Week of 12.4.2022 | Day Four
After many challenges and victories, the Israelites finally settled into the land that God promised. They became a people, Israel, with a land to call their own. They committed to obey the covenant God gave through Moses. This Mosaic Covenant had clear conditions for God’s people: obey and you will be blessed, disobey and there will be consequences. The Israelites did not keep their commitment to obey God and the nation quickly fell back into patterns of sin. Rather than submit to God’s authority, they wanted a king to rule over them, like other nations. They appoint a king of their choosing, instead of seeking God, which does not turn out well. Then God chooses a king, a man after His own heart. After much difficulty, David takes the throne. Though David is not a perfect king, He seeks to rule under God’s authority. God blesses Israel and they prosper. God makes a promise to David that He will send a King even greater than David, whose kingdom will never end. This future King will bless His people with prosperity that can never be taken away, just as He designed it to be.
Read
The following scriptures give an overview of how the story progresses. Read as much as you see appropriate for your children: Judges 21:25; 1 Samuel 8:4-5, 22-23; 1 Samuel 13:14; 1 Samuel 16:13; 2 Samuel 7:8-17; Psalm 132:11-12;
Judges 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
1 Samuel 8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him, “…Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
22 And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.”
1 Samuel 13:14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
1 Samuel 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward.
2 Samuel 7:8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.
Discuss
What stood out to you about this section?
What does this teach us about God?
What does this teach us about man?
How should we respond to what we read?
Pray
Lead your family in a time of prayer.
Consider the ACTS model (Adoration- Adore or praise God, Confession- Confess sin, Thanksgiving- Thank God, and Supplication- Ask God to supply our needs)