Devoted to Scripture

Day 104 of the podcast, reading 1 Kings 3-5 NET, read along at:

This is day 104 of our journey.

As Solomon is establishing his rule, God appears to him in a dream and offers him a request. Solomon answers well by asking only for wisdom to be able to lead Israel. God is pleased by his request and grants him great wisdom, and on top of this, riches, honor, and long life. We are given an example of his wisdom and a description of his wealth and fame. Then, we see Solomon faithfully begin to fulfill a promise made to his father, David. Solomon acquires the supplies and the workers to begin work on the temple of God.

Join me in 1 Kings 3-5 for a view of the vastness of Solomon's wealth and wisdom.

Key verses:

1 Kings 3:9

1 Kings 4:29

1 Kings 5:5

All Scriptures are from the NET.

Day 103 of the podcast, reading 1 Kings 1-2 NET, read along at:

This is day 103 of our journey.

As the book of 1 Kings begins, David is on his deathbed.  His oldest remaining son, Adonijah, gathers supporters to claim the throne. When Bathsheba informs David of this, he confirms his promise to her that he will appoint Solomon as the next king.  Nathan the prophet anoints Solomon at David's command and the people rally to support Solomon.  When Adonijah hears of it, he fears for his life and withdraws his claim to the throne.  David summons Solomon to his deathbed and gives him final instructions: "Be strong and become a man!"  He then lays out for Solomon instructions of men that need to be dealt with as Solomon establishes his throne. Among these men is Joab, commander of the army, but also murderer of Abner and Amasa.  Solomon executes Joab and deals with each of the other men on the list, establishing himself as king.

Join me in 1 Kings 1-2 for the ascension of Solomon as the third king of Israel.

Key verses:

1 Kings 1:30

1 Kings 2:2

All Scriptures are from the NET.

Day 102 of the podcast, reading 2 Samuel 23-24 NET, read along at:

This is day 102 of our journey.

We have reached the end of the books of Samuel and now read the final chapter of David's life.  Today we hear his final oracle, praising God. We are given a list of the mighty men that supported him throughout his life.  This list ends with Uriah, and is a painful reminder of David's greatest failure. Finally we are given another story of failure by David.  The nation seems to be under attack and David calls for a census to determine the size of his army.  This had been strictly forbidden by the Lord because it was not the size of the army that wins a battle but the power and glory of God! As a result of this sin, David is given a choice of punishment.  As in other cases of his sin, David repents and relies upon the grace and mercy of God.  The punishment still comes, but David is restored.

Join me in 2 Samuel 23-24 for the last words and acts of David.

Key verses:

2 Samuel 23:3

2 Samuel 24:24

All Scriptures are from the NET.

Day 101 of the podcast, reading 2 Samuel 20-22 NET, read along at:

This is day 101 of our journey.

In today's reading we witness another rebellion against King David, this time by a Benjaminite named Sheba. Sheba took refuge in the town of Abel, which Joab besieged, but a wise woman stopped Joab from destroying the city by instead killing Sheba and flinging his head out to Joab.  As Joab was chasing Sheba, he was given the opportunity to also murder his rival Amasa. This second murder will eventually cost Joab his life.  We next read of the exploits of David's men as they battled and prevailed against prominent Philistines, each of them related to Goliath.  We end today with a beautiful song of praise sung by David to the Lord.

Join me in 2 Samuel 20-22 for God's continued blessing on the life of David.

Key verses:

2 Samuel 20:2

2 Samuel 21:22

2 Samuel 22:47

All Scriptures are from the NET.

Day 100 of the podcast, reading 2 Samuel 17-19 NET, read along at:

This is day 100 of our journey.  Thank you so much for listening for these 100 days!  I'd love to hear how God has been using this podcast in your life.  Email me at [email protected] and let me know how I can be praying for you!

Today we will see the end of the saga of Absalom.  While Absalom is ruling in Jerusalem, God confounds the wisdom of his advisors, causing Absalom to make poor decisions as he attempts to destroy David; his Father and rightful King.  Absalom summons the entire army of Israel to chase David down and kill him.  However, David's men are able to defeat them and in the battle Absalom is killed.  While Absalom's death is a great victory for David's men, it brings sorrow to David and his mourning causes even his soldiers to be ashamed of their victory.  Joab confronts David of his error and causes him to lead his men back into Jerusalem to reclaim the throne.  They are welcomed back by the whole city.

Join me in 2 Samuel 17-19 to see David reclaim his throne.

Key verses:

2 Samuel 17:14

2 Samuel 18:33

2 Samuel 19:14

All Scriptures are from the NET.

Day 99 of the podcast, reading 2 Samuel 14-16 NET, read along at:

This is day 99 of our journey.

Today, we read about the troubles brought on David because of his son Absalom. David has allowed discontent and bitterness grow up in Absalom and it leads Absalom to rebel against David.  Through deceit, Absalom causes Israel to reject David and turn to him.  As Absalom amasses men to follow him, David recognizes that he is outnumbered and flees from Jerusalem with those loyal to him.  To better protect himself, David also leaves a few spies in the city to report to him what Absalom is doing.  Absalom moves into Jerusalem and sets himself up in David's place, even taking his concubines.

Join me in 2 Samuel 14-16 to see the full measure of consequences for David's failure.

Key verses:

2 Samuel 14:21

2 Samuel 15:13

2 Samuel 16:14

All Scriptures are from the NET.

Day 98 of the podcast, reading 2 Samuel 12-13 NET, read along at:

This is day 98 of our journey.

While David may have thought that he got away with the murder of Uriah, nothing is hidden from God.  The Lord sent the prophet Nathan confront David. Nathan makes it clear that God knows the heart of his children and sees what is done in secret. David receives the correction from Nathan and repents before God.  He is forgiven, but his sin still bears serious consequences and, as a result, the child born in adultery will die.  David fasts and mourns for his sick son but, when he dies, David recognizes his fault in the situation and continues to worship God.  He approaches Bathsheba again and they have another son, Solomon.  Solomon will be the son who will carry on David's kingly line.

While David is forgiven, this incident signals the beginning of David's downfall.  He was a great king, but not so great as a father.  The next story we see relates to Absalom and Amnon, David's oldest sons.  Amnon mistreats Tamar, sister of Absalom, and in return, Absalom murders Amnon.  In all of this, David is grieved but does nothing as a father to correct his children.

Join me in 2 Samuel 12-13 to see the proper response to God's punishment.

Key verses:

2 Samuel 12:7,9

2 Samuel 13:22

All Scriptures are from the NET.

Day 97 of the podcast, reading 2 Samuel 8-11 NET, read along at:

This is day 97 of our journey.

As David continues to consolidate his power, God continues to give him victory in every direction.  Any nation that defies Israel is defeated.  As he establishes his rule, he seeks out a descendant of Saul in order to honor his promise to Jonathan.  He brings Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan into his household and treats him as a son. He also returns all of Saul's property to Mephibosheth and his family.  In a stark contrast to Saul, David is reigning in righteousness and justice with the law of the Lord as his guide. All of Israel is blessed due to the king's faithfulness.

However, at the peak of his power, David slowly becomes complacent.  When war comes, David sends the army to fight without him.  He stays home and, in this time of idle complacency, he sins.  He sees a beautiful woman bathing, her name is Bathsheba and she is the wife of Uriah, one of his trusted officers.  He commits adultery with her and gets her pregnant.  Then, not wanted to be found out, he has Uriah murdered on the battlefield.  After a period of mourning, David takes Bathsheba as his wife. The reading ends with God's judgement of the situation: "what David had done upset the Lord."

Join me in 2 Samuel 8-11 to see David in his highs and his lows.

Key verses:

2 Samuel 8:15

2 Samuel 9:7

2 Samuel 10:19

2 Samuel 11:1

All Scriptures are from the NET.

Day 96 of the podcast, reading 2 Samuel 4-7 NET, read along at:

This is day 96 of our journey.

With Abner's defection, the remaining leaders of Ish-Bosheth's army conspire to assassinate their former leader.  They take the head of their king to David expecting a reward, but instead are executed for their crime.  With Ish-Bosheth's death, David becomes king of all Israel as established by God.  David defeats the Jebusites in Jerusalem, making it his capital city, then he defeats the Philistines in two different battles.  Finally, he brings the ark of God into the capital city with great rejoicing and dancing before the Lord.  As David settles in, he realizes that he has a beautiful palace for a home, but the Lord is residing in a tent.  David makes plans to build a temple for the Lord, but God tells him that there is too much blood on his hands.  Instead, God promises to establish David's son as king after him, and that son will build God a temple.  God promises David that he will establish his dynasty forever!  His line will continue to reign into the future.  This covenant covers earthly kings for many hundreds of years, but is ultimately fulfilled in the life of Jesus Christ!

Join me in 2 Samuel 4-7 as God establishes David's dynasty.

Key verses:

2 Samuel 4:11

2 Samuel 5:3

2 Samuel 6:22

2 Samuel 7:12-13

All Scriptures are from the NET.

Day 95 of the podcast, reading 2 Samuel 1-3 NET, read along at:

This is day 95 of our journey.

With the death of King Saul, Israel needs a new king.  An Amalekite brings news of Saul's death to David, expecting a reward, but while recounting his tale, he claims to have given Saul the final death blow.  This claim costs him his life.  David will NOT reward the wicked in their crimes.  

In Judah, David is anointed as king, but Abner, King Saul's general, supports Saul's son Ish-bosheth as king over Israel.  For two years there is civil war between Judah and the rest of Israel to determine who should be king.  At the end of the war, Abner defects to King David and helps him bring all of Israel under his leadership.

Join me in 2 Samuel 1-3 to see King David rise to the throne of Judah.

Key verses:

2 Samuel 1:17

2 Samuel 2:4

2 Samuel 3:38

All Scriptures are from the NET.