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Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, ‘Look, we are your bone and flesh. For some time, while Saul was king over us, it was you who led out Israel and brought it in. The Lord said to you: It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall be ruler over Israel.’ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for forty years. At Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years. David occupied the stronghold, and named it the city of David. David built the city all around from the Millo inwards. And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him. (2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10)
Happy Fourth of July, dear Friend! I hope your plans for today include prayers for our nation, the United States of America, and its needs. We see a story about an important nation in the Bible in today's Biblical passage. May it bless our hearts and minds to better serve the Lord Jesus!
The story of Israel and Judah has been an interesting one. Made up of twelve tribes, it was in the meeting held with David in Hebron, that the northern and southern kingdoms came together as one nation, keeping the name Israel as the name of the country. I have long seen the star of David, shown above, as the symbol of the northern and southern kingdoms having come together. Apparently I can find no proof of this, there are about a hundred different explanations for why it was chosen; I use it as a guide or reminder of what happened in Hebron. (And if you put that down in an essay on a test, it will be marked wrong, probably!)
Unity was what the nation needed and finally wanted. Their approach to David was, "We're all related; we're all in this together; you saw the mess we had with Saul and while he was still on the throne, you were the one doing the real work - be our king!" Well, David was already anointed by Samuel as the next king; this made it official. And they sealed the deal with a covenant, a three-party holy covenant, with the party of the first part being God, then Israel, then David. I imagine the covenant was a simple one: You shall be our king and we shall be your nation, so help us God. Then the 30-year old is now the king of Judah, which he was for seven years; the unification of both kingdoms took place and David ruled a total of forty years. During his reign, he moved the capital from Hebron to Jerusalem, which he named the City of David. (Two points if you know what other city in the Bible holds that name as well?) And the key verse: "And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him."
God should always be involved in our lives and all aspects of our lives. As Israel found out, David was a man of God, and to have him as king meant the presence and power of God in all the dealings of the nation. Imagine a life without God? I cannot. The blessings and peace in a life lived in God far outrank anything; money, power, prestige, etc. and etc. A life lived in God is a life well lived. It may be said of you that "you became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with you."
PRAYER: Loving God, we thank You for all the blessings you have shared with us. As a country, The United States of America is richly blessed and we pray for Your guidance in how we are to best live out our purpose not just for ourselves, but for the whole world. Bless this dear reader and all that they are facing; bless the sick, the hungry, the naked, the thirsty, the lost, the prisoner, and those who should minister to them. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! May you be a blessing of life blessed by God to all you meet!
Eradio Valverde
