WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:05.120 We study through books of the Bible here at the village chapel, and we have some extra copies. 00:00:05.280 --> 00:00:09.039 If uh you didn't bring one with you and you would like one, just raise your hand up real high. 00:00:09.199 --> 00:00:10.560 Somebody will drop one off at your aisle. 00:00:10.640 --> 00:00:13.919 I think we've got a few over there, a few back on that side as well. 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:18.879 Thank you so much to those who are serving in that capacity and passing those around. 00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:21.600 We are studying 2 Samuel. 00:00:21.760 --> 00:00:25.039 It's a story of unlikely redemption when we read these stories. 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:35.119 When we consider the honest truth about our own stories, how unlikely that God would choose, would call, would save sinners such as we are. 00:00:35.200 --> 00:00:38.399 And this is truly amazing grace we're talking about. 00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:43.280 We sing a song often around here that expresses our astonishment quite well. 00:00:43.520 --> 00:00:47.840 Written by a guy named Charles Hutchison Gabriel, first published in 1905. 00:00:48.240 --> 00:00:53.119 Gabriel is credited with somewhere between seven and eight thousand hymns, so he's quite prolific. 00:00:53.280 --> 00:01:07.680 But uh one of the ones that uh we remember and sing around here is I stand amazed in the presence, you know the words, of Jesus the Nazarene and wonder how he could love me, a sinner condemned, unclean. 00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:22.799 The chorus you know goes, How that's it, yes, how and my song shall ever be, how is my Savior's love for me? 00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:28.640 He's just sitting there going, and that's where we all find ourselves so often. 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:35.439 Even studying, yes, the Old Testament, even studying books like 2 Samuel's story of unlikely redemption. 00:01:35.519 --> 00:01:44.159 But this God of the Bible is in the business of choosing those no one else would choose, and using those no one else would use. 00:01:44.799 --> 00:01:56.959 This God of the Bible is uh very well and commonly interested in doing the unlikely, the improbable, and often even what we would consider to be the impossible. 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:22.479 So no matter where you are this day, uh in your spiritual journey, in your season of life, whatever it might be, no matter how messed up, how rebellious you have been, no matter how fearful, no matter how frustrated you are, no matter how angry or abused you may have been, I want you to know this God of the Bible is going to speak to us today through his word. 00:02:23.039 --> 00:02:38.319 And we invite the Holy Spirit to use our study of it to renew our hearts and minds and to welcome us once again to consider this great salvation that God has put on offer to us by grace through faith in Christ. 00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:41.120 We're reaching back 3,000 years. 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:44.800 We're not trying to get David to fit into our story. 00:02:45.280 --> 00:02:47.840 That would be so narcissistic of us. 00:02:48.240 --> 00:03:00.639 But we're trying to reach back 3,000 years and understand his story, and the context includes jumping a lot of hurdles for us, cultural hurdles, religious hurdles, um, uh, sociological hurdles. 00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:08.960 There's tons of hurdles we have to jump to be able to understand what we're gonna read in a text like this that is historical narrative describing a certain period of time. 00:03:09.120 --> 00:03:13.199 And I put up on the screen the map for you just to remind you what's happening. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:17.039 The the green area on the lower left there is the Philistine territory. 00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:20.240 They are the perennial enemies of the children of Israel. 00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:28.719 They are marauding terrorists that that break into Israel all the time and uh cause all kinds of havoc and pain. 00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:34.080 And um there they worship a false idol, a false god called Dagon. 00:03:34.560 --> 00:03:46.479 And um they have uh done battle recently, as we enter the story here anyway, with King Saul of the Israelites and Jonathan his son and a couple of his other sons and bunches of the armies of Israel. 00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:56.719 And the Philistines uh have done that battle at Mount Gilboa, which is up toward the northern part there where it actually says Israel on the map, and they defeated the children of Israel. 00:03:56.879 --> 00:03:58.719 Saul has turned away from God. 00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:23.759 Um and so I have the people of God who are following Saul, and it's a difficult day, but at the same time that has happened, down in the green territory, there is where David and 600 of his men that follow him, they've been hiding out in a Philistine city called Zikblag, pretending to be Philistines, pretending that they could live there safely among Philistines. 00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:27.120 And they've been on the run from Saul, who's wanted to kill David. 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:29.439 He's tried eleven times to kill David. 00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:43.199 David, on the other hand, has had two opportunities to kill Saul, but he has not done it because he sees Saul as God's anointed, and he so respects God's will, God's timing, and God's ways that David won't strike out against Saul. 00:04:43.279 --> 00:04:45.040 But now Saul has been put to death. 00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:52.319 He's been killed in battle, as has Jonathan, who happens to be Saul's son, but also David's very, very best friend. 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:55.519 And so David is in Ziklag, he's mourning all of that. 00:04:55.680 --> 00:05:03.680 We studied that Song of Lament last week, and we're going to pick up right now in Ziklag, where David begins to ask the question what next, Lord? 00:05:03.839 --> 00:05:12.240 And you may have asked that question before in your own life, in your own set of confusing circumstances, or in your own transition time, whatever that may be. 00:05:12.319 --> 00:05:14.399 It's a great question to ask. 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:17.839 And our this God of the Bible is approachable with that question. 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:29.680 You'll see that as we go along, and responds to grant uh some information to David in a very unusual way, but yet at a uh a way in which I think we can learn some things as well. 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:31.199 So set your eyes on the page. 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:34.399 Let's take a look at these uh first 11 verses of chapter 2. 00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:35.600 It came about afterwards. 00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:40.959 David inquired of the Lord, and if you would underline that phrase, inquired of the Lord, that would be good. 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:43.360 That's a very important phrase in this passage. 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:46.160 Even if you have one of the Pew Bibles, go ahead and underline it. 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:50.639 Then the next person behind you who may not have a pen will see that it was important. 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:55.600 He inquires of the Lord, and he says, Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah? 00:05:55.839 --> 00:05:59.920 And of course, he would be from Ziglag, which is down in the Philistine territory. 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:03.360 He would be going up into the region that's called Judah. 00:06:03.600 --> 00:06:05.920 And uh, and so he's curious. 00:06:06.079 --> 00:06:08.879 Does God want him to go back now, since Saul is dead? 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:12.879 Does God want him to go back into the uh Israelite territory? 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:16.240 And God says, or the Lord said to him, go up. 00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:18.800 So David said, Where shall I go up? 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:21.199 In other words, specifically, where would you like me to go? 00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:23.519 And God says to him, To Hebron. 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:27.120 Now, I would have preferred Caesarea by the sea myself. 00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:40.000 I I have, I don't know if any of you watch those uh House Hunter International type shows or whatever, you get a you get a view in the in, you know, and you can find these places where it's just ridiculously inexpensive to be able to watch the ocean 24-7. 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:41.040 I love that kind of thing. 00:06:41.199 --> 00:06:43.040 Do you hear the waves rolling in? 00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:46.720 That's my that's my idea of a calling, if you know what I'm saying, okay? 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:48.319 And the calling I would prefer. 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:56.160 But instead, uh the Lord says to David, and this is fascinating to me too, this exchange of communication between David and God. 00:06:56.560 --> 00:07:06.399 I think most of us can relate to asking the questions that David asks, but probably most of us can't relate to the way God answers him. 00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:11.279 Uh that is, it seems so explicit, it seems so clear. 00:07:11.519 --> 00:07:20.639 Um, I asked Kim's parents for her hand in marriage, and three times Sid, uh, the captain, uh, three times Sid said no. 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:22.639 And finally Kim says to him, What do you want? 00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:25.199 A three by five card from God? 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:27.519 And Dad said, Yes. 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:30.240 That's exactly what he wanted. 00:07:30.480 --> 00:07:32.720 I don't get three by five cards from God. 00:07:32.879 --> 00:07:37.360 Uh my father-in-law didn't either, and uh uh you probably don't either. 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:46.000 So um the the the fact that God answers David here in verse one and says, go up, or essentially, yes, I do want you to go up to Judah, that's pretty amazing. 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:47.040 That's pretty remarkable. 00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:53.360 How do we how do we process all of that ourselves as we seek uh God's direction and God's counsel? 00:07:53.519 --> 00:07:54.639 Uh we'll get to that in a minute. 00:07:54.720 --> 00:07:55.439 David said, where? 00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:57.040 He wants more specifics, where? 00:07:57.199 --> 00:07:58.480 And then it's to Hebron. 00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:06.000 Hebron was a range or um uh a region, I'll call it that, because there are many, there are multiple cities or towns in Hebron. 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:08.560 And um and you'll see that in just a minute as well. 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:17.920 David did go up, and uh his two wives also, Ahenoim, the Jezreelitis, and Abigail, the widow of Nabal, the Carmelite. 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:20.079 Um, and some of you are going, okay. 00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:22.000 Does the Bible endorse polygamy here? 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:22.639 What's going on? 00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:23.040 Okay. 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:27.680 I'm gonna ask you to just put a placeholder right there on that question at that verse. 00:08:27.839 --> 00:08:32.240 I'm gonna answer this question when we get to the other three wives that David has as well, okay? 00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:35.039 So I can just answer it all at one felt swoop. 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:38.960 And hopefully you'll stay awake and keep keep uh keep digging in a little bit. 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:42.159 Some of you may even dig in and find the answers to your question yourself. 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:44.320 But when we get there, we'll get there, okay? 00:08:44.480 --> 00:08:46.559 And uh this is what's happening right now. 00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:52.960 David brought up his men who were with him, so there's at least 600 of these men that are following him, each of his household as well. 00:08:53.120 --> 00:08:56.559 And they lived in the cities, plural, of Hebron. 00:08:56.799 --> 00:08:58.240 So it's an area, it's a region. 00:08:58.399 --> 00:09:03.440 Certainly famous for the fact that uh Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are buried there. 00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:07.679 Certainly famous in Jewish history because of that. 00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:17.360 Um Jerusalem is not yet the center of religious activity or the capital, if you will, for the Israelites. 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:22.879 It's still uh Jebusite territory, but it will become the great city. 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:25.120 It will become wonderful and all that, but it's not there yet. 00:09:25.200 --> 00:09:26.000 So we're in process. 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:27.759 We're going back 3,000 years. 00:09:27.840 --> 00:09:32.559 Remember, don't interpret everything with your current postmodern mindset and eyes. 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:36.399 You need to understand there are gonna be hurdles to jump for us. 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:46.000 And the men of Judah, verse 4, came and there anointed David king over the house of Judah. 00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:50.159 That's interesting, because Samuel had already anointed David to be the next king after Saul. 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:51.840 And how come this is happening? 00:09:51.919 --> 00:09:53.600 And some of you might be asking that question. 00:09:53.759 --> 00:09:54.639 I don't know. 00:09:55.360 --> 00:10:00.320 Um but this is not a united nation, so to speak, right now. 00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:01.840 You're gonna see that in a minute. 00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:08.399 There's gonna be about seven and a half years where this whole thing of David becoming king is unfolding. 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:12.000 It's not just flip the switch and he's now king because Saul is dead. 00:10:12.320 --> 00:10:18.799 Um, and sometimes God's will for us and God's pathway for us unfolds over time. 00:10:19.039 --> 00:10:23.279 And I don't know about you, but for me, sometimes I I don't get that. 00:10:23.360 --> 00:10:24.639 Sometimes I'm too impatient. 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:26.960 I want it all now, I want it to happen right now. 00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:29.519 But it's good to be able to look and see this. 00:10:29.759 --> 00:10:35.120 Well, the men of Judah have come and anointed David King again, and that's at least curious. 00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:42.000 And I think there's something important there that we all need the reassurance of God's people from time to time. 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:45.279 And I think that you probably know that just as well as I do. 00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:55.759 Sometimes I need someone who out of the blue just comes along and says a kind word or a word of encouragement, or even a simple I love you brother, you know, or or whatever it might be. 00:10:55.919 --> 00:10:58.000 And we all need that, don't we, from time to time. 00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:05.919 Let's be more proactive about encouraging one another, and that means to pour courage into one another. 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:07.200 Let's do that more often. 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:10.559 Let's be verbal with our encouragement or with our writing notes. 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:17.840 Occasionally I get a little note from somebody and they'll send me a note, and they and they're not telling me how they have a better idea how to do it. 00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:23.120 They're actually just writing to say, thank you for just teaching through the Bible or something. 00:11:23.279 --> 00:11:25.759 And I'm not I'm not begging for more of this. 00:11:25.919 --> 00:11:34.879 I'm simply saying it's such an encouragement to me when there's sort of a sense of which this thing that God has us doing here is reaffirmed. 00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:46.080 And that's a good thing, I think, for David right there, because it's probably been a while since he had a sense of that that God's blessing was really going to be on him, and God's anointing on him to be the next king. 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:51.759 So they reannoined him king over the house of Judah, which is one of the tribes, not all of them, but one of them. 00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:58.320 Well, they told David, these men of Judah, they said to him, It was the men of Jabesh Gilead who buried Saul. 00:11:58.559 --> 00:12:01.360 Remember, Saul's body had been decapitated. 00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:05.519 He and Jonathan's body both been desecrated terribly. 00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:24.080 And the Philistines loved to do public display of their power and their success, and they literally posted the bodies of Saul and Jonathan on the walls in the main promenade of Bet-Shan, which is a little village just south and west, a little bit of the Sea of Galilee. 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:26.240 Some of us have been there as we travel over to Israel. 00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:52.159 We actually have been there, actually been on that promenade, that main street of Betshan, and that would have been the wall where they would have posted these bodies, so that the anyone who comes by, anybody visiting from another part of the country or another part of the world would see that indeed the Philistines and their God Dagon had been powerful and victorious over Saul and Jonathan his son, and over the God, the Yahweh, the God of Israel. 00:12:52.960 --> 00:13:06.799 And so what happened there is the men of Jabesh Gilead under cover had uh had come in and taken the bodies down of Saul and of Jonathan and given them a proper burial back in their territory. 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:17.919 And at their great risk, they went and did this to honor their memory and to uh to take their bodies away from those who think they have been victorious over Yahweh. 00:13:18.159 --> 00:13:29.360 David sent messengers, verse 5 says, to the men of Jabesh Gilead and said to them, May you be blessed of the Lord, because you have shown this kindness to Saul your Lord, and have buried him. 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:32.639 Remember, Saul's the one who's tried to kill David eleven times. 00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:40.720 He's now sending emissaries, envoys, if you will, messengers all the way to uh Jabesh Gilead to say thank you. 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:46.879 He didn't just post it on Facebook, he didn't just send an email, he didn't just post a little stamp and stick it in the mail. 00:13:47.039 --> 00:14:00.480 He sent a team to say thank you for honoring the guy that was trying to kill me, who really was his father-in-law, who really was in David's eyes, God's anointed. 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:19.600 And God's anointing on Saul was so important to David that it was God's will, ways, timing, all of that, that he could see past the guy who had tried to kill him, past his own enemy, if you will, and see that this is worthy to be honored. 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:23.440 And these folks need to be thanked for that. 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:41.360 And so he sends these messengers to do that, and he even goes further, verse six, he says, Now may the Lord show loving-kindness and truth to you, and I also, this newly, freshly reanointed king of Judah, David, I also will show this goodness to you because you have done this thing. 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:50.720 Now therefore, let your hands be strong and be valiant, for Saul your Lord, is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them. 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:55.840 So he's announcing, he's letting them know that he, David, has indeed become the king of Judah now. 00:14:56.000 --> 00:15:02.080 And if there were wondering about what's going to happen in Israel, at least there's a hint of some of what might happen. 00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:06.799 And they've been loyal, the Jabesh Gileadites have been to Saul, but now Saul is dead. 00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:07.759 What's going to happen? 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:08.559 What's our future? 00:15:08.639 --> 00:15:09.679 What's the next chapter? 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:12.320 We have a fallen leader, what's going to happen? 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:21.679 And David sends this word of encouragement and thanks, and then also this promise of his loyalty and steadfast love toward them. 00:15:21.840 --> 00:15:24.799 Let therefore your hands be strong and be valiant. 00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:27.120 He's pouring courage into them, isn't he? 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:29.440 Now, verse 8 is a transition. 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:37.759 But Abner, the son of Nur, commander of Saul's army, had taken Ishbosheth, the son of Saul. 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:39.759 Here's another one of Saul's son. 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:44.720 His name is Ish Bosheth, or some of your translations may have it a little bit differently, Ishbaal. 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:47.600 But his name means essentially son of shame. 00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:49.519 In some of your margins, you'll see that. 00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:50.399 That's interesting. 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:53.440 Abner, this military man, and the military is wonderful. 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:56.720 My dad was in the military when he died. 00:15:56.879 --> 00:16:02.960 My father-in-law was a 26-year Navy man when he died just a month or two ago. 00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:16.000 But this man, Abner, is a commander of Saul's army, which means, don't miss this, which means he was likely involved in some of the pursuit of David, to take David's life. 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:16.559 Okay? 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:17.679 Don't miss that. 00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:22.559 Because Saul had that as his primary mission for a long time. 00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:29.200 And now Abner decides he's the guy that's going to have the last word on who's going to be king in Israel. 00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:33.519 And he takes Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mechanem. 00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:40.879 And he made him king over Gilead, over the Asherites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, even over all of Israel. 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:45.759 Ishbosheth, Saul's son, was 40 years old when he became king of Israel. 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:47.840 His name means son of Shem, like I said. 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:49.840 He's forty years old. 00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:59.360 And Abner, this powerful military man, who was close to the heartbeat of Saul, has decided to say, I'm gonna put you up as king. 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:05.119 And he was king for two years, and the house of Judah, however, followed David. 00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:11.200 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:18.880 And so we'll stop there for today in terms of our text, but there's plenty for us to focus our attention on and plenty for us to learn here. 00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:22.240 As I merited on this text, here's what captured my eye. 00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:24.480 First, that first verse, I love that phrase. 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:27.279 I had you underline it, inquiring of the Lord. 00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:32.400 He inquired of the Lord multiple times throughout the books of 1st and 2 Samuel, as a matter of fact. 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:33.599 I won't put it on the screen. 00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:35.440 You can look at it yourself if you would like to. 00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:41.839 In 1 Samuel 23, verse 2, it says, David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and attack these Philistines? 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:46.480 And the Lord said to David, Go and attack the Philistines and deliver Kilah. 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:51.119 It wasn't just about mayhem, chaos, and murder. 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:55.039 It was about deliverance, rescue. 00:17:55.599 --> 00:18:01.440 And so David inquires of the Lord before he goes to battle. 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:05.279 And in verse 4 of that same chapter, David inquired of the Lord again. 00:18:05.440 --> 00:18:11.359 And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, go down to Kylah, for I will give the Philistines into your hands. 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:18.319 So David wants not only God's direction, he wants God to be the one to choose whether that's right or wrong to do, whether he should do it at all. 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:19.440 Will God be with him? 00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:20.640 Will God give him victory? 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:22.480 He's looking for reassurance. 00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:28.400 All of that, very much a part of David's inquiring of the Lord. 00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:34.400 Also, David the psalmist writes, and many of us know this psalm, Psalm 34. 00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:38.000 It's probably some of your favorite, for some of you, your favorite psalm of all. 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:41.200 And I remember back in the 70s and 80s, we used to sing this song. 00:18:41.359 --> 00:18:44.160 Those of you who were alive back then, we used to sing this song. 00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:46.079 I will bless the Lord at all times. 00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:47.039 Anybody remember this? 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:47.839 Raise your hand. 00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:49.119 Okay, three of you. 00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:49.359 Good. 00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:49.599 All right. 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:51.680 So some of us were alive back then, yeah. 00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:53.200 I will bless the Lord at all times. 00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:56.559 His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:57.599 I love this. 00:18:57.920 --> 00:19:00.960 My soul shall make her boast in thee, Lord. 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:02.720 The humble shall hear thereof and be glad. 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:08.160 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. 00:19:08.400 --> 00:19:09.440 And here it is. 00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:17.920 I sought the Lord, and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears. 00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:20.079 I disagree with Roosevelt. 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:22.160 There's more to fear in this world than fear itself. 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:24.400 This is a dangerous place. 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:26.480 And there's plenty out there. 00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:34.799 I need the comfort and the presence of God and the courage in God to not be afraid of finite things. 00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:36.160 I need to sing about it. 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:37.680 I need to be reminded myself of it. 00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:39.119 I need to hear you sing about it. 00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:51.440 I need all of us to do that so that we're constantly reminded that no matter what is going on, no matter how the storm rages around us, no matter how big the giants are that we face, we can put our hope and trust and confidence in God. 00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:54.480 So we seek Him, we inquire of the Lord. 00:19:54.799 --> 00:19:55.599 He hears us. 00:19:55.759 --> 00:19:59.200 He's not just an impersonal battery that the universe runs on. 00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:03.359 Batteries that the universe runs on cannot hear us, cry for mercy. 00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:07.759 Batteries that the universe runs on cannot come to our rescue. 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:12.480 And they certainly won't lead us to go to Hebron or Judah or whatever it might be. 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:22.799 We need a personal, real God to whom we can appeal, to whom we can run, to whom we can count on and trust and hope in. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:34.000 It sometimes is true, and I don't know if you have experienced this or not, but inquiring of the Lord, seeking the Lord, communing with the Lord, having a trusting comp trust and confidence in God. 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:37.680 Sometimes, to be honest with you, I undulate in that. 00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:44.319 Sometimes it goes a long time, and all of a sudden I wake up and go, Oh, I forgot to ask. 00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:55.039 It's kind of like when you're on a long, long journey driving, and all of a sudden you look up and one of the mile marker signs or whatever, and it's 15 miles have gone by and you weren't even paying attention. 00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:57.200 You know, that happens to me all the time. 00:20:57.519 --> 00:20:58.960 It happened in Israel as well. 00:20:59.119 --> 00:21:02.799 Jeremiah lamented it in chapter 10, 21. 00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:04.880 The shepherds have become stupid. 00:21:05.119 --> 00:21:06.720 Oh, may that not happen. 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:09.599 They have not sought the Lord. 00:21:10.079 --> 00:21:17.279 Therefore, they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered in our own time. 00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:23.519 I think this is what happens when a church turns away from seeking the Lord, from inquiring of the Lord. 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:28.480 And then the church as an institution just becomes another social or political organization. 00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:37.200 They stop seeking God, they stop crying out to him, they stop submitting to him and inquiring of the Lord, they stop hearing from the Lord. 00:21:37.279 --> 00:21:40.400 In Zephaniah's time, verse one, or chapter one, verse six. 00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:46.960 Those who have turned back from following the Lord and those who have not sought the Lord or inquired of him. 00:21:47.279 --> 00:21:59.759 These lamentations are over those persons who some in leadership, others just persons who belong to God or claim to have belonged to God, they either no longer believe in God. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:03.839 Or they may believe in God but just don't believe God matters anymore. 00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:07.279 I really hope that doesn't describe you. 00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:13.119 I know it describes some of your friends and some of my friends. 00:22:13.519 --> 00:22:16.240 Because we have all seen that happen. 00:22:16.559 --> 00:22:20.079 I certainly hope that it doesn't describe any of us in this room. 00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:23.839 But if it does, may God awaken us to seek him once again. 00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:30.240 It is the way of wisdom because we were designed to be in relationship with God, to inquire of the Lord. 00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:32.000 And I love it that that's what we see with David. 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:35.039 He's not a perfect man, he's not the hero of the story at all. 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:42.640 Christ will ultimately be the only hero of this entire narrative of redemption history. 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:49.920 But I love it that we see that this, especially here, right here in the first verse of chapter 2, that he did inquire of the Lord. 00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:51.759 And I think that's very important for us. 00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:55.039 He will hand that wisdom down to his son Solomon. 00:22:55.440 --> 00:23:04.799 He will say essentially, and Solomon will have so learned it that he will write it himself, Solomon who wrote so many of the Proverbs. 00:23:04.960 --> 00:23:11.759 And Solomon will say to his, the passing along his heritage, my son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments. 00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:15.039 For length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. 00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:19.359 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you. 00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:26.400 Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, so you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. 00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:28.400 Read this next slide aloud with me. 00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:34.559 Trust in the Lord, and do not lean on your own understanding. 00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:40.400 In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:46.400 Be not wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. 00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:50.799 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. 00:23:50.880 --> 00:23:53.680 There's so much there we could spend a month. 00:23:53.920 --> 00:23:56.640 Just in those verses on that one slide right there. 00:23:56.880 --> 00:24:03.920 What if everybody that you know, what if just each of us decided to not be wise in our own eyes anymore? 00:24:05.440 --> 00:24:09.440 What if everybody on Twitter decided not to be wise in their own eyes? 00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:11.599 Or everybody on Facebook. 00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:20.960 What if we acknowledged in all of our ways and didn't lean on our own understanding? 00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:28.079 What if we actually rediscovered what it means to fear the Lord? 00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:31.039 We don't talk about that much anymore. 00:24:31.599 --> 00:24:34.559 One of my seminary professors actually wrote an article on it. 00:24:34.640 --> 00:24:36.319 I thought it was so helpful. 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:39.279 He said, we've gotten away from fearing the Lord. 00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:41.680 We're just a little lopsided here. 00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:45.759 You know, we get a little too casual with God. 00:24:46.240 --> 00:24:54.960 And then all of a sudden, God becomes the genie in the magic lamp, or all of a sudden he's the cosmic concierge, get me what I need, get me what I want. 00:24:55.200 --> 00:24:59.599 Here's my agenda, you fulfill it, you fit into my agenda. 00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:05.519 Instead of he's the living, holy, almighty, righteous God. 00:25:06.559 --> 00:25:08.960 How do I get in on what he's doing? 00:25:09.200 --> 00:25:12.000 How do I become a part of his mission? 00:25:12.799 --> 00:25:15.039 How do I become his man? 00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:17.680 I belong to him. 00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:19.839 He doesn't belong to me. 00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:21.119 I belong to him. 00:25:21.680 --> 00:25:26.319 It's very lopsided that we get the way we get in the world in which we live. 00:25:26.480 --> 00:25:36.160 But what we were designed for, and we really find healing for our flesh and refreshment for our bones when we're in right relationship with God. 00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:44.720 When we have this healthy fear of the Lord, we don't need to have an unhealthy fear of anything else. 00:25:45.359 --> 00:25:49.920 Chewed up by fear and distress and anxiety. 00:25:50.079 --> 00:25:50.319 No. 00:25:50.480 --> 00:25:50.799 Why? 00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:53.519 Because the only thing we fear is the Lord Himself. 00:25:53.839 --> 00:25:54.799 We belong to Him. 00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:59.920 And that's not even an afraid kind of fear, that's an awe and respect kind of fear. 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:00.319 Why? 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:10.240 Because we already know that He already knows us fully and loves us completely in spite of what He knows about us. 00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:15.519 That'll set you free when you start getting into that kind of relationship with God. 00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:16.799 What else do we see here? 00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:22.000 Well, we also see here that inquiring, Lord, means the answers may come in stages. 00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:23.200 That's so true. 00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:26.640 How many of you ever wrestled or struggled with discerning God's will for your life? 00:26:26.720 --> 00:26:28.319 Let's come on, confession is good for the soul. 00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:28.960 Put your hands up. 00:26:29.359 --> 00:26:29.759 Let's see it. 00:26:29.920 --> 00:26:31.119 Okay, that's me too. 00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:33.039 Definitely, definitely a lot of us. 00:26:33.440 --> 00:26:36.880 Disning God's will in ways isn't always just what we think it is. 00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:43.200 TVC's own Mike Donahue goes over to the East Nashville campus, just has a put out a clever little book. 00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:46.720 It's called Seeking God's Life for My Will. 00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:49.759 His presence is the plan. 00:26:50.240 --> 00:26:55.440 Mike makes a point there that perhaps God isn't giving me the plan because he wants to be the plan. 00:26:56.319 --> 00:26:57.359 That's exactly right. 00:26:57.599 --> 00:27:04.160 He is really what we're longing for and what we really want to know him, to be in right relationship with him. 00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:10.160 Inquiring of the Lord means seeking God himself and first, seeking God first. 00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:16.480 But it also means that we're ready to give up control because we're going to him, not to ourselves. 00:27:16.640 --> 00:27:22.880 And you know, this world that we live in just continues to pummel us with the message: look inside yourself. 00:27:24.559 --> 00:27:28.000 You know, and you should do some evaluation once in a while. 00:27:28.079 --> 00:27:29.519 That's a good thing. 00:27:29.759 --> 00:27:33.359 Um, yes, it's true, you ought to look in the mirror, take a little look in the mirror. 00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:39.279 But the best mirror I've ever found is this book right here, these 66 books in this library called the Bible. 00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:40.400 It's like a mirror. 00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:51.279 It not only reveals to us who God is, if you want to look into it, but it also reveals to us who we are and how much we need God's redeeming grace in our lives. 00:27:51.839 --> 00:27:55.200 And it also reveals to us how he's put it on offer. 00:27:55.839 --> 00:27:59.039 And the offer is for you and for me. 00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:02.400 How do you respond is the question. 00:28:02.720 --> 00:28:05.359 How will you respond to God's offer? 00:28:05.519 --> 00:28:10.000 It's funny how in this passage, anyway, inquiring of the Lord means answers may come in stages. 00:28:10.079 --> 00:28:16.079 Um, if you go back and read 1 Samuel, you see that David consults with a priest named Mabiathar. 00:28:16.240 --> 00:28:18.079 He'll do that again in 2 Samuel as well. 00:28:18.160 --> 00:28:19.119 We just haven't gotten there yet. 00:28:19.200 --> 00:28:22.000 But he's looking for wise spiritual counsel. 00:28:22.240 --> 00:28:24.880 Is that where you turn for wise counsel? 00:28:25.119 --> 00:28:28.319 Or are you just going to your friends who are always going to be yes people? 00:28:28.400 --> 00:28:30.640 They're always going to tell you what you want to hear. 00:28:31.039 --> 00:28:34.480 My best friends are the people that will tell me the truth. 00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:34.880 Why? 00:28:35.039 --> 00:28:38.640 Because they love me enough to tell me the truth. 00:28:39.119 --> 00:28:49.680 Not just to reaffirm my prejudices, not to just reaffirm my preferences, but actually the faithful friend is the friend that will tell you the truth. 00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:51.759 And that's helpful, very helpful. 00:28:51.839 --> 00:28:52.559 Abiathar. 00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:55.519 The ephod was their means of communication back then. 00:28:55.599 --> 00:28:57.039 It was a vest the priest would wear. 00:28:57.119 --> 00:28:58.880 It had the Urim and the Thumim on it. 00:28:58.960 --> 00:28:59.680 That's another mystery. 00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:01.200 I don't have time to get into all of that. 00:29:01.440 --> 00:29:06.400 Be glad to talk about it or to point you to the direction of some folks. 00:29:06.559 --> 00:29:08.880 But this is one of the ways they heard from God. 00:29:10.640 --> 00:29:12.160 One of the means that they employed. 00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:15.599 And so David, yes, is doing that in 1st and 2 Samuel. 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:19.279 He hears a yes from God in this chapter, go up, essentially. 00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:21.920 But he's got the courage to obey. 00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:27.039 See, sometimes God says, go up, like he did to David here, and we don't go up. 00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:29.839 Oh man, I've gotten used to Ziklag. 00:29:30.880 --> 00:29:34.720 I just finished convincing these Philistines that I'm trustworthy. 00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:36.000 I fooled them. 00:29:36.160 --> 00:29:38.000 But he's and he's living a lie there. 00:29:38.079 --> 00:29:39.119 He's not, you know. 00:29:39.279 --> 00:29:44.160 But sometimes we just sit in that and we don't, and we're not sure how they're going to receive us in Hebron. 00:29:44.480 --> 00:29:48.559 I mean, after all, Saul's been after us, and if they like Saul, they're not going to like me. 00:29:48.880 --> 00:29:51.119 And so we're so nervous about all that. 00:29:51.200 --> 00:29:55.279 We don't have the courage to obey God when God does speak to us, you know? 00:29:56.240 --> 00:29:58.880 The leaving the Philistine territory. 00:29:58.960 --> 00:30:07.519 Some of us sometimes need to set aside some places, some people, some props that lead us away from Christ, lead us away from our life with God. 00:30:08.160 --> 00:30:15.039 And to be in Philistine territory, to act like, live like a Philistine for David, that's not where he belonged. 00:30:16.000 --> 00:30:17.119 And same with us. 00:30:17.599 --> 00:30:24.079 We need to not look just like the world around us, but we need to be set apart wholly as unto the Lord, God's people. 00:30:25.119 --> 00:30:30.000 Rejoicing, even in times of sorrow, trusting and hoping with great confidence. 00:30:30.079 --> 00:30:36.880 Even when we're lamenting, we're offering our praise and our worship to this living God who is there. 00:30:37.279 --> 00:30:38.880 He's reanointed, which is great. 00:30:38.960 --> 00:30:40.720 We need the reassurance of God's people, that's true. 00:30:40.880 --> 00:30:42.079 Seven and a half years though. 00:30:42.319 --> 00:30:45.200 Patience while we wait on God's promises. 00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:46.559 Do we have that? 00:30:47.279 --> 00:30:52.880 Some of you wish God would move right now, or that he would change things, or that he would stop something from happening, or whatever. 00:30:53.279 --> 00:30:54.640 And I've been there too. 00:30:55.680 --> 00:30:58.960 But remember, God's in charge of the clock. 00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:06.720 And he doesn't always move at my the same speed I want him to move at, but God is always on time. 00:31:08.160 --> 00:31:13.519 And I've noticed that he's never in a hurry, in a panicky kind of way. 00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:14.079 Why? 00:31:14.319 --> 00:31:23.039 Because he's God, and that's why we trust him to be God, to be sovereign, to be Lord, to be the wisest who knows everything. 00:31:23.279 --> 00:31:26.240