Friday, August 10, 2012

Friday, August 10, 2012

Remember God's promise to David in Psalm 89?

Psalm 89:3-4
3 You said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant,
4 'I will establish your line forever
and make your throne firm through all generations.'"

If David's throne is to last forever, then how can David's line be
thrust from the throne? In today's reading, King Jehoiacan (a king in
the line of David) and his future offspring were dethroned. Here's
what Jeremiah said about King Jehoiacan:

Jeremiah 22:30
30 This is what the LORD says:
"Record this man as if childless,
a man who will not prosper in his lifetime,
for none of his offspring will prosper,
none will sit on the throne of David
or rule anymore in Judah."

Later we'll read about Jehoiachin's grandson, Zerubbabel, who will
return to Judah (when the Jews return from exile in Babylon), but will
be a governor (under the Persian Empire), not a king. So how does
God's promise to David hold credibility? Simple, King Jesus. In the
book of Matthew and in the book of Luke, Zerubbabel is listed in the
genealogy of Jesus. Also, we'll soon read what the angel Gabriel said
to Mary:

31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him
Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most
High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33
and he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever; his kingdom will
never end." (Luke 1:31-32)

Let's give praise to our eternal King today.


Another great theme in today's reading:
-God's patience – God allowed Judah to sin greatly over a period of
six generations of kings (from Manasseh to Jehoiachin) before allowing
King Nebachadnessar of Babylon to exile them. If I was married to
someone and they cheated on me, they'd be lucky to get six days before
I'd give them the boot. Six generations? God's patience is beyond my
comprehension.

Wait, what am I talking about? They cheated on God every day over six
generations. Wow! I can't even begin to make up an analogy in the
human sense, which would resemble God's patience and mercy.

I encourage you to be "Wowed" by God today.

God Bless,
Anthony