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Weekly Guide：2024-2025 Week 27
July 07, 2024
Week 27 Day 1: A New King ⇧ ⇩
Question
How did Saul’s kingship meet its end?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
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David became king of Judah, continued to have more wives and sons.
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Abner betrayed the house of Saul and defected to David. Abner submitted to David’s demand to bring him back Michal who was Saul’s daughter and David’s first wife. Abner went back to confer with the Israelite elders about establishing a covenant with David.
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Joab murdered Abner as revenge for his brother Asahel. David cursed Joab and mourned for Abner. Thus, the Israelites in the north knew it wasn’t David’s idea to kill Abner.
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The Israelite king Ish-Bosheth was murdered by two of Saul’s raiding band leaders. They were executed by David when they asked David for the credit of the killing. David buried Ish-Bosheth with Abner.
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - Abner knew David was God’s anointed and yet made Ish-Bosheth king? When angered by Ish-Bosheth, Abner defected to David. What was his motive? What was Joab’s sin in killing Abner? Why did David curse Joab and told him to mourn and bury Abner? What is the relationship between the three?
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Integrity - The two leaders of Saul’s raiding bands went to David to claim credit for killing Ish-Bosheth. Whey did David execute them? David should have known that Abner was behind the weak Ish-Bosheth during the seven-year-standoff against the house of Saul. Why was David’s attitude different toward Abner compared to these two raiding band leaders? What strengths or shortcomings do I see in David’s life?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 27 Day 2: Third Time Anointed ⇧ ⇩
Question
How was David’s relationship with God after he was anointed as king of Israel?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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David got anointed as Israel king, captured Jerusalem, and built a palace. David knew God had established him as the king of Israel.
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Led by God, David defeated the Philistines.
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David attempted to bring the ark back to Jerusalem but did not follow the law when transporting it. They committed infraction against God’s holiness and caused God’s anger to burn against Uzzah. David was angry and afraid until God’s anger had gone away. David brought the ark back the second time to Jerusalem. He obeyed the law, humbled himself, danced with all his might, and shouted in the sound of trumpets in great rejoice.
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David wanted to build a house for the Lord. Instead, God promised David that He would establish for David and descendants a house and kingdom forever. This is the hope of the Messiah. David prayed to answer God’s blessings, His promise is for all His people, and all people would come back to Him and praise Him.
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - What was the mistake David made in his first attempt to bring the ark back? Why was Uzzah killed? What caused David to be angry and then afraid? Seen from David’s attitude, how had his relationship with God changed in the second attempt? Have I experienced the serious side of God’s righteousness in my spiritual life? How did this experience help me in my relationship with God?
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Integrity - What characters of David can I see in his prayer replying to God’s promise? He not only thanked God for establishing his household, he also saw God’s promise for all Israelites and all people to go to God and praise God. What can I learn from David with him looking beyond his own spiritual circumstance? In what areas may I see farther?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 27 Day 3: Establishing the Kingdom ⇧ ⇩
Question
What nations surrounding Israel did David defeat?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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God gave victories to David over the surrounding nations. David dedicated to the Lord the gold, silver, and bronze articles he had plundered from the nations.
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David was king over Israel and acted righteously.
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David brought Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan and showed him God’s kindness.
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - God gave David victories over the nations. Some of them weren’t driven out by the Israelites when they first entered the land of Canaan. David dedicated the gold, silver, and bronze articles to God. Compare to Saul when God commanded him to drive out the Amalekites, how was David’s relationship to God different from Saul’s? How should I seek God’s will in the works of my daily life?
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Community - David wanted to “show God’s kindness” toward Mephibosheth and took him as his own son. What standard shall we adhere to in loving our fellow Christians? How may we show God’s kindness?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 27 Day 4: David Committed Sin ⇧ ⇩
Question
What sin did David commit on the matter Bathsheba?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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David was going to show kindness to Hanun the new Ammonite king, but the envoy David sent was humiliated. Thus, the war between Israelites and the Ammonites began. Joab was fighting on the frontline and the ark was encamped, but David stayed behind in the palace.
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The army was fighting and yet David stayed in Jerusalem, saw Uriah’s wife Bathsheba, and committed adultery. David called Uriah back as a failed attempt to cover up Bathsheba’s pregnancy. Then, David used Joab and through the enemy’s hands to kill Uriah.
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But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.
Meditation: My Story
- Integrity - While the army fought on the frontline and the ark encamped on the battlefield, David stayed behind and did the preposterous thing. What life’s integrities can I see in Uriah from his answer to David? Much time had past from David first saw Bathsheba to when she became his wife. Why didn’t David repent in such a long time? How am I being warned seeing David did not repent immediately even though he had a good relationship with God? Have I ever fallen into the depth of sin but never realized it? How is God reminding me?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 27 Day 5: David in Repentance ⇧ ⇩
Question
What was David’s attitude after Nathan had rebuked him?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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God sent Nathan to David to rebuke him and told him that he would be judged.
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Nathan started with a fable to point out that David was insatiable, had despised the Lord’s command, and done things displeasing to the Lord.
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Nathan declared God’s judgement that the sword will never depart from David’s house, his wives will be tarnished under broad daylight, and his son with Bathsheba will die.
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David repented immediately. The Lord took away his sin, but David must bear the consequence.
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David fasted and prayed to the Lord for mercy to the child. But the Lord’s mind did not change. David submitted to the Lord, cleansed himself and worshiped the Lord.
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God blessed David and loved Solomon, a son David had with Bathsheba.
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Joab subdued the Ammonites and invited David to receive the victory. The Ammonites were defeated.
Meditation: My Story
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Integrity - Nathan told David that his sin began with his insatiability. From his insatiability, what laws of the ten commandments did David break? David’s seemingly insignificant insatiability, like Israelites’ in the wilderness, became ever greater sin. How am I being insatiable with everything God had given me? Let me pray to God to help me to be joyful and satisfied.
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Integrity - Although God had made up His mind on the judgment, David still prayed for His mercy and, at the same time, submitted to His will. What can I learn about prayer from seeing David’s worship to God after knowing His will would not change?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 27 Day 6: Murder and Adultery ⇧ ⇮
Question
What were David’s problems in educating his sons?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Encouraged by Jonadab, Amnon devised a plan to trick David into bringing Tamar, Amnon’s sister of different mother, to him and raped her. Tamar’s brother Absalom hated Amnon.
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Two years later, Absalom devised a plan to trick David and murdered Amnon. Absalom escaped to Geshur.
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Three years later, Joab found a wise woman and devised a plan to persuade David in bringing Absalom back to Jerusalem. However, David would not see Absalom.
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Two years later, Absalom devised a plan to force Joab to talk to David to let Absalom meet and reunite with David.
Meditation: My Story
- Integrity - Amnon raped his own sister of another mother. David did nothing besides being angry. What should have David done that would be pleasing to God? Absalom murdered Amnon and escaped to Geshur. Why again did David do nothing? Why did Joab persuade David to bring Absalom back? David would not see Absalom after he had come back so Absalom forced Joab to help with his meeting with David. What was Absalom’s motive? As a father, what should have David done but didn’t do during the seven-year span of all these events? Have I ignored my responsibility as a custodian of my inheritance from God and did not do what I should do, whether I am a parent or not?