IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Kindness and Faithfulness

Date: Nov. 6, 2018

Passage

2 Samuel 17:15-29 (ESV)

15 Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, “Thus and so did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and so have I counseled. 16 Now therefore send quickly and tell David, ‘Do not stay tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.’” 17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En-rogel. A female servant was to go and tell them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they were not to be seen entering the city. 18 But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So both of them went away quickly and came to the house of a man at Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard. And they went down into it. 19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth and scattered grain on it, and nothing was known of it. 20 When Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” And the woman said to them, “They have gone over the brook of water.” And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

21 After they had gone, the men came up out of the well, and went and told King David. They said to David, “Arise, and go quickly over the water, for thus and so has Ahithophel counseled against you.” 22 Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they crossed the Jordan. By daybreak not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.

23 When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.

24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25 Now Absalom had set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ishmaelite, who had married Abigal the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. 26 And Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.

27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, 28 brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans and lentils, 29 honey and curds and sheep and cheese from the herd, for David and the people with him to eat, for they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 17:22

Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they crossed the Jordan. By daybreak not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.

1. Faithful service (15-23)

In 1 Corinthians, Paul writes "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." Our passage is a great example of this from the Old Testament. Hushai, Zadok, Abiathar, Jonathan, Ahimaaz, a female servant, and the wife of a man in Bahurim were the extent of David's intelligence network. That was it! However, based on the information these faithful servants delivered, David led his people across the Jordan during the night. By daybreak, no one was left who had not crossed the Jordan. In this way, David was able to stay a step ahead of Absalom's army.

2. Kindness and generosity (24-29)

David went to Mahanaim while Absalom and the Israelites camped in the land of Gilead. When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi, Makir, and Barzillai came and demonstrated their kindness to David by bringing a vast array of much needed supplies. They saw that David and his people were exhausted, hungry, and thirsty. Their kindness is an example of the compassion Jesus calls us to have. Jesus says that whenever we show such kindness even to the least of his brothers and sisters, we do it for him.

Prayer: Prayer: Father, give us strength and courage to serve others.

One Word: Be kind and faithful servants of God

Daily Bread

The End of Northern Israel

2 Kings 17:1-23

Key Verse: 17:15

They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the LORD had commanded them that they should not do like them.

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