Join us for a thought-provoking discussion not only of King David’s military successes but also on the broader theme of finding and adhering to one’s life purpose as ordained by God. We also ponder the significance of regular Bible reading in cultivating a robust spiritual life and highlight practical steps for enhancing Bible literacy amidst the hustle and bustle of contemporary life.
Welcome to Add Bible, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. We join Allen J. Huth as he shares Bible passages and comments from over 30 years of his personal Bible reading journals.
SPEAKER 02 :
Today we are in 2 Samuel chapter 8. We’re going to listen in to Faith Comes by Hearing’s rendition of 2 Samuel 8, which is only 18 verses. 2 Samuel 8
SPEAKER 01 :
After this, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. And David took Mithig-Ammah out of the hand of the Philistines. And he defeated Moab, and he measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground. Two lines he measured to be put to death, and one full line to be spared. And the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute. David also defeated Hadad-ezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to restore his power at the river Euphrates. And David took from him 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but left enough for 100 chariots. And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadad-Ezer, king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. And David took the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadad-Ezer and brought them to Jerusalem.” And from Bita and from Berothai, cities of Hadad-Ezer, King David took very much bronze. When Toy, king of Hamath, heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadad-Ezer, Toy sent his son Joram to King David to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against Hadad-Ezer and defeated him, for Hadad-Ezer had often been at war with Toy. And Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold, and of bronze. These also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he subdued, from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadad-Ezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah. And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. Then he put garrisons in Edom. Throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. So David reigned over all Israel, and David administered justice and equity to all his people. Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilat was recorder, and Zadok the son of Ahitab and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Saraiah was secretary, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Karathites and the Pelathites, and David’s sons were priests.
SPEAKER 02 :
My journal entry in 1983 was one of those great one-liners, David defeats enemies, and the Lord helped David wherever he went. Remember in the last chapter, David wanted to build God a house, a temple, and God said no. You know, I believe we each have a purpose, a reason that God gives us life to sojourn on this earth. And David’s purpose was not to build a temple for God. It was to establish the kingdom of Israel, to be the king the people had asked for, that they wanted. and to show by God’s design that an earthly king could work under God’s authority and blessing. Part of David’s purpose was to defeat the enemies of Israel and secure the land. That was a charge actually given to Joshua long ago, but never fulfilled by the tribes of Israel. So after God said no to David about building a temple, David gets back to work, gets back to his purpose, and defeats the enemies and the occupants of the promised land. He defeats the Philistines, that’s verse 1, Moab, verse 2, the Syrians in verse 6, Edom and the Amorites in verses 11 and 12. And the Lord was with David as David focused on his purpose. Verse 6 says, “…the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.” And verse 15 says, And David administered justice and equity to all his people. I think the lesson for me in this chapter is to, one, understand my purpose. What did God put me on the earth for? And then to stay with that purpose. You see, as David wanted to stray from that purpose, then God said, no, no, that’s not what I have for you to do. I have this for you to do. So it’s important for us to understand our purpose and then to stay with it. And as we do that, God is with us and he blesses us in whatever we do and wherever we go. So what is your purpose? What has God placed you here on earth to do? Do you even believe that, first of all, that God created you in your mother’s womb for a specific thing to do here on earth? I believe that. Now, I don’t know that everybody does, but I certainly do. And I try to discover that purpose in my own life, and then try as best I can with the Lord to fulfill that purpose. And by looking at David’s example, you know, he wasn’t a priest, he wasn’t a pastor, he wasn’t in full-time ministry. He had a job to do, and so do you. David was a king. David was also a brilliant warrior. And also David administered justice and equity to his people. So what do you do every day? Do you get up? Do you go to work? Do you slug it out? But do you have in mind that God has a purpose for your life? And can you exemplify godly characteristics in whatever God has called you to do? Like David, to be victorious, to do what he’s called to do, to defeat his enemies, and to be fair and just to other people. I encourage you today to think a little bit about this. What is your purpose? What has God placed you here for? Spend some time on it. It doesn’t necessarily come easy to understand that. But seek the Lord and ask Him and watch Him guide and direct your thoughts. And then go after it like David did, to be successful, knowing that the Lord is with you because He put that purpose in your heart anyway. Psalm 37, a couple of verses, some of my favorites. Say verse three, trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord. Trust in him and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as the noon day. Father, we’re thankful that you formed each one of us in our mother’s womb, and you did so with a purpose in mind. You have something for us to do. Lord, help us discover our purpose, what you have in mind for us to do, and then do it with all our might, knowing that just like with David, you are with him, you will be with us. You can give us victory in all the things that we do if it’s aligned with your will for our lives, and you’ll get all the glory and the praise. We pray it in Jesus’ name. Amen. According to a recent Barna research study entitled Bible Reading, A New Year’s Resolution, most Americans are not satisfied with their current level of Scripture reading. A majority express a desire to read the Bible more than they currently do. Born-again and practicing Christians are the most likely to desire more Bible reading in their day-to-day lives. It should not come as a surprise that the majority of Americans wish they read Scripture more than they do, says Roxanne Stone, editor-in-chief of Barna Group. After all, two-thirds of Americans agree that the Bible contains everything you need to know to live a meaningful life. Why wouldn’t you want to read such a book more often? The study continues. However, like other New Year’s resolutions, such as exercising more and eating healthier, Scripture reading is often an aspirational goal. It’s the goal that for most people probably doesn’t feel necessary to survive and so can easily get swamped by the day-to-day demands of a busy life. Scripture reading takes time and focus, two things that feel like scarcities in today’s fast-paced and on-demand culture. Like exercise, like dieting, regular Bible reading does not offer instant payoff. It’s a discipline whose rewards are reaped over the long haul. And the study continues, when people go from feeling they should read the Bible more to needing to read the Bible more, they find the time. Access to the Bible is not the issue in the USA, is it? We all have Bibles. According to another study done a few years ago, 88% of Americans own a Bible. We have 3.5 Bibles in our homes. And this is amazing. 59% of people who have no faith or are atheists even own a Bible, probably just in case. So if you have a smartphone, you have access to the Word of God. My Gideon Bible app has over 2,100 languages. Access to the Bible is not the issue. The issue is changing our beliefs about the Bible to behavior with the Bible. So where are Christians with the Bible today? Christians are well-intentioned when it comes to the Bible. We believe that the Bible is the Word of God. We believe, we just don’t behave. Our belief in the Bible and our behavior with the Bible are inconsistent. The middle ground related to the Bible seems to be disappearing. The decrease of Bible-neutral and Bible-friendly people and the increase of Bible antagonists suggests that more people are picking a side. Which side are you on? Are you a Bible antagonist questioning the Bible? Are you Bible-neutral? I just don’t know. Or are you Bible-friendly? I love the Bible. Wherever you are, pick a side. Because of our neglect of God’s Word, we are becoming biblically illiterate. For example, in a private religious elementary school, kids were asked about the Old and New Testaments. Here are some funny things that they had to say. The first commandment was when Eve told Adam to eat that apple. Lot’s wife was a pillar of salt by day but a ball of fire by night. What kind of man was Boaz before he married? Ruthless. The epistles were the wives of the apostles. Christians have only one spouse. That’s called monotony. So, if we think about Bible literacy or illiteracy, we think about it this way. If God decided to come down from his throne in heaven, become an author here on earth, you’d think his book would be on the bestseller list. And the fact is, the Bible is the number one bestselling book of all time. 2.5 to 5 billion, according to research. It’s also the most read book of all time. Praise the Lord, that alone might be evidence that the Bible, not any other so-called writing, is God’s Word. According to a weekly World News report, here are a few other Bible facts. About 50 Bibles are sold every minute. The Bible is the world’s best-selling book. It’s also the world’s most shoplifted book. That’s interesting. And that doesn’t even count all the Gideon Bibles stolen out of those hotels. So I encourage you to enjoy a portion of God’s Word every day. Make it a daily spiritual habit. And so until next time, I’m Alan J. Huth, and this program is sponsored by The Ezra Project, with support from listeners like you. Visit EzraProject.net to keep AdBible, connecting God’s people to God’s Word, on the air. Thanks for listening to AdBible today. After listening to AdBible, you may wish members of your family or friends would find a personal relationship with Jesus like you have. But we know most Christians have never shared their faith with anyone else. In fact, it’s about 95% of us. Maybe you want to, but you just don’t know how. I was not very good at it either, but I had a desire to get better at it. Maybe you do too. Check out our teaching on how to share your faith without a fight at EzraProject.net. Sharing our faith is not a gift some have and some don’t. It’s a command to go and make disciples. Learn how to do it, or at least give it a try. Visit EzraProject.net. Find how to share your faith without a fight. I know you’re going to enjoy it and want to share it with others. I know you’re going to enjoy it.
Join us for a thought-provoking discussion not only of King David’s military successes but also on the broader theme of finding and adhering to one’s life purpose as ordained by God. We also ponder the significance of regular Bible reading in cultivating a robust spiritual life and highlight practical steps for enhancing Bible literacy amidst the hustle and bustle of contemporary life.
