April 6: A country song played backwards!

2 Samuel chapters 2, 3, and 4, 1 Chron. 3:1-4, 11:1-3, 29:26,27, 1 Kings 2:11, 1 Chron 12:23-40

2 Samuel 3:14-16

Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹⁴ And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

¹⁵ And Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her [second] husband, from Paltiel son of Laish [to whom Saul had given her].

¹⁶ But her husband went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, Go back. And he did so.

I feel pain for Paltiel as I remember the pain of my daughter leaving home to give her heart to another. But his grief went so much deeper. Knowing the woman he loved was gone forever.

1 Chronicles 29:26-27

Amplified Bible (AMP)

²⁶ Thus David son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.

²⁷ The time he reigned over Israel was forty years—he reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles 12:23-40

Amplified Bible (AMP)

²³ These are the numbers of the armed divisions who came to David at Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord:

²⁴ Those of Judah, who bore shield and spear, were 6,800 armed for war;

²⁵ Those of Simeon, mighty and brave warriors, 7,100;

²⁶ Those of Levi, 4,600—

²⁷ Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronite [priests], and with him were 3,700,

²⁸ And Zadok, a young man mighty in valor, and twenty-two captains from his own father’s house;

²⁹ Of the Benjamites, the kindred of [King] Saul, 3,000—hitherto the majority of them had kept their allegiance [to Saul] and the charge of the house of Saul;

³⁰ Of the Ephraimites, 20,800, mighty in valor, famous in their fathers’ houses;

³¹ Of the half-tribe of Manasseh, 18,000, who were mentioned by name to come and make David king;

³² And of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs; and all their kinsmen were under their command;

³³ Of Zebulun, 50,000 experienced troops, fitted out with all kinds of weapons and instruments of war that could order and set the battle in array, men not of double purpose but stable and trustworthy.

³⁴ Of Naphtali, 1,000 captains, and with them 37,000 [of the rank and file armed] with shield and spear;

³⁵ Of Dan, 28,600, men who could set the battle in array;

³⁶ Of Asher, men able to go forth to battle, fit for active service, 40,000;

³⁷ On the other [the east] side of the Jordan River, of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 120,000 men, armed with all the weapons and instruments of war.

³⁸ All these, being men of war arrayed in battle order, came with a perfect and sincere heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest also of Israel were of one mind to make David king.

³⁹ And they were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them.

⁴⁰ Also those who were near them from as far as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen, abundant supplies of meal, cakes of figs, bunches of raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.

A fabulous celebration took place on this day! After waiting over 20 years (from the time David was anointed by Samuel), David is crowned King over all of Israel.

Let's backtrack. Right after David was anointed, things had gone from bad to worse. David had been hunted down like an animal by Saul's army of three thousand! He was doomed to die. There was absolutely no hope at all. But God! (I remember my dad preaching a sermon with this title.) 

With God on your side you CAN'T lose. When everyone agrees there's no possible hope left, it's time to get very excited! 

"Dear God, let this passage of scripture encourage someone today. All hope of David ever reigning over Israel was lost. But You kept delivering him time and time again. Exactly the way You deliver Your children. Time and time again. You are so amazing. Your ways are so completely over our heads. We don't have to understand. All we have to do is cling to You. Like children. That's all. I worship You for You alone are worthy. Your name is above every name, Jesus. Thank You for everything You have done and are doing in my life. In Your precious name I pray, AMEN."

"My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the Lord.

'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9