Podcasts about Ziba

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.

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week. TranscriptCome on, if you will, grab your Bibles and go to Second Samuel, chapter nine. We're going to be reading all of Second Samuel chapter nine together this morning. That's on page 149 in one of the blue Bibles. So if you want to grab one of those from the seat in front of you, would love for you to turn there. It's good to hold a Bible. It's good to hold it open and read together. We have already walked through 2nd Samuel 8 and 10. We're working through the whole book of 2nd Samuel. We took a little break right around Easter, but we've already looked at 8, chapters 8 and chapters 10, because they were dealing with the military victories of David that he was successful, because God was blessing him, defending the nation of Israel and enlarging the territory of Israel as they were attacked and as they defended, they would claim new lands. And so we looked at that. But in the middle of that recounting of the victories of David, there's this story that we're going to look at in chapter nine. And it. In chapter eight, it just finished by saying that David ruled with equity and justice, that he's a good king. And then it's going to give this little story. And in some ways that typifies that, that shows us that. And I think this is one of the beautiful highlights of David's kingship. So we're going to study it together this morning, and through it, we're going to try to set our minds on Christ and how he's a good king and how this story reflects to us some of the beauty of what he is like and how good he is. So chapter nine, verse one. This is David at kind of the height of his power. In some ways. He's been victorious. He's established the kingdom. It's firmly in his hand. And I think this gives us a little glimpse into what he's like because it says this.> And David said, "Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?" (2 Samuel 9:1, ESV)So if you'll remember, Saul was the first king of Israel and Jonathan was his son. And when David killed Goliath, it says that Jonathan, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and they loved one another and they were friends and cared for one another. And Jonathan helped David escape Saul, his father, when Saul was going to kill him. And they made covenantal promises to each other that David promised that he would be good to him in his kingdom and he'd be good to his family. And David even promised Saul that he would not, if he became king, kill all of Saul's family. And so David, in this moment of power, when he's got some victories under his belt and things have settled, he's got his own city, he's got the. The ark brought to the city, he's got the tabernacle, a tent set up for the ark. I went in the tabernacle. It was in a different place. I was about to misspeak there. David stops and says, can't I find somebody to keep this promise to Jonathan? Is there not anybody where I can show kindness to? And if you would think about kings, if they're constantly at war, the sorts of things that they might be inclined to do when they had a moment of break, when they had a moment down where they might be inclined to make themselves greater, enlarge their palaces, rest. And we get this moment where David, in the moment of stillness, goes, can't I keep this promise? Is there not someone that I can show kindness to for Jonathan's sake? Verse 2. Now, there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. And they called him to David. And the king said to him, are you Zeba? And he said, I am your servant. Which is just a humble way to say yes. Now, if you're Zeba and you're a servant of Saul, and David, who Saul was at war against, has now become king. There was a war between the house of Saul and David for several years because of Saul, and then with Ishma Sheth, and then they come to your house and they say, hey, David wants to see you. I'm going to go ahead and guess that you're not ecstatic at that news, that this was probably kind of stressful for Ziba. If they came to you and just said, hey, the president needs to talk to you, you'd have a lot of questions. Why? What for? And they're like, we got to get there quick. We brought a helicopter. Me. Are you. Check the name again. Why do I need to see the president? And even if you thought there was not a good chance that he was going to execute you on the White House lawn, you'd still be nervous. Well, Ziba is in a situation where he's a part of the house of Saul. It's like, this might not be going to go well. And he's brought before the king. And the king said, is there not still someone of the house of Saul that I may show the kindness of God to him? So David's Intent is to bless someone in the house of Saul, to show the kindness of God to them. And Zeba said to the king, there is still a son of Jonathan. He is crippled in his feet. Now that's an interesting, might even argue, troubling response. He, he doesn't say who in Ziba's mind. The thing that's important is he's crippled in his feet. And if you're someone who deals with a disability, specifically physical ones, that it's possible for you to feel like this is kind of how it works, that that's what's seen and known about you to the point of it swallows your identity either for other people or for yourself, that that's how you're marked, that's how you're labeled. That's how you're understood to the point of even being able to lose yourself in it. Now, we know that this son of Jonathan, his name is Mephibosheth. And we know that because of the introduction that were given to him in chapter four. But it, and it's a tragic introduction. So I want to show that it's a chapter four. You can go one page over in the blue Bible, Chapter four, verse four, says> Jonathan the son of Saul had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste she fell and the child became lame. His name was Mephibosheth. (2 Samuel 4:4, ESV)So Mephibosheth, when he was five, on the same day, lost his granddad, his dad, his home, and his ability to walk. Now, any one of those things, no matter what your age is, would be extremely difficult to try to process through. But to have them all happen when you're five is an immense, acute amount of suffering. To be displaced, to be a refugee, to lose your father, to lose your grandfather, to lose everything you knew and understood about the world and your place in it, to lose all sense of safety. None of these things are anything that we would want a five year old to have to deal with. And he loses all of it at once and physically carries the reminder in himself from that day forward. In this culture, it was possible that he also carried the stigma of the judgment of God on him, that somehow he had earned this or deserved this or that God had added this to him. And all cultures, including ours, consistently ask, why do these sorts of things Happen? Why do we face this amount of suffering? Why do we have things like this happen? There's an interaction with Jesus and his disciples in John chapter nine where they see a man who's born blind and his disciples ask Jesus who sinned, that this man was born blind, was it him or, or his parents? The reason being, the reasoning being that someone had to sin for him to be cursed this way. Someone had to sin for this to befall him. Obviously it was deserved. That's the assumption. Then the thing they're troubled with is if he had become blind later in life, we wouldn't have the question because he had earned it. But since he was born blind, whose fault is that? Is it his parents fault or did he somehow earn it? But how did he earn it when he was born this way? That's, that's the thought process that they're trying to work out. And we can see that the idea of suffering, and specifically the suffering of someone young, or the suffering of someone born a certain way, or the suffering of, of the kind of the chaos suffering that just seems to happen adds more questions to it. Every once in a while we watch someone and we go, yeah, the reason that happened to you is that you're dumb and you make bad choices. You earned that one. But there are other times where we're going, we don't know how to place this, how does this fit? And that's the question that they're asking. And that honestly is the question that so much of life has to try to answer. Every religion has to try to answer that, every worldview has to try to answer that. So if you believe in karma, you would say that these sort of things, this type of suffering happens because of a previous life. You have a chance to suffer well in this one and then be reincarnated in a, in a better form. If you're Buddhist, you would say that all the material world's an illusion anyway and we're supposed to try to see through it. I was speaking to my neighbor who's Islamic. She said that in our suffering there are specific times where God hears us better in prayers and so we can pray to him and we can ask why. And she said, it's the primary purpose of praying to God in suffering is to ask why. Understanding that the reason you're suffering is God is trying to teach you something. Our Western culture is one of the least prepared to handle suffering in a what's called an imminent frame, which is all that we have is what we can see and taste and touch all we have is science, then there's no purpose in suffering, and the best you can do is get out of it quickly. We at least had at some point previously in generations, we understood that you could grow as a person and develop in character. And we still have a little bit of that, that you could somehow develop as a person so that you could become tough for the world. But now we've mostly shifted into, let's make the world soft for you. And so if anything causes pain or discomfort or suffering, you need to get rid of it, and you need to get rid of it quickly, whatever that means. Get rid of the relationship physically change, however, you can change to the point of surgeries or whatever, but we've got to change the situation so that you don't have to deal with that anymore. And in Christianity, I think we're given better answers and a better hope. We. We know that God's original design did not include any of this. And we know that through sin, suffering has entered the world. We know that it's not all earned. There are some, you know, there's rules in the world, like gravity. But a lot of the suffering that we face is not somehow earned by us or could have been avoided by our good behavior. Jesus, in his response to the disciples when they asked that question, says, neither, but so that the works of God might be displayed in Him. There's another instance In John, chapter 11, where Lazarus dies, and he says that God allowed this to happen for the sake of displaying his glory, that there's something unique that can happen in suffering and through suffering, a unique, peculiar way that God can work to display his goodness, to display his glory, to display his greatness. That only can happen in suffering. There's a unique and peculiar way that he can work in your life only through suffering, that he can't work in other ways or chooses not to. And we know because Jesus joins us in our suffering that there is no suffering that is wasted, that he's not distant from it, but he loves us in it, and that he works redemptively through it, and that we have a hope beyond it. So we don't get all the answers we want. We don't understand why some of these things happen to the degree they happen to you or to this other person, why him, not her? We don't understand those things. We actually don't get that answer. But we do know that Jesus meets us in it, cares for us, sees us, knows us. And we see specifically in this situation with Mephibosheth, a glimpse of how God cares and knows and works. And specifically in this situation with someone who's physically disabled, how he works and relates and ls. So I want to keep reading because I love what happens next. Verse 4. So Zeba just said, he's got a son.> Then the king said to him, "Where is he?" And Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar." (2 Samuel 9:4, ESV)The king sent and had him brought from Lo-debar, from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel.> Then King David sent and had him brought from Lo-debar, from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel. (2 Samuel 9:5, ESV)If you thought Ziba was uncomfortable, if you agreed with me on that assessment, Mephibosheth has to be quite nervous. If they showed up and said, hey, Mephibosheth, King David's looking for you. Why? Because you're a descendant of Saul. Great, good, normal thing to do is to go round up anybody else who could be a rival to your kingdom. You just wipe them out. And he's like, oh, okay. And they say, no, no, no, no. He wants you to come because he's going to be nice to you. Doesn't that make it worse? Feels more suspicious that way. He's got a gift for you. Sure he does. So I should, like, hug my wife and tell her bye? That's what you're saying? This isn't going to go well, but I don't know how trusting he was. It doesn't tell us. David does respond to him and tell him not to be afraid. So I think there's a. There's an indication that there was some anxiety over the situation. But it says this in verse six.> And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, "Mephibosheth." And he answered, "Behold, I am your servant." (2 Samuel 9:6, ESV)And David said to him, do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather, and you shall eat at my table always.> And David said to him, "Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather, and you shall eat at my table always." (2 Samuel 9:7, ESV)He bowed himself and said, what is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I? Then the king called Ziba Saul's servant, and said to him,> "Behold, I have given to your master's grandson all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. You and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him, and you shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat; but Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall eat at my table." (2 Samuel 9:8–10, ESV)Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then Ziba said to the king, according to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do. So Mephibosheth ate at David's table like one of the king's sons.> And Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica, and all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants. And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king's table. Now he was lame in both his feet. (2 Samuel 9:12–13, ESV)So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king's table. Now he was lame in both his feet, which will factor into the story again later as we run back into Mephibosheth. But David has welcomed him, invited him in, and placed him at his table, restored everything he could restore to him. And it's wonderful. And I think sometimes when we read these stories, when you're reading the. The Bible, sometimes you just come across something like this and you're like, okay, what do we do with that? How are we supposed to understand that? And in general, we've been trained to. When you interact with a story, that the story is trying to tell you something about life or about yourself, some sort of moral, some sort of lesson. And then we import that specifically when we come to the Bible, we're going, this is obviously written for some kind of lesson. And. And there are things that are like that. Paul says that in First Corinthians, he says these things were written down for our instruction so that we wouldn't do what they did. So that's an okay thing to do, to read the Scriptures and go, okay, yeah, let's not repeat that. Let's learn from that. Just like if you have an older sibling and they do dumb things, it's good for you to go, yeah, I'm also not going to do that. So we're able to look into this and see this. But that's not the primary way to read the Bible. We're not supposed to just take in lessons, although that's what we've been trained to do. That's. I don't know if you all know this, but every culture, stories help you understand what their ideals are, what they care about, what they value. That's why so many of the stories we tell right now are about throwing off anything that would keep you from being your real, authentic self. That's what a whole lot of our stories are about. Figuring out how to find out the real you and listen to that voice inside and seeing that with your little animal companion or whatever. Like, that's the stuff that we put out there and how your parents are stupid, that's a bonus. Just throw that in there. Don't listen to them. But that's a lot of the stories about freedom, about being alone, about figuring out how to find it all in yourself. We have a lot of those kind of stories. That's not the stories that people used to tell. We actually went and took all of the old fairy tales and turned them into that. But the old fairy tales used to be like, hey, honey, you about to go to sleep? Let me tell you a story. There was a little girl, she's about your age, her mom gave her a chore. She didn't do the chore. And she got eaten night pudding. Those were the stories. There was a mermaid, and her dad told her, don't become a person. And she became one and then suffered forever. Good night. Listen to your dad. Those are the stories. And so we. We understand, we're trying to read sometimes, and we're going, what's the lesson here? But when we come to the text, when we come to the Bible, that's secondary in our understanding. The Bible's primary purpose is to tell us the story of God and his interaction with humans and to display his greatness. This is how Jesus tells us to read the Bible. He looks at the. The Pharisees and he says, you search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have life, but it's they that testify about me. The point of the Scriptures is to point us to Christ first and foremost. So, yes, we can learn lessons and we can say we ought to be like David and we ought to be kind and we ought to be gracious. But if we're looking for ourselves in stories so often, what happens is we end up putting ourselves in the. In the position of the hero. But we're not in the position of the hero. Christ is in the position of the hero. If we're to find ourselves in this story, we're Mephibosheth. We've lost everything and have no ability to get it back. That's us in the scheme of the world. It's all gone. You've been born into an enemy house. You've been born into sin. You've chosen sin and you have no way to come back. You have nothing in yourself that can merit or earn your salvation. You have no hope on your own. But God in Christ has chosen to rescue and to redeem and to welcome each other. Enemies and to bring him into his house. Enemies who could not have accomplished anything on their own. Enemies who. Who by nature and choice have fallen away. Enemies who have rebelled, enemies who do not belong are brought in because he's good. I love that he says, for the sake of Jonathan, because it's for the sake of Christ that we're welcomed in. It's not for our sake. It's not something that you've done. It's not something that you've accomplished. It's not something that you've earned. It's something that has been accomplished by Jesus on our behalf. So if your framework for what you're trying to do, even just being here this morning is, I'm going to get it together. I'm going to fix it. I've messed some things up, but I'm going to get better. I'm going to do what's good. I'm going to do what's right. I'm going to. I'm going to change. And your intent is to do that on your own in such a way that merits you a seat at the king's table. It will never happen. But I've got better news. The king goes out of his way to seek and to save the lost. He goes out of his way to find and to bring in rebels to his house. He goes out of his way to get those who do not belong and in any other system would not be welcome. They're brought in. And I think we say this a lot, so I think you've heard it. I think we've said a lot that you're a sinner, you're broken. We don't usually use this phrase, but we could. You're like Mephibosheth. You're a dead dog. Maybe we should start. I think we say that a lot. I think what can happen sometimes is we can miss. Mephibosheth lays on his face before the king understands his position is absolute worthlessness. He has nothing to bring. And then he gets up and he goes to the table. I don't want you to miss that. Because his position at the table should be one of joy and delight and fellowship and welcome, like a king's son. He shouldn't sit forever and go, oh, my dead. He shouldn't do that. That's not the position he's in. And here's the other thing that I think sometimes happens in our mind. You might go, yes, I understand. I'm saved only by grace. Yes, I understand that Jesus did everything. Yes, yes, yes. And then somehow you work in your mind that you've snuck in the back door. Everybody else is loved and welcome, but somehow you're here on some kind of technicality. It's not how it works. I don't know if y'all can imagine with me the moments when David looked down the table at all of his sons and at Mephibosheth. I don't know if you can imagine the Moments that Mephibosheth moved or spoke or laughed like Jonathan and David's heart leapt. And how much joy and delight there was in David's heart to have him at the table. And as Christ goes to work for you and in you, I want you to know that the King of Ages will sit with us at the table and delight that we're there to the glory of Christ. And every moment that Jesus is at work in you, and he sees a glimpse of him in you, and every moment that he knows that the only way you're welcome is because of the work of the Son of God, that there's joy and delight that he's brought you in, and that his greeting is your name with an exclamation mark. You did not sneak in. You are not unwelcome. He died and shed his precious blood so that you might have a seat at the table, and he did it on purpose for you. John, chapter 10. He says, I, the good shepherd, I know my sheep. I call them by name and I lead them out. If you don't think he knows your name and doesn't delight to welcome you, you have misunderstood the greatness of our God and King, who in Christ welcomes sinners to the praise of his glory and to the light of his goodness. So if you belong to Jesus, I want you to know you don't deserve to be at the table, but I want you to know that you get to be at the table and that he delights to have us there. He's that good. Let's pray.Lord, thank you for saving sinners. And thank you that we have nothing to offer or to merit or to achieve or to accomplish, but that you searched us out. And due to your great kindness and goodness, you've welcomed us. So, Lord, may we with joy in our hearts, with heads held high, with a smile on our face, live like we're your children because Jesus is the firstborn among many brothers and that we've been welcomed because of your greatness, not ours. May we rest in that and hope in that and give you glory in that. And for anyone in this room, Lord, who's been on the run for you from you, or who thinks that they have to fix it before they can come, may they lay their face on the ground and say, lord, I don't deserve this. And then may, through your grace and your goodness and your blood, may you lift them up and give them a seat at the table, because they don't. But you're good enough, kind enough and loving enough to Bring them in. May they surrender to you in Jesus name. Amen.We're going to take a moment together before we sing. Daniel's going to come back up and play for us as we take communion together as a church family. And what we're going to do is remind ourselves that we're invited to the table. And that what invited us, what brought us in, is the blood of Christ and the breaking of his body. That the night he was betrayed, he took bread and he broke it and he gave it to his disciples. He said, this is my body broken for you. And he took the cup and he said, this is the blood of the new covenant poured out for forgiveness of sins. And that in Jesus and in his sacrifice, we have forgiveness and we are welcomed. So take a moment wherever you are, if you need to deal with the Lord on something, if you need to repent of something, if you need to talk about something that's great, throne in between you and him, then repent and do that. And then go to the table as someone who's welcomed to the table through the work of Jesus. If you are not a Christian, then communion is not for you. But the gospel is offered to you that you might trust and follow Him. So when you're ready, we'll take communion. There's gluten free at that table back there.

Join us each Sunday morning at 11am and Sunday evening at 6pm (BST).

Tactics of a Con Man: - Ziba exploits the urgency of the situation (v. 1) - Ziba builds trust through strategic generosity (v.1) - Ziba uses flattery to decrease David's skepticism (v. 2) - Ziba crafts a lie that targets David's fears (v. 3) - Ziba pushes for a quick decision (v. 4)

Today's Gospel Installment 03-29-2026 2 Samuel 19:24-30 (NKJV) 24 Now Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. And he had not cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he returned in peace. 25 So it was, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, "Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?" 26 And he answered, "My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, 'I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go to the king,' because your servant is lame. 27 And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is like the angel of God. Therefore do what is good in your eyes. 28 For all my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king. Yet you set your servant among those who eat at your own table. Therefore what right have I still to cry out anymore to the king?" 29 So the king said to him, "Why do you speak anymore of your matters? I have said, 'You and Ziba divide the land.' " 30 Then Mephibosheth said to the king, "Rather, let him take it all, inasmuch as my lord the king has come back in peace to his own house."

Original Date: 03/08/2026Rev. Ashley DusenberyReference Text:2 SAMUEL 9:1-131 And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” 4 The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. 6 And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” 8 And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David's table, like one of the king's sons. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at theking's table. Now he was lame in both his feet. 

2 Samuel 9:1-13 (NASB) 1 Then David said, "Is there yet anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?" 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" And he said, "I am your servant." 3 The king said, "Is there not yet anyone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?" And Ziba said to the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan who is crippled in both feet." 4 So the king said to him, "Where is he?" And Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lo-debar." 5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar. 6 Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and prostrated himself. And David said, "Mephibosheth." And he said, "Here is your servant!" 7 David said to him, "Do not fear, for I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan, and will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul; and you shall eat at my table regularly." 8 Again he prostrated himself and said, "What is your servant, that you should regard a dead dog like me?" 9 Then the king called Saul's servant Ziba and said to him, "All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. 10 "You and your sons and your servants shall cultivate the land for him, and you shall bring in the produce so that your master's grandson may have food; nevertheless Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall eat at my table regularly." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

You may be familiar with this verse from James 1:5: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” God wants us to be wise, and the good news is, he will grant wisdom to us as we recognize our need for it and go to the source of all wisdom, our God. We also know from Scripture the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. We want the wisdom that God imparts, not the world's fake substitute. So, this is the pre-requisite: Do you fear the Lord? Do you know and respect the one true God through a personal relationship with his Son, Jesus?  That's where God's eternal wisdom begins. Assuming you do, here are the questions you need to ask yourself often. I believe these questions will help you avoid lots of trouble, keep you from shooting yourself in the foot, as we say, and greatly increase your effectiveness, regardless of where you are or what you're doing. Question #1: Do you think before you speak? How many times have you said something—jumped quickly to give your opinion or your advice or add your two cents—and as soon as you said it, you wished the ground would just swallow you whole? Proverbs 29:20 puts it so well: “Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them.” I've often said, “I may not be good but I'm fast,” as though it is a good thing to be fast. Well, maybe it is sometimes, but to speak in haste is almost always a bad idea. Note there can be a difference between doing something with haste and doing something in haste. There are times when we do need to act with haste, quickly, for good reasons. David prays in Psalm 70:1, “Hasten, O God, to save me; come quickly, Lord, to help me.” We often pray for God to act quickly, right? And then later in Psalm 119:60, the Psalmist says, “I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.” That's the kind of haste we all need. There's no question we should hasten to obey the Lord with no delay. But speaking in haste is speaking without giving it proper thought; speaking without thinking of how it could be perceived by someone else. It is speaking foolishly. The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing (Proverbs 12:18). When you choose your words carefully, thoughtfully, not in haste, you can do so much good. Proverbs 18:21 says: “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” So, if you want to be wise, ask yourself, “Do I speak words of life or death? Do I think before I speak?” Question #2: Did you sleep on it? The simple old adage, Sleep on it, can save you lots of trouble. A wise person takes time for decisions, big and small ones, because the choices and decisions we make on a daily basis set the direction of our lives. Think about decisions that you regret. I can easily bring some recent ones to my own mind, and when I look back on decisions that didn't turn out so good, it was always because I simply didn't “sleep on it,” didn't pray enough about it, didn't always seek good counsel. Again, from Proverbs 15:22, we read: “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Wise people seek counsel from those they trust. Wise people are able to live with delayed gratification, resisting the impulse to go for the immediate reward, the instant answer. How often do you tell yourself just to sleep on it, talk to somebody you trust, pray lots? I love this verse from Jeremiah 6:16a: “This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” When you're at a decision point, especially a fairly significant one, stand at that crossroad, ask for God's path, the good way. That's how you make wise decisions that bring soul rest for you. Question #3: Have you heard both sides? No doubt you've watched some courtroom drama, whether real or in a movie, where the defendant seems totally guilty until the defense gets the chance to present the other side. And what seemed so right before now seems totally wrong. Proverbs 18:17 talks about that: “In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines.” When someone is telling you their side of some story, before you take sides, before you get into gear to take some action, before you affirm that person, find out the other side. Do your own cross-examination and make sure you have the whole truth and nothing but the truth! There's a story in 2 Samuel chapter nine about King David who was on the run because of his son Absalom’s rebellion. A man named Ziba approached him; he was the servant of Mephibosheth, who was a crippled man who truly loved King David. But Ziba told David that Mephibosheth stayed behind in Jerusalem to reclaim his grandfather Saul’s kingdom—in other words, to take David's place—which was a lie. But David believed him and gave Ziba all of Mephibosheth's possessions. When David and his men finally returned to Jerusalem, Mephibosheth came to meet the king. Then David learned that Mephibosheth stayed in Jerusalem because Ziba, his servant, refused to saddle his donkey which prevented him from going with the king, because he was crippled and couldn't saddle it himself. So, when David discovered the other side of the story, he tried to correct his mistake, but there wasn't much he could do. Just think of the harm that is so often done because someone acted before they knew the whole story.  A wise person asks, “Have I heard both sides?” Question #4: Are you reacting or responding? A reaction is usually very emotional and often is full of feelings of revenge or defensiveness. Someone hurts your feelings and you react by trying to hurt them in some way. Someone treats you unfairly and in anger you ventilate your feelings about that person or even to that person. Those are reactions. A response is a delayed reaction, where you wait until your emotions are under control. Let me give you an example of reacting versus responding. Suppose you have a co-worker and every time she opens her mouth, it seems that bad news comes out. This person never has anything nice to say about anyone or anything, and all day long you are forced to listen to her negative chatter. What does that person do to you? If you’re in react mode, this person makes you angry, irritated, and frustrated. Having to listen to all that negative talk starts to make you think and talk negatively. That’s a reaction. It’s your automatic involuntary behavior, which is caused by that external stimuli—a negative co-worker. However, you can decide to respond instead of react. A response might be a smile when she says something negative to you. Or you may say something positive in response to her negative words. That positive response will help to keep you from being irritated and frustrated, and it will offset her negative input by your positive one, which will keep you from getting negative like your co-worker. Another response to this negative co-worker might be that you simply remove yourself from her company when you can, to avoid being exposed to her negativity. Or perhaps just develop a technique of quietly changing the subject! Now, you can see a response takes some self-control and discipline on your part. First, you have to be aware of the fact you have a tendency to react poorly in this circumstance, and then you must have an alternate strategy to tell you how to respond, so that you aren’t reacting. Question #5: Are you judging a book by its cover? We all have a tendency to do this. Someone dresses very differently from the way you dress, someone has tattoos all over their body, someone has a different political view from yours—there are just so many ways that we form hard and fast opinions and ideas about people or about a situation just by the way they look—by what you see on the outside. How many people in your life are dear friends, and yet they look very different from you? They have different backgrounds, different life experiences, come from different cultures, and yet they are dear people you know and love. If you judged them by their “cover,” you might never have become good friends. I think of a person in my church, Miss Shirley, who is now with Jesus, who made it her job to stand at the front door every Sunday and welcome everyone. It was her purpose to find a stranger and make that stranger feel welcome. When I first met Miss Shirley, I wanted to take her to a hair stylist and buy her some new clothes. She did not look like she should be welcoming people at the front door! I judged her by her cover, but I came to know her as one of the most effective people in our church. She was loved by so many, and she welcomed so many people into our church who might otherwise never have connected with us. I wish we had a hundred Miss Shirleys. God used her simple appearance to break down barriers, and she was a powerhouse for the Lord. So here are the five questions a wise person will ask herself often: Do I think before I speak? Did I sleep on it? Have I heard both sides? Am I reacting or responding? Am I judging a book by its cover? Proverbs 3:13 says: “Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding.” No matter who you are, how young or how old, you can find wisdom and you will be blessed. I believe these five questions will help you.

Everyone is Welcome,No one is Perfect,And Everyone is Loved by Aubrey Botha https://cpcchurchimages.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20202821/March-16-Sermon.mp3 Romans 5:6-8 6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 2 Samuel 4:4 4 (Saul's son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth,[a] who was crippled as a child. He was five years old when the report came from Jezreel that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle. When the child's nurse heard the news, she picked him up and fled. But as she hurried away, she dropped him, and he became crippled.) 2 Samuel 9:1-9 David's Kindness to Mephibosheth 9 One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul's family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?” 2 He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul's servants. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked. “Yes sir, I am,” Ziba replied. 3 The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul's family? If so, I want to show God's kindness to them.” Ziba replied, “Yes, one of Jonathan's sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.” 4 “Where is he?” the king asked. “In Lo-debar,” Ziba told him, “at the home of Makir son of Ammiel.” 5 So David sent for him and brought him from Makir's home. 6 His name was Mephibosheth[a]; he was Jonathan's son and Saul's grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, “Greetings, Mephibosheth.” Mephibosheth replied, “I am your servant.” 7 “Don't be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king's table!” 8 Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?” 2 Samuel 9:11 11 Ziba replied, “Yes, my lord the king; I am your servant, and I will do all that you have commanded.” And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly at David's table,[c] like one of the king's own sons.

Sometimes, we spend so much of our energy believing that God will give us a breakthrough in our time of need, that we miss the fact that he's already provided us with everything we need to get through those tough times.   So Easy to Miss Sometimes we can be looking forward to something ... something that God will do; some defining moment in life, without realising what He has already done for us in the past. Let me give you an example: you are going through a tough time, perhaps some difficulty at work or in bringing up our children or in our marriages – we all go through those times. In fact it seems that there is never a time in life when there isn't some pressure or difficulty in some part of our lives. And so we start praying feverishly for God to deliver us from those tough times. We start believing Him for a miracle and a breakthrough. Now that's good; it's a good thing to do but so many people do that at the expense of realising that the changes God has already made in us – deep within our hearts. Those changes are meant to help us to travel through those difficult times. Those changes are meant to make us a blessing to others in those dark times. Those changes are meant to make His light; His glory to shine through us out into a lost and hurting world. There is a saying "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." It's absolutely right that we should pray about difficult situations but not at the expense of knowing and trusting in what God has already done; in what we already have in our hands. This is the third programme in a series that I have called "Defining Moments". It is so often the case that minor and even major miracles come through the smallest and seemingly, most insignificant event in our lives. It's a great thing about God – He gets involved in the smallest things in our lives. But sometimes ... sometimes He's not so much about wanting to do something fresh and new to deliver us out of a situation; sometimes He is calling us to rely on something that He has already done to get us through that situation. Today we are going to look at a man who is pretty well known – King David of Israel. He is on the Biblical "A" list if you like and he is probably the greatest King that Israel ever had. Now, David had quite a few defining moments in his life; he had trials, he had victories, he had failures, he had repentance – turning back to God after making a mistake. He was anointed as the King of Israel by God's prophet, Samuel when he was just a lad. He slew Goliath; he fled from Saul in the wilderness, running for his life, on and on. He won so many battles; he was so successful! David had so many defining moments that we could look at in his life but it was something ... something that God did way back before all of those things, that I think was the defining moment in David's life – the thing that carried him through all those trials; the very reason that God was able to use David so mightily in the history of Israel. Here's how it happened. Israel didn't have a King – their system of government was a theocracy – that meant that God was their King. He would send leaders like Moses and Joshua to lead them and then finally, when they made it out of Egypt through the exodus for forty years, into the Promised Land, He had a series of Judges to judge over Israel – that's all they needed – to judge whether the people had met God's law or not. So these Judges presided over Israel. When they needed specific revelation or guidance or instruction from God, God used men called prophets, to speak His specific will into the life of Israel. But eventually, people decided they wanted a King like all the other nations, so God gave them Saul. Saul was the first King of Israel and he was okay for a while, but pretty soon he turned out to be an abject failure. So God removed His anointing from Saul; that divine appointment and empowerment and God said, "No more, that's enough. Saul is no longer My anointed King, even though Saul continued on in the position of King." That's how it went – if you have got a Bible, grab it, open it at First Samuel chapter 13, verse 13: Samuel the prophet said to Saul, "You have done foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. The Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever, but now your kingdom will not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after His own heart and the Lord has appointed him to be ruler over His people because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you. And therein lies, I think, the defining moment for David, even before David's name is mentioned – the moment when God took the ordinary and turned him into the extraordinary. Later on we discover that this new King is to be David; the shepherd boy, that not even his father thought enough of to bring him before Samuel, the prophet, with his other brothers, to be anointed as King. This was just an ordinary, everyday little shepherd boy. He was created in his mother's womb to be a man after God's own heart; equipped in his very DNA to be a man that God had planned for him to be. And in those lonely times, pasturing his sheep out there on his own, fighting bears and lions and protecting the flock; those seemingly ordinary shepherd things, all along God was growing and developing that heart in David; the shepherd who would be King. Most of us will know the terrible times that David went through – times when Saul was hunting him down to kill him and yet David refused even to raise his hand against Saul. We are going to share in one particular time to see how this heart worked out in his life. Saul is in a cave; Saul is out there hunting David to kill him – why? Because he realises that people are starting to follow David and he is desperately wanting to cling onto power, so he decides to kill David. So David, in this cave, has an opportunity to kill Saul but instead of killing him in the dark, he sneaks up and cuts part of Saul's robe off in the dark. And then calls out to Saul and says, See, this proves that I had the opportunity to kill you and I didn't harm you. I am never going to harm you. I will not raise my hand against God's anointed. Let's pick it up in First Samuel chapter 24, beginning at verse 12 – and so David says to Saul, look: May the Lord judge between you and me. May the Lord avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you. As the ancient proverb says, 'Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness,' but my hand shall not be against you," says David to King Saul. "Against whom shall the King of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A single flea? May the Lord therefore be judge and give sentence between you and me. May He see to it and plead my cause and vindicate me against you." When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son, David?" Saul lifted up his voice and wept. He said to David, "You are more righteous than I for you have repaid me with good whereas I have repaid you evil. Today you have explained how you have dealt well with me and that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. For who has ever found an enemy and sent the enemy safely away? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me. Now I know that you shall surely be King and that the Kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. So swear to me therefore, by the Lord, that you will not cut off my descendants after me and that you will not wipe out my name from my father's house." So David swore this to Saul and then Saul went home but David and his men went up to a stronghold. We are going to have a look how that promise worked its way out in David's life next.   A Promise Fulfilled Pretty amazing stuff for how David reacted to Saul and what an amazing promise that David makes to Saul, to bless his descendants when he becomes King and even more amazing, when Saul and his sons die, David mourns their death. I mean Saul hunted him down and tried to kill him. I don't know, my hunch is, I would have been celebrating Saul's death – "Finally now I'm safe, finally now I'm King" – but not David. You can read it in Second Samuel chapter 1, verse 12: He mourned and wept and fasted for Saul and his son Jonathan when they died. Right now we are going to look at how ordinary people become extraordinary. How the heart that God put into David shines forth the love and the glory of God in the most beautiful way as he fulfils his promise to Saul. And he does it in the life of a young man called Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son. So Saul had a son called Jonathan, Jonathan before he died, had a son called Mephibosheth. Now most people have never heard of Mephibosheth - he is definitely not on the Biblical 'A' list. This is one of those stories we don't hear that much. It's not about some great victory of King David; it's not about some spectacular battle or anything like that. Let's have a look at it – we pick it up in Second Samuel chapter 9, beginning at verse 1: David asked, "Is there anyone left of the house of Saul to whom I may show kindness for Jonathan's sake?" Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba and he was summoned to David and the King said to him, "Are you Ziba?" and he answered, "Yes, at your service!" So the King said, "Is there anyone remaining in the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?" And Ziba said to the King, "There remains a son of Jonathan. He is crippled in his feet." The King said to him, "Where is he?" And Ziba said to the King, "He is in the house of Machir son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar." Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, son of Saul came to David and fell on his face and did obeisance. David said, "Mephibosheth!" He answered, "I am your servant." David said to him, "Do not be afraid, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan; I will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul and you yourself shall eat at my table always." He did obeisance and said, "What is your servant that you should look upon a dead dog like me?" Then the King summoned Saul's servant Ziba, and said to him, "All that belonged to Saul and to all his house, I have given to your master's grandson. You and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, so that your master's grandson may have food to eat; but your master's grandson Mephibosheth shall always eat at my table." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then Ziba said to the King, "According to all that my lord the King commands his servant, your servant shall do." So Mephibosheth ate at David's table, like one of the King's sons. Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants. Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he always ate at the King's table. Now he was lame in both his feet. See, so often there was a bloody transition of power from one King to another. You know, the new King would kill, not only the old King but all the descendants of the old King to make sure that there would be no challenge to the throne from the old King's bloodline. Mephibosheth was Saul's grandson – he was crippled in his feet, living in obscurity in Lo-debar, hoping not to be noticed. And I use that term "crippled" which is politically incorrect these days – I use that word deliberately because there was no political correctness in those days. If you were disabled, you were at the bottom of the heap – almost an outcast. And yet here for the sake of David's covenant with Saul and his friendship with Jonathan, David elevates Mephibosheth to the King's table and restores all the possessions of King Saul, his grandfather, to Mephibosheth, this young man. What an absolutely extraordinary act of grace! For Mephibosheth it was like ... like winning the lottery – it was unbelievable. In fact, it's the accumulation of a pattern in the life of David. Saul twice tries to kill David and twice David has the opportunity to strike Saul down; to take the throne; to guarantee his safety. After all, hadn't David already been anointed by the prophet Samuel as King? "Come on, David, just do it, get on with it. End this pain and misery and risk – believe in a breakthrough from God. Take things into your own hands." That's what David's followers were urging him to do but David's response in First Samuel chapter 24, verse 6, is this: He said to his men, "The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to raise my hand against him; for he is the Lord's anointed." Twice, at his own risk, refuses to kill Saul and then when David learns of Saul's death, he goes into mourning and now ... now to cap all this off, he pours his favour and his grace and his mercy and his possessions on the descendant; the grandson of the man who hunted him like an animal. Do you see how David refused to take things into his own hands, to end his suffering, to ensure his own safety? And as utterly extraordinary as his behaviour was, it was like it was the most naturally, ordinary, obvious thing for him to do. Do you see that? Why? Because David ... David was a man after God's own heart. David didn't spend his time looking for a breakthrough; he lived through the trials with the heart of God in him. That's why he blessed Mephibosheth – that's why he was the perfect shepherd King for Israel – a man after God's own heart.   Where it All Began So what are we to learn from this story? Is today's message as simple as "Well, be like David?" Um, no, I don't think so – I don't know about you but I'm no David. I think there is a much deeper; much more wonderful story for you and for me to discover here. It's not just about ourselves; not just about David – it's about God. So what was this defining moment in David's story; when did it happen? Well, it's before David was anointed King, it's before David had his battles and his trials and his victories and ... and all that stuff. When was David's defining moment; when did he receive a heart that was the same as God's? Right back at the beginning – actually David knew that. He wrote a Psalm; he wrote Psalm 139. Let's just listen to what he wrote here – Psalm 139 beginning at verse 13. This is David writing this. He is saying to God: For it was You who formed my inward parts; it was You who knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works O God, that I know very well. My frame, it wasn't hidden from You when I was being made in secret, intricately woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In Your book were written all the days that were formed for me when none of them as yet existed. How weighty to me are Your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them. I try and count them but they are more than the sand; I come to the end – and I am still with You. That's a Psalm of David! David realised what was going on here. He looks back and he realises that God handcrafted him in his mother's womb. That heart of God that was in him was part of his very DNA blueprint. But not only that – all those days as a shepherd - protecting his flock – were part of God's plan. Listen how David talks about those days, when as a young man, he convinces Saul to let him go up against Goliath in that famous battle. First Samuel chapter 17, beginning at verse 33: Saul said to David, "You are not able to go up against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy and he has been a warrior from his youth." But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep sheep for his father and whenever a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I went straight after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth. And if it turned against me I would catch it by the jaw and strike it down and kill it. Your servant has killed both lions and bears and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them to me, since he has defied the armies of the living God." See, David seemed to know that not only was the heart of God handcrafted in him but those very mundane days of being a shepherd boy and protecting a flock of sheep and going after the lost lamb – those seemingly mundane, everyday things in his life thus far, had prepared him for this battle against the giant Goliath. David knew that the way that God had made him, had prepared him to be the shepherd of Israel. Do you see what God is saying to you and me today? Do you have any idea what God has done in handcrafting your DNA and mine, in putting His heart into you and to me? Do you have any idea how carefully He has prepared us through every moment of every day for a time just as this? Through all the boring and mundane and everyday things that we have travelled through – who we are and what we have been through are such a perfect fit, because they are part of God's plan to prepare us to be who He has called us to be – to do what He has called us to do. "But Berni", I hear you say, "You don't understand how mundane my life has been. You have no idea what a hash I have made of things. Maybe David is a man after God's own heart, but me? No!" You and I were never meant to be David; you were always meant to be you – I was always meant to be me. Wake up! Stop comparing! When we look at our lives they are so mundane! You know, ninety nine point nine percent of life is mundane but the miracle in it is that every moment is part of God's plan. Every hair on our heads is known to God! What defines us is not the mundane – what defines us is God's plan – for every strand of our DNA and for every moment of every day that we live and breathe on this earth. When we are going through tough times, should we pray – should we ask God for a breakthrough? Absolutely, we should! But so often God's plan is for us to live through those things, with what He has already put in us. The defining moment happened a long time ago. Jesus spent forty days and nights in the wilderness, being tempted by the devil and starving. He didn't spend five days, not ten, not twenty, not thirty or thirty five or thirty nine – God's plan was for Him to spend forty days. And we don't know how long our wilderness tour is going to last but this thing we do know, God ... God has prepared us for times such as this. God is preparing us right now for the future He has planned. There is such wonder in who He has made us to be. He has given us everything we need through Christ, to live out today with His joy in our hearts, for His glory. Who knows, maybe today or tomorrow or the next day, maybe He will bring a Mephibosheth into our lives for us to lavish His grace and His kindness and His mercy and His love upon that person. Who knows what God has got planned? Who knows how long the trials are going to last? Sometimes God just wants us to rest on what He has already done and just live day by day by day through the things that He is calling us to travel through.

"One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul's family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?” 2 He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul's servants. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked. “Yes sir, I am,” Ziba replied. The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul's family? If so, I want to show God's kindness to them.” Ziba replied, “Yes, one of Jonathan's sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.” “Where is he?” the king asked. “In Lo-debar,” Ziba told him, “at the home of Makir son of Ammiel.” So David sent for him and brought him from Makir's home. His name was Mephibosheth; he was Jonathan's son and Saul's grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, “Greetings, Mephibosheth.” Mephibosheth replied, “I am your servant.” “Don't be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king's table!” Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?” Then the king summoned Saul's servant Ziba and said, “I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master's household. But Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, will eat here at my table.” (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.) Ziba replied, “Yes, my lord the king; I am your servant, and I will do all that you have commanded.” And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly at David's table, like one of the king's own sons." - 2 Samuel 9:1-11 NLTRestore Church | Yorkville, ILSunday Mornings | 10 AMJordan & Melissa Gash, Pastorshttps://www.restorechurchyorkville.com

"One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul's family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?” 2 He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul's servants. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked. “Yes sir, I am,” Ziba replied. The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul's family? If so, I want to show God's kindness to them.” Ziba replied, “Yes, one of Jonathan's sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.” “Where is he?” the king asked. “In Lo-debar,” Ziba told him, “at the home of Makir son of Ammiel.” So David sent for him and brought him from Makir's home. His name was Mephibosheth; he was Jonathan's son and Saul's grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, “Greetings, Mephibosheth.” Mephibosheth replied, “I am your servant.” “Don't be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king's table!” Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?” Then the king summoned Saul's servant Ziba and said, “I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master's household. But Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, will eat here at my table.” (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.) Ziba replied, “Yes, my lord the king; I am your servant, and I will do all that you have commanded.” And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly at David's table, like one of the king's own sons." - 2 Samuel 9:1-11 NLTRestore Church | Yorkville, ILSunday Mornings | 10 AMJordan & Melissa Gash, Pastorshttps://www.restorechurchyorkville.com

2 Samuel 9David's Kindness to Mephibosheth[1] And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” [2] Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” [3] And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” [4] The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” [5] Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. [6] And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” [7] And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” [8] And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”[9] Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. [10] And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. [11] Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David's table, like one of the king's sons. [12] And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants. [13] So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king's table. Now he was lame in both his feet. (ESV)

This chapter highlights how Ziba and Shemei reacted to David at his lowest moment.

From Lo Debar to the King's Table • Friday Service Website: www.PastorTodd.org To give: www.ToddCoconato.com/give 2 Samuel 4:4 (NKJV) Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel; and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth. 2 Samuel 9:4 (NKJV) So the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.” 2 Samuel 9:5 (NKJV) Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar. 2 Samuel 9:6-7 (NKJV) Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, “Mephibosheth?” And he answered, “Here is your servant!” So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.” 2 Samuel 9:8 (NKJV) Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?” 2 Samuel 9:11 (NKJV) Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do.” As for Mephibosheth,” said the king, “he shall eat at my table like one of the king's sons.” 2 Samuel 9:12 (NKJV) Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micha. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth. 2 Samuel 9:13 (NKJV) So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king's table. And he was lame in both his feet. Ephesians 2:4-6 (NKJV) But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

The 1859 gold rush to Colorado is on! "Pike's Peak or bust!" was the saying of many a fortune hunter who headed out west, but what about those left behind? In this episode, passages from a newly married woman's diary are read, and we discuss some aspects of the gold rush itself. Mira missed her husband Ziba dearly and she wrote down her deepest thoughts. Imagine today having to wait months to learn about a loved one's situation, or possibly hearing nothing at all until they returned. There were physical and emotional hardships on both ends during a time when many people died separated from each other.Send us a textPlease go to: https://diarydiscoveries.com to see episode photos and read our blog. Thank You.

POWER HALF HOUR – Ep146 | August 12 Super excited to welcome Axel Ziba as our guest! With over three decades of hospitality, retail, and sales experience, Axel has become a powerhouse Team Manager and Associate Broker—known for coaching, innovation, and forging industry-leading partnerships The Align Group . Topic: Is SEO Dead? Curious headlines, bold claims—but what's the real answer? Get ready for an unfiltered, expert breakdown of what's working now, what's fading out, and how to pivot your marketing with intention. Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to my channel! :) ---------- What is the POWER HALF HOUR? A sharp, no-fluff 30-minute interview with a top-performing influencer— usually in real estate. Our guests pull back the curtain on their motivations, success stories, and top business strategies. Tune in live via Zoom or Facebook Live every Wednesday. (DM me for the links!) ---------- STAY CONNECTED with John Tsai, eXp Realty Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tsairealestate YouTube https://www.youtube.com/johntsaiprec  ---------- CHECK OUT my book that launched on Amazon.com and .ca on July 12, 2021. Search: How To Be A Beast by John Tsai.

Mephibosheth. 1. The impulse to show kindness 2. Broken feet and broken hearts - some people's woundedness is obvious; others is not . . . we need to care for both. We have fractured relationships with ourselves, with God, with others, with the earth. 3. The invitation: Are you willing to be a Ziba? One who invites others to the king's table. 4. Welcomed Home: We can come as we are and be assured of a welcome. God's kindness leads us to repentance. We can experience acceptance and restoration.

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Episode 235 - This week on Till the Dirt, we're talking all things summer fun! Shams is absolutely loving camp, and we share our experience tasting the new Peak 7 Vodka spritzer. We also discuss Tom Sandoval's audition for America's Got Talent, Vida's missing tooth, and play a hilarious couples game: Princess Treatment or the Bare Minimum. Plus, we get into the underbelly of Hollywood and whether we might know a fixer, MJ's uneasy feeling with a stranger while charging her car, and Tommy's eavesdropping on a mother-daughter fight. Finally, we're gearing up for cousin Ziba and her daughter's visit and more summer shenanigans. Tune in for all the fun, drama, and laughs! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Second Samuel 16 Take Aways:1. While the craftiness of Ziba allowed him to temporarily steal away the inheritance of Mephibosheth, his slanderous conduct will later be addressed with consequences reminding us that deceptive behavior will eventually be exposed and judged accordingly—“For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:142. Though Shimei wrongly cursed David, the king did not revile in return but instead trusted the Lord God to defend and avenge him; may we strive to demonstrate such patient meekness in similar situations—1 Peter 2:23 considers the conduct of Jesus saying “when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously”3. Absalom accepted wicked counsel and willingly established his kingdom upon immorality which will never generate a blessed legacy reminding us of the importance of seeking godly wisdom and abiding in righteousness—“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:1-2

As David goes past the Mount of Olives, Ziba, a servant of Saul's house, comes and offers David help while claiming the house of Saul intends to retake the throne. Unable to investigate the matter fully, David receives the needed aid. As the king continues to flee, another member of Saul's house curses David. The king refuses to return violence or take vengeance, but instead he receives it as the LORD's chastisement and waits for the LORD's deliverance. Meanwhile in Jerusalem, the LORD's Word concerning judgment for David's sin comes to pass as Absalom violates his father's concubines after receiving treacherous advice.  Rev. Andy Wright, pastor at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Topeka, KS, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 2 Samuel 16:1-23.  "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

02-01-25 Girl Talk with Blush and Co., and Ziba Graham, Jr. by

January is the number one month of divorce so Anna and Raven meet with Ziba Graham, a licensed clinical social worker who has helped hundreds of couples improve the quality of their marriages and author ofFix Your Marriage Without Counseling: A Practical Method Men Will Appreciate! He shares some tips on how to prevent divorce in couples and increase successful relationships! You can find his book at https://www.fixyourmarriagebook.com/!

2 Samuel 9 (ESV) 1 And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are […] The post David and Mephibosheth (2 Sam 9) first appeared on Hope of Christ Church.

église AB Lausanne ; KJV 2 Samuel (2 Kings) 16 And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink. And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father. Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king. And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came. And he cast 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 thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? ...

2 Samuel 9 (ESV) David's Kindness to Mephibosheth 9And David said, Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I mayshow him kindness for Jonathan's sake?2Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name wasZiba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, Are you Ziba? And he said, I am your servant.3And the king said, Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may showthe kindness of God to him? Ziba said to the king, There is still a son ofJonathan; he is crippled in his feet.4The king said to him, Where is he? And Ziba said to the king, He is in the house ofMachir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.5Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.6AndMephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, Mephibosheth! And he answered, Behold, I am your servant.7And David said to him, Do not fear,for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, andyou shall eat at my table always.8And he paid homage and said, What is your servant, that you should show regard fora dead dog such as I? 9Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson.10And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandsonshall always eat at my table. Now Ziba hadfifteen sons and twenty servants.11Then Ziba said to the king, According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do. So Mephiboshethate at David'stable, like one of the king's sons.12And Mephibosheth had a young son,whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants.13So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, forhe ate always at the king's table. Nowhe was lame in both his feet.

Can you really fix your marriage without counseling? In this episode, Kari Hawker chats with author Ziba Graham Jr. about his book, Fix Your Marriage Without Counseling: A Practical Method Men Will Appreciate. Ziba, a seasoned couple's therapist, shares why traditional counseling isn't always the best route for couples facing tough times. Instead of just venting about what's wrong, he offers real, practical strategies to help improve communication, avoid blame, and encourage positive changes without the nagging. Kari, Brooke, David, Kaime and Elora host Fresh Living on KUTV, which airs on CBS Channel 2 every weekday at 1 pm in Utah. You can follow Fresh Living on all social media platforms @kutvfreshliving and watch our show on YouTube.

2 Samuel 9 vs 1-10. "One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul's family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?”  He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul's servants. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked. “Yes sir, I am,” Ziba replied. The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul's family? If so, I want to show God's kindness to them.” Ziba replied, “Yes, one of Jonathan's sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.” “Where is he?” the king asked.“In Lo-debar,” Ziba told him, “at the home of Makir son of Ammiel.” So David sent for him and brought him from Makir's home. His name was Mephiboshet; he was Jonathan's son and Saul's grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, “Greetings, Mephibosheth.” Mephibosheth replied, “I am your servant.” “Don't be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king's table!” Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?”Then the king summoned Saul's servant Ziba and said, “I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family.  You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master's household. But Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, will eat here at my table.” (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

In this festival special, Anna Smith island hops across some of the most unique film festivals of the season, taking listeners from Sea Change festival in Scotland's Tiree to the London Film Festival before ending in Mallorca to hear about the upcoming Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival 2024. First, Anna reports from this year's Sea Change Film Festival in the Inner Hebrides. She speaks with filmmaker Jeanie Finlay (Your Fat Friend, Seahorse) and festival-goers like Reclaim The Frame's Melanie Iredale about their time at Scotland's only annual festival dedicated to powering women in film. Next, she heads to the BFI London Film Festival to meet actor Deba Hekmat and writer Helen Simmons, whose film Last Swim has its premiere at this year's festival. This coming of age drama tells the story of Ziba, a young woman who celebrates her A-Level results with friends while grappling with a personal secret. With Anna, Deba discusses the authenticity of the film's dialogue, how it captured Gen Z sensibilities almost perfectly, and how she resonated with the character of Ziba. Helen reflects on working with a translator to capture an authentic Farsi that is spoken by Ziba and her mother in Last Swim, as well as speaking about the lack of representation of driven and intelligent young women in film. Anna also catches up with some friends of the podcast when she is out and about at LFF. Finally, it's off to Spain for a preview of the Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival. Anna sits down with festival director Sandra Lipski to discuss some of her feminist festival highlights. Sandra gives us an insight into the 2024 lineup, including the festival's plan to welcome five time Academy Award-nominee Annette Bening to Mallorca's sunny shores. Films Mentioned: Last Swim (2024) Black Box Diaries (2024) Anora (2024) Conclave (2024) All We Imagine As Light (2024) Twiggy (2024) The Extraordinary Miss Flower (2024) Las chicas de la estación (2024) The Grifters (1990) The Outrun (2024) Endurance (2024) Emilia Perez (2024) Your Fat Friend (2023) Widow Clicquot (2024) Hoard (2024) Principal Partners: Vanessa Smith and Peter Brewer Our partners for this episode: Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival You can buy tickets for Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival from the 17th October 2024 via this link: https://www.evolutionfilmfestival.com/tickets Sign up to the Girls On Film newsletter below: http://eepurl.com/iEKaM-/ or email girlsonfilmsocial@gmail.com to be signed up. Become a patron of Girls On Film on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast Follow us on socials: www.instagram.com/girlsonfilm_podcast/ www.facebook.com/girlsonfilmpodcast www.x.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod www.x/annasmithjourno Watch Girls On Film on the BFI's YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX…L89QKZsN5Tgr3vn7z Girls On Film is an HLA production. Host: Anna Smith Executive Producer: Hedda Lornie Archbold Producer: Charlotte Matheson Intern: Anna Swartz Audio editor: Benjamin Cook House band: MX Tyrants © HLA Agency

We meet Ed McIlory to find out about his new Iberia-inspired opening, Tollington's, in north London. Also on the programme: Marisa Mazria Katz meets the founders of Ziba, a US-based company that aims to bring the distinctive taste of Afghan fruit and nuts to the world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know the third week of September is known as “Peak Week,” when there is a spike in asthma attacks requiring emergency room visits or hospitalizations? On tonight's show, we're going to focus on severe asthma with Dr. Payel Gupta, triple-board certified doctor and allergy specialist, & Ziba Lennox, mother and blogger living with severe asthma. After that, we'll have an encore presentation with Jerolyn Nivens Cater as she shares about becoming a living donor through Legacy of Hope.

Sermon by Preaching Elder Billy Dalton 

Daily Dose of Hope August 19, 2024 Day 2 of Week 21 Scripture:  2 Samuel 15-17; Psalms 3, 63; Romans 1 Happy Monday, everyone.  Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope.  Let's get started. We are continuing our journey through 2 Samuel, beginning with chapter 15.  Absalom is positioning himself to take over as king. Having his own chariot and horses was certainly a sign of prominence and royalty.  He also enlists fifty men to be with him wherever he went; this would have made quite an impression.  Absalom begins to act like a king, although he wasn't one, by administering “divine justice” for the citizens. By getting up early and standing by the city gate, Absalom would basically intercept anyone heading to David's court and offer his own advice and wisdom. He was pretty shady–he wanted the people to think that he cared for them more than David and attempted to alienate the common people from the king.  And it worked.  We don't know whether David was aware of Absalom's actions but most indications are that he didn't know or didn't take it seriously.  Later in the chapter, David is informed by a messenger that Absalom was planning a coup and that the hearts of the people of Israel were with Absalom, not David.  It's only then that David acts by telling his people to flee.  David, the fierce military leader, is going to flee the city and is encouraging his followers to do the same. How could David have been so clueless as to what was going on right outside the palace?  Was he that disconnected from his people that he didn't see a shift in allegiances?  Maybe he had grown too comfortable in the palace or grown complacent in his position, taking for granted God's protection.  Being king meant power, prestige, tremendous creature comforts, and also a certain amount of isolation and not a lot of accountability.  Was he walking with God? That leads us to chapter 16. David is fleeing Jerusalem with his entire household.  He encounters both help and support (Ziba offers donkeys and large quantities of food) and he faces violence and opposition (from Shimel, a Saulite).  Please be sure to read through the whole text for the specifics.  One can only imagine how arduous the travel would be.  It's interesting though. There is still nothing in the Scripture about David asking the Lord for direction or help.  David is leaving Jerusalem while his son Absalom is arriving in the palace.  Absalom, who has just successfully carried out a bloodless coup, decides to ask advice from Ahithophel how to ensure his grip on the throne and the palace.  Keep in mind that at one time Ahithophel was one of King David's most trusted advisors but he turned against David. Ahithophel felt betrayed by King David, as Bathsheba was his granddaughter; David brought shame to his family. Nevertheless, he gives Absalom some pretty bad advice, telling him to sleep with his father's concubines on the roof of the palace for all of Israel to see. Maybe Ahithophel thought this was retribution, an eye for an eye.  But it also violated God's law.  Anger and bitterness have a way of making people make terrible decisions and give horrible advice.  I'm wondering if there is something in your life right now, a lingering anger or bitterness, that needs to be given to God. You see, without us even realizing it, these feelings of rage and resentment can eat at us and create a wedge between us and God. They can color our view of the world. What do you need to give to God today? The drama continues in chapter 17.  Hushai, a trusted advisor of King David, has convinced Absalom that he has switched camps.  He is essentially a spy for David.  Ahithophel has already offered advice to Absalom but Hushai intervenes and offers his own strategy.  Absalom decides to go with Hushai's plan of action for attacking David and his troops.  This allows Hushai time to get word to David so they will be prepared for what is to come.  From whom do you get your advice and guidance?  Obviously, we want to seek guidance first from the Lord.  But then, it is often helpful to have people who we trust to advise us in times of struggle or when a big decision needs to be made.  And my suggestion would be to choose these people wisely!  As we have witnessed in these texts, anyone can offer advice but only a few offer wise counsel.  Think about it.  Who do you go to for wise counsel?  Why have you chosen them?  If you don't have those people in your life, pray about who God might have put in your life for just that purpose.  Friends, we need one another. Be sure to read the Psalms for today.  Psalm 3 describes David state of mind as he is fleeing from Absalom.  He now acknowledges that his deliverance will only come from God.  Psalm 63 finds David in the dessert.  This also could have been while he was running away from his power-hungry son.  I always find the psalms so fascinating.  We don't necessarily get David's thoughts in 2 Samuel but the psalms give us a picture of his pleading with God.  It seems that it is in crisis that David is closest to God.  How many of us can relate?  Not that we want hardship, but it does drive us closer to the Lord.  We are also starting the book of Romans today.  Romans is probably one of the most impactful books of the Bible.  Much of our Christian doctrine is rooted in this book.  My own experience in Romans is that sometimes I need to read a chapter more than once to understand its meaning.  Don't be discouraged if that is the case for you too.  Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide your reading and reveal what God wants you to know in each chapter.  Romans is written in the form a letter.  Paul starts by identifying himself: he is a servant of Christ, an apostle, and one who is set apart for the Gospel.  He is writing to a church in Rome that he did not establish and has not yet visited.  He wants to be clear from the beginning who he is and what he believes.  He is clear that the purpose of his writing is Jesus.  Really, it's all about Jesus Christ, and we will see that theme woven throughout the entirety of Romans.  It's certainly a good reminder for us–it is simply all about Jesus. We get quite distracted but Jesus is what matters. In the middle of the chapter, Paul is clear about his purpose - sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Take a look at some of the statements that Paul makes: -I am obligated to both Greeks and non-Greeks, to those who are wise and foolish -I am eager to preach the Gospel to those in Rome -I am not ashamed of the Gospel. Paul knows who and whose he is and that defines every other aspect of his life.  He is a person sent to share the Good News to all people, he is looking forward to preaching Jesus to the people of Rome, and he is totally unashamed, unembarrassed, and ready to be a minister of the Gospel.   What are your thoughts about this?  We live in a time and culture in which people are hesitant to share their faith, worried about people's reactions, and content to just leave things be.  Paul was anything but content.  He felt obligated, eager, and totally unashamed!  Spend some time in prayer asking God to speak to you, specifically what God wants you to learn from Paul and our new study of Romans.  Ask God to open your heart and mind to new concepts and challenges. Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope August 14, 2024 Day 4 of Week 20   Scripture:  2 Samuel 9-10; 1 Chronicles 18-19; Psalm 89; Acts 26   Welcome back, everyone, to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  We have a lot of Scripture to talk about today so let's get to it.   Let's get started with 2 Samuel.  In 2 Samuel chapter 9, we see David making good on his promise to Saul and his commitment to Jonathan, Saul's son.  Despite the fact that Saul tried to kill David numerous times, it was David's commitment to care for Saul's descendants.  He also wanted to “show kindness for Jonathan's sake.”  If you recall, Jonathan was David's best friend who risked his own life to save David's.  Thus, David asks one of Saul's former servants, named Ziba, if there are any descendants of Saul remaining.  Ziba is honest and tells David about one of Jonathan's sons who lives in self-imposed exile with his family.  This son's name was Mephibosheth and he was disabled.    David then offers Mephibosheth the land that belonged to Saul and includes him at the royal table.  Mephibosheth asks, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”  It reminded me of our discussion yesterday, when David asks God, “Who am I that you should bless me?”  Again, we have this beautiful picture of grace.    Let's head over to chapter 10.  In an attempt to show kindness and build alliances, David sends a delegation to the new king of the Ammonites.  David had a good relationship with the king's father and wanted to continue that relationship with the king.  But the new king was not so wise. His advisors tell him that this delegation from Israel may actually be spies, sizing up the area for a conquest. The king takes their advice to heart, or possibly wants to exert his independence from the more powerful Israel, so he humiliates the men in the delegation by sending them home with half a beard and half-naked.   In those days, this was basically a declaration of war.  The Ammonites expected Israel to respond militarily so they hire mercenaries, the Arameans, to help them fight.  But neither group is a match for the army of Israel, led by Joab. J.oab is strategic and brave, leading the men to victory despite formidable odds. In the end, the Ammonites plan backfired. Israel becomes the strongest nation in the area, politically, militarily, and economically. With God on their side, they cannot be stopped.   Our passage from I Chronicles details several different battles during which the army of Israel was victorious.  In I Chronicles 18 (as in 2 Kings 10 - it's the same story), the Hebrews are humiliated by the Ammonites and they respond by setting up battle lines.  With Joab and David commanding the army, Israel is victorious.  God is clearly with them.   I Chronicles 19 is a little different.  Yes, it's about war.  The Israeli army conquers Rappha.  But it also says that in the spring, the kings go off to war.  Did you notice that David did not go?  On first glance, that's really puzzling.  David was excellent in battle.  Maybe he didn't think this offensive was worth his time or he was just getting lazy.  But he should have been with his men.    What we know is that David staying home led to trouble.  He saw a woman bathing.  Maybe you have heard of her?  Her name is Bathsheba.  He then commits adultery (many would say rape because there is no way she had any say in the matter).  When she ends up pregnant, he sends her husband, Uriah, to the front lines to be killed (in the same battle, he himself should have participated).  Certainly, a lot happened from the time David sent his men off to war and their conquering of Rappah.  It's curious that Chronicles does not chronicle this very significant event.  What are your thoughts about this?  Why does the chronicler leave this out of the passage?   Psalm 89 is written by Ethan the Ezrahite.  He was a very wise man.  He is mentioned in I Chronicles 2 and I Kings 4.  His psalm praises God and also reaffirms God's covenant with David.  No matter what David's sons do (and David's sons have some big issues that we will be talking about soon), God will keep his promise to David.  His throne will last forever.  Of course, we know that it is Jesus who will sit on David's throne and fulfill the covenant but that isn't obvious to anyone yet.    Our New Testament passage is Acts 26.  Now, Paul is pleading his case before King Agrippa, to be more precise King Herod Agrippa II.  Let's think about the power-hungry and unethical family of Herodians that had lorded authority over the Jews in the past several generations.  The Herods were essentially puppet kings who the Romans put in charge of Judea.  There was Herod the Great who tried to kill baby Jesus.  Then there was his son, Herod Antipas, who beheaded John the Baptist for speaking out about his illegitimate marriage.  Next in line was Agrippa I who beheaded James, the son of Zebedee.  Now, Paul is standing before Agrippa II, with no sign of fear, simply speaking the truth with clarity and boldness.   In today's passage, governor Festus has accused Paul of insanity after hearing his full testimony, including his conversion on the road to Damascus.  In response, Paul speaks directly to Agrippa, knowing that he was very familiar with the ways of the Jews.  As Paul stands there in chains, he forcefully asks the king if he believes in the ways of the prophets.  I kind of picture the king embarrassed in front of all his Roman/pagan friends, stammering, not quite knowing how to answer.  So he asks Paul, "Do you think you can convince me to be a Christian in such a short time?"  There must have been something about Agrippa that Paul knew he was curious and open.  Maybe God told him to direct his questions to Agrippa.  We can assume that throughout this whole trial, the Holy Spirit is directing Paul's words and actions. There is a purpose for each trial, for each giving of testimony, for each conversation, because in each setting, more and more people are exposed to the Gospel.    What's interesting to me at the end of this chapter, Agrippa and Festus are talking and say that it's a shame that Paul has appealed to the emperor because he had done nothing wrong and they could release him.  However, his appeal meant he would be heading to Rome to testify once more.  What they don't understand is that this isn't simply about Paul's freedom, it's about carrying the Good News to people and places it had never been before. God's up to something more.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Dr. Randy White delves into 2 Samuel 16, exploring Absalom's rebellion, Ziba's deception, Shimei's curses, and the contrasting advice of Hushai and Ahithophel.

And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” 4 The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. 6 And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” 8 And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David's[a] table, like one of the king's sons. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king's table. Now he was lame in both his feet.

Please join us Right Now,  July 15, 2024  at 11:00AM PST as Actor, Director, Playwright David Datz, Iranian-American Writer, Singer Songwriter Ziba Shirazi and Actor, Playwright Tom Dugan join host Ron Brewington on "The Actor's Choice."

2 Samuel 9:1-13 “Now David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “At your service!” Then the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.” So the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.” Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar. Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, “Mephibosheth?” And he answered, “Here is your servant!” So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.” Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?” I declare that today by the power of the Holy Spirit ,I change addresses.  Just like Mephibosheth, I  part ways with the system of Lo-debar; the land of no- thing, the land of devastation  and  desolation , the land of fruitlessness and barrenness and make my way into the courts of the King where the King expectantly awaits my arrival.  I refuse to reside in the mindset of Lo-debar where any God like notions of my identity are stifled and killed ,I drag my mind and soul from Lo-debar and my soul follows suit. Lo-debar; every label and souvenir you have given me ,I release it to Jesus and pick up the ones he gives to me in the courts of Heaven.  Oh my soul march onwards and forward into a New Day, where  you  sit at the table of the King  and you dine as one of the sons of the King because that is who you are. You are a child of God, a son, and a daughter to the King of Kings. Every dead dog mentality that has blanketed my life for so long,I separate myself from in the name of Jesus.  Every feeling of smallness, of cowardice, of timidity, of confusion and utter helplessness springing from a sense of unworthiness ,I reject in the name of Jesus. I declare I will not be suspicious of the kindness  of God who roped me into this inheritance for the sake of Jesus as the King did for Mephibosheth for the sake  of Jonathan. This King calls me by name and shows me extravagant kindness when I expect hostility  This King of Kings invites me to sit at his table and to continually eat from his table, His kindness is not a one time photo op event, His kindness is culture. On Monday he is kind, on Tuesday He remains kind on Wednesday he continues to be kind. Every day He remains Kind. Today He is Kind!  I hearken to the invitation of the King to sit at his table and to eat continually from his table. I declare that I will not give up my seat at the table of the King,The Lord lifts me up where I belong and I reign and rule alongside Him.  So help me spirit of the living God.  This is Sassy, and I pray the release of the Kingdom of God in your life. Anchor Scriptures:  2nd Samuel 9:1-13  [Refer to transcript] Romans 8:17  “and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Connect with Pastor Yasmin O'Lugudor: Instagram: [@yasmin_o_lugudor] ⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/yasmin_o_lugudor/⁠⁠⁠ Youtube: [Yasmin O'Lugudor]  ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFMhc2-gpHvmDVUVE_bA_QA⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠sassy@yasminolugudor.com⁠⁠ Produced By The Christ Creatives: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the_christ_creatives/⁠⁠

2 Samuel 9:1-13 “Now David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “At your service!” Then the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.” So the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.” Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar. Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, “Mephibosheth?” And he answered, “Here is your servant!” So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.” Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?” I declare that today by the power of the Holy Spirit ,I change addresses.  Just like Mephibosheth, I  part ways with the system of Lo-debar; the land of no- thing, the land of devastation  and  desolation , the land of fruitlessness and barrenness and make my way into the courts of the King where the King expectantly awaits my arrival.  I refuse to reside in the mindset of Lo-debar where any God like notions of my identity are stifled and killed ,I drag my mind and soul from Lo-debar and my soul follows suit. Lo-debar; every label and souvenir you have given me ,I release it to Jesus and pick up the ones he gives to me in the courts of Heaven.  Oh my soul march onwards and forward into a New Day, where  you  sit at the table of the King  and you dine as one of the sons of the King because that is who you are. You are a child of God, a son, and a daughter to the King of Kings. Every dead dog mentality that has blanketed my life for so long,I separate myself from in the name of Jesus.  Every feeling of smallness, of cowardice, of timidity, of confusion and utter helplessness springing from a sense of unworthiness ,I reject in the name of Jesus. I declare I will not be suspicious of the kindness  of God who roped me into this inheritance for the sake of Jesus as the King did for Mephibosheth for the sake  of Jonathan. This King calls me by name and shows me extravagant kindness when I expect hostility  This King of Kings invites me to sit at his table and to continually eat from his table, His kindness is not a one time photo op event, His kindness is culture. On Monday he is kind, on Tuesday He remains kind on Wednesday he continues to be kind. Every day He remains Kind. Today He is Kind!  I hearken to the invitation of the King to sit at his table and to eat continually from his table. I declare that I will not give up my seat at the table of the King,The Lord lifts me up where I belong and I reign and rule alongside Him.  So help me spirit of the living God.  This is Sassy, and I pray the release of the Kingdom of God in your life. Anchor Scriptures:  2nd Samuel 9:1-13  [Refer to transcript] Romans 8:17  “and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Connect with Pastor Yasmin O'Lugudor: Instagram: [@yasmin_o_lugudor] ⁠ https://www.instagram.com/yasmin_o_lugudor/⁠⁠ Youtube: [Yasmin O'Lugudor]  ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFMhc2-gpHvmDVUVE_bA_QA⁠⁠ Email: ⁠sassy@yasminolugudor.com⁠ Produced By The Christ Creatives: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/the_christ_creatives/⁠

II Samuel 9:1-3 NKJVNow David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “At your service!” Then the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.”” 1. God Has already made up His MindII Samuel 9:7 NKJV“So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.”” 2. What have you changed your name to?II Samuel 9:8 NKJV“Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?" II Samuel 9:9 NKJVAnd the king called to Ziba…. 3. It's covered!II Samuel 9:10 NKJV“You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master's son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's son shall eat bread at my table always.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.”

II Samuel 9:1-3 NKJVNow David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “At your service!” Then the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.”” 1. God Has already made up His MindII Samuel 9:7 NKJV“So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.”” 2. What have you changed your name to?II Samuel 9:8 NKJV“Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?" II Samuel 9:9 NKJVAnd the king called to Ziba…. 3. It's covered!II Samuel 9:10 NKJV“You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master's son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's son shall eat bread at my table always.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.”

Last episode Pastor Harris taught about Absalom, the son of David and his planned assault on the city of Jerusalem. He planned to surround the city, take it, and kill his father David and ascend to the throne of Jerusalem. David had two options therefore, he could stay and let Absalom's army lay siege and try and fight them off and this would most likely meet the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, David's beloved city, or he could flee and go to a place that Absalom might have difficulty trying to reach him. It broke David's heart, but with limited choices, David chose the second option, which we learned in the last episode. Fleeing his beloved city, and betrayed by members of his family, including one of his best friends his best counselor, and it broke David's heart and was a very humbling moment in his life. But at this moment, God chose to act and he sent a gentile, who was a friend and swore fealty.  He swore to go with David till death, he told David that he believed in him and he was his friend. That kind of love and friendship at David's worst time strengthen him on his journey ahead and he began to have hope. With that David left the city and climbed the Mount of Olives to his ultimate destination. Somewhere along his ascent David looked back at the city and he wept. About this time he was approached by Ziba servant of Saul, who brought him donkey's laden with supplies for his journey. With this David made his way across the Jordan River valley. We saw here that all the things that David had been through had began to soften his heart and gave him a new level of tenderness and gentleness and love for the Lord and from these we see some of David's most Amazing Psalms, and one of these was glorious 63rd Psalm. That is where we finished in the last episode and this week a test is coming. Somewhere on the far side of the Mount of Olives a man came running toward David. His name was Shimie and he would test David to the core, and that is what Pastor Harris will talk about in this episode.Support the Show.

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: Wisdom for Work from DavidDevotional: 2 of 7[King David] asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God's kindness?” Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.”...When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, “Mephibosheth!” “At your service,” he replied. “Don't be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.” Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”...So Mephibosheth ate at David's table like one of the king's sons. (2 Samuel 9:3,6-8,11)I don't cry much, but I have wept over this passage numerous times. Why? Because I think it's one of the best pictures we have in Scripture of Christ-like love.By the world's standards, Mephibosheth would have been the least likely person David would have shown kindness to for three reasons.First, Mephibosheth was David's enemy, at least by extension. When David asked if there was anyone “from the house of Saul,” that he could show kindness to, his courtiers would have been flabbergasted. I can imagine them saying, “You want to show love to one of Saul's descendants? The guy who used to hurl spears at you while you innocently played a harp? That Saul, David!?”Second, Mephibosheth was a social outcast, due to being “lame in both feet.” In David's day, the crippled and disabled were not looked upon with compassion. They were kept at arm's length—outside the temple, palace, and social circles of the day. Which is why Mephibosheth was stunned to learn that David would even “notice a dead dog” like him.Third, Mephibosheth was unable to repay David's kindness. He had nothing to offer the king in return because of his social position.For those reasons, David's announcement that he wanted to show kindness to Mephibosheth would have made absolutely no sense to the world. But it makes all the sense in the world once you understand the motivation behind David's kindness.In today's passage, David didn't ask who he could show kindness to, but who he could show “God's kindness” to. The Hebrew word there is hesed, and it is the same word David used to describe the kindness God had shown him in Psalm 86:12-13: “I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart…For great is your love (hesed) toward me.”You see, David understood that were it not for the hesed love God had shown him, he would be God's enemy; he would be a social outcast; he would be poor. David was amazed by grace. And that is why he is intent on sharing God's lovingkindness with others—especially enemies, outcasts, and the poor like Mephibosheth.I pray the same would be even more true of you and me because we have seen God's hesed in the ultimate. Christ died for us when we were his enemies; when we were Eden's outcasts; when we were spiritually bankrupt. And so, we are called to go and do likewise, laying down our lives for the Mephibosheths we live and work with.Who is a Mephibosheth you can share God's kindness with today? Maybe it's an enemy, competitor, or a co-worker who's competing against you for the same job. Maybe it's a socially awkward team member who has quietly become an outsider. Maybe it's an intern who is unlikely to ever repay you for serving them and their career.Whoever just came to mind, commit to showing that person God's hesed love today.

Mephiboseheth was a victim of an unfortunate series of events. Good thing there was a Ziba, who was willing to carry him to the King's table. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/noteworthypodcast/support

Adding insult to injury- David still had some trusted friends in his exile, including Hushai, who returned to Jerusalem as a spy on the king's behalf. Unfortunately, more numerous on David's path were men like Ziba and Shimei, speaking lies and cursing David. The enemy will always take advantage of opportunities to kick us while we're down.

Your DAMAGE does not DEFINE you. God put HIMSELF within YOU.  Romans 8:11 NIV And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Your DAMAGE does NOT define you. JESUS defines you!  THE LIE: The more BROKEN you are, the less VALUABLE you are.  2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. THE TRUTH: Your VALUE remains despite your PAIN!  Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. 2 Samuel 9:1-4 NLV Then David said, “Is there anyone left of the family of Saul, to whom I may show kindness because of Jonathan?” 2 Now there was a servant in Saul's house whose name was Ziba. They called him to David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 The king said, “Is there not still someone of the family of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who cannot walk because of his feet.” 4 So the king said to him, “Where is he?” Ziba answered the king, “See, he is in the family of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David sent men to bring him from the family of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.  You can't allow your ISSUE to become your IDENTITY.  2 Samuel 4:4 GNT  Another descendant of Saul was Jonathan's son Mephibosheth, who was five years old when Saul and Jonathan were killed. When the news about their death came from the city of Jezreel, his nurse picked him up and fled; but she was in such a hurry that she dropped him, and he became crippled. It's OKAY to not be okay, but it's not okay to STAY that way.  1. ADMIT you're damaged. 2. God does His BEST work with DAMAGED people! 3. God wants to use your DAMAGE to REDEFINE your DESTINY! 2 Samuel 9:5-7 NLV 5 Then King David sent men to bring him from the family of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar. 6 Mephibosheth the son of Saul's son Jonathan came to David and fell on his face to the ground in respect. David said, “Mephibosheth.” And he answered, “Here is your servant!” 7 David said to him, “Do not be afraid. For I will be sure to show kindness to you because of your father Jonathan. I will return to you all the land of your grandfather Saul. And you will eat at my table always.” Isaiah 41:9-10 NIV 9 I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant'; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. 10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coastalchurch/message

With family: 2 Samuel 19; 2 Corinthians 12 2 Samuel 19 (Listen) Joab Rebukes David 19 It was told Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.” 2 So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.” 3 And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle. 4 The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” 5 Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life and the lives of your sons and your daughters and the lives of your wives and your concubines, 6 because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you, for today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. 7 Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.” 8 Then the king arose and took his seat in the gate. And the people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the king. David Returns to Jerusalem Now Israel had fled every man to his own home. 9 And all the people were arguing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and saved us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10 But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?” 11 And King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king?1 12 You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?' 13 And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if you are not commander of my army from now on in place of Joab.'” 14 And he swayed the heart of all the men of Judah as one man, so that they sent word to the king, “Return, both you and all your servants.” 15 So the king came back to the Jordan, and Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and to bring the king over the Jordan. David Pardons His Enemies 16 And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, from Bahurim, hurried to come down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 And with him were a thousand men from Benjamin. And Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan before the king, 18 and they crossed the ford to bring over the king's household and to do his pleasure. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan, 19 and said to the king, “Let not my lord hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. Do not let the king take it to heart. 20 For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore, behold, I have come this day, the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.” 21 Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed?” 22 But David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be as an adversary to me? Shall anyone be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?” 23 And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king gave him his oath. 24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. He had neither taken care of his feet nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came back in safety. 25 And when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26 He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me, for your servant said to him, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself,2 that I may ride on it and go with the king.' For your servant is lame. 27 He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God; do therefore what seems good to you. 28 For all my father's house were but men doomed to death before my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to cry to the king?” 29 And the king said to him, “Why speak any more of your affairs? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land.” 30 And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home.” 31 Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, and he went on with the king to the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan. 32 Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. He had provided the king with food while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man. 33 And the king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem.” 34 But Barzillai said to the king, “How many years have I still to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am this day eighty years old. Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? 36 Your servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward? 37 Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him go over with my lord the king, and do for him whatever seems good to you.” 38 And the king answered, “Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you, and all that you desire of me I will do for you.” 39 Then all the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. And the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own home. 40 The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him. All the people of Judah, and also half the people of Israel, brought the king on his way. 41 Then all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away and brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David's men with him?” 42 All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is our close relative. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king's expense? Or has he given us any gift?” 43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king, and in David also we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?” But the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel. Footnotes [1] 19:11 Septuagint; Hebrew to the king, to his house [2] 19:26 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate Saddle a donkey for me (ESV) 2 Corinthians 12 (Listen) Paul's Visions and His Thorn 12 I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses—6 though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,1 a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Concern for the Corinthian Church 11 I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing. 12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. 13 For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong! 14 Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? 16 But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. 17 Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps? 19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved. 20 For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. 21 I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced. Footnotes [1] 12:7 Or hears from me, even because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited (ESV) In private: Psalm 74; Ezekiel 26 Psalm 74 (Listen) Arise, O God, Defend Your Cause A Maskil1 of Asaph. 74   O God, why do you cast us off forever?    Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?2   Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old,    which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage!    Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.3   Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins;    the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary! 4   Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place;    they set up their own signs for signs.5   They were like those who swing axes    in a forest of trees.26   And all its carved wood    they broke down with hatchets and hammers.7   They set your sanctuary on fire;    they profaned the dwelling place of your name,    bringing it down to the ground.8   They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;    they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. 9   We do not see our signs;    there is no longer any prophet,    and there is none among us who knows how long.10   How long, O God, is the foe to scoff?    Is the enemy to revile your name forever?11   Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?    Take it from the fold of your garment3 and destroy them! 12   Yet God my King is from of old,    working salvation in the midst of the earth.13   You divided the sea by your might;    you broke the heads of the sea monsters4 on the waters.14   You crushed the heads of Leviathan;    you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.15   You split open springs and brooks;    you dried up ever-flowing streams.16   Yours is the day, yours also the night;    you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.17   You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth;    you have made summer and winter. 18   Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs,    and a foolish people reviles your name.19   Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts;    do not forget the life of your poor forever. 20   Have regard for the covenant,    for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.21   Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame;    let the poor and needy praise your name. 22   Arise, O God, defend your cause;    remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!23   Do not forget the clamor of your foes,    the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually! Footnotes [1] 74:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 74:5 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [3] 74:11 Hebrew from your bosom [4] 74:13 Or the great sea creatures (ESV) Ezekiel 26 (Listen) Prophecy Against Tyre 26 In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, because Tyre said concerning Jerusalem, ‘Aha, the gate of the peoples is broken; it has swung open to me. I shall be replenished, now that she is laid waste,' 3 therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. 4 They shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers, and I will scrape her soil from her and make her a bare rock. 5 She shall be in the midst of the sea a place for the spreading of nets, for I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD. And she shall become plunder for the nations, 6 and her daughters on the mainland shall be killed by the sword. Then they will know that I am the LORD. 7 “For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar1 king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, and with horsemen and a host of many soldiers. 8 He will kill with the sword your daughters on the mainland. He will set up a siege wall against you and throw up a mound against you, and raise a roof of shields against you. 9 He will direct the shock of his battering rams against your walls, and with his axes he will break down your towers. 10 His horses will be so many that their dust will cover you. Your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen and wagons and chariots, when he enters your gates as men enter a city that has been breached. 11 With the hoofs of his horses he will trample all your streets. He will kill your people with the sword, and your mighty pillars will fall to the ground. 12 They will plunder your riches and loot your merchandise. They will break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses. Your stones and timber and soil they will cast into the midst of the waters. 13 And I will stop the music of your songs, and the sound of your lyres shall be heard no more. 14 I will make you a bare rock. You shall be a place for the spreading of nets. You shall never be rebuilt, for I am the LORD; I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD. 15 “Thus says the Lord GOD to Tyre: Will not the coastlands shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan, when slaughter is made in your midst? 16 Then all the princes of the sea will step down from their thrones and remove their robes and strip off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground and tremble every moment and be appalled at you. 17 And they will raise a lamentation over you and say to you,   “‘How you have perished,    you who were inhabited from the seas,  O city renowned,    who was mighty on the sea;  she and her inhabitants imposed their terror    on all her inhabitants!18   Now the coastlands tremble    on the day of your fall,  and the coastlands that are on the sea    are dismayed at your passing.' 19 “For thus says the Lord GOD: When I make you a city laid waste, like the cities that are not inhabited, when I bring up the deep over you, and the great waters cover you, 20 then I will make you go down with those who go down to the pit, to the people of old, and I will make you to dwell in the world below, among ruins from of old, with those who go down to the pit, so that you will not be inhabited; but I will set beauty in the land of the living. 21 I will bring you to a dreadful end, and you shall be no more. Though you be sought for, you will never be found again, declares the Lord GOD.” Footnotes [1] 26:7 Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar; so throughout Ezekiel (ESV)

With family: 2 Samuel 16; 2 Corinthians 9 2 Samuel 16 (Listen) David and Ziba 16 When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, bearing two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine. 2 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.” 3 And the king said, “And 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.'” 4 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.” Shimei Curses David 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. 6 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. 7 And Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! 8 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.” 9 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.” 10 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?'” 11 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. 12 It may be that the LORD will look on the wrong done to me,1 and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing today.” 13 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. 14 And the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary at the Jordan.2 And there he refreshed himself. Absalom Enters Jerusalem 15 Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16 And when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” 17 And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?” 18 And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, for whom the LORD and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. 19 And again, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you.” 20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel. What shall we do?” 21 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23 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. Footnotes [1] 16:12 Septuagint, Vulgate will look upon my affliction [2] 16:14 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks at the Jordan (ESV) 2 Corinthians 9 (Listen) The Collection for Christians in Jerusalem 9 Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, 2 for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. 3 But I am sending1 the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4 Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift2 you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction.3 The Cheerful Giver 6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully4 will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency5 in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written,   “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;    his righteousness endures forever.” 10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, they6 will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! Footnotes [1] 9:3 Or I have sent [2] 9:5 Greek blessing; twice in this verse [3] 9:5 Or a gift expecting something in return; Greek greed [4] 9:6 Greek with blessings; twice in this verse [5] 9:8 Or all contentment [6] 9:13 Or you (ESV) In private: Psalms 70–71; Ezekiel 23 Psalms 70–71 (Listen) O Lord, Do Not Delay To the choirmaster. Of David, for the memorial offering. 70   Make haste, O God, to deliver me!    O LORD, make haste to help me!2   Let them be put to shame and confusion    who seek my life!  Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor    who delight in my hurt!3   Let them turn back because of their shame    who say, “Aha, Aha!” 4   May all who seek you    rejoice and be glad in you!  May those who love your salvation    say evermore, “God is great!”5   But I am poor and needy;    hasten to me, O God!  You are my help and my deliverer;    O LORD, do not delay! Forsake Me Not When My Strength Is Spent 71   In you, O LORD, do I take refuge;    let me never be put to shame!2   In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;    incline your ear to me, and save me!3   Be to me a rock of refuge,    to which I may continually come;  you have given the command to save me,    for you are my rock and my fortress. 4   Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.5   For you, O Lord, are my hope,    my trust, O LORD, from my youth.6   Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;    you are he who took me from my mother's womb.  My praise is continually of you. 7   I have been as a portent to many,    but you are my strong refuge.8   My mouth is filled with your praise,    and with your glory all the day.9   Do not cast me off in the time of old age;    forsake me not when my strength is spent.10   For my enemies speak concerning me;    those who watch for my life consult together11   and say, “God has forsaken him;    pursue and seize him,    for there is none to deliver him.” 12   O God, be not far from me;    O my God, make haste to help me!13   May my accusers be put to shame and consumed;    with scorn and disgrace may they be covered    who seek my hurt.14   But I will hope continually    and will praise you yet more and more.15   My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,    of your deeds of salvation all the day,    for their number is past my knowledge.16   With the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD I will come;    I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone. 17   O God, from my youth you have taught me,    and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.18   So even to old age and gray hairs,    O God, do not forsake me,  until I proclaim your might to another generation,    your power to all those to come.19   Your righteousness, O God,    reaches the high heavens.  You who have done great things,    O God, who is like you?20   You who have made me see many troubles and calamities    will revive me again;  from the depths of the earth    you will bring me up again.21   You will increase my greatness    and comfort me again. 22   I will also praise you with the harp    for your faithfulness, O my God;  I will sing praises to you with the lyre,    O Holy One of Israel.23   My lips will shout for joy,    when I sing praises to you;    my soul also, which you have redeemed.24   And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,  for they have been put to shame and disappointed    who sought to do me hurt. (ESV) Ezekiel 23 (Listen) Oholah and Oholibah 23 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother. 3 They played the whore in Egypt; they played the whore in their youth; there their breasts were pressed and their virgin bosoms1 handled. 4 Oholah was the name of the elder and Oholibah the name of her sister. They became mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem. 5 “Oholah played the whore while she was mine, and she lusted after her lovers the Assyrians, warriors 6 clothed in purple, governors and commanders, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses. 7 She bestowed her whoring upon them, the choicest men of Assyria all of them, and she defiled herself with all the idols of everyone after whom she lusted. 8 She did not give up her whoring that she had begun in Egypt; for in her youth men had lain with her and handled her virgin bosom and poured out their whoring lust upon her. 9 Therefore I delivered her into the hands of her lovers, into the hands of the Assyrians, after whom she lusted. 10 These uncovered her nakedness; they seized her sons and her daughters; and as for her, they killed her with the sword; and she became a byword among women, when judgment had been executed on her. 11 “Her sister Oholibah saw this, and she became more corrupt than her sister2 in her lust and in her whoring, which was worse than that of her sister. 12 She lusted after the Assyrians, governors and commanders, warriors clothed in full armor, horsemen riding on horses, all of them desirable young men. 13 And I saw that she was defiled; they both took the same way. 14 But she carried her whoring further. She saw men portrayed on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed in vermilion, 15 wearing belts on their waists, with flowing turbans on their heads, all of them having the appearance of officers, a likeness of Babylonians whose native land was Chaldea. 16 When she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea. 17 And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoring lust. And after she was defiled by them, she turned from them in disgust. 18 When she carried on her whoring so openly and flaunted her nakedness, I turned in disgust from her, as I had turned in disgust from her sister. 19 Yet she increased her whoring, remembering the days of her youth, when she played the whore in the land of Egypt 20 and lusted after her lovers there, whose members were like those of donkeys, and whose issue was like that of horses. 21 Thus you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when the Egyptians handled your bosom and pressed3 your young breasts.” 22 Therefore, O Oholibah, thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I will stir up against you your lovers from whom you turned in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side: 23 the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod and Shoa and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, desirable young men, governors and commanders all of them, officers and men of renown, all of them riding on horses. 24 And they shall come against you from the north4 with chariots and wagons and a host of peoples. They shall set themselves against you on every side with buckler, shield, and helmet; and I will commit the judgment to them, and they shall judge you according to their judgments. 25 And I will direct my jealousy against you, that they may deal with you in fury. They shall cut off your nose and your ears, and your survivors shall fall by the sword. They shall seize your sons and your daughters, and your survivors shall be devoured by fire. 26 They shall also strip you of your clothes and take away your beautiful jewels. 27 Thus I will put an end to your lewdness and your whoring begun in the land of Egypt, so that you shall not lift up your eyes to them or remember Egypt anymore. 28 “For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will deliver you into the hands of those whom you hate, into the hands of those from whom you turned in disgust, 29 and they shall deal with you in hatred and take away all the fruit of your labor and leave you naked and bare, and the nakedness of your whoring shall be uncovered. Your lewdness and your whoring 30 have brought this upon you, because you played the whore with the nations and defiled yourself with their idols. 31 You have gone the way of your sister; therefore I will give her cup into your hand. 32 Thus says the Lord GOD:   “You shall drink your sister's cup    that is deep and large;  you shall be laughed at and held in derision,    for it contains much;33   you will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow.  A cup of horror and desolation,    the cup of your sister Samaria;34   you shall drink it and drain it out,    and gnaw its shards,    and tear your breasts; for I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD. 35 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences of your lewdness and whoring.” 36 The LORD said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Declare to them their abominations. 37 For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. With their idols they have committed adultery, and they have even offered up5 to them for food the children whom they had borne to me. 38 Moreover, this they have done to me: they have defiled my sanctuary on the same day and profaned my Sabbaths. 39 For when they had slaughtered their children in sacrifice to their idols, on the same day they came into my sanctuary to profane it. And behold, this is what they did in my house. 40 They even sent for men to come from afar, to whom a messenger was sent; and behold, they came. For them you bathed yourself, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with ornaments. 41 You sat on a stately couch, with a table spread before it on which you had placed my incense and my oil. 42 The sound of a carefree multitude was with her; and with men of the common sort, drunkards6 were brought from the wilderness; and they put bracelets on the hands of the women, and beautiful crowns on their heads. 43 “Then I said of her who was worn out by adultery, ‘Now they will continue to use her for a whore, even her!'7 44 For they have gone in to her, as men go in to a prostitute. Thus they went in to Oholah and to Oholibah, lewd women! 45 But righteous men shall pass judgment on them with the sentence of adulteresses, and with the sentence of women who shed blood, because they are adulteresses, and blood is on their hands.” 46 For thus says the Lord GOD: “Bring up a vast host against them, and make them an object of terror and a plunder. 47 And the host shall stone them and cut them down with their swords. They shall kill their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses. 48 Thus will I put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not commit lewdness as you have done. 49 And they shall return your lewdness upon you, and you shall bear the penalty for your sinful idolatry, and you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.” Footnotes [1] 23:3 Hebrew nipples; also verses 8, 21 [2] 23:11 Hebrew than she [3] 23:21 Vulgate, Syriac; Hebrew bosom for the sake of [4] 23:24 Septuagint; the meaning of the Hebrew word is unknown [5] 23:37 Or have even made pass through the fire [6] 23:42 Or Sabeans [7] 23:43 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain (ESV)

With family: 2 Samuel 8–9; 2 Corinthians 2 2 Samuel 8–9 (Listen) David's Victories 8 After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines. 2 And he defeated Moab and he measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground. Two lines he measured to be put to death, and one full line to be spared. And the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute. 3 David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to restore his power at the river Euphrates. 4 And David took from him 1,700 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough for 100 chariots. 5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. 6 Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took very much bronze. 9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, 10 Toi sent his son Joram to King David, to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Hadadezer had often been at war with Toi. And Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold, and of bronze. 11 These also King David dedicated to the LORD, together with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he subdued, 12 from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah. 13 And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 14 Then he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David's servants. And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went. David's Officials 15 So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people. 16 Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder, 17 and Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Seraiah was secretary, 18 and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over1 the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David's sons were priests. David's Kindness to Mephibosheth 9 And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” 4 The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. 6 And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” 8 And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?” 9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David's2 table, like one of the king's sons. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king's table. Now he was lame in both his feet. Footnotes [1] 8:18 Compare 20:23, 1 Chronicles 18:17, Syriac, Targum, Vulgate; Hebrew lacks was over [2] 9:11 Septuagint; Hebrew my (ESV) 2 Corinthians 2 (Listen) 2 For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. 2 For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? 3 And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. 4 For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you. Forgive the Sinner 5 Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. 6 For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, 7 so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. 10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs. Triumph in Christ 12 When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, 13 my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia. 14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. (ESV) In private: Psalms 58–59; Ezekiel 16 Psalms 58–59 (Listen) God Who Judges the Earth To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam1 of David. 58   Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods?2    Do you judge the children of man uprightly?2   No, in your hearts you devise wrongs;    your hands deal out violence on earth. 3   The wicked are estranged from the womb;    they go astray from birth, speaking lies.4   They have venom like the venom of a serpent,    like the deaf adder that stops its ear,5   so that it does not hear the voice of charmers    or of the cunning enchanter. 6   O God, break the teeth in their mouths;    tear out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD!7   Let them vanish like water that runs away;    when he aims his arrows, let them be blunted.8   Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime,    like the stillborn child who never sees the sun.9   Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of thorns,    whether green or ablaze, may he sweep them away!3 10   The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance;    he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.11   Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous;    surely there is a God who judges on earth.” Deliver Me from My Enemies To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam4 of David, when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him. 59   Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;    protect me from those who rise up against me;2   deliver me from those who work evil,    and save me from bloodthirsty men. 3   For behold, they lie in wait for my life;    fierce men stir up strife against me.  For no transgression or sin of mine, O LORD,4     for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.  Awake, come to meet me, and see!5     You, LORD God of hosts, are God of Israel.  Rouse yourself to punish all the nations;    spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah 6   Each evening they come back,    howling like dogs    and prowling about the city.7   There they are, bellowing with their mouths    with swords in their lips—    for “Who,” they think,5 “will hear us?” 8   But you, O LORD, laugh at them;    you hold all the nations in derision.9   O my Strength, I will watch for you,    for you, O God, are my fortress.10   My God in his steadfast love6 will meet me;    God will let me look in triumph on my enemies. 11   Kill them not, lest my people forget;    make them totter7 by your power and bring them down,    O Lord, our shield!12   For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,    let them be trapped in their pride.  For the cursing and lies that they utter,13     consume them in wrath;    consume them till they are no more,  that they may know that God rules over Jacob    to the ends of the earth. Selah 14   Each evening they come back,    howling like dogs    and prowling about the city.15   They wander about for food    and growl if they do not get their fill. 16   But I will sing of your strength;    I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.  For you have been to me a fortress    and a refuge in the day of my distress.17   O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,    for you, O God, are my fortress,    the God who shows me steadfast love. Footnotes [1] 58:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 58:1 Or you mighty lords (by revocalization; Hebrew in silence) [3] 58:9 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain [4] 59:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [5] 59:7 Hebrew lacks they think [6] 59:10 Or The God who shows me steadfast love [7] 59:11 Or wander (ESV) Ezekiel 16 (Listen) The Lord's Faithless Bride 16 Again the word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations, 3 and say, Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth are of the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 4 And as for your birth, on the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor wrapped in swaddling cloths. 5 No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you out of compassion for you, but you were cast out on the open field, for you were abhorred, on the day that you were born. 6 “And when I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!' I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!' 7 I made you flourish like a plant of the field. And you grew up and became tall and arrived at full adornment. Your breasts were formed, and your hair had grown; yet you were naked and bare. 8 “When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord GOD, and you became mine. 9 Then I bathed you with water and washed off your blood from you and anointed you with oil. 10 I clothed you also with embroidered cloth and shod you with fine leather. I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk.1 11 And I adorned you with ornaments and put bracelets on your wrists and a chain on your neck. 12 And I put a ring on your nose and earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. 13 Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen and silk and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour and honey and oil. You grew exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty. 14 And your renown went forth among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through the splendor that I had bestowed on you, declares the Lord GOD. 15 “But you trusted in your beauty and played the whore2 because of your renown and lavished your whorings3 on any passerby; your beauty4 became his. 16 You took some of your garments and made for yourself colorful shrines, and on them played the whore. The like has never been, nor ever shall be.5 17 You also took your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself images of men, and with them played the whore. 18 And you took your embroidered garments to cover them, and set my oil and my incense before them. 19 Also my bread that I gave you—I fed you with fine flour and oil and honey—you set before them for a pleasing aroma; and so it was, declares the Lord GOD. 20 And you took your sons and your daughters, whom you had borne to me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. Were your whorings so small a matter 21 that you slaughtered my children and delivered them up as an offering by fire to them? 22 And in all your abominations and your whorings you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, wallowing in your blood. 23 “And after all your wickedness (woe, woe to you! declares the Lord GOD), 24 you built yourself a vaulted chamber and made yourself a lofty place in every square. 25 At the head of every street you built your lofty place and made your beauty an abomination, offering yourself6 to any passerby and multiplying your whoring. 26 You also played the whore with the Egyptians, your lustful neighbors, multiplying your whoring, to provoke me to anger. 27 Behold, therefore, I stretched out my hand against you and diminished your allotted portion and delivered you to the greed of your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed of your lewd behavior. 28 You played the whore also with the Assyrians, because you were not satisfied; yes, you played the whore with them, and still you were not satisfied. 29 You multiplied your whoring also with the trading land of Chaldea, and even with this you were not satisfied. 30 “How sick is your heart,7 declares the Lord GOD, because you did all these things, the deeds of a brazen prostitute, 31 building your vaulted chamber at the head of every street, and making your lofty place in every square. Yet you were not like a prostitute, because you scorned payment. 32 Adulterous wife, who receives strangers instead of her husband! 33 Men give gifts to all prostitutes, but you gave your gifts to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from every side with your whorings. 34 So you were different from other women in your whorings. No one solicited you to play the whore, and you gave payment, while no payment was given to you; therefore you were different. 35 “Therefore, O prostitute, hear the word of the LORD: 36 Thus says the Lord GOD, Because your lust was poured out and your nakedness uncovered in your whorings with your lovers, and with all your abominable idols, and because of the blood of your children that you gave to them, 37 therefore, behold, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from every side and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness. 38 And I will judge you as women who commit adultery and shed blood are judged, and bring upon you the blood of wrath and jealousy. 39 And I will give you into their hands, and they shall throw down your vaulted chamber and break down your lofty places. They shall strip you of your clothes and take your beautiful jewels and leave you naked and bare. 40 They shall bring up a crowd against you, and they shall stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords. 41 And they shall burn your houses and execute judgments upon you in the sight of many women. I will make you stop playing the whore, and you shall also give payment no more. 42 So will I satisfy my wrath on you, and my jealousy shall depart from you. I will be calm and will no more be angry. 43 Because you have not remembered the days of your youth, but have enraged me with all these things, therefore, behold, I have returned your deeds upon your head, declares the Lord GOD. Have you not committed lewdness in addition to all your abominations? 44 “Behold, everyone who uses proverbs will use this proverb about you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.' 45 You are the daughter of your mother, who loathed her husband and her children; and you are the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. 46 And your elder sister is Samaria, who lived with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you, is Sodom with her daughters. 47 Not only did you walk in their ways and do according to their abominations; within a very little time you were more corrupt than they in all your ways. 48 As I live, declares the Lord GOD, your sister Sodom and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done. 49 Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. 50 They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it. 51 Samaria has not committed half your sins. You have committed more abominations than they, and have made your sisters appear righteous by all the abominations that you have committed. 52 Bear your disgrace, you also, for you have intervened on behalf of your sisters. Because of your sins in which you acted more abominably than they, they are more in the right than you. So be ashamed, you also, and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous. 53 “I will restore their fortunes, both the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters, and I will restore your own fortunes in their midst, 54 that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all that you have done, becoming a consolation to them. 55 As for your sisters, Sodom and her daughters shall return to their former state, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former state, and you and your daughters shall return to your former state. 56 Was not your sister Sodom a byword in your mouth in the day of your pride, 57 before your wickedness was uncovered? Now you have become an object of reproach for the daughters of Syria8 and all those around her, and for the daughters of the Philistines, those all around who despise you. 58 You bear the penalty of your lewdness and your abominations, declares the LORD. The Lord's Everlasting Covenant 59 “For thus says the Lord GOD: I will deal with you as you have done, you who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant, 60 yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant. 61 Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you take your sisters, both your elder and your younger, and I give them to you as daughters, but not on account of9 the covenant with you. 62 I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD, 63 that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord GOD.” Footnotes [1] 16:10 Or with rich fabric [2] 16:15 Or were unfaithful; also verses 16, 17, 26, 28 [3] 16:15 Or unfaithfulness; also verses 20, 22, 25, 26, 29, 33, 34, 36 [4] 16:15 Hebrew it [5] 16:16 The meaning of this Hebrew sentence is uncertain [6] 16:25 Hebrew spreading your legs [7] 16:30 Revocalization yields How I am filled with anger against you [8] 16:57 Some manuscripts (compare Syriac) of Edom [9] 16:61 Or not apart from (ESV)