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BACKGROUND
DAVID - Easton's Bible Dictionary
DAVID, CITY OF - Easton's Bible Dictionary
DAVID - The new Bible Dictionary
JERUSALEM - Easton's Bible Dictionary
JERUSALEM. - The new Bible Dictionary
The
full background to this teaching is available online at this link
Full Background Information on David's Tabernacle here
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Online links to scriptures (New International Version [NIV] unless otherwise stated) are shown in blue
| THE BLESSING OF OBEDIENCE |
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 18 After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD Almighty. 19 Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes. (2 Samuel 6:18-19)
David had finally succeeded in returning the Ark to Jerusalem. Besides consolidating his political power, now having both the political and religious streams of Jewish life centered in Jerusalem, personally he was residing in close proximity to the Ark of the presence of God. He could literally, as well as spiritually, come into God's presence whenever he wished. What a reason for celebration for one whose life was sold out to the Lord!
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| THE PROBLEM |
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 Yet, in spite of His closeness to the Lord, David still did things his own way. He wanted to please the Lord. He truly wanted to do his best for the Lord. Yet he didn't ask God first. Just like us! For while we too have hearts for God, we still insist on glorifying Him the way we think is best, without asking Him first. Nothing changes!
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| THE LESSON |
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 David, no doubt relieved, as well as being overjoyed, blessed the people in the natural, with gifts of food. Physical provision was the Old Testament way of blessing, peaking of course, in the splendor of Solomon's kingdom.
In this Age of Grace, the one of New Testament blessing, our blessing is spiritual, to be obtained through holiness.
Ephesians 1:3-6
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 Unfortunately, in our human nature, we still look to the Old Covenant blessing of physical prosperity. Yet God has chosen those who are materially poor but rich in faith to inherit the kingdom.
James 2:5
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 The blessing comes through obedience. Jesus too had to learn obedience, and attained perfection by doing so.
Hebrews 5:8-9
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 Obedience leads to righteousness which, in turn, leads to the spiritual blessing of kingdom inheritance.
Romans 6:16, Hebrews 1:8
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 Unlike the Old Testament where kingship, status and wealth were the signs of God's favour and blessing, our blessing comes through personal sacrifice, servanthood and obedience to God's will, as was the case with Jesus. For He operated under New Covenant provisions.
Philippians 2:5-11
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 For our true blessing is in building the kingdom of God within.
Luke 17:20-21
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This is a kingdom that the overcomers will inherit physically upon the return of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15:50-54
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| END TIME CHURCH TRAIT 11: A people seeking the ultimate blessing of ruling and reigning with Christ. |
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| <i>NEXT WEEK</i> A REVELATION OF... THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID - Part 12 - REJECTED - AS JESUS WAS! |
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 Sad though we get, most of us can understand and accept rejection by non-believers.
But the biggest critics of the ministry of Jesus were not the unbelieving Samaritans but the religious leaders of the day.
David found the same response from the 'King Saul' family of his time.
The same principle still applies today.
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| A NOTE FROM DAVID |
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 Regrettably, much of the church today is preaching the prosperity, 'blessing of Solomon', rather than the sacrificial, servanthood blessing, modelled by Jesus and the disciples. For Jesus and all the disciples except John, even to the death!
Sadly Solomon, in spite of being the wisest man in the world, was unable to handle his wealth, succumbing to the temptations of the world, and falling into apostasy. Surely there is a lesson to be learned from his experience.
The end time, 'bride' church understand and apply the self sacrificial principle of absolute obedience to the Father's will. The principle of unconditional love. Of putting others interests ahead of their own. In the eyes of the world, and much of the church, we will look foolish. For God's ways are so different to man's.
But it is these fully committed, faithful ones who will reap the reward of ruling and reigning with Christ upon His return.
Are we prepared to make the sacrifice?
New Testament Baptistry
The early Christian baptistries are shaped like a cross. These baptistries are located in Avdat, and Mamshit/Mampsis in the Negev and likely built in the Byzantine era 250-600AD. The Arabs conquered the area around 636AD.
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So until next week.......
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD!
His servant and yours
Learn more about us at...
www.wwj.org.nz/about.php
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A DAVID'S DOODLING
915. Obedience to God's will for you life is the highest call.
David Tait
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Check
out the WWJ website for….
More David's Doodlings: www.wwj.org.nz/dd.php
Links to other sites of interest: http://www.wwj.org.nz/links.php
Till Death do us Part!: http://www.wwj.org.nz/tddup.php
Pets Rule!: http://www.wwj.org.nz/pets.php
The World's Greatest Groans: http://www.wwj.org.nz/groans.php
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This change in blessing between the two Testaments is confirmed here. 
Our blessing today is in the spiritual realms. 
To rule and reign with Him for a thousand years.