Moving Forward

Posted by Christina Scovone on Monday, April 18, 2011

King James Bible Study: Moving Forward
For: Monday April 18, 2011
Chapters: II Samuel 19-20
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-april-18

Details of Today's Reading: Joab causes David to cease mourning over Absalom, David returns to Jordan, Israel's quarrel with Judah, Sheba rebels, taking most of Israel with him, Joab kills Amasa, Sheba takes refuge in Abel, is found, and killed, and David appoints officers over Jerusalem.

Hello My Friend/Guest,
How often do you look back at things of your past? It is good to have memories, some are good, some bad, some we would like to do over again, yet some we wish never happened and never want remember at all. The Bible says, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;” - Ecclesiastes 3:1-4. Change is inevitable, the only thing that never changes is God, everything else must and will come to pass. While we can not avoid change we can use the past to guide us into the future, but we have to be careful not to let our past guide us in the wrong direction.

As David mourned over the death of his son, Absalom, I am sure he could not help, but remember what Nathan the prophet had said to him about his sin, “Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.” - II Samuel 12:11,12. However, Absalom's actions were the consequences of his own sins, Absalom was a traitor to Israel and even tried to destroy his own father to become king himself. God used the wickedness of Absalom to get David to repent, but God never intended for Absalom to be king. Absalom had the chance to repent himself, but never did and his death was the result of his own actions, not David's.

While every parent is going to feel grief over the death of a child, and have every right to, there does come a time when they must move forward, not forget, just move forward. If one does not get past the grief it will begin affecting not only their lives, but those around them as well. David's deep grief over Absalom made him incapable of carrying out his responsibility as king. After their victory over Israel, the soldiers returned from battle expecting to be welcomed by a glorious victory celebration, instead, they heard the king weeping and wailing over the death of his son. Then instead of feeling victorious they felt as though they were the ones who were defeated.

“And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son. And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son! And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines; In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.” - II Samuel 19:2-6.

David's sorrow was so great that he lost all sense of gratitude to God and his faithful followers, but the death of the rebel leader was the only way by which peace could be restored to the nation and the throne restored to its God appointed king. Joab had to remind David that he had a job to do, take care of living, not the dead. This is the same thing Jesus says to His faithful followers. “And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.” - Luke 9:59,60.

When God gives us a duty, He expects us to fulfill it regardless of the circumstances we face. Jesus said, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” - Luke 14:26,27. This does not mean we are to literally hate our loved ones, it means we are to put Christ first, to love Him so much that no matter what we are going through we fulfill the duty that He calls us to do.

It does not take long for a wicked selfish person to use a persons grief to his advantage, a man named Sheba used this opportunity to start another civil war. “And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel. So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem...And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.” - II Samuel 20:1,2,6.

Now, David is coming to his senses, he faced the consequences of his sin, he mourned the death of another son, it was time for him to move forward and be the king of the people that God ordained him as. One trial arises after another for our own good, until we reach the place where sin and sorrow are for ever done away with, then all is forgiven and forgotten. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - I John 1:9.

Not only does God forgive us, He expects us to forgive ourselves, dwelling on the past only keeps us trying to repent over the things that God has already blocked from His remembrance. We have to move forward regardless of anything that has happened in our past, otherwise God will think that we do not believe Him. Remember, Christ died for us once, meaning we only have to ask for Him to save us once, meaning we only have to ask Him to forgive us once for our sin. “For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” - Hebrews 9:26-28.

We are blessed as we move forward, enduring all the circumstances of our lives, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” - Matthew 5:3-10. Praise God!

Jesus Revealed: Today Jesus is revealed through David, who wished to be invited back as king (19:11). The only way Jesus will save us is if we invite Him. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” - Romans 10:9,10.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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