me to my first point today. Oak Ridge Church in Lexington will be meeting sometime in January of 2027. Now this is not an infomercial for our church plant, even though we are very excited about that.We're going to be today in 2 Samuel. We're going to be in chapter 15. This is going to be on page 304 of the Bibles that are at your seats. We would ask if you'd consider not using an electronic Bible if you're willing and instead maybe pick one of those Bibles up and we're going to read the Bible together. And we think that's a helpful thing. Before we get started in our text, I'm going to pray for us. Father, we thank you for being our God, for being our salvation.We thank you for your good scripture that teaches us about you. Please Lord, may the Spirit work in our hearts through the foolishness of preaching that we would be changed to be more like your Son in Jesus' name. Amen. All right. Last week we saw that David permitted Absalom to return back to Jerusalem after he initially spent three years in exile after murdering his brother Amnon after Amnon's sin with Tamar. But even though Absalom was back in Jerusalem, he was not allowed to be in the king's presence.And after about two years, he kind of forces himself back into the king's presence by burning down Joab's field. Now, Joab is one of David's nephews. He is the son of David's sister. And he's one of the commanders of David's army. So, Absalom burns down the field, gets his attention, and Joab tells David, and David lets Absalom back into his presence. And then Absalom goes and spends the next four years positioning himself daily at the city gate, rendering judgments and manipulating the people, stealing their hearts is what it says. He is taking them away from their loyalty and their allegiance to King David.He then travels down to Hebron, which is about 18 miles or so south of Jerusalem. And he's got a large group of followers with him. And guys, remember Hebron is actually a pretty significant place. It's significant that he goes down there. So Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the patriarchs, the men from which all of Israel descended, are buried.They're all buried in Hebron. And David himself was was anointed king down in Hebron. So this is a pretty significant place. And now we see Absalom is down there and he's proclaimed as king, but he's not anointed. He's taking it by manipulation. And we're going to see taking it by force.This is the beginning of a full-scale rebellion. And today we're actually gonna look at how David responds and how the people around David respond to what's going on here in Israel. We pick up in verse 13 of chapter 15. And a messenger came to David saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom." Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom," "Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword."And the king's servant said to the king, "Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my Lord, the king, decides." So the king went out and all his household after him. And the king left 10 concubines to keep the house. And the king went out and all the people after him and they halted at the last house. All right.So a messenger comes in and tells David, hey, Israel is going to follow Absalom. So through his manipulation over the last four years, he has won over a significant portion of people that this messenger comes right in and says, "Hey, is the hearts of the men of Israel, they're gone. And they're not just gone from you. They've gone to your son Absalom." Meaning Absalom has the loyalty of these people. So David responds by saying to all his servants that are still in Jerusalem that they need to flee because if they stay, they will not escape from Absalom and he will come quickly and violently and he will ruin them.And so his servants get up with him and they get ready to flee and they leave behind the 10 concubines to maintain the house. And now they're going. And this is a pretty high pressure moment in this story. And we've we've kind of seen stuff like this play out in stories before, right? You know, you know the story the the tale of the prince who his uncle wanted to become king. And so he convinces the prince that the prince killed his dad.And the prince gets so overwhelmed and so scared that he flees. And he leaves Pride Rock. And Zazu and Rafiki have no idea what they're going to do. And we see stories like this in our entertainment. But guys, this happens a lot and it has happened a lot in history.There are so many coups in history from the murder of Julius Caesar to Napoleon taking over France to Castro and the Cuban Revolution. Did you know that in 2024 there was a coup in South Korea where the president of South Korea decided he was going to declare martial law so the legislature you know they couldn't meet or do anything and then well the legislature met anyway and 11 days later he was impeached and then put on trial. That was two years ago. This kind of stuff has been happening forever throughout history. And honestly, when I think about that, I can't help but think back to 1 Samuel chapter 8, where Israel is demanding that they have a king so they can be like all the other nations.And David, their king, is now here fleeing Jerusalem because his son is coming to overthrow him just like so many other nations before them and so many other nations that will come after them. What do you think was on David's mind? What do you think he was thinking about here? You know, the text doesn't directly say, but do you remember what the Lord said through the prophet Nathan in chapter 12? In chapter 12, when Nathan is pronouncing his judgment from God on David for his sin, the Lord says to David that the sword will not depart from your house. And then right after in chapter 13, we find out Absalom kills his brother Amnon.So, one of David's sons kills the other. And now David suspects Absalom is coming for him. So his plan is to flee. And it might be because he's afraid of Absalom. It might be because he wants to avoid conflict with his own son. It might also be acceptance of the judgment of God.And I actually think that the rest of what we're going to look at today supports that idea. Supports that David has accepted what God has planned for him no matter what. All right. So, David's servants are ready to go and they begin leaving Jerusalem together. And let's pick up verse 18. And all his servants pass by him.And all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites and all the 600 Gittites who had followed him from Gath passed on before the king. Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner, and also in exile from your home. You came only yesterday. And shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go, I know not where? Go back, take your brothers with you.And may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you." But Ittai answered the king, "As the Lord lives and as my Lord the king lives, wherever my Lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will be your servant." And David said to Ittai, "Go then, pass on." So Ittai the Gittite passed on with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. And all the land wept aloud as all the people passed by and the king crossed the brook Kedron and all the people passed on toward the wilderness. Okay, so David's leaving and as he's leaving he passes by different people that are highlighted for us here in the text.First there's the Cherethites, the Pelethites and the Gittites. So the Cherethites and the Pelethites are part of the royal bodyguard. So these are warriors who protect David and they go with him. And the Gittites and their leader Ittai are originally from Gath, we're told. And that's a a Philistine city. And the reason that we're told that is because back in 1 Samuel, David when he was originally fleeing Israel, fleeing from Saul when Saul wanted him dead, lived in Gath.And these men followed him when he returned back to Israel. And so he gives Ittai the option. He says, "Go back. You can just go back and align yourself with Absalom. You do not have to come with me." He says, "There's not really a reason for you, Ittai, to go ahead and get caught up in this problem.I'm releasing you from that." And Ittai refuses and he says, "He's going to stay with David even to death." And that is pretty awesome. There's something in us that just kind of loves a display of loyalty and a display of friendship like that. If you remember the famous book series that was adapted into the blockbuster movies, The Lord of the Rings, the whole series, the whole journey, the main character is trying to destroy this ring that he has to carry. And right when he's at the end, right when he's just feet almost steps from being able to do so, he runs out of strength and and by his side with him the whole time is his friend, his best friend that he's known his whole life.And his friend looks at him and says, "I can't carry it for you." And that's the ring, "But I can carry you." And when you watch that in the theater or maybe at your house, you're like, "Yeah, and I can carry it for you, too." You just like get so swept up in it, it's really cool. And your wife says pipe down, but you're like, "No, this is this is awesome." And so we see that and that strikes a chord within our hearts because we love that display of loyalty and friendship.We want to be a part of that display of loyalty and friendship. And so I think that's a really noteworthy thing and I think it's included in that in who he passes by on his way out of town because we get to see that exceptional display of friendship and loyalty to David. So, he's got this large group of faithful friends who in his darkest hour are leaving Jerusalem with him and they're all together and it says that they're weeping and that they're headed into the wilderness. Verse 24, and Abiathar came up, and behold, Zadok came also with all the Levites bearing the ark of the covenant of God.And they set down the ark of God until the people had all passed out of the city. Then the king said to Zadok, "carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place. But if he says, I have no pleasure in you, behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him." The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Are you not a seer? Go back to the city in peace with your two sons, Ahimeaz, your son, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar.See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me." So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remain there. But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads and they went up weeping as they went. And it was told David, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, "O Lord, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness."All right. Now we are going to get into David's response to the situation that he's in. So Abiathar and Zadok, who are they? They are the chief priests. They are part of the Levites and they carry the ark of the covenant. And the ark of the covenant represents God's presence with his people.What does David say? He tells them, "Take it back to Jerusalem." Why? Why would David say that? Part of the answer to that question is because he says, "Zadok, aren't you a Aren't you a seer? Aren't you a prophet?" maybe David thinks, well, if he's back there, he can he can get some information out to me while I'm out here in the wilderness.It might be good to have him back there. And that is part of it. However, I think the main answer, the main reason that David tells him to take the ark, tells them to take the ark of the covenant back, is because he is accepting of the sovereign will of God. And he's doing it with humility. David's response is to essentially resign himself to the will of God. And if he sees the ark again, he knows God has looked favorably on him.And if not, then may God do what seems good to him. In the 1600s, German theology professor Samuel Rodegast wrote a song for his friend who was dying. And the song is called Was Gott tut das ist wohlgetan. Do you got I'll translate that for you for those of you who don't speak German. Whatever my God ordains is right. And one of the verses in this song goes, "Whatever my God ordains is right, he never will deceive me.He leads me by the proper path, I know he will not leave me. I take content what he has sent. His hand can turn my griefs away, and patiently I wait his day." So David resolutely accepts the will of God and he ascends the Mount of Olives weeping and here we see the second aspect of his response. We first see the humble acceptance of the divine will and after that we see him pray. What does he pray?He asks God to make the counsel of Ahithophel foolish. Now, Ahithophel was once David's advisor, but he turned his allegiance toward Absalom. And David here, powerless from a position of humility, asks the Lord to make whatever Ahithophel advises Absalom to be foolish. And we're actually going to see later on that God is going to answer this prayer. But something I want to see is that the two aspects of the response are actually linked together, require each other.Because intrinsic to prayer is humility. It's recognizing that the greatest thing you can possibly do is acknowledge the will of God and the fact that he is ordaining all things. And when you do that, you are going to pray. No, you are. You pray. When you have a heart posture like that, what comes out of it from within you is prayer.Because you finally understand how insignificant you are in affecting outcomes on this earth and you realize that God is sovereign and that God is ordaining all things and you are not God. What happened in Israel when they decided to accomplish their own will? Sexual sin, murder, treachery, it doesn't really go well. And the world around us doesn't really understand this, right? Because what happens when we see tragedies and things like that and people say, "Well, you know, our thoughts and prayers are are with the victims and and the things that have happened, right?" And people just don't like that.They sort of respond back with, "Well, we don't want that. We would rather you do something. We would rather see action. But if you know God and you know your relationship to him and you understand in your heart that what he ordains is right, that what he is doing has a purpose, then you know that the greatest thing you possibly could do would be to pray and to ask him, hey, if it could work out this way, would you change the counsel of Ahithophel to be foolishness? Right? And to commune with God from a position of humility is a really powerful thing.Let's pick back up in verse 32. While David was coming to the summit where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn and dirt on his head. David said to him, "If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. But if you return to the city and say to Absalom,"I will be your servant, O king, as I have been your father's servant in time past, so now I will be your servant. Then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel."Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So whatever you hear from the king's house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests. Behold, their two sons are with them. Ahimeaz Zadok's son and Jonathan Abiathar's son. And by them you shall send to me everything you hear. So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.Okay. Here, David tells Hushai, another one of his close friends and counselors, to go back to Jerusalem and act as a spy, essentially to feed information to Zadok and Abiathar, who will through their sons get that information out into the wilderness to David. And so now we finish chapter 15 with David on his way out of Jerusalem. And we begin chapter 16. And as David is out of Jerusalem, Absalom has now entered Jerusalem. Chapter 16 starts, "When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of donkeys saddled bearing 200 loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine."And the king said to Ziba, "Why have you brought these?" Ziba answered, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who faint in the wilderness to drink." And the king said, "And where is your master's son?" That's Mephibosheth. "Where is your master's son?" Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father." Then the king said to Ziba, "Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours."And Ziba said, "I pay homage. Let me ever find favor in your sight, my Lord the king." Okay, so back in 2 Samuel 9, we see the first interaction of David with Ziba. And what's happening there is remember David wanted to honor someone of the lineage of his friend Jonathan. And so he wants to find someone of the lineage of Saul. Jonathan was Saul's son.And he wants to honor him. And Ziba says, "Well, actually, Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, is here." And David says, "Okay, bring him to me." And he brings him and he honors him. And he says, "You're going to always eat at the king's table." And Ziba then after that is made the servant of Mephibosheth.And now where we are, we've got Ziba coming to tell David, "Hey, just so you know, as you were leaving back in Jerusalem, Mephibosheth went ahead and said, "Awesome. Now I'm going to get the kingdom back because David's gone." Like as if the house of Saul is going to now take back the kingdom. And David kind of takes this just at face value. And I don't know if it's because maybe things have not been working out super well for David. So, you know, when you're not having the greatest of time and you hear a piece of information that's not that great, you're like, "Of course, yeah, that's going wrong, too.The car is broken as well." You know, it's that kind of thing where, yeah, Mephibosheth thinks he's going to be king. I guess that's what he wanted all along. I don't know if that's exactly what David's thinking, but he responds by giving what he had originally given to Mephibosheth over to Ziba. But later on, and we're not going to unpack this as much today, in chapter 19, Mephibosheth is going to dispute this.And we're not actually sure if this is what happened. But from David's perspective, he thinks Mephibosheth has also sort of abandoned him and is looking to gain his own kingdom. And he thinks that's another person who probably is not on his side anymore. Verse 5. When King David came to Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. And as he came, he cursed continually. And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David.And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And Shimei said as he cursed, "Get out. Get out. You man of blood, you worthless man. The Lord has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul in whose place you have reigned. And the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom.See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood. So Shimei, who is one of Saul's relatives, sees things aren't going very well for David. And as David and his guard and all his people with him are are passing by, he starts flinging stones at him and saying a curse at him. And the text sort of reads this as one man just out there flinging rocks into a crowd of hundreds, thousands at David and cursing at him. And we're told he does this because he resents David for what happened to Saul. In verse 9, you see, then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my Lord the king?Let me go over and take off his head." But the king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, "Curse David, who then shall say, why have you done so?" And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Behold, my own son seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjaminite? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today."So David and his men went on the road while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust. And the king and all his people who were with him arrived weary at the Jordan and there he refreshed himself. Okay. So Abishai is Joab, the guy who we talked about from last time whose field was burned. He's his brother. So this is another one of David's nephews, one of the children of David's sister.And Abishai, he is not liking this. He does not like what he sees here. This is like, you know, if you're like in high school and maybe you're like having a feud with another person and so like all your friends, they're like shooting that other person dirty looks. Maybe that person's having a party and they're like, "Well, we're not going to go because, you know, our friends are feuding with each other. we're not going to go support that. And then your friend kind of comes up to you and he says, "Look over there at that dead dog. How about I just go bring his head to you?"And you're like, "Whoa." Love the zeal, but no. And so David here tells Abishai, "No." But this isn't the first time that's had to happen because actually back in 1 Samuel, Abishai is with David when David is in the camp of Saul when Saul wants to kill him and Saul is sleeping and David and Abishai are there and see him and Abishai goes let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear and David tells him no and he tells him here no again. So he's being cursed and mocked by Shimei and Abishai will not stand for that.And in his zeal he wants to go kill him. And you know David could have just been like yeah I am so tired of this. I am so sick of this. Go over there and bring me his head. But he does not.Instead, he says, "Let him curse because if God told him to curse, then who are we to question that? And perhaps one day God will look favorably upon it for me." This is David again accepting God's will humbly. He rejects the opportunity to control the outcome by manipulating the circumstances and instead he resigns himself to the will of God. I think that's really hard. And I know some of you feel like you're in the same boat, right?Maybe your mind is three steps ahead of everyone else and you're always trying to engineer the best outcome for yourself, especially if things haven't been going well lately. And so seeing David do this this act of humility is impressive and it's really challenging. We're going to bring our time together with this story to a close today. I want us to look back through some of those themes that we stopped to talk about. You know, we're not kings and queens. We probably will never flee our own homes on foot because of a coup.But a lot of these are reflections of what goes on in people's hearts. And I think some of these things go on in our hearts. First, I want us to reflect on Israel's desire for the king. Their desire to be just like everyone else around them. You know, this was a rejection of God as their king. And we talked about this in 1 Samuel, but now here they are just like everyone else.Because murder and sexual sin and treachery are all just glimpses of what life choosing your own sin and choosing your own will can lead to. And it doesn't ever seem like that. Nobody ever says we want a king and is thinking about a military coup. But yes, sin can take us to the place that we never think we'll go. So where are you tempted to believe these things?Where are you tempted to say that you know better that you desire a king even though that's not what God wants? I mean, I know I'm not supposed to sleep with my boyfriend or girlfriend before we're married, but what's the big deal? I mean, it's just so impractical in this economy anyway to not live together. I mean, I understand that God says I shouldn't lie, but really, honestly, taxes are crazy high, and I don't really believe in them anyway. So, what's a big deal if I count that as a deduction? Where do you think you know better than God?And where will it take you today? Reflect on that and turn from it. You can do it. You can turn from it. You can reject it and obey God, but not in your own willpower. But Romans tells us that we were once slaves to sin, but from a changed heart, we can now obey.You can obey if you have repented of sin and put faith in the gospel because your heart is changed. And only from a changed heart can we obey God. Second, I want us to see the beauty of friendship and the beauty of loyalty. David in one of his darkest hours is surrounded by men who refuse to leave him. So where do we need to be a friend like Ittai the Gittite?Where do we need to say that wherever you will be, I will be, good or bad? Are you sticking it out with your friends? Are you showing it up? Are you showing up when they need you or are you just busy? What do you need to remove from your life so that you can have the space to be there for other people? Some of you have been in rough situations in your life.Some of you are in rough situations and some of you can think of people who have showed up. Some of those people are sitting nearby you in this room. Rejoice in that because guys, you know that's a reflection of God. You know in the book of Hebrews it says that God will never leave us or forsake us. Why? Because he forsook Jesus.And so we are welcomed in a relationship with God that even death cannot sever. And we should reflect that to the friends around us that God has brought in our path. Thirdly, I want us to see David's humble contentment with God's will. We see it in his posture toward the ark of the covenant and in the cursing from Shimei. David accepts whatever God has ordained. And the temptation in times when you're walking a dark road can be to look up at God and say, "No, I am the master of my fate.I am the captain of my soul." And so I ask you today, where are you discontent with what God has sent? work, family, dating, children, health. Remind yourself of his goodness and entrust yourself to him. David ascends the Mount of Olives, weeping, resolved to God's will. And about a thousand years later, a descendant of David will sit at the base of the Mount of Olives in the Garden of Gethsemane. And in grief, he is going to call out to God and say, "Let this cup pass from me."Yet, not as I will, but as you will. And that's Jesus. And that's David's descendant who humbly accepts the will of God and goes to the cross and is punished for sin and he dies and he's buried and he rises again. And because of that, because Jesus has humbly accepted the will of the Father and was crushed, you can humbly accept the will of the Father and live. And the band is going to come back up and we are going to close this morning reflecting on Jesus, on the freedom he brings from our own sinful will and desire, on the relationships that he makes possible for us to have with God and on the example of humble acceptance of the will of God that he showed us on the cross that allows us to accept whatever comes our way.

In a paranoid rage, Saul has slaughtered a city of priests and their families. One man has escaped from that raid and joined David's ranks; his name is Abiathar and he has come with a priestly ephod in hand. At every turn, it seems that Saul is hot on David's tail until, at long last, he unwittingly happens upon the cave where David is hiding. However, he doesn't realize David and his men are there, and when he goes in to relieve himself, David takes advantage of the opportunity, but not in the way you might expect from someone who is being hunted down by the ruler of a kingdom. 1 Samuel 23 - 1:13 .  1 Samuel 24 - 7:53 .  1 Samuel 25 - 12:38 .  Proverbs 30 - 23:48 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

How do we react to the sinners in our lives? Do we enable them? Do we hope for their demise? Or do we recognize that we are also sinners, face-planting through life, in desperate need of a savior? Today is part 2 of our parable finale through the story of the Prodigal Son. Last episode, we met Abiathar, the father, and Jarahmeel, the youngest son. Today we meet Amnon, the do-gooder - the good kid - the one who stuck around. While many people can relate to Jarahmeel's unruly and wild spirit, I personally relate to Amnon. He's done his best to do the right thing all his life. So, when he sees his younger brother squandering his father's wealth and galavanting off into the sunset, he's understandably bitter. What does Amnon's story have to teach us? What is Jesus trying to communicate through him? Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"The contrast between Saul and David reaches a terrifying climax in this passage. Saul, the false king, turns his rage against the priests of the Lord, while David, the true anointed one, becomes a refuge for the persecuted.In this sermon on 1 Samuel 22:6–23, we trace the pattern of false messiahs persecuting the true Messiah and His people. Saul's paranoia, Doeg's betrayal, and the slaughter at Nob reveal the ugliness of rebellious power that outwardly belongs to the covenant community yet wars against the Lord's chosen king.At the same time, David's compassion toward Abiathar points us to Christ, who receives the wounded, shelters the persecuted, and assures His people that those who seek their life are truly opposing Him.This passage reminds us that it is always better to be outside the camp with Christ than secure in the institutions of power without Him.#1Samuel #David #Saul #JesusChrist #Persecution #Sermon #ReformedPreaching #ChristInTheOldTestament #BiblicalTheology #Faithfulness""The contrast between Saul and David reaches a terrifying climax in this passage. Saul, the false king, turns his rage against the priests of the Lord, while David, the true anointed one, becomes a refuge for the persecuted.In this sermon on 1 Samuel 22:6–23, we trace the pattern of false messiahs persecuting the true Messiah and His people. Saul's paranoia, Doeg's betrayal, and the slaughter at Nob reveal the ugliness of rebellious power that outwardly belongs to the covenant community yet wars against the Lord's chosen king.At the same time, David's compassion toward Abiathar points us to Christ, who receives the wounded, shelters the persecuted, and assures His people that those who seek their life are truly opposing Him.This passage reminds us that it is always better to be outside the camp with Christ than secure in the institutions of power without Him.#1Samuel #David #Saul #JesusChrist #Persecution #Sermon #ReformedPreaching #ChristInTheOldTestament #BiblicalTheology #Faithfulness"

Now the children of Israel after their number, to wit, the chief fathers and captains of thousands and hundreds, and their officers that served the king in any matter of the courses, which came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year, of every course were twenty and four thousand.2 Over the first course for the first month was Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.3 Of the children of Perez was the chief of all the captains of the host for the first month.4 And over the course of the second month was Dodai an Ahohite, and of his course was Mikloth also the ruler: in his course likewise were twenty and four thousand.5 The third captain of the host for the third month was Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, a chief priest: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.6 This is that Benaiah, who was mighty among the thirty, and above the thirty: and in his course was Ammizabad his son.7 The fourth captain for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.8 The fifth captain for the fifth month was Shamhuth the Izrahite: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.9 The sixth captain for the sixth month was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.10 The seventh captain for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.11 The eighth captain for the eighth month was Sibbecai the Hushathite, of the Zarhites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.12 The ninth captain for the ninth month was Abiezer the Anetothite, of the Benjamites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.13 The tenth captain for the tenth month was Maharai the Netophathite, of the Zarhites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.14 The eleventh captain for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.15 The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.16 Furthermore over the tribes of Israel: the ruler of the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri: of the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maachah:17 Of the Levites, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel: of the Aaronites, Zadok:18 Of Judah, Elihu, one of the brethren of David: of Issachar, Omri the son of Michael:19 Of Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah: of Naphtali, Jerimoth the son of Azriel:20 Of the children of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Azaziah: of the half tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah:21 Of the half tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah: of Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner:22 Of Dan, Azareel the son of Jeroham. These were the princes of the tribes of Israel.23 But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and under: because the Lord had said he would increase Israel like to the stars of the heavens.24 Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he finished not, because there fell wrath for it against Israel; neither was the number put in the account of the chronicles of king David.25 And over the king's treasures was Azmaveth the son of Adiel: and over the storehouses in the fields, in the cities, and in the villages, and in the castles, was Jehonathan the son of Uzziah:26 And over them that did the work of the field for tillage of the ground was Ezri the son of Chelub:27 And over the vineyards was Shimei the Ramathite: over the increase of the vineyards for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite:28 And over the olive trees and the sycomore trees that were in the low plains was Baalhanan the Gederite: and over the cellars of oil was Joash:29 And over the herds that fed in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite: and over the herds that were in the valleys was Shaphat the son of Adlai:30 Over the camels also was Obil the Ishmaelite: and over the asses was Jehdeiah the Meronothite:31 And over the flocks was Jaziz the Hagerite. All these were the rulers of the substance which was king David's.32 Also Jonathan David's uncle was a counsellor, a wise man, and a scribe: and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni was with the king's sons:33 And Ahithophel was the king's counsellor: and Hushai the Archite was the king's companion:34 And after Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar: and the general of the king's army was Joab.

Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office.3 And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service.4 And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar, and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers.5 Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.6 And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.7 Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,8 The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,9 The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,10 The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,11 The ninth to Jeshuah, the tenth to Shecaniah,12 The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,13 The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,14 The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,15 The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses,16 The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel,17 The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to Gamul,18 The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to Maaziah.19 These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the Lord, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him.20 And the rest of the sons of Levi were these: Of the sons of Amram; Shubael: of the sons of Shubael; Jehdeiah.21 Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah.22 Of the Izharites; Shelomoth: of the sons of Shelomoth; Jahath.23 And the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.24 Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah: of the sons of Michah; Shamir.25 The brother of Michah was Isshiah: of the sons of Isshiah; Zechariah.26 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi: the sons of Jaaziah; Beno.27 The sons of Merari by Jaaziah; Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri.28 Of Mahli came Eleazar, who had no sons.29 Concerning Kish: the son of Kish was Jerahmeel.30 The sons also of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites after the house of their fathers.31 These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites, even the principal fathers over against their younger brethren.

Garth Heckman The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com          Mark 2  23 One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples began breaking off heads of grain to eat. 24 But the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?” 25 Jesus said to them, “Haven't you ever read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 26 He went into the house of God (during the days when Abiathar was high priest) and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his companions.” 27 Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”      The Pharisees lived in cities… don't miss the point. If they were following  Jesus they were a long way from home. They were simply there to find something wrong with him. ooohhhh people who spend all their time pointing out what others do wrong… powerless and religious!     The people were required to meet the requirements of the Sabbath… this is the law. JESUS NOW COMES TO FULFILL THE LAW     Lord even over the Sabbath.   The Pharisees tried to make the Sabbath Holy by following the rules… Jesus is Lord over the Sabbath. Its not about Rules it's about Jesus being Lord of your life.     3 Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. 2 Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus' enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man's hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” 4 Then he turned to his critics and asked, “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” But they wouldn't answer him. 5 He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 6 At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus.     A great example of what happened to the sabbath could be wrapped up in what happened to healthcare. In the USA Churches started hospitals… care for the lost and poor If it was a country - It's the 5th largest economy in the world  A paper pill cup on amazon is .2 cents, in a hospital it can be as much as $15 *what was once meant to be serving and healing is now consolidation, ownership for the sake of monopolizing profit!  its about the Benjamin's!  The pharmaceutical companies control the curriculum in the medical schools.      Some pharisees even argued that it was illegal to pray for someone on the sabbath. 

Introduction David's Charge to Solomon (v1-12). Solomon Drains the Swamp (v13 - 46) Adonijah's Deceit (v13 - 25) Abiathar's Disloyalty (v26 - 27) Joab's Disgrace (v28 - 35) Shimei's Downfall (v36 - 46) Solomon's Reign is Firmly Established (v12, v46). Conclusion Just because you can, doesn't mean you should! Avoid the temptation of power - of which there are many. Follow David's advice: 'Be strong, be the man (or woman) God wants you to be, observe what the LORD your God requires.' When exercising power, don't be a tyrant. Reward loyalty and love. Show mercy. Dlea judiciously with wickedness. Read and pray over David's last words in 2 Samuel 23:1-7

2026-03-08 Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath by Pastor Chris BergScripture: Mark 2:23 - 3:623 One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”3 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” 4 And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.Mandeville Bible Church   "Where God's Word is Our Foundation"https://www.mandevillebiblechurch.org/Come and see that God's Word is alive and at work right here in Mandeville.. and throughout the world!All are welcome. 217 Carroll Street, Mandeville, LA 70448Office Phone: (985) 626-3114Sunday Service: 9:30AMAdult Sunday School: 10:45-11:30AMNursery and Children's church available.

A — What is this passage about? Saul's paranoia and hunger for power escalate into violence. He accuses the priests of conspiracy with David and orders their execution. Doeg the Edomite carries out the massacre, destroying the priests of Nob. David grieves when Abiathar escapes and finds refuge with him. B — Best verse to summarize this passage 1 Samuel 22:8 (NKJV) – "All of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who reveals to me that my son has made a covenant with the son of Jesse…" C — What are we called to do? Do not place ultimate trust in earthly leaders or power. Instead, trust God as the true King and remain faithful to Him even in a world corrupted by fear, pride, and injustice.

A weekly class at OAG taught by Chaplain Lou Parker.** Edited to remove personal information shared in the class and extended pauses **Title: Solomon: The Man of Peace Who Wasn'tSummary: A king whose very name means "peace" consolidates his throne through a series of calculated judgments against those who threatened his rule — revealing how names, political intrigue, and fulfilled prophecy all intersect in the early reign of Solomon.Approximate Lesson Outline:00:00 - Introduction & How to Read the Bible03:00 - David's Charge to Solomon05:00 - Solomon Rises Amid Conflict08:00 - Dealing with Adonijah13:00 - Abiathar the Priest Exiled17:00 - Joab's Fate at the Altar24:00 - Shimei's Broken Parole28:30 - The Kingdom Established30:20 - Next Week: Solomon's Wisdom

Today’s Topics: 1) Gospel – Mark 2:23-28 – As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, His disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain. At this the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry? How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his companions?” Then He said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is Lord even of the sabbath.” Memorial of Saint Fabian, Pope and Martyr Memorial of Saint Sebastian, Martyr Saints Fabian and Sebastian, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2) Dr. Peter Howard joins Terry to discuss the upcoming beatification of Servant of God, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen 3, 4) Frank Pavone joins Terry to give an update on the pro-life movement

Gospel  Mark 2:23-28 As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain. At this the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry? How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his companions?” Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.” Reflection Religion can become a burden. It can rob us of what the heart of the gospel is proclaiming. Rules, regulations and laws, that was the heart of the Old Testament, and yet it still becomes attractive to so many of us when we think if we only to what we're told, that's enough. But in doing that, we often limit ourselves from who we really are called to become. It's not about knowing what to do and doing it because we're told to. It's about becoming someone and understanding who we are. We move from the law and regulations to true wisdom. That's the promise of healthy religion. Closing Prayer For many people, religion is a burden and often has been something they went to and felt that they were being robbed of the rights that they had or the dignity that they have. Bless us with wisdom not to get caught in that and know that the freedom that God has called us to is always going to be focused on what is life giving for us. Nothing is asked of us that robs us of our value or our dignity. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who was Abiathar in the Bible? What can we learn from what the Bible says about Abiathar?

Adonijah, Joab, Shimei put to death by the young king Solomon. Abiathar released from the priesthood. Then Solomon marries an Egyptian. He worships God on the "high places" but God still favors him for David's sake.

Key Lessons from Jesus Faith can move obstacles – The friends of the paralytic didn't let a crowd stop them from bringing him to Jesus. Jesus has authority to forgive sins – This was shocking to the religious leaders but central to His mission. Compassion over condemnation – Jesus welcomed sinners to His table. The Sabbath is for man's benefit – It's a gift, not a burden. And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk'? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” 13 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. 15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” 18 Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.” 23 One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”   Mark 2:1–28, ESV Discussion: What did Jesus say in this chapter? What did Jesus do in this chapter? What did you learn from Jesus? What surprised you about Jesus? What confused you about Jesus? What questions do you have? How can I be like Jesus this week? Leave a comment to tell me what Spiritual exercise that you tried this week.

After his father David's death, Solomon moved to establish his kingdom. Adonijah, Solomon's brother; Abiathar the priest; Joab the military commander; and Shimei all needed justice brought to bear on their actions. Would Solomon do what was easy or what was right? Would he overreact or judge justly? The King of God's kingdom reflects God's character. Read more...

How do we react to the sinners in our lives? Do we enable them? Do we hope for their demise? Or do we recognize that we are also sinners, face-planting through life, in desperate need of a savior? Today is part 2 of our parable finale through the story of the Prodigal Son. Last episode, we met Abiathar, the father, and Jarahmeel, the youngest son. Today we meet Amnon, the do-gooder - the good kid - the one who stuck around. While many people can relate to Jarahmeel's unruly and wild spirit, I personally relate to Amnon. He's done his best to do the right thing all his life. So, when he sees his younger brother squandering his father's wealth and galavanting off into the sunset, he's understandably bitter. What does Amnon's story have to teach us? What is Jesus trying to communicate through him? Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark 2:23-28 (NKJV)Andrew, Isack, and Edwin discuss Jesus's claim to be Lord of the Sabbath. They also discuss why Jesus brought up David and the Showbread as an illustration.Read the written devo that goes along with this episode by clicking here.    Let us know what you are learning or any questions you have. Email us at TextTalk@ChristiansMeetHere.org.    Join the Facebook community and join the conversation by clicking here. We'd love to meet you. Be a guest among the Christians who meet on Livingston Avenue. Click here to find out more. Michael Eldridge sang all four parts of our theme song. Find more from him by clicking here.   Thanks for talking about the text with us today.________________________________________________If the hyperlinks do not work, copy the following addresses and paste them into the URL bar of your web browser: Daily Written Devo: https://readthebiblemakedisciples.wordpress.com/?p=22605The Christians Who Meet on Livingston Avenue: http://www.christiansmeethere.org/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TalkAboutTheTextFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/texttalkMichael Eldridge: https://acapeldridge.com/ 

Mark 2:23-28 23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" 25 He answered, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions." 27 Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." NIV 84 Lesson Notes God Designed Us for Rest From creation, God modeled rest by ceasing from His work on the seventh day (Genesis 2:3). The Sabbath was meant as a gift, not a burden—a rhythm of rest that restores both body and soul. The Sabbath Is a Provision, Not a Prohibition Jesus reminds us that God's commands are intended for our good. Just as the showbread was given to David as provision, the Sabbath is meant to care for us, not restrict us. Religion Can Complicate What God Made Simple The Pharisees burdened the Sabbath with rules, missing the heart of God's intention. Jesus simplified it: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." Relationship Over Religion True obedience flows out of relationship with God, not rigid rule-keeping. Religion says, “Obey so that God will love me.” Relationship says, “God loves me, therefore I obey.” Jesus Is Our True Rest As “Lord of the Sabbath,” Jesus is more than a teacher of rest—He is our rest. Vacations, sleep, and downtime are good, but only in Christ do we find the kind of rest that nothing else can satisfy. Discussion Questions 1 In what ways have you experienced the effects of being physically, emotionally, or spiritually tired? What are some intentional ways you could practice a "rhythm of rest" each week without turning it into a legalistic checklist? 2 Can you think of areas in your life where you've turned God's good gift into a burden (like the Pharisees did with the Sabbath)? How can you shift your perspective to see God's commands as provision? 3 How does focusing on God's love and relationship with Him transform the way you approach obedience compared to a rule-focused mindset? 4 Jesus offers deep soul-rest beyond sleep or vacations. What would it look like for you to experience that rest in Him this week? What does it practically look like for you to find your true rest in Jesus during a busy week?

“The Rest You Really Need”Mark 2:23-2823 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”CONNECT WITH USIf you have any questions or would like to get to know us further, head over to https://www.triumphlbc.org/connect and fill out our online connection card.ABOUT TRIUMPHTriumph wants to see the life and message of Jesus transform your heart, home, and city. To learn more visit https://www.triumphlbc.org/

Jesus says Abiathar was the high priest in Mark 2, but 1 Samuel says it was Abimelech. Was Jesus wrong? Did the Gospel writers get it wrong? Either way, Pesky Passages on TikTok claims this contradiction creates problems for biblical inerrancy. Let's take a closer look and bring our questions! I'll take calls when I finish with my comments. Content Discussed 0:00 Intro 1:02 Updates & future shows 3:33 Objections against Christianity provide a great opportunity to grow 5:50 The role of presuppositions in Bible contradictions 8:22 Did Jesus get it wrong? What's the context for Mark 2:26? 13:21 Who was the high priest in 1 Samuel? How should "epi" be translated? 19:35 Why was Abiathar named? 24:43 Does Jesus's statement rewrite history? Did Jesus get it wrong, or did the writer get it wrong? 30:32 Am I doing "Apologetics Gymnastics?" 37:46 LISTENER QUESTION: Would you approach verses in the Quran in the same way? 39:29 LISTENER QUESTION: Did I use a false dichotomy with evolution? 40:15 LISTENER QUESTION: MAVEN speakers and steel-manning other arguments. 43:09 Do you find this show valuable? Consider spreading the content and supporting. 44:43 LISTENER QUESTION: Do you have any apologetics book recommendations?

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week. TranscriptGood morning. My name is Chet. I'm one of the pastors here. Grab a Bible and head to First Samuel, chapter 29. We're gonna be in chapter 29 and 30 today. We are working our way through the book of First Samuel. And what we've been seeing in the story is that the story has followed David until he worked himself into a corner. And right at the moment, you were like, what's gonna happen? Then it was like, hey, let's talk about Saul. And then it worked Saul into an even worse corner, and you were like, what's gonna happen with Saul? And then now it's going, hey, let's go talk about David. It's going. It's going back. That's where we are today.So what happened was David went to the Philistines. He decided that the best thing for him to do was to go live among the Philistines, that Saul was eventually going to kill him. So he goes and lives among the Philistines, and he begins to attack and raid towns and cities around him. And then going back to Achish, the King of Gath, and saying, here's who I attacked. And he lies to him. He says, I've been attacking the Israelites. I've been attacking Judah. I've been attacking the Kenites, who are friends of Judah and live in that area. And so that's what he's been doing. And then the last thing we saw was Achish said, well, hey, good news. We're going to go kill some more Israelites. All of us are going, and you get to go, too. And David said, well, you're going to find out what I can do. And what does that mean? Find out that you actually will kill Israelites? Find out, are you going to hurt Achish? Like, what's going to happen? It's a little bit like you've been lying and telling people that Adam Sandler is a family friend of yours. And now he's coming to the Colonial Life arena, and they want you to help him get tickets. That's kind of the situation we're in. We're trying to figure out what is David going to do, what's going to happen? And then it stops. Says, let's talk about Saul.So the Philistines have marched in. Saul is trying to figure out what he's going to do, and God is no longer talking to him because Saul has been rejected as king and no longer has the privileges, the right to seek the Lord and has not ever really seemed like he knows the Lord. And so in his desire to hear what he ought to do, he goes to a medium, a witch, someone's going to speak to the dead on his behalf. They summon Samuel, which she seems really surprised. Works. Samuel shows up and says, you're going to war tomorrow and you're going to die and the kingdom's been taken from you. And then it now we're headed back over to David. So we were watching is this slow motion train wreck where Dave, David is now marching in with the Philistines to go fight against Saul, who's going to die and what is going to happen and what is going to play out. And as we're reading this today, we're going to see that something very bad happens. And you might be like, yeah, we thought that was going to happen, but something very bad happens to David and it's not what we think is coming. But as we read this story today, we're going to see how David responds to this absolute tragedy and hopefully gain some wisdom in how we ought to respond in situations where the bottom falls out for us. So that's the hope. This morning we're gonna pray and then we're gonna step into the text.Father, we ask for your spirit to be at work, to guide us, to help us to hear your word, to help us to hear your voice and to follow you. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen.> Now the Philistines had gathered all their armies at Aphek; and the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel.> And the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish.> And the commanders of the Philistines said, "What are these Hebrews doing here?"> And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, "Is this not David, the servant of Saul, the king of Israel, who has been with me these days or these years, and I have found nothing in him from the day he deserted to me to this day?"> But the commanders of the Philistines were displeased at him, and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, "Send the man away, that he may return to the place from which you have assigned him. Let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here?"> Is not this David, of whom they kept singing to one another in dances, 'Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?> Then Achish called David and said to him, "As the LORD lives, you have been upright, and it seems to me that you should go out and go in with me in the campaign." And David said to Achish, "Very well, then you shall know what your servant can do."> And Achish said to David, "I know that you are good in my sight, as an angel of God. Nevertheless the lords of the Philistines have said, 'He shall not go up with us to battle.'> Now therefore rise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who came with you, and as soon as you have light be on your way." So David and his men rose up in the morning to depart in the first light and to return to the land of the Philistines; and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.So they're passing on, everybody's getting ready, we're going to war. And all of a sudden the other commanders start going, whoa, who's bringing Hebrews to fight Hebrews? And why are they stupid? We've done this before. The last time we saw this is when Jonathan went up and fought against the Philistines. And it said that the Hebrews that were with the Philistines turned on them and started fighting against them. So they're like, hey, we learned this lesson. We don't want Hebrews to go fight Hebrews. So who's bringing them? Why are they here? And then it says this, Achish says this, it says, what are these Hebrew doing here? And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel? Which is just the worst way to start, because that's who they're going to fight. He's trying to work his way out. Have you ever done this? You're trying to work your way out of a situation and you just start the wrong sentence and you're like, wait, wait, wait, let me finish. I started this wrong. But that's what it seems like, because he's like. They're like, who are these Hebrews? He's like, oh, Saul's servant, you guys. And, you know, they gotta be looking at him like, what are you talking about? Okay. He keeps going. He says, this is not David, servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years, and since he deserted to me, I have found no fault in him to this day. So what he's saying is, yeah, this guy's against Saul. He used to be his servant, but now he's with us. So this is going to go great.But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him, and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. So he says. They say, no, no, no, no, no. You might like him. We don't know him. That sounds terrible. Send him back. Otherwise we might get in the middle of the fight and he might start fighting us. Then they say, for how could this fellow reconcile himself to his Lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here? Like, wouldn't be like a good way for him to get back in good with Saul, for him to just start killing us? Haven't we seen this guy raise one of the heads of a Philistine above him before? Haven't we. We've lived this out, right? We remember what he did with Goliath. Don't you think that'd be a good way for him to get back in his good graces? That's what they're arguing, and then they say, is not this David of whom they sing to one another in dances, Saul has struck down his thousands and David his ten thousands, which I just. I love this song that has just made its way through this whole book. It was a problem when it first started. Saul was mad about it. This is the second time Philistines have quoted it. This song is such a hit. It's international. It's not just a hit in Israel. They know it. It's like, who let the dogs out? Everyone knows it's not good, but for some reason it just has run across the globe and it's stuck in your head. And there were Philistines, like, bouncing around their house doing yard work, and they hear themselves going, and David is 10th. Come on. That's what happens. So they're like, we know this. This is the guy they have a song about. Absolutely not.Then Achish called David and said to him, as the Lord lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and end with me in the campaign. No, he hasn't. Achish is wrong. So he says, look, David, you've been great, and you've been killing all these Israelites. And David's like, mm. He says, so I think you should come, for I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you, so go back now and go peaceably that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines. So he calls him over and says, hey, man, look, I think you're great, but they don't like you. And we just had a whole meeting where they were real mean to me about it. And I know that you would never lie to me and trick me and that you're totally on our team, but they don't know that. And so you're going to have to leave.And then David said, David said to Achish, but what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king? So David says, this is an outrage. What do they think? Like, that I've secretly not been killing Israelites and I've been killing other people and that I might turn on you in this battle. Is that what they think? And he's like, yeah, I know, it's crazy, right? And David's like, yeah, this is really unfair. David says that I can't fight against the enemies of my lord the King. It's still unclear to us in this text whether or not he actually means a kish or whether or not he means Saul. David is very tactical in his approach to all of this. He seems outraged, but he's going to leave. And Achish answered David and said, I know that you are blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, he shall not go up with us to the battle. Now then, rise early in the morning with the servants of your Lord who came with you, and start early in the morning and depart as soon as you have light.So David set out with his men early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel. Okay, so a couple of things happened in this text. First of all, we are, I think, intended to see some of the humor of this situation. And I do believe that the Philistine lords are right and that Akish is wrong, but we're not actually going to ever find out what David fully intended to do. But David's leaving. So this slow moving crash that we've been watching is not going to have David in it. And in some ways we see that the Lord is guiding this kind of behind the scenes. Doesn't really tell us that, but it just seems like the Lord's helping David out. But also some of what the text is doing is for all of time and all the readers forever to say, when Saul fought the Philistines and died, David was not there. He had been with the Philistines. He was not there. They sent him home. That's some of the work that this passage is doing is. It's just helping, you know, helping everybody know. It's not skipping this information. David wasn't there.But I said, david's going to face a tragedy, and it's not what we thought. So we're about to find out what, what has happened, what, what is, what's going on.> Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag and had struck Ziklag and burned it with fire,> and had taken the women and those who were in it captive, both small and great; they killed no one, but carried them off and went on their way.> So David and his men came to the city and found it burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters taken captive.> Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more power to weep.> David's two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel.> And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.> Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod." And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.> And David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I pursue after this raiding party? Shall I overtake them?" He answered him, "Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and rescue."> So David set out, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed.> But David pursued, he and four hundred men, for two hundred remained behind, who were so weak that they could not cross the brook Besor.> They found an Egyptian in the open country, and they brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate; and they gave him water to drink,> and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two bunches of raisins. And when he had eaten his spirit revived, for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights.> And David said to him, "To whom do you belong, and where do you come from?" He said, "I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me behind because I fell sick three days ago.> We made a raid on the Negeb of the Cherethites and on the Negeb of Judah and on the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire."> And David said to him, "Can you take me down to this raiding party?" And he said, "Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this raiding party."> And he took him down and behold, they were spread out over the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.> And David struck them from the twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.> And David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives.> Nothing was lacking to them, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken; David brought them all back.> And David took all the flocks and the herds, and drove them before those who were with him, and they drove on before him as far as Aroer.> And when David came to the two hundred men who were so weak that they could not follow him, they came out to meet him to meet the men who had come with him. And David came near to the people and greeted them.> But all the wicked men and worthless fellows among the men who went with David said, "Because they did not go with us, we will not share with them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may take his wife and his children, and be gone."> Then David said, "You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us, who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the band that came against us.> For who will listen to you in this matter? But as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike."> And he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel from that day onward to this day.> Then David came to Ziklag, and sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, "Behold a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD:> to those in Bethel, and to those in Ramoth of the Negeb, to those in Jattir,> to those in Aroer, to the people in Siphmoth, to those in Eshtemoa,> to those in Rachal, to those in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, to those in the cities of the Kenaites,> to those in Hormah, to those in Bor-ashan, to those in Athach, and to those in Hebron,> to all the places where David and his men had wandered."So when they came back on the third day, the Amalekites had attacked and had burned Ziklag and taken their wives and children. When David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and daughters taken captive. They raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep.First response is just brokenness, lament, weeping, raising their voices until they're spent. David's two wives also had been taken captive. Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him because all the people were bitter in soul. Each for his sons and daughters. So there's this moment where they start just saying, well, let's just kill David. They're bitter in soul. They don't really have a good plan. They don't really know what to do, but they just say, well, let's just kill David. If this is what it's like to follow him, let's be done with that.And there is this moment, and you can see it, where there's something very real about men who spend their lives defending and protecting and caring for their wives and children. And when that's not there, what am I doing and what do we do next? And it says, but David strengthened himself in the Lord, his God. And David said to Abiathar, we're see, somehow he does that. Abiathar, the priest, the son of Ahimelech, bring me the ephod. So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. Now, this is the first time we've seen him do this since chapter 26. The last time we saw David make a big decision, it said he just reasoned it in his heart and did something. And now he's saying, bring me the ephod. And this is good. We've been wanting to see this, but David, in this moment of utter despair, absolutely bottomed out. He turns to the Lord.And David inquired of the Lord, shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them? And he answered him, pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue. Can you imagine the moment that David hears that? He says, should we chase after him? And God says, go, because it'll work. And you know, David had to go strap his belt on. He said, we're going to. The Lord said, it's going to work. Let's go. We're going to catch them. Let's go. And they would have left some sort of sign. A whole group coming in and a whole group going out is going to leave some sign. Now there's a chance that they could lose it or they could split up, but they've got something to go on and they begin to head in that direction, tracking after this group that's burned their city and taken their families. And if there's a group of focused men, it's right here.David set out and the 600 men who were with him and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. But David pursued. He and 400 men, 200 stayed behind who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor. So they've traveled up, traveled back, wept themselves dry, and then said, let's go to war. They get to a place that's going to be difficult to travel over, difficult to get baggage across, and 200 of them just can't keep going. I don't know if you've ever been working and working and working or running and running and running and laboring and doing these sort of things, and then you stop for just a bit, drink some water, catch your breath, and suddenly your body doesn't work anymore. And if you hadn't stopped, you might could have kept going. But now it's not functioning. That seems what some of these guys happen, they just, they sit down and they're crazy, cramping up legs. They're just like, I can't keep going. But 400 keep going.They found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. So as they're traveling along, as they're tracking, they find an Egyptian. And it seems like they have some people out in different areas trying to scout and figure out which way to go. They find this guy, they bring him to David and they gave him bread and he ate. They gave him water to drink. They gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. And when he had eaten, his spirit revived. Okay, so he was having a spirit problem, for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. He was sick. So he was doing poorly before he got left there, but he's been there. So they find a guy who's almost dead and they're just pumping him full of stuff till he can talk. David said to him, to whom do you belong and where are you from? He said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite. My master left me behind because I fell sick three days ago. We had made a raid against the Negeb of the Cherethites, which is most likely the way that they refer to the Philistines, and against that which belongs to Judah and against the Negeb of Caleb. And we burned Ziklag with fire.And David said to him, will you take me down to this band? So they found a guy who was with them and they said, tell us where they're going. He said, swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master and I will take you down to this band. So he's all hyped up on raisins and figs, and now he's negotiating and he says, yes, I'll take you if you don't kill me, which is a real good chance that they might and don't return me to their master. Well, they're not showing up and giving presents to the Amalekites. So that one, I don't think they were in really any danger of happening. He doesn't seem to know who he's talking to. But these people really want to find them. And they seem to agree to some terms because he makes a statement. And then it just goes to verse 16.And when he had taken him down behold they were spread abroad over all the land eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. So they find this group that has suddenly just started taking over this whole section. Partying. And if we weren't upset with them enough, this party has eating. And as Baptists were like, okay, but then drinking and dancing. They gotta die, y'. All. They are celebrating with the spoils that they have this massive celebration spread out across the land. And it says they see them, they've caught them, and here's what happens.And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day. And not a man of them escaped except for 400 young men who mounted camels and fled. So interesting. This takes a long time. They are just fighting for a long time. At least twilight sometimes can refer to morning twilight, even though we don't use it that way. And evening of the next day, their day started at 6pm so it is possible that what it is saying is the shortest amount of time was one whole day, but it could have been a night and a day or a day and another night, but at least the whole day of working their way through and fighting and differing amounts of, you know, if there's a party going on down there and people start yelling and it sounds like there's a fight, you might. Wouldn't catch you exactly what was happening until it was happening. And it says not a man was left except for 400 of them that got away on camels. Which tells us a couple of things.One, I just appreciate the way that's worded. Everyone was dead and someone was like, what about those 400, except for the 400 guys on camels? Which makes you think that camels are like the motorcycle of that day. You know, my wife and I watch cop shows and police officers will thank people on motorcycles. They'll be like, thank you for pulling over like that. They'll chase you in a car. Motorcycles are just like. That's what camels are like. They're like, pull. They're on camels. Ain't nobody catching them. But it also tells you that there was a massive amount of people because David shows up with 400 and it says they killed everybody except for 400. Meaning that the amount of Amalekites here, they were way outnumbered, but they win.And David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken and David rescued his two wives. Nothing was missing. Whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all. David also captured all the flocks and herds and the people drove the livestock before him and said, this is David's spoil. And then David came to the 200 men who had been too exhausted to follow David and who had been left at the brook Besor. So they drove the cattle in front of them. So these guys are exhausted. It's been another, at least day, two days, three days. They're regaining their strength and they're waiting, not really knowing what to do now. And then flocks and herds start showing up. At first you're thinking maybe somebody. And then it's like there's too many of them. And you're like, this is a good sign. And then their families show up. And you know, there's got to be people looking for everybody. And there's moments where you don't know, are they here? Are they here? And guess what, y'? All, it says that they're all there. There wasn't a single husband, father that went out and didn't get that moment of wrapping his arms back around and retrieving what was left lost.And when they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with them, and when David came near to the people, he greeted them then all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that has been, that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children and depart. So some of them say, well, they sat here hanging out by a creek, like, they don't. They can have their kids back, but that's it. But David said, you shall not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us, he has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us. Who. Who would listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage, they shall share alike. And he made it a statute and a rule for Israel from that day forward to this day.So some of what it's helping us see is like, why that's a rule for them. But it's also, this isn't the main thing we're going to talk about today. But I can't help but point this out. In this, I see a beautiful picture of what Jesus is like. When they're marching all the spoil back. They announce, this is David's spoil, that it was all his and at his discretion. And then worthless fellows get in the middle of it, and he immediately calls them brother. He says, you won't do that, brother. And then it goes to everybody. Everybody's blessed and it's like that's what Jesus does. He's a good, wise king who restores what is lost and brings it all back. That through the work of Christ in the middle of our sin, our sin doesn't win. And he ultimately restores everything the way it was meant to be. He's ultimately eternally going to fix it. And he makes worthless people his brothers. And everybody is brought in and shared with, even the ones who couldn't accomplish anything on their own. So I sorry I can't read that and not tell you how amazing Jesus is.When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the Lord. So he's sending gifts. It was for those in Bethel and Ramoth, of the Negeb, in Jatir, in Aroer, in Sifmoth, in Eshtemoah, in Rachal, in the cities of the Jerahomeliites, in the cities of the Kenites. I got that one in Horma, in Borshan, in Ak, in Hebron, for all the places where David and his men had roamed. So he sends out, he has all this spoil that they got, and he sends it back and out to all the people where he's been wandering around. And he doesn't send any to the zip. It's because they told on him multiple times. But he sends it to the other people near where he had been, and he gives them gifts and says, this is from the enemies of the Lord, and he blesses all of them.I want to go back in the story to the moment where they find out that their families are gone and their city is burned. Because I want us to take a moment to investigate what does it look like to come out of those kind of moments. And I think David gives us a good example. So I just want to go back to verse four, it says they wept. And then in verse six, it says, and David was greatly distressed for the people spoke of stoning him because all the people were bitter soul, each for his sons and daughters. Okay. I think it is helpful for us to realize that we are perfectly capable of that type of decision making. Is stoning David going to fix anything? No. Will it make the situation worse? Yes. Is David the one who's actually going to lead them out of this problem? Yes. But they're starting to think maybe we should just kill David. And they probably have some reasons, but their reasoning is not good.And one of the things that we need to know is perfectly within our grasp in these type of situations is for us to have an overwhelming desire to do something, to react, to respond, got to do something. And quite often the thing we pick is unwise, harmful. Quite often the ideas that we come up with are not good ideas. This is one of the reasons why we're blessed to have church family around us. So that when we announce, I'm going to do this, sometimes it's like, no, don't, don't do that. And you're really annoyed by them saying that, don't tell me what to do. It's like, but I don't want to. But, no, don't do that. Telling you what not to do is different. This is, we'll choose people, start making big life decisions, change their job, move locations, run to whatever makes them feel safe, run to whatever makes them forget. This is how we get run. We run to substances, we run to sin, we run to anger, sexual sin. This is how we get hermits and hoarders. Like, this is the stuff where we respond to something and we just got to make a decision that is perfectly within our ability to do that.But David takes a different track. It says, but David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. So David turns to the Lord in this moment. He does. He has nowhere else to turn. He turns to the Lord, which is the place to turn. And one of the things I think we need to realize is that if you've never turned to the Lord ever, when something really bad happens, then you should. But as Christians, we want to be very practiced in this so that when everything falls apart, this is the only thing we know how to do. This is one of the reasons why people who do like fighting sports and those sort of things, they practice over and over and over and over again so that when they get their bell rung and they're not thinking clearly, they can keep moving and doing what they're. And that's some of what we need to be. You need to be in the Word on a regular basis. You need to. So that when these kind of moments happen in life that you go, I don't know what else to do, but I'm going to read, I'm going to pray. I'm going to get around church, family. You're going to call people and say, y' all need to come read, you need to come pray, you need to come. I don't have the strength for this right now. I need somebody to read this to me. I need someone to talk this out with me. I need somebody when I say some idea that doesn't make any sense. I need some people here who are going to help point me back to Jesus.But that's what he does. He turns to the Lord, and we're going to see what he does, specifically, how he strengthens himself. David said to Abiathar, the priest, the son of Ahimelech, bring me the Ephod. So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. And David inquired of the Lord, shall I pursue this band? What David seeks is a word from the Lord, some clarity from the Lord, some direction from the Lord, and he goes to the place that he has access to it, which is in the Ephod, but we have access to it in the Scriptures, so that we get to be people who read our Bibles. And in these moments, read more, not less. There are times where as pastors, we'll say, you need to go home and you need to open the New Testament, you need to go to Ephesians, you need to go to Romans, and you need to start reading. And I know that sometimes it's like I don't have the energy for that. It's like, you don't have the energy to not do that. It's like I'm dying in a desert. And we're like, you need to drink water. And you're like, I don't know if I can. It's like, no, you've got to. We get to and have to. We must come to the Word and say, lord, I need your help. I need your wisdom. I need your clarity. And lean into the Word the way that David does. He seeks a word from the Lord.I think sometimes when we say that, when we say, anytime, we say, you need to read your Bible. It's like, okay, good, but I really want something to do. I really want something actual. And what we mean is something along the lines of stoning David. I want something I can do. I get it. Read my Bible. Then what? And it's like, but you're missing it if that's the way you think about it. When Jesus teaches a sermon on the mount, he ends with, if you'll hear my words and do them, you'll be like a wise man who built his house on a rock. The rains came and the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. So if you hear my words and you don't do them, then you'll be like a fool who built his house on sand. And the rains came and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house and the house fell. And great was the fall of it. The storm hits both houses, the winds beat both houses, but one of them has a foundation, has something to hold on to, has something it's built into. It'd be like if you hired a contractor. And I said, how's the house development going? You're like, they're wasting a lot of time on that foundation. We could have a three story house by now. And it's like, with no foundation. What are you talking about? Like, you need the foundation. You need. We have to have that. You need direction before you move.In the Pirates of the Caribbean movies where Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow and he's doing all this all the time, he's got a compass. And we find out in one of the later movies that that compass isn't a real compass. It doesn't point north. It points towards what Jack most wants. And so many of us, that's the compass we're running around with. It just points towards what we want. And so we're going, I'm looking at my compass and it says, go this way. And it's like, that compass is not a compass. At one point they're out in the ocean and it's pointing at a girl who's on the boat. That's the compass we run around with. So often it's just pointing at something that's moving around that changes from day to day. Do you know how often your moods change, your desires change, how often your wisdom falters and fails? And how many times you've said, if I could just have this, I'd be happy. If I could just have that, I. I'd be happy. And how often your Compass has been bouncing around, and we need one that points to the same place all the time. And if you're in a storm in the middle of the ocean, you don't have any landmarks. So when the clouds begin to clear and you get to set a course, you don't know where you are. And if you have a compass that points nowhere, you don't know where to go. So we need to be people of the Word who know how to move. And that's what happens. David seeks the Lord and it says this. He says, shall I pursue? Shall I overtake? He answered them, pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue. So David set out.Now, if that had said anything else, we would be furious. If it said, you shall pursue, that's a command. You shall surely overtake. You shall surely rescue. And then it said, so David sat down. So David cried more, louder. He'd be like, what is what go? Because we would be reading the text and saying, you have a promise, you have a command, you have something to stand on, you have something to hold on to. You have something that will help drive you forward. You have something solid. And so often we're in the middle of these situations and I want you to know that the Bible has something solid that we can hold onto. It's got some truth, some promises that have been made to us, some realities that are ours. When Jesus commissions the church, he says, I will be with you always to the end of the age. That there's never a time where he leaves us or forsakes us. And in these moments we can know that, Lord, you've promised to be with me, so be with me. But I'm going to act. I'm going to move as if you're here and you're helping. I'm going to trust your spirit to indwell me. He says that the spirit not to grieve the Holy Spirit who sealed us from the day of redemption. Meaning that if I belong to Jesus, if I trust him, his spirit is in me and I am kept. He tells his disciples, my disciples know my voice. They hear my voice and they follow. My sheep hear my voice and follow me. And he says, and no one will snatch them out of my hand so that you can in these moments go, Lord, I know that you're going to keep me. I know that you're going to hold me, and I need you to that we have promises that we can lean into because what you believe matters. You act out of what you believe. So we have to be people who know what is true, know what is real, know the promises of God and hold onto them. And also know that he holds on to us so that we won't be lost in these situations when we don't know what to do.I want to read Romans 8 because I just want you to see one of these promises. Romans 8 begins by saying there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ.> There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.> > Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?> > As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."> > No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.> > For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,> > nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.That when you're going, everything is falling apart. Well, there's a promise that you won't be separated from his love, that he'll be with you, that he'll keep you, that he'll get you to the end, that he can't be conquered by circumstance. There's some things that help ground us and hold us so that we might move forward in faith and in hope. He says no. In all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I'm sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation. He covers that. Because if you were like, well, what about this? He said, all of it will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, that if you belong to Jesus, you belong to Jesus and you are his and he will keep you and he will hold you, and you will be able to stand in the middle of these things and you get to run to His Word and say, Lord, I need this more than I need anything else. And then you can move forward with practical steps. But you've got to do this first.Let's pray.Lord, we pray that we would be people who in the depths of our despair, because the storm is coming. It hits every house, it hits every life. There's moments where we all have ziklag or smoke rises. Lord, we pray that we would be people who would cling to the promises, that would know your word and would trust you. You. Because a promise is as good as the one who makes it. And you have died for us. You have risen, you have resurrected, you have hope that is ours in you. You are the king of all things. So may we be a people of the word, who seek you in the midst of our despair. Who love one another well in the midst of our despair. And who cling to the hope that's in Christ. Because there's nothing else to cling to. In Jesus name, Amen.The band's gonna come. We're gonna sing. One of the reasons we sing on Sundays is to worship the Lord. But also to help truth go from our heads to our hearts. And to rehearse for ourselves what is real. And so we're gonna sing together, reminding ourselves and each other of how good the Lord is and the hope that we have.

We continue exploring the story of David as a fugitive. After Saul learns of David's visit to Nob, his fury leads to a devastating massacre of priests, orchestrated by Doeg the Edomite. David, filled with regret for the tragedy at Nob, offers refuge to Abiathar, the sole survivor. Despite Saul's relentless pursuit, David demonstrates remarkable faith and integrity by sparing Saul's life when he has the chance to kill him. This act of mercy prompts Saul to acknowledge David's righteousness and future as king. Through David's journey, we see a man committed to God's plan, choosing not to seize the throne by killing his predecessor.Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @biblelitTwitter: @bible_litFacebook: @biblelitEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.org Want to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out ou...

2 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk'? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” Jesus Calls Levi13 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. 15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” A Question About Fasting18 Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.” Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath23 One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mk 2:1–28.

David's final instructions for Solomon are found in 1 Kings 2. Note his emphasis was on sustaining Israel's currently high spiritual state and on Solomon's responsibility to ensure God's people walk before Him in faithfulness with all their heart, and soul. After that Solomon, as a wise ruler, needs watch the known troublemakers of his realm. So David died, at 70 years old, having guided the nation for 40 years. Adonijah, David's son, had an obvious agenda that was easily recognised by Solomon. Adonijah must be carefully watched. Adonijah tried, unsuccessfully, to use Bathsheba's influence over her son; so Solomon sent Benaiah to kill Adonijah. Solomon next put restrictions on Abiathar and Shimei, requiring them to remain within the gates of their virtual city of refuge. Both failed to comply and so were slain. Abiathar's death fulfilled the judgment of Eli's house spoken of in 1 Samuel 3 verses 12-14.In Jeremiah 29 we have Jeremiah's words to the exiles in Babylon and for those rebels remaining in Jerusalem to settle in Babylon , where they are to be taken, for the 70 years of their captivity. Judah should have listened to and obeyed the Word of Yahweh who had proven the prophetic authority given to Jeremiah. The actions of the vile figs of Judah were to yet again resist the Word of the Almighty. The false prophets of verse 21 would meet a fate similar to the two roasted in the fire by Nebuchadnezzar. Another false prophet, Shemaiah, is denounced in verses 24-32 for his rebellion against his Sovereign and was guaranteed an obscure death, not seeing the favour to be shown to the return of the exiles after the seventy years captivity. Mark 3 describes the Sabbath healing of a man's withered hand. This was most likely a ploy to trap and discredit Jesus. But it failed miserably. Jesus is followed by crowds who were affected by the miracles. Our Lord Jesus, after a night of prayer with his Father, selects 12 special disciples, who were called Apostles because of the commission given them. Note in verse 14 that part of their calling was for Jesus' need for companionship. We all need friends - companionship. Verses 20-21 tell us that when our Lord comes back to Capernaum his family sought to curtail his behaviour which was upsetting the Jewish leaders. Did his family believe him to be unbalanced? A debate over the authenticity of Jesus' miracles ensues as his enemies attribute the miracles to Beelzebul (the lord of the dung heap). The Master shows how illogical this was and indicated that these rulers were speaking blasphemy against God's Holy Spirit power. The chapter concludes with a further attempt by his own family to get him to desist from upsetting the religious authorities. Jesus educates his natural family by stating that his true family were to be found among those who understood and supported Jesus in his Father's work.

1 Kings 1 shows the circumstances that brought Solomon to the throne while David was yet alive. This proves that the promise of 2 Samuel 7 centred on another, who we know as the Lord Jesus Christ. It was brought about by the attempted usurpation of the throne by yet another of David's sons, Adonijah. Nathan the prophet together with Bathsheba, David's wife and Solomon's mother, recover the situation. Solomon is crowned king and the conspirators - Adonijah, Abiathar and Joab - abjectly slink away in defeat. Adonijah went into the Tabernacle to grab hold of the horns of the altar, thus seeking asylum. Adonijah is brought before Solomon and pays homage to king Solomon who shows him mercy.It was in that notable year - the fourth of Zedekiah and the first of Nebuchadnezzar - that the events recorded in Jeremiah 28 occurred. This time in the fifth month of that eventful year the false prophet Hananiah; meaning "Yah is gracious" had not spoken truly in claiming to be the LORD's prophet and had told lies so he was doomed to die a false prophet. Jeremiah is commanded by God to make and wear a wooden yoke and to take the message for Judah to submit to Nebuchadnezzar. Hananiah prophesies that the Babylonian king's power would be broken within 2 years and those who were currently exiled in Babylon would return. Jeremiah said that he wished it could be so. Then Jeremiah issued a prophecy which proved which of the two - Jeremiah or Hananiah - was Yahweh's prophet. Hananiah would die that same year for the rebellion taught against God. This happened within 2 months.Mark's second chapter records Jesus as being home in Capernaum (city of consolation - ie of the Gospel message). It was in all likelihood the synagogue near Peter's home. The miracle of healing the paralytic man, who is carried by his four persistent friends was a marvellous example of the determination and faith of these five men. In healing the paralysed man Jesus declared that by the faith of this man he had been made whole. Jesus shows his power, not only over diseases, but even over sin and death. In associating with tax collectors, and being criticised for so doing, our Lord describes his mission as to those who recognise their illness. Christ answers an enquiry about fasting and says that his disciples need not fast while they enjoyed the Bridegroom's company. Jesus tells a parable about new and old cloth. The parable reveals that the Jewish leaders were stayed in their ways and couldn't coexist with Christ's so called new and radical teachings. Finally our Lord defends his disciples who were accused of having violated the Sabbath. Jesus shows that their needs stood above the need to "keep" the Sabbath (citing 1 Samuel 21 as the precedent) and that further to that, Jesus is 'Lord of (or over) the Sabbath'.More here https://christadelphianvideo.org/christadelphian-daily-readings/

“The Rest You Need”Mark 2:23-2823 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”CONNECT WITH USIf you have any questions or would like to get to know us further, head over to https://www.triumphlbc.org/connect and fill out our online connection card.ABOUT TRIUMPHTriumph wants to see the life and message of Jesus transform your heart, home, and city. To learn more visit https://www.triumphlbc.org/

Back To Basics // Week 12 // Sabbath RestPastors JF and Ashley WilkersonExodus 20:8-11 NIV 8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.In the original language, the terms translated to Sabbath refer to a literal settling down to pause from creating and make a conscious choice to reflect on all that God has done.We are to work from rest - not rest from work. That order is SIGNIFICANT.1. What if we view rest as support in remembering?Genesis 2:1-3 NIV 1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. 2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.Deuteronomy 5:12-15 NIV 12 “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,14 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. 15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.1. What if we view rest as support in remembering?2. What if we view rest as strengthening our relationship?Exodus 20:1-5a; 7-17 NIV1 And God spoke all these words: 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5a You shall not bow down to them or worship them…Exodus 20:7-17 NIVHebrews 4:9-14 NIV1. What if we view rest as support in remembering?2. What if we view rest as strengthening our relationship?3. What if we view rest as a solidifying of our reliance?Exodus 16:21-26 NIV 21 Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. 22 On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers for each person—and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. 23 He said to them, “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.'” 24 So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. 25 “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. 26 Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.”When God created Sabbath by resting after six days of creation, He declared that He was the Master of work and that work was never the master of Him. And When a believer takes a Sabbath, the same declaration is made…keeping work from ever becoming a god in our lives. Allowing us to have a healthy relationship with work and thus promoting health in all areas of our lives…physical, spiritual and relational.Mark 2:23-28 NIV 23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” 25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” 27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”1. What if we view rest as support in remembering?2. What if we view rest as strengthening our relationship?3. What if we view rest as a solidifying of our reliance?

In our last episode, Solomon's brother Adonijah tried to take the throne while David was on his death bed. His plan failed, and Solomon successfully ascended to the throne. During the attempted coup, Adonijah recruited Abiathar the priest and Joab, David's former commander. Since then, Adonijah has been executed, Abiathar has been banished, and today. Joab will be executed. Later, the Lord appears to King Solomon in a dream, and instead of asking for wealth or long life, he asks the Lord for wisdom to lead God's people. This pleases the Lord, who promises blessing upon Solomon's reign, including both wisdom and wealth.1 Kings 2:28 - 1:08 . 1 Kings 3 - 5:16 . 1 Kings 4 - 11:37 . 2 Chronicles 1 - 16:55 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Today we'll be reading about the death of King David from two sources. The first will be from 1 Chronicles as we conclude that book. In this reading, we'll hear a prayer that David gives in the assembly of the leaders of Israel, followed by a brief account of Solomon coming to power as king. Our second reading will be from 1 Kings, which gives a much more dramatic perspective on what took place during that transition of power. David's oldest son, Adonijah, gains support for himself from well-known leaders like Joab and Abiathar, calling Judah together for a feast to celebrate his bid for kingship. Nathan the prophet catches word, and teams up with Bathsheba to alert the king that Solomon's title of king is being contested in an underhanded scheme to usurp David's decree.1 Chronicles 29:10 - 1:08 . 1 Kings 1 - 6:33 . 1 Kings 2 - 18:01 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Mark 2:23–28 (ESV): 23 One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

With King David on his death bed, the royal family knows that the time to transfer power is drawing near. David's oldest son, Adonijah, gains support for himself from well-known leaders like Joab and Abiathar, calling Judah together for a feast to celebrate his bid for kingship. Nathan the prophet catches word, and teams up with Bathsheba to alert the king. Later, the Lord appears to King Solomon in a dream, and instead of asking for wealth or long life, he asks the Lord for wisdom to lead God's people. This pleases the Lord, who promises blessing upon Solomon's reign.1 Kings 1 - 1:15 . 1 Kings 2 - 12:49 . 1 Kings 3 - 23:28 . Psalm 87 - 29:00 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Teacher: Dave Brown Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.—1 Samuel 18:7; 21:11 Saul was very angry; “they have credited David with tens of thousand,” he though, ‘but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David.— 1 Samuel 18:8-9 David went to Nob, to Ahimelek the priest. Ahimelek trembled when he met him, and asked, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?” David answered Ahimelek the priest, “The king sent me on a mission and said to me, ‘No one is to know anything about the mission I am sending you on.' As for my men, I have told them to meet me at a certain place.”— 1 Samuel 21:1-2 The king ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests.” So Does the Edomite turned and killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. He also put to the sword Nob, the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep.— 1 Samuel 22:18-19 But one son of Ahimelek…named Abiathar, escaped and fled to join David. He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord, Then David said to Abiathar, “That day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your whole family.— 1 Samuel 22:20-22 If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.— John 15:18-20 The story of David isn't set before us as a moral model to copy. David isn't a person whose actions we're inspired to imitate. In the company of David we don't feel inadequate because we know we could never do it that well. Just the opposite; in the company of David we find someone who does it as badly as, or worse than, we do, but who in the process doesn't quit, doesn't withdraw from God.— Eugene Peterson God's will for our lives can be divided into two parts: 1 - General will — Loving God and loving others 2 - Specific will — “The place were your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.” David isn't an ideal life bit an actual life. We imaginatively enter the company of David not to improve our morals but to deepen our sense of human reality: this is what happens in the grand enterprise of being human. Reentering through my believing imagination the world of David, I'm more myself—free to be myself and able find God in the middle of what's going on right now.— Eugene Peterson

In a paranoid rage, Saul has slaughtered a city of priests and their families. One man has escaped from that raid and joined David's ranks; his name is Abiathar and he has come with a priestly ephod in hand. At every turn, it seems that Saul is hot on David's tail until, at long last, he unwittingly happens upon the cave where David is hiding. However, he doesn't realize David and his men are there, and when he goes in to relieve himself, David takes advantage of the opportunity, but not in the way you might expect from someone who is being hunted down by the ruler of a kingdom.1 Samuel 23 - 1:13 . 1 Samuel 24 - 7:53 . 1 Samuel 25 - 12:38 . Proverbs 30 - 23:48 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every single day. Don't forget today we drop a chapter review of Mark 2 on The Weekly Vince Miller Show; check that out. It will add some perspective on Jesus by looking at Chapter 2 from a slightly higher level. I would love to give a shout-out today to Joseph Myall from Klamath Falls, OR. Thanks for being a partner with the ministry. We cannot do what we do without the faithful support of families like yours. This is for you, Joseph! Today, we're looking at Mark 2:23-28: One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” — Mark 2:23-28 Jesus and his disciples were walking through a field on the Sabbath, and they casually picked grain to eat. It was a simple, innocent act. An everyday moment. However, the religious leaders turned it into a legal trap and dispute. To them, the issue was not their present physical hunger but religious rebellion. The religious leaders had built layers of tradition over centuries around God's commands—so many that they'd lost sight of the heart behind the law. Jesus answers with an account they'd all remember: David, while running for his life, was also hungry and desperate and ate not merely grain in a field but the sacred bread from within the Temple. It wasn't sanctioned, yet God didn't condemn him. Because sometimes, mercy takes precedence. Then Jesus offers a correction they didn't expect: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” In other words, the Sabbath isn't a burden—it's a blessing. A time for rest, renewal, and remembering who provides everything we need. Then, Jesus takes his point to a whole new level. He claims authority not just to interpret the Sabbath but to own it: “The Son of Man [Jesus] is Lord even of the Sabbath.” This wasn't about rules—it was about who rules. Jesus was declaring that true spiritual rest isn't found in rules. Rest is found in Him. and of course, they missed the point he was making. Just like they did, we miss the point: We still fall into the same trap. We turn faith into performance. We hustle for approval. We keep spiritual scorecards. But Jesus invites us to something entirely different—not a religion to prove, rules to follow, but a relationship to enjoy. Spiritual rest isn't earned. It's received. And real rest begins when we trust that his work—not ours—is what makes us right with God. #LordOfTheSabbath, #SabbathRest, #MercyNotRules ASK THIS: Why do you think the Pharisees had such a hard time letting go of their rules? In what ways do you find your worth in performance instead of God's presence? What would it look like for you to receive Sabbath as a gift, not a burden? Where is Jesus inviting you to stop striving and simply rest? DO THIS: Set aside 10 minutes today to stop and rest in God's presence. No agenda, no noise. Just be still and let Jesus remind you that you're not defined by what you do—but by who He is. PRAY THIS: Jesus, thank you for being my rest. Teach me to slow down, to trust your provision, and to find peace in your presence—not my performance. Amen. PLAY THIS: Run To The Father.

The book of Kings begins where Samuel left off. David is old and near the end of his reign, but he has not clearly laid out which son will succeed him as king. Adonijah attempts to take advantage of the situation to establish himself as king, with the help of Abiathar and Joab. However, Nathan the prophet knows the intent of David and the LORD. Nathan enlists the help of Bathsheba to remind David of his previous promise that Solomon would reign as king over Israel next. David takes quick action to proclaim Solomon as king publicly.  Rev. Martin Dressler, pastor at Salem Lutheran Church in Black Jack, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Kings 1:1-40.  "A Kingdom Divided” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through 1-2 Kings. The division in the kingdom of Israel in this part of history was greater than a matter of north and south. The biggest division was between the people and their God. Yet even as the people rebelled against the LORD as their King, still He remained faithful to call them back to Himself through His prophets, working through history to send the good and gracious King, Jesus Christ. Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Mark 2:23-28One sabbath he was going though the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" 25 And he said to them, "have you never read what David did, when we as in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?" 27 And he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.

Mark 2:23-28One sabbath he was going though the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" 25 And he said to them, "have you never read what David did, when we as in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?" 27 And he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ⇒ Listen to our other podcasts: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Mark 2:23–28 - [23] One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. [24] And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” [25] And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: [26] how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” [27] And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. [28] So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen -- Support our SPANISH TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportSpanish -- Support our HINDI TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportHindi -- Support our CHINESE TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportChinese  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖~ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/ ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate. To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ⇒ Listen to our other podcasts: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:   ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen -- Support our SPANISH TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportSpanish -- Support our HINDI TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportHindi -- Support our CHINESE TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportChinese  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖~ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/ ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate.

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ⇒ TODAY'S DAILY SPONSOR: Morning Mindset listener, Debi - in memory of her mom. You can sponsor a daily episode of the Morning Mindset too, by going to https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/DailySponsor ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Mark 2:23–28 - [23] One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. [24] And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” [25] And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: [26] how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” [27] And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. [28] So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen -- Support our SPANISH TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportSpanish -- Support our HINDI TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportHindi -- Support our CHINESE TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportChinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/ ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate.

As David hides from Saul, he pours out his lament before the LORD in confident faith. At the same time, many of those who are in need gather to David, who begins to fulfill the role of a faithful king. Meanwhile, King Saul continues in his unfaithfulness, selfishly feeling sorry for only himself and accusing everyone of conspiracy against him. Only Doeg the Edomite sides with Saul, who hears the accusations against Ahimelech and the priests at Nob and orders their execution for their aid to David. When David hears of Saul's evil, he provides refuge to Abiathar, the lone survivor of Saul's vicious attack. David's actions throughout the text point us forward to the reign of the true King, the Son of David, Jesus Christ.  Rev. Martin Dressler, pastor at Salem Lutheran Church in Black Jack, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Samuel 22:1-23.  "A Kingdom Unlike All the Nations” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through 1-2 Samuel. This time in Israel's history has its highs and lows, but the LORD's faithfulness never wavers. He provides His Word to be proclaimed faithfully through prophets like Samuel and Nathan. Even as princes like Saul and David sit on an earthly throne, the LORD remains King over His people, even as He does now and forever through the Lord Jesus Christ. Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

I Samuel 30:1-5 (NIV) David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old. They killed none of them but carried them off as they went on their way. When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel I Samuel 30:6-7 (NIV) David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God. Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” Abiathar brought it to him, Own Your Spirit Pray for Guidance I Samuel 30:8 (NIV) …and David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.” Go Together I Samuel 30:9 (NIV) David and the six hundred men with him came to the Besor Ravine, where some stayed behind. Expect Recovery  I Samuel 30:18 (NIV) David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken…

I Samuel 30:1-5 (NIV) David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old. They killed none of them but carried them off as they went on their way. When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel I Samuel 30:6-7 (NIV) David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God. Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” Abiathar brought it to him, Own Your Spirit Pray for Guidance I Samuel 30:8 (NIV) …and David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.” Go Together I Samuel 30:9 (NIV) David and the six hundred men with him came to the Besor Ravine, where some stayed behind. Expect Recovery  I Samuel 30:18 (NIV) David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken…

How do we react to the sinners in our lives? Do we enable them? Do we hope for their demise? Or do we recognize that we are also sinners, face-planting through life, in desperate need of a savior? Today is part 2 of our parable finale through the story of the Prodigal Son. Last episode, we met Abiathar, the father, and Jarahmeel, the youngest son. Today we meet Amnon, the do-gooder - the good kid - the one who stuck around. While many people can relate to Jarahmeel’s unruly and wild spirit, I personally relate to Amnon. He’s done his best to do the right thing all his life. So, when he sees his younger brother squandering his father’s wealth and galavanting off into the sunset, he’s understandably bitter. What does Amnon’s story have to teach us? What is Jesus trying to communicate through him? Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Mark 2:23-28 - As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, His disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain. At this the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry? How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his companions?” Then He said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.” Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr Saint Agnes, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2) Consecration of Government post-election prayer by Father Chad Ripperger Are fires a divine punishment by God?' Many modernist Catholics say, NOT AT ALL