Pride and Arrogance

 Bad Counsel Caused Division

 Book of 1 Kings Chapter 12

 We have a new president, and we hope those he chooses as councilors will help lead him to make our nation great again.

 The best advice that any should give him is to return our nation to the Lord our God.

 We can be assured that he was chosen to lead the United States of America by God Himself and God has His reasons, and it is His will.

 Our lesson today covers one of the most important times in the history of Israel.

 The division of the tribes of Israel caused many bad feelings that have not been overcome even in our day.

 These were also important times for the Church because as Christians we need to understand the history of Israel to understand the prophets and prophecy.

 Israel will divide into a Northern Kingdom and a Southern Kingdom.

 We will also see that God loves the Gentiles who the people of Israel considered to be heathen.

 These things were not done in secret. God had warned Solomon just as He warns us all today.

 Now, God does not cause these things to happen, He allows them to happen.

 God has given us free will to choose between right and wrong and He guides us to show us the right way.

 God cannot be blamed for the wrong that is done in our world because He will not force us to do right nor will He force us to do wrong. He just tells us the truth!

 As King Solomon died at the young age of around sixty the turmoil began with his son Rehoboam.

 *****1Ki 12:1  And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. 

 We know that King David had ruled as a conqueror.

 King Solomon ruled as a man of peace but high taxation.

 The people of Israel had no benefits from the rule of King Solomon except they lived in peace.

 After King Solomon, the people wanted to modify the character of the next government.

 Arrogance is a terrible evil. Arrogance puts people down and then pushes them away, treating them as inferior.

Here in America, we understand this very well.

 We have seen this in our last few Democratic governments so we can relate to the people of Israel during the time of King Solomon.

 This arrogance was passed down to Solomon's son Rehoboam.

 Rehoboam possessed none of the traits of his father other than arrogance.

 Rehoboam possessed none of the traits of his grandfather David.

 Rehoboam was recognized as heir to the throne of his father.

 The coronation of Rehoboam was to take place at Shechem.

 It was at Shechem that Abraham built his first altar in the Promised Land and received the promise of Jehovah.

 It was at Shechem where Jacob bought a parcel of land from the children Hamor and settled with his household and where he buried the idols of his wives under a tree named "the oak of the sorcerer".

 It was at Shechem where Jacob dug a well where the Lord Jesus would meet a Samaritan woman.

 It was at Shechem where Joshua gave his parting address and made a covenant with the people.

 Jos 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. 

 Shechem was a special place of the promises of God!

 It will be at Shechem where Rehoboam will show his arrogance and cause Israel to become a divided nation.

 It was at Shechem where Jeroboam took up his residence for a while.

 It is Shechem that is said to be the most beautiful place in all of Palestine.

 *****1Ki 12:2  And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;) 

1Ki 12:3  That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, 

1Ki 12:4  Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee. 

 Jeroboam, who King Solomon had run out of town was now back and was taking the lead voice of the opposition to the kingdom under Solomon.

 1Ki 11:40  Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

 We could ask ourselves why.

 1Ki 11:28  And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph. 

1Ki 11:29  And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field: 

1Ki 11:30  And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: 

1Ki 11:31  And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: 

1Ki 11:32  (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) 

1Ki 11:33  Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.

 The name Joseph denotes the two tribes Ephraim and Manasseh and Ephraim denotes the Kingdom of Israel and then the whole covenant people of Israel.

 From Ezekiel, we see this thing:

 Eze 37:16  Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: 

Eze 37:17  And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. 

Eze 37:18  And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these? 

Eze 37:19  Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.

This is taking place today.

 We can now see the other side of the rule of King Solomon.

 There were heavy taxes under Solomon.

Tyrants oppressed their subjects with grievous impositions.

 This tax and impositions were not only for the people which would have been ok, but for the expenses of Solomon's court.

 This tax supported all the wives and concubines of King Solomon and any whim he took part in which did not set well with the people.

 This tax-supported all the festivities of Solomon's lavish lifestyle.

 We should keep in mind that King Solomon was the richest person to have ever lived, but he kept those riches to himself when he could have paid all the taxes and still been rich.

 When Solomon forsakes the Lord and worshipped idols then the people surely had enough of him and were glad to see him go.

 To the average Israelite, being under the burden of such high taxes was like a yoke laid upon beasts of burden and seemed more like servant work rather than living in peace.

 As long as King Solomon walked with the Lord, he was important as the Holy Spirit guided this author, but as soon as he forsake the Lord God Jehovah he became insignificant, not just to the people but also to Jehovah.

 In a sense Solomon destroyed himself and it was not helping his son Rehoboam.

 Millo was a new fortification that protected Jerusalem from an attack from the north. It is also called the Citadel.

 Solomon also repaired any weak places in the walls of Jerusalem.

 Solomon began to fear the loss of his kingdom which was impossible because of God's promise to King David.

 All King Solomon had to do was to remain faithful to Jehovah.

 Solomon took his eyes off the Lord and fell into the trap of lust.

 1Jn_2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

 Let us see this history of Israel develop.

 *****1Ki 12:5  And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed. 

1Ki 12:6  And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people? 

1Ki 12:7  And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.

 Now the Son of Solomon, Rehoboam was facing some angry people, especially those of Ephraim who were being led by an angry Jeroboam.

 We already know that Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor.

 1Ki 11:28  And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph. 

 Solomon had determined to kill Jeroboam for what God's prophet had said to him.

 We all know that we cannot change what God has said will take place!

 Rehoboam was at least wise enough to seek counsel before responding to the people of Ephraim.

 Shechem was a twelve hour walk from Jerusalem, and it would take some time for the councilors of Rehoboam to reach Shechem and to meet with Rehoboam.

 Rehoboam had sent for the councilors of his father Solomon and his friends who he had been raised with.

 These were a bunch of rich spoiled kids who had no worries growing up and knew nothing of ruling government.

 Solomon had caused every Israelite to serve one month in government service and then two months at home until all his building project had been completed and many more of them were drafted into the military, but not these young men who had rich parents.

 Solomon required heavy taxes upon the people and the rich just got richer and the poor got poorer, and the poor were seeking some much-needed relief.

 All the building projects were complete and such taxes were certainly no longer needed.

 Rehoboam had inherited the riches of his father, and he certainly did not need more riches.

 For years the people had been complaining about the harshness of King Solomon, but nothing changed.

 Rehoboam first consulted with the elders who had counselled his father, Solomon.

 There was wisdom in the council of the elders, good for every government.

 A government that serves the people will be a lasting government.

 A government that listens to its people and takes action to help them will be a lasting government.

 The government that does these things will find people who will willingly serve the government.

 This is the principle behind the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 The Lord Jesus came to serve!

 Rev 5:9  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 

Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

 Jesus taught us that whoever would be great must begin by being a servant.

 The proud and lofty in this world are served enough without taking the needs of the poor.

 Rehoboam was already forty-one years of age, he should have known better, but his mother was a pagan, and he had witnessed his father worship a pagan god.

 1Ki 14:21  And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. 

 Rehoboam next turned to his friends who were not so young being his age but certainly younger than those elders.

 Rehoboam forsook the council of the elders and turned to his rich friends.

 *****1Ki 12:8  But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him: 

1Ki 12:9  And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter? 

1Ki 12:10  And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. 

1Ki 12:11  And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 

 Now we should not think of these young men as in their twenties or their thirties.

 Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he succeeded his father on the throne, and we should expect those men that he grew up with to be about his age but they were still spoiled rich kids.

 Rehoboam was even more arrogant and prideful than his father Solomon.

 He would tax these tribes even more than his father and increase their workload.

 He even mentioned scourging.

 If we do nothing else in our lifetime we need to guard against arrogance and pride!

 These things do not suit the Christian who is following in the ways of our Lord Jesus Christ who gave us the example of humility.

 These younger men had grown up living in luxury and wealth and they knew nothing of an honest day’s work.

 They knew nothing of responsibility!

 These were pampered men with childish ways.

 They had no respect for the people of Israel!

 Sounds a whole lot like the America we have been living in where our government had no respect for the taxpayer, and we hope these things change with our new government.

 We as the children of God are not better than anyone else in this world though we may be better off because our names are written down in the Lamb's Book of Life.

 None of us are to be slaves to arrogant governments or anyone else!

 In many places, God speaks against these things.

 Psa_10:2  The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

Psa_10:4  The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

 Pro_8:13  The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

 Pro_16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

 Rehoboam claimed that his power would far exceed that of his Father King Solomon.

 Pro 10:14  Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. 

Pro 10:15  The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

 What happens eventually in such cases? People rebel.

 Jeroboam knew exactly how the people of Israel had suffered under King Solomon, and he now had the respect of ten of the tribes of Israel.

 Jeroboam now clearly understood what the Prophet Ahijah had told him.

 1Ki 11:29  And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:

1Ki 11:30  And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: 

1Ki 11:31  And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:

 God keeps His reason for doing this very simple.

 1Ki 11:33  Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father. 

 We talk many times about God keeping His promises and we can be sure He will also keep those promises of forsaking Him.

 In the end, Jeroboam was not so much different from Rehoboam, but he would still rule Ephraim which included ten of the tribes of Israel for twenty-two years.

 *****1Ki 12:16  So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents. 

1Ki 12:17  But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 

 The United Kingdom of Israel was dissolved before Rehoboam was crowned as King of Judah.

 Rehoboam was a weak and wicked man!

 There is an old saying that says "he who would rule others must first rule himself".

 We should understand by now that God gives opportunities to individuals and nations even though they will not improve them.

 It was the divine plan of God to give Jeroboam control of the ten tribes of Israel even though God knew that Jeroboam would also forsake Him.

 We may not understand this, but Jehovah has a much greater plan in motion.

 Now this does not mean that Jehovah caused Jeroboam to act the way he did because he was allowed to do good and he failed to do so as he too became arrogant and prideful.

 We must also understand that Jehovah is not sitting in Heaven waiting to see what rulers will do and he is not ever caught off guard.

 God gives everyone a chance to do good when opportunities are given to them.

 It is that sinful nature that gets us in so much trouble.

 Rehoboam would rule Judah and Benjamin.

 Rehoboam tried one more thing to insert his authority over those who rebelled.

 *****1Ki 12:18  Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. 

 Adoram (or Adoniram) was the man over the taxes or tribute for King Solomon and now for King Rehoboam to either collect the taxes or make a compromise with the tribes of the north, but he was stoned to death and Rehoboam left for the safety of Jerusalem.

 Adoram was the wrong man to send for he was famous for his harsh policies of forced labor.

 From this point in the history of Israel, the name Israel referred to the ten Northern Tribes and the name Judah referred to the Southern Tribes of Judah and Benjamin.

 *****1Ki 12:19  So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day. 

1Ki 12:20  And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only. 

 Jeroboam becomes the king of the Northern Tribes of Israel.

 We should understand that Ephraim had always felt the most important since the time of Joseph, but Jehovah does not see it that way and God made sure promises to the House of David still recognized as Israel's greatest king.

 Again, we must understand that Jehovah has guided the nation of Israel with a special purpose, but He guides the history of all the world in the same way.

God gave mankind free will to follow Him or not to follow Him.

We must also understand that nothing in this universe is outside the scope of Jehovah's sovereign rule!

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 

Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 

The will of God is made known in real-time.

It is each believer in the Lord Jesus Christ that is chosen by Jehovah and He made this decision before He created any part of this world.

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 

There is no one alive today, no one who lived in the past or who will live in the future that Jehovah will not offer an opportunity to be adopted into the family of God, and it all centers around the Lord Jesus Christ.

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 

2Ti 1:10  But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

Our purpose is not here on this earth even though we will be given opportunities while we are alive.

Even the death of the Lord Jesus Christ was determined before the foundation of the world was laid.

1Pe 1:20  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 

1Pe 1:21  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

Our God has this amazing plan for every believer, and we could look at our world as the place God has chosen to separate the believer from those who reject Him.

Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 

Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 

Rom 11:34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 

Rom 11:35  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 

Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. 

We simply cannot comprehend the wisdom and the knowledge of our Divine Savior.

He does not have to consult with anyone, and no one has advised Him.

It is because God knows all things before, they happen, and He controls and guides all events for His Own Glory and For Our own Good.

Psa 104:24  O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. 

Pro 3:19  The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. 

God does not ever have to adjust His plan according to the things that happen here on earth, He simply knows all things!

Amen

The Size of God's Army is Irrelevant

 David Takes a Census

Book of 1 Chronicles Chapter 21

A census is taken in any nation to determine the number of people in that nation. 

When a census is used for any other purpose, then it is not a true census!

In Israel, the number of people would be separated by those people over the age of twenty to determine the amount of men capable of being in the army which was a requirement if they were called upon.

This is still done in Israel today!

Not by census but by law! 

Every man and I believe every woman over the age of eighteen is required to serve a tour in the military of Israel and from then to the age of fifty they would be the reserves if Israel were called into war as they are in now with Hamas.

Every eighteen-year-old man in America is still required to register in America today, but right now we still have a volunteer military.

Another fact is that, in the time of the exit of Israel from Egypt, every man above twenty years was required to pay a half shekel as a ransom for his soul, that there should be no plague whenever a numbering of the people took place.

This numbering by King David was uncalled for! God had not told David to number the people of Israel.

Israel was at peace and David did this thing just so he could boast. It was the sin of pride. 

It seemed that David just wanted to boast about how large his army was, when the size of his army was never important.

Did David require that half-shekel? It does not seem so, and the Scriptures do not say.

We do know that God sent an angel to bring judgment upon Israel for this act of King David.

God showed to David that it was He who determined the size of that nation.

This is what Joab reminded David of, and it was a fact that when a nation is at peace, more children are born but the abortion industry has destroyed this truth.

This is also why during the time of COVID we never heard how our military fared against this man-made disease.

Some nations are still working on plagues that would hinder the military of the United States!

We only heard that demand came for our militaries to be vaccinated and we lost troops from both directions.

Some to this disease and some because they refused the vaccine.

Our government is so foolish!

As God does, He will almost always cause something good to come out of something that is done against Him, if we repent.

The size of the army of Israel was never important when they were close to Jehovah. 

The Lord Jesus Christ was the true Captain of the army of Israel then and now!

Jos_5:15  And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

At this time David was the human captain over the armies of Israel as the Lord explained to King Saul.

1Sa_13:14  But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.

What we can understand is that a census was not to be taken of Israel unless it was directed to be done by Jehovah.

Exo 38:26  A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.

The size of the army of Israel was not relevant when the Lord was leading that nation and I believe this is still true today!

Then, why did King David call for a census of Israel.

*****1Ch 21:1  And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. 

Why did Satan stand up against Israel? Israel was God's people as the name suggest!

What was the result of this census? “And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel,” 

We should remember the Book of Job because our God does not ever change!

Job 1:6  Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. 

The Book of Zechariah:

Zec 3:1  And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. 

Satan is in reality an angel of the Lord who rebelled against the Lord and has become the adversary of God's creation, especially all mankind.

But Satan is still a tool that the Lord uses in the fulfillment of Scripture. Satan does not have free reign to hinder God's people but those opposed to the Lord can be used of Satan and there is nothing they can do about it until they repent and come to the Lord.

2Ti_2:26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Those who are caught up in the snares of the Devil do not have the ability to say no to him!

Satan is the very opposite of a guardian angel!

It was to Joab, the General of all the armies of Israel who was to conduct this census, which means David wanted to know how large an army he could raise if he went to war.

Joab knew this was not a good thing and Joab did not get a complete count.

Joab had seen what it means to have the Lord on your side in the many battles of Israel.

We already know that the size of David's army was irrelevant when David obeyed the commands of God!

Rom_8:31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

David's pride began to cause him problems!

When we think of ourselves as better than others it is always sinful!

Most of our politicians are like this today and this is the reason they cannot form a government for the people.

The little power we have given to our government has become a monster demanding more and more power when this was never the intention of our Constitution!

It is not the people who are deplorable, it is the politicians themselves!

David was a king, but David was not the best king to rule Israel.

That position is reserved for the Lord, who when He returns, will rule this world with a Rod of IRON which means by His Own Power!

There will be no rebellion against the Lord in those days!

*****1Ch 21:2  And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it. 

The Lord is always displeased with our sin and He should be, but the sin of any national ruler is an even greater sin!

Rom_13:1  Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

We should know by now that even the greatest Christian can slip and fall and bring God's judgment upon them.

We are aware of God's forgiveness, but we must be aware of God's judgment because it will certainly come for disobedience.

We need to be praying for God's mercy, after we have been forgiven because we know He is also full of mercy because He cares for us!

It is easy to say how stupid King David was, but how many of us have sat down and counted our money just to see how much we have after our needs have been met.

It is unimportant after God has provided enough to meet our needs!

The size of David's army was never important! It was the fact that David was a man whose heart was with God.

It is more important that we know our Savior, who is Christ the Lord, than to put our faith in money or in other humans, or in anything else.

Israel was surrounded by its enemies and we would think that it was important for David to know the size of its army, but God's people cannot be defeated by any army if God is on or side.

We must never yield to any temptation by Satan!

We cannot follow the Word of God and yield to the Devil, these are two different paths!

Even Joab had now realized that the strength of David was in His God and not in the number of people of Israel.

2Sa 24:3  And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing? 

Either we are going to allow the Lord to rule our lives, or we are going to give in to Satan and these are the only choices we have.

It is far better to allow the Lord to rule in our lives!

Joab could not change the mind of the king!

Joab did not do a complete count because he knew this thing was not important and the king was wrong.

We should understand that Satan has never had even one clever idea!

There is not one good thing in the heart of Satan!

*****1Ch 21:7  And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel. 

We must understand that Israel has always been surrounded by nations who had greater armies so, there has been nothing greater than the survival of the Jews.

What we have seen throughout history is, that those neighbors of Israel that have been defeated, time after time, and there is only one answer for that and it is that Jehovah has always been on their side.

God did allow for the scattering of the Jews and God has seen fit to bring them back to their land.

In fact, one of the great prophecies of the Bible began May 14, 1948, when Israel again became a nation and were located upon the land that God had given to them.

Now the world can say what they will, but these things cannot be denied!

All those who want war with Jehovah God are foolish and it will only lead to their own death.

King David had forgotten these things himself.

It has never been about the size of Israel's army; it has always been about their faith in Jehovah God.

It is the same today and we should be extremely cautious in finding truth in any public opinion of the nation of Israel.

There is great danger in so-called righteous socialism because we would be in danger of losing our personal convictions in our relationship with our Holy God.

This is what is going on in America today, just as King David was about to fall into this trap in his day.

David had pride in the empire he thought he had built, when it was Jehovah God who had caused it to happen because even God will never go against His own written Word.

The Lord would not stand for it!

Yielding to temptation is never a good thing!

We hear our president tell us every day of the things he has done and his Bidenomics.

If Donald Trump has a fault, it is also in saying the things that he would do.

He needs to be saying the things that God is directing him to do!

It is too late for the demnocrats as they all have left the Word of God for Marxism.

The Republicans are bathing in the Washington Swamp and it will not wash off!

Pride and conceit leads to terrible evil and David realized his sin.

*****1Ch 21:8  And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. 

Confession is the first step to a renewed relationship with the Lord!

The sin had been committed so; the chastisement of the Lord would still have to take place.

This is another thing we, as God's people should realize today.

When sin has been committed then a penalty must be paid!

It is foolish to ignore the Word of God and America will find this out just as King David did!

Just as God sent the Prophet Gad to David, God sends His Pastors and Preachers today.

Of course, God has not sent any of those who ignore the Word of God, those are of course Satan's children including the Pope when he goes against the Word of God.

There is no modern Gospel, there is only the Living Word of God that comes from the Living God!

The prophet Gad had been informing David even before David became king so, the Word of God does not change, ever!

God allowed David three choices:

1Ch 21:12  Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me. 

David knew that he had to depend upon the "Mercy" of God!

This what we have to do today because God's "Mercy" brings God's "Grace".

The Lord sent the plague as King David had chosen.

The Lord allowed David to see something that many who are left behind will see after the Church is called to Heaven.

1Ch 21:16  And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces. 

David begged for "mercy" to be shown to the people for he knew he was at fault and he only.

David knew he needed to make a sacrifice to the Lord and David was on the threshing-floor of Ornan.

In the time of David, the top of a large bare rock was used as a threshing-floor.

The sheaves were carried to this rock floor in carts and spread upon that rock and a yoke of oxen would be driven round over that crop of sheaves.

Sometimes these oxen were yoked to a sort of machine consisting of a heavy board with pieces of steel or rock fasten to the bottom of the board.

*****1Ch 21:21  And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground. 

1Ch 21:22  Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people. 

No matter what is going on in our lives, we can ask God for His Mercy!

What did the Lord Jesus say about "mercy"?

Mat 5:7  Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 

If we show "mercy" then we can obtain the mercy of God!

We find if we read the Scriptures that "mercy" and "truth" are linked together most all the time.

A "mercy" that is constant and "faithful" will not deceive!

All the things we receive from the Lord are because of His "Mercy"!

What is the truth of God?

Pro 14:34  Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. 

America is under the influence of sin and immorality and it is these things that keep our nation from being a righteous nation and our nation may never be a righteous nation ever again!

One thing we had better do is to mend our divisiveness and get back to trusting in the Lord as we approach these end times.

We must change the leadership in the White House!

Corruption cannot be healed it must be removed!

Regardless of what the Muslim say, this threshing floor of Ornan is the exact same place where the Muslim built the Dome of the Rock, just to keep it from God’s people!

In fact, that whole piece of land that was bought from Ornan is the place called the Temple Mount today

Threshing floors were an integral part of agriculture in biblical times.

A threshing floor was a specially prepared outdoor surface where harvested grain crops were beaten or trampled to separate the grain kernels from the straw and chaff.

Threshing floors in the Bible served both practical and symbolic purposes related to harvesting, purification, judgment, and the covenant with God.

What did the Lord Jesus say?

Mat 9:37  Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 

Mat 9:38  Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. 

After crops were harvested in the field, they would be brought to the threshing floor to be threshed. 

Threshing is the process of separating the edible grains of wheat and barley from the inedible chaff that surrounds them.

The laborers of the harvest were to bring the sheaves to the threshing floor.

This is a type of witnessing for the Lord. We can find many things in typology in those sheaves and the threshing floor.

Remember that old Gospel song, “We will come rejoicing bringing in the sheaves”  witnessing for the Lord and bringing those sheaves to God’s threshing floor, where we find that “Rock” threshing floor.

There are many false Churches today because some threshing floors use only hard dirt, or some even use a wooden floor and some modern churches today use a concrete slab, but if you do not go to the “Rock”, the Rock threshing floor you cannot be threshed to reveal that perfect wheat that is usable to God.

Those sheaves are useless unless they go to the threshing floor.

You can get a special blessing by doing a Bible study of the sheaves and the threshing floor!

By spreading the harvested stalks out on the threshing floor and beating them with sticks or having oxen walk over them to crush the stalks, the loosened grains would then be tossed into the air using winnowing fork or a fan, so that the lighter chaff would blow away in the wind, leaving only the heavier grain kernels behind.

Threshing floors needed to be durable enough to withstand the trampling hooves of oxen and the repeated beating of the grain stalks.

These “Rock” floors were often located on hills or other elevated sites that were exposed to more wind. The increased airflow helped blow away the chaff during winnowing.

One common way to thresh grain was simply beating it with a stick, rod, or threshing tool. 

The threshing tool was usually made of wood and was several feet long with one end flattened like a paddle.

We should remember Ruth in the Bible.

Rth 2:17  So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley. 

Another threshing method, often done along with beating, was to have oxen walk over the stalks and crush the grain out with their hooves.

Deu 25:4  Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.

Allowing the animals to eat some of the grain motivated them to crush it out efficiently with their heavy steps. 

Using animals was faster than beating the stalks by hand.

After threshing by beating and/or animal trampling, the farmer still had to separate the crushed kernels of grain from the discarded stalks and husks, known as chaff. 

They would toss the threshed material into the air so that the wind could blow away the lighter chaff while the heavier grain fell back down.

Rth 3:2  And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor. 

We know Boaz as a type of Christ.

This work of winnowing corn was usually ended with a feast just as one day we will sit at the table of the Lord.

Threshing was essential to make grain edible for cooking and baking. 

Without removing the inedible stalks and husks, the grain would have little value as food. 

Any study of the Bible will reveal that God frequently uses imagery of threshing and winnowing to picture God separating the righteous from the wicked, God’s people from their enemies.

Isa 41:15  Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.

Isa 41:16  Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel. 

This is a picture of the “judgment” of God.

Jer 15:6  Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting.

Jer 15:7  And I will fan them with a fan in the gates of the land; I will bereave them of children, I will destroy my people, since they return not from their ways.

This is a picture of God’s judgment as the Lord’s fan will clean up the threshing floor after He has separated the righteous from the unrighteous.

In Bible times it required intense labor to thresh a harvest on the threshing floor.

We are to be diligent in the work of the Lord!

What was the importance of threshing God’s people. Removing the undesired, those that were not God’s children.

Gen 30:32  I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.

Gen 30:33  So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me. 

God will only accept those He can make perfect!

Threshing floors were important places!

King Solomon requested grains and oils in Babylon’s threshing floors for his inheritance. 

As key locations that embodied productive harvests, threshing floors also took on wider symbolic meanings around fruitfulness and reward.

Threshing floors also are used to indicate the judgment of God as we have seen. 

Jer 30:23  Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked.

Jer 30:24  The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.

In the end God will gather all His enemies to His threshing floor which is Jerusalem!

Mic 4:11  Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.

Mic 4:12  But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor.

Mic 4:13  Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth. 

God expressed commands David to build the altar at Araunah’s threshing floor on Mount Moriah specifically.

2Sa 24:18  And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite. 

This transaction solidified the site’s role as location of temples and sacrifices in Jerusalem for years, including the First and Second temples.

Later, David’s son Solomon would build the Lord’s temple on this same threshing floor, establishing this as a very holy site in Jerusalem.

2Ch 3:1  Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite. 

This shows us the importance of the threshing floor as a place of meeting between God and His people.

God appeared to Solomon and told him that he had chosen this place for the Temple and the Altar.

When we come to Church, here at Gethsemane, we are coming to the threshing floor God has chosen for us!

Today this world sits on God’s threshing floor and God will thresh this world one day soon.

In fact, God may take the enemies of His people back to the threshing floor of Ornan!

The study of the threshing floor and the separation of the wheat from the chaff is a great study for all of us.

*****1Ch 21:23  And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all. 

1Ch 21:24  And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: "for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost". 

David, hearing that so many thousands of the people were being fatally stricken by the plague, David humbled himself before the Lord.

David had been given three choices to make concerning the Census he had taken:

1Ch 21:12  Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.

The parallel chapter in 2 Samuel says this:

2Sa 24:13  So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.

And David's choice was:

2Sa 24:14  And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man. 

Most every Christian would choose the same as David!

“They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and humble their souls in his sight, saying, We will fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men: for as is his majesty, so is his mercy.”

The Scriptures say that David actually saw the angel doing all this destruction:

2Sa 24:17  And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house. 

David changed his mind, but his greatest need was for him to offer a sacrifice for that sin of pride, and God commanded him to build an altar and to build this altar upon the land where this plague had been stopped.

This is why King David bought this land and this is why the Muslim have no claim to this piece of land.

The place of the Dome of the Rock is a place where God commanded David to build this altar.

Notice David refused for these things to be given to him and he also refused for Ornan to give him a discount for these things, David asked for the full price to be paid for these things!

In reality, this in typology means, we will offer up our sins to the Rock who is the Lord Jesus Christ, all sin not clinging to those pet sins we try to hold on to.

Deu 32:3  Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. 

Deu 32:4  He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

2Sa 23:2  The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. 

2Sa 23:3  The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. 

A Psalm of David:

Psa 18:2  The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 

Psa 18:3  I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 

So David bought all the land from Ornan and built an altar to the Lord and later King Solomon built the Temple, called the Temple of Solomon, but it was a House of Prayer because King David had prayed to God to stop the plague that was killing so many of the Jews.

Satan is that plague that needs to be stopped today!

*****1Ch 21:25  So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight. 

1Ch 21:26  And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering. 

1Ch 21:27  And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof. 

God accepted the atoning sacrifice offered by David, the Lord forgave David of his sins and God answered the prayer of David.

The Lord stopped His hand of chastisement at this place of the Rock.

We can see that in typology, we know this Rock floor of Ornan's threshing floor represents the true Rock of Grace, the Lord Jesus Christ.

As the Jews return to know the truth of Jesus Christ, they will find a way to rebuild the House of Prayer that once stood on that site and the Muslim will have no say in the matter.

Another thing we had better remember, we must never offer to God some sacrifice that did cost us nothing.

If there is no cost, there is no real sacrifice!

Remember the Jews had to offer their best animals who had no blemishes at all.

King David used this place as his place of worship the remainder of his days out of his "Fear of God".

1Ch 21:28  At that time when David saw that the LORD had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there. 

1Ch 21:29  For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon. 

1Ch 21:30  But David could not go before it to enquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD. 

Amen