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