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April 15 - Evening
"When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.
‘I am about to go the way of all the earth,’ he said.
‘So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him,
and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses.
Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go and that the Lord may keep his promise to me:
“If your descendants watch how they live, and
if they walk faithfully before me with all their
heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.”
Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.
But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table. They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.
And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord: “I will not put you to death by the sword.”
But now, do not consider him innocent.
You are a man of wisdom; you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.’
Then David rested with his ancestors and
was buried in the City of David."
- First Kings 2:1-10 |
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| David's Spiritual and Political Advice to Solomon |
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David’s final words to his son Solomon, who had already been anointed as the next king, can be divided into two parts:
- Command to be a man of God
- Directions concerning the establishment of his fragile reign which involves the personal treatment of some opponents and some supporters.
Concerning how to live as a man of God David tells Solomon:
- Be strong
- Be a man
- Observe the four areas of the Mosaic Covenant given by the Lord:
1) decrees, 2) commands, 3) laws, 4) regulations
All this was to be done so Solomon’s reign and life would be prosperous and successful and that the Lord would be able to honor his promises to David and Solomon.
The second part of David’s advice concerned Solomon’s establishment of his reign which included the treatment of his opponents and supporters. David advised Solomon concerning those who would be opponents:
- Joab – “do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace” or, said another way, “don’t let him grow old, but kill him.”
- Shimei – “bring his gray head down to the grave in blood, or, said another way, “kill him with the sword.”
Concerning the treatment of supporters or men that David owed favors to:
- Barzillai – support him from the royal account which would have included food, provisions shelter and protection.
David’s tomb is part of the remains of the Royal Tombs of the Kings of Judah that seem to located on the south end of the city of David here. |
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“My one purpose in life is to help people find a personal relationship with God, which,
I believe, comes through knowing Christ.”
– Billy Graham
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Could the fruit from the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil have caused a genetic alteration in the human make up and chemically altered the human DNA? And, likewise, could receiving the mark of the beast, which is 666, the number of man, be another more drastic genetic alteration? |
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Fruitfulness in your personal ministry |
Unity |
Crime |
China, PRC |
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| Reps & Sets is a daily Bible devotional for Christians from Generation Word Bible Teaching used each morning and evening. |
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