For Who's sake ?

David is no more, Solomon is no more and Israelites are being led by 2 kings. I couldn't help but read on to find out how many kings followed God and how many didn't. Only 7 out of 37 kings, who came after Solomon ever truly followed the Living Lord. Even with the 7 who followed the instructions of the Living Lord God, no one was like David.

God's testimony of David

• When Solomon turned from the Lord, God told Solomon "1 Kings 11:12Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son."
• When another descendant from Jeroboam was going to take leadership fo Israel God said 1 Kings 15:4 "Nevertheless, for David's sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong."
• When Jehoshapat became king and did evil in the eyes of the Lord, 2 Kings 8:19 says "Nevertheless, for the sake of his servant David, the LORD was not willing to destroy Judah. He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever."
• When in fear, King Hezekiah called out to God to save Israel from Sennacherib's attack, God said 2 Kings 19:34 "I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant."
• When Isaiah had given the final word to King Hezekiah that he would die, King Hezekiah prayed with tears and God did add 15 years to his life, however about Israel's protection God said "2 Kings 20:6 "I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.' "

I learnt some very valuable lessons here-

1. God's faithfulness-God did much for Israelites for the sake His servant David. In reading this account, I am reminded of our Lord Jesus Christ, who belonged to the line of David and like God remembered David every time the Israelites did something wrong, deserving punishment, so also whenever God sees unrighteousness among us, God remembers His Son Jesus and we go unpunished so that we may be saved, because of Jesus. The thing is our Living Lord is a just God and to not punish sin would be unlike His just nature, hence God made a WAY for us so that we may escape the penalties of sin. John 3:16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." God gave His Son so that we may "believe" in Him and be saved. All God wanted the Israelites to do was be faithful like David and walk like him.
2. God's patience-I wondered, how could the Israelites go on in disobedience the way they did. From having 2 kings, then to idolatry, then worshipping asherah poles, to male shrines to prostitution and whatever vile they could think of. I was getting impatient, but you know what God was very very patient with them, I wondered why and I read in 2 Peter 3:15 "Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him." It was for salvation.
3. Covered from total destruction- God constantly remembered David in His dealings with the children of Israel. Some very good prophets came by after David, yet the people were not fully willing to follow God. God constantly remembered David and for his sake, saved Israel. Isn't it the same case with us? Romans 13:14 says "Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature." Also Galatians 3:27 "for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." So when a Just God looks at me, He sees me, yet in my weak flesh but He sees me clean, because of Lord Jesus, because we wear Jesus. He sees me clean, not because I am clean, but because He sees me through Jesus and so I escape God's wrath because Jesus bore my punishments. Hence 1 Corinthians 15:54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." This is what Jesus did for us. Overcame death for us, so that we may not die eternally.

Conclusion: Over time it is easy to forget, how we came to the knowledge of Jesus Christ in the first place. Who got us introduced to God first of all? Who intercedes for us day in and day out before our Father in heaven? How could we ever call a Living God our Father? It is not by our righteousness, but by our Lord Jesus Christ. After some time is passed on, when we get that joyous feeling that God hears our prayers, I am friends with the Eternal God, it might slip our minds how we got there in the the first place. Its because of our Lord Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8-10 "8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do"