His Plan

 DEVOTION

2^ND SAMUEL

HIS PLAN

2 Sam 5:11-25

11 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. 12 And David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. 13 After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. 14 These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet. 17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; 19 so David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The LORD answered him, "Go, for I will surely hand the Philistines over to you." 20 So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, "As waters break out, the LORD has broken out against my enemies before me." So that place was called Baal Perazim.   21 The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off. 22 Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; 23 so David inquired of the LORD, and he answered, "Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. 24 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army." 25 So David did as the LORD commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

NIV

Once again, we are faced with the truth about seeking the Lord's direction for everything we do. David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him. This was a constant battle between Israel and the Philistines, and David had been at the center of this conflict since he was a young lad, having killed the Philistine giant Goliath. The LORD even gave David specific instructions about how to attack, to watch for the sign that the LORD God Almighty would be rushing through the top of the trees before him. As wonderful as this truth is, we should learn that lesson and continue to inquire of the Lord regarding all things in our lives, what we are to do, where we are to go, and how we are to do that which he directs us to do. There is another truth sort of hidden in this passage. We are given the names of some of the sons of David; two of them are of great importance. Solomon and Nathan both have descendants from whom the Savior of the world came in the form of man. Joseph, the husband of Mary, was a descendant of Solomon and thus David. Mary was a descendant of Nathan and thus David. Here is where the throne of David will be forever, for Jesus, as the Son of Man, came directly through the line of David. This is the pure hand of God at work, choosing David through the prophet Samuel, anointing him king over all Israel. David was in the line of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham. These men were all used by the hand of God to be part of the coming of the Son of God, the Son of Man, the Messiah, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Savior of the world, Jesus, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit within Mary, whose husband was Joseph. God brings about his sovereign will to save his creation from death and give them, which includes us, life and life abundantly, meaning eternal life. When we see how God worked through all those generations to have two specific people live at His specified time, to have Jesus come as a man, we have to know that our lives are in the here and now are for a specific purpose of the Almighty Sovereign God of heaven and earth. All we need to do is inquire of the Lord, what, where, and how we do what he has designed us to do, for God has a plan for us. Lord, show us your plan.