DEVOTIONS

Monday, January 30 – “But this word of the Lord came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars.  You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.’” (1 Chronicles 22:8) There are some things that we want to give God, but we are prevented from giving.  David couldn’t build the Temple for God.  That task would be given to David’s son Solomon.  It’s not that God didn’t love David.  God simply didn’t want The Temple, the house of prayer, to be built by the one who waged all the wars that needed to be waged, in order to unite the kingdom of Israel.

Tuesday, January 31 – “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” (Isaiah 11:1) Jesse was King David’s father.  And Jesse was Abraham’s great (x12) grandson.  Jesus was Jesse’s great (x28) grandson.  Thus, the Branch from Jesse’s roots, that bears much fruit, is Jesus.  The fruit is the salvation of the world.  This salvation, through Jesus, fulfills the covenant that God made with David, about his house enduring forever. 

Wednesday, February 1 – “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.” (Jeremiah 23:5) Jeremiah wrote this prophecy some 600 years before the birth of Jesus.  Our post resurrection perspective is clearly upon Jesus, as the “righteous Branch” that God will raise up in the family of David.  Yet, it’s easy to understand why pre-resurrection people could have confused this prophecy as calling for an earthly king, in the line of David, who would unite Israel once again. 

Thursday, February 2 – “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) God made a covenant with David that his offspring would establish the house of the Lord forever.  This house referred to the Temple in Jerusalem that David’s son Solomon would build.  But this covenant also referred to Jesus.  Whose death and resurrection ushered in salvation for the world.  Jesus, being a descendant of David, insured that God kept his covenant with David.  For, through Jesus, David’s house would truly endure forever.   

Friday, February 3- “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.  He will be great and be called the Son of the Most High.  The Lord will give him the throne of his father David.” (Luke 1:31-32) It’s easy to understand why people in Jesus’ day were looking for an earthly Messiah king.  Someone to rescue Israel from the oppressive rule of Roman occupation.  Yet, it’s not easy to understand how people could believe that a whole group made up Jesus being the Messiah.  Either someone was creative enough to make the whole Jesus thing up and gregarious enough to convince others of this lie.  Or Jesus is truly the fulfillment of scripture, the Messiah, our Lord and Savior. 

Saturday, February 4 – “But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house.  And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.” (Hebrews 3:6) The house of God is no longer a building, a Temple, a church or any other place.  The house of God is you and me, as followers of Jesus.  This is true because through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, God lives in each follower of Jesus.  The house that God made a covenant with David to establish, was never intended to be brick and mortar.  The house is you.  The house is your life.  The house is your body, your actions, your gifts, your thoughts and your relationship with the world.  The house of God is who you are, through your faith in Jesus.