David's reign comes to an end. Bathsheba short circuits Adonijah's attempt to succeed his father and David anoints Solomon. David also alerts his son to a list of people to either watch or execute because they will be a threat to his reign.

Parsha Be'halot'cha marks a turning point for the generation that left Egypt and stood at Sinai. The portion starts well. The Tabernacle is inaugurated and the nation sets out for what should be a short walk to the Land. Then the people began to complain about the food and the rest of the Book of Numbers chronicles the decline and death of an entire generation. They had complained before; what was different this time?

Toward the end of his life David decided to number the men in his kingdom. Joab thought that was a bad idea but was overruled. God was displeased with David's hubris and sent a plague upon Israel. This incident lead to the purchase of a threshing floor that would become the site of the Temple.

During the first forty days that Moses was up on the mountain, all that people needed to do was wait patiently for his return. Patient waiting is not a human strong suit. They quit waiting and fashioned a golden calf to lead them in place of Moses. In this they mixed the worship of God with the liturgy of the pagans. God was not pleased. Today we are also in a time of waiting the return of Messiah. The old gods have similarly resurrected their liturgy and brought it into the church.

After putting down the rebellion of his son, David had the task of restoring and reuniting the kingdom. In this process he acted with his usual political skill. He refrained from acting in anger and taking vengeance upon those who sided with Absalom.

It is God's intention to restore the creation to what He originally intended it to be. His servants are to be agents in that restoration. In his parables Y'shua gives instructions as to what His servants are to be doing in while He is away. To do this the servants need access to the Master's power and authority. He has given that to us in the Torah and the Holy Spirit.

Bathsheba's grandfather, Ahithophel, advised Absalom to pursue David immediately. When that advice was not followed, the rebellion was essentially lost. Although David prevailed, the death of his son was devastating. Especially since he knew that the whole thing was his own fault.

In much of the contemporary church the Gospel is primarily seen as the way to get to heaven. That is not how those listening to the Apostles heard it; nor is it how God meant it to be understood. By spiritualizing the Gospel, the church has been robbed of the power it was intended to have.

After his adultery with Bathsheba, God cursed David saying that evil would come upon him from his own family. David's son Absalom would be the vehicle for the outworking of that curse.

In Genesis we read that "God said...and it was so.' Speech both defines everything and provides a window into a persons character. Kind, encouraging words reveal a kind person. The converse is also true. Words can build up or tear down a community which is why Scripture repeatedly tells us to watch what we say.