2 Samuel 20 - 1 Kings 6: Bedrock, Rock-mountain, & rescuing Knight

Wow--these chapters were like a roller coaster ride filled with incredible events that took my breath away. I got a strong sense of David's intimate relationship with God, but also realized, perhaps for the first time, some of David's major flaws. That God loved him and protected him gives me hope that God loves me in spite of my flaws.

- The good-for-nothing:  The Israelites split and part followed a good-for-nothing named Sheba. But the men of Judah stayed committed to David (2 Samuel 20:2-3). David's reign was never easy--there were always revolts, most of them carried out by his own flesh and blood.
- The rescuing knight:  David was a musician and composer, and chapter 22 records the lyrics to a song he wrote and sang to God. It is achingly beautiful. In it, he uses powerful metaphorical language to describe how he feels about God. Here are some of the images he uses to describe God:

• Mountaintop refuge
• Bedrock
• The castle in which I live
• Rescuing knight
• Granite hideout
• Warrior
• Rock
• Israel's Rock-mountain
• Emanating cloud-brightness
• Hurricane anger
• Writer ("God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes" (2 Sam 22:21-25).

- Destroying angel:  This story left me quaking. God was angry at David for his pride in ordering a census to determine the number of fighting men in the country (seems innocent, but it was a sure sign that he wasn't trusting and relying on God for his strength). God sent a judgment, carried out by a destroying angel. David saw the angel, hovering between heaven and earth with sword drawn, ready to destroy Jerusalem through plague. David built an altar, sacrificed, and prayed, interceding with God. "God was moved by the prayers and that was the end of the disaster" (2 Sam 24:25). I was reminded of God's power, and also that God listens and cares. Prayer is vitally important.
- Not another one:  David was old and dying in the beginning of 1 Kings, and yet another son, the next in line behind the dead Absalom, wanted the throne from his father. HIs name was Adonijah, and he was as gorgeous as Absalom had been. The text says that David had never disciplined him as a child. However, Adonijah was not God's  chosen, even though many supported his cause, including Joab, the mighty commander of David's armies. Solomon was the chosen one to succeed David. Bathsheba and Nathan interceded with David for Solomon, and got through--David crowned Solomon king.
- Time to clean house:  After David died, King Solomon cleaned house and took care of some of David's unfinished business, including carrying out some just killings. Why didn't David do this? (1 Kings 2).
- Peace:  During Solomon's reign, "peace reigned everywhere" (1  Kings 4:24-25).
- Wisdom reigns:  Solomon was recognized as the wisest man alive, and this was a gift from God. People came from all over to listen to his wisdom.
- Temple construction began, and the stone blocks were dressed at the quarry so that the building site itself was "reverently quiet" (1 Kings 6). It took Solomon 7 years to build the temple (a significant number).
- Dazzling:  The inner sanctuary of the temple was all gold, walls, floors, everything (1 Kings 6:19-22). Two huge cherubim, 15 feet tall, filled the sanctuary. Their outstretched wings were 15 feet long, and they were covered in pure gold.

Elena's verse of the day:  "Hiram said, 'I am grateful that the Lord gave David such a wise son to be king of that great nation'" (1 Kings 5:7).