Author: Calleen Hough

Living in reality

Sometimes it seems as if the world is upside down. In reality, if we are on top of the world, then half of the world is upside down. Because we live on a globe that is constantly spinning, half of the world is up and half of the world is down, half is in light, while the other half is in darkness, alternating every 12 hours.

It says in Psalm 75:

 Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is judge: He pulleth down one, and setteth up another. (Psalm 75:5-7)

The words promotion and setteth up are both translated from the same Hebrew word, rûwm (room). “Basically, ruwm represents either the ‘state of being on a higher plane’ or ‘movement in an upward direction'” (7311). In essence, what Asaph was saying in Psalm 75:5-7 was that, as the world rotates and moves us into different positions, God also moves people into higher or lower positions. Whether we happen to be on top or on the bottom of the food chain is under God’s control.

Of course, everyone prefers to be in a place of honor or position of influence and power, but even David experienced rejection from God. He said in Psalm 60, “O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again” (Psalm 60:1). And from the cross, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).

David provided an explanation for God’s rejection in Psalm 60. He said:

Thou hast shewed thy people hard things; thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment. Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth…That thy beloved may be delivered. (Psalm 60:3-5)

The word translated truth, qôsht (kosht) means “to balance; equity…, i.e. reality” (7189). If the world did not rotate, half of the world would live in constant light and half of the world would live in continual darkness. Even though darkness would exist, half of the world would never experience it. Because the world does rotate, everyone gets to experience both, which equates to, living in reality.

Only God is good

“And God saw every thing that he had made, and behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). One of the things that God made that was very good was man. It says in Genesis 1:26 that God made man in his own image, after his likeness. The word translated likeness, demuwth “means ‘pattern’ in the sense of the specifications from which an actual item is made” (1823). According to this definition, the first man, Adam looked like God. He was the same height, had the same build, and color of hair.

The word translated image, tselem “means image in the sense of essential nature: human nature in its internal and external characteristics rather than an exact duplicate…God made man in his own image, reflecting some of his own perfection: perfect in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness” (6754).

In Psalm 53, David said, “God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Everyone of them is gone back, they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no not one” (Psalm 53:2-3). David’s harsh assessment of the condition of man indicates that even though we were made in God’s image, humans in their natural state are incapable of doing anything good.

Jesus, who was God and a man, went so far as to say, “I can of mine own self do nothing” (John 5:30). To do or make something implies that an effort is put forth to produce a product or outcome. Jesus explained that he could do nothing “because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30). From this it can be assumed that Jesus’ own will and the will of his Father were not the same. Even though he was God, as a man, Jesus could not do good. Therefore, he had to depend on God, the Father, to tell him what to do.

The way that humans become capable of doing good is to have a relationship with God. What it means to have a relationship with God is that you listen to him. He tells you what to do and you do it. Some people do what God tells them to without knowing it. Because they don’t have a relationship with God, they can’t hear his voice, at least not consciously.

David said, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Psalm 53:1). Anyone that does something good, does it because God tells him to. Whether he is aware of it or not, he is doing the will of God when he makes something good or he produces a good outcome. In one sense, salvation is nothing more than taking the blinders off and unstopping our ears. We suddenly become aware that God has been with us all along, we just didn’t know it.

Thanksgiving

“Offer unto God thanksgiving…whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I shew the salvation of God” (Psalm 50:14,23). In these verses, the same word is translated as thanksgiving and praise. The Hebrew word tôwdâh (to – daw´) is properly translated as “an extension of the hand” and is usually associated with adoration (8462). When a person is offering praise to God, he is lifting his hands toward heaven in an expression of adoration.

The Israelite thanksgiving offering was a type of peace offering that was made when a person was delivered from trouble or distress. A situation that causes us distress is one that involves psychological or spiritual pain. In a sense, it can be like torture because it is outside our control and affects us deeply within our soul.

The nightmares I experienced after I was raped are an example of distress that God has delivered me from. Sometimes I didn’t want to fall asleep because of the terror I experienced in my dreams. I would wake up afterwards in a state of panic and sometimes feel the presence of demonic beings.

I think the reason the thanksgiving offering was linked with peace was because being delivered from distress results in peace and it produces a great deal of appreciation, and likewise adoration of God. I believe the key to understanding thanksgiving is first hand experience with the feelings associated with distress and knowing what trouble is really about.

The word translated trouble, tsârâh (tsar – raw´) means tight (6869) and is derived from the word tsar (tsawr) which means a tight place (6862). The idea behind both of these words is that of being stuck or unable to escape. “Tsar is a general designation for ‘enemy'” (6862), so the word implies being trapped by an enemy and unable to escape. Although there is clearly an enemy involved in the act of rape, the feeling of being trapped usually occurs afterward when the memory of what happened gets stuck in your brain and causes you psychological pain many years later.

Deliverance is typically something that only God can do. In essence, an act of deliverance is a miracle because it is an impossible situation that is turned around or made right. In order to truly deliver someone from distress, you have to eliminate the psychological and spiritual pain she is experiencing, which usually involves the elimination of memory.

There are many ways that God’s salvation can be manifested. In the same way that he is able to remove our sin and make it as if it never happened, God can remove memories and make it as if certain events or experiences have never happened. If you have received his salvation, then thank God, and praise him with your hands lifted high this Thanksgiving.

Heaven on earth

David’s conquests became known throughout the world and he was admired by other leaders for the peace he brought to the area surrounding the Promised Land. It says in 1 Chronicles 18, “Now when Tou king of Hamath heard how David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah; he sent Hadoram his son to king David to inquire of his welfare; and to congratulate him, because he fought against Hadarezer and smitten him; (for Hadarezer had war with Tou;)” (1 Chronicles 18:9-10).

Tou was grateful to David because he had taken care of Hadarezer for him. Tou’s first hand experience fighting against Hadarezer made him realize that David was superior on the battlefield and no doubt Tou wanted to align himself with David to ensure his own people’s safety. When it says that Tou sent his son to inquire of David’s welfare, it could be that Tou wanted to know how David was able to accomplish such a great feat.

One the meanings of the word inquire or shâ’êl (shaw – ale´) in Hebrew is to consult or ask for advice (7592). It is usually associated with prayer and seeking God’s counsel, but it can also refer to obtaining counsel from men. The word translated welfare is shalom (shaw – lome´) which “signifies a state in which one can feel at ease, comfortable with someone. The relationship is one of harmony and wholeness, which is the opposite of the state of strife and war” (7965).

David’s kingdom was not like those around him. He was able to establish peace in a place where none had previously existed. The Promised Land was extremely fruitful and those who lived there were very prosperous. Therefore, it was desirable real estate that many wanted to possess. The occupants that David was driving out were skilled warriors that were used to defending their territory. David’s ability to defeat their armies was probably viewed as miraculous.

David dedicated all the gifts he received from Tou, “vessels of gold and silver and brass” (1 Chronicles 18:10) to the LORD. It was his way of giving credit to the LORD for his victories. Even though David was a skilled warrior with many successes on the battlefield, he did not boast about his accomplishments. It says that “David reigned over all Israel, and executed judgment and justice among all his people” (1 Chronicles 18:14).

David made it possible for the LORD to bless his people. David’s military victories were not about  gaining power, but about giving power to his people. The word translated justice, ts’dâqâh (tsed – aw – kaw´) means rightness (6666) and is derived from the word tsâdaq (tsaw -dak´) which means to be right or to be justified (6663). Justification is a key aspect of salvation, something that every Christian needs in order to have a relationship with God. When we are justified, it is as if we have never committed a sin. David’s kingdom was probably as close to heaven on earth as any could ever be.

2 + 2 = Saul of Tarsus

One of the things that makes it difficult to make sense of the Bible from a big picture perspective is that sometimes you have to fill in the blanks. By filling in the blanks, I don’t mean that you have to make stuff up, I mean that you have to connect the dots and let the story itself tell you what makes sense and what doesn’t.

“And David said, Is that yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathon’s sake?” (2 Samuel 9:1). David and Jonathon made a covenant to protect each others blood lines so that both of their descendants would see the Messiah and enter into his eternal kingdom (1 Samuel 20:15). When David discovered that one of Jonathon’s sons, Mephibosheth was still alive, “David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew you kindness for Jonathon thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually” (2 Samuel 9:7).

I believe what David meant by eating bread at his table was the celebration of Passover. I think David was trying to convey the message that he would keep the relationship between their households going until the arrival of the Messiah. When you look ahead to the arrival of the Messiah, there appears to be a blank regarding David’s promise to preserve Jonathon’s blood line unless you make a connection with Saul of Tarsus.

I don’t think it is coincidence that Saul of Tarsus shared his name with the first king of Israel. Saul of Tarsus was a member of the tribe of Benjamin, as was king Saul, and he had an impressive reputation with the religious leaders of his day. Paul, as he later became known, was a humble man that avoided boasting about his past, but he once admitted he was “circumcised the eight day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee (Philippians 3:5).

Paul’s reference to being of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and a Hebrew of Hebrews could have been an attempt to link himself to the covenant between David and Jonathon. Paul was a very religious man prior to becoming a follower of Christ. Although it is not known why he was so passionate about persecuting the church (Philippians 3:6), Paul was the primary reason the gospel spread so quickly in the first century. His testimony was a integral part of the establishment of the church after his conversion, so there seems to be a key role that Paul will fulfill in the Messiah’s kingdom even if he wasn’t Jonathon’s ancestor.

Before and after

The primary mission of king David was to subdue the people that lived in and around the Promised Land so that the Israelites could live in peace. In the list of David’s military  victories, the Philistines are listed first, probably because it was the most significant of all his accomplishments. It says in 2 Samuel 8, “that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Metheg-annah out of the hand of the Philistines” (2 Samuel 8:1).

Metheg-annah was a metropolis that was a chief city, perhaps the capital of Philistia. Not doubt it was important to the Philistine culture and livelihood and could have been a critical link in trade and travel between other cities in the area. In order for David to take control of the Promised Land, he had to cripple the Philistines and diminish their influence in the region surrounding the Promised Land.

The word translated subdued, kâna‘ (kaw – nah´) is properly translated as “to bend the knee; hence to humiliate, vanquish” (3665). David did not convert the Philistines, but he brought them to the point where they realized that God was more powerful than they were and God was on the Israelites side whenever David fought against them, so the Philistines could not overcome the Israelites.

To bend the knee means to submit and it is often used to describe the humbling of enemies. Rather than killing all the Philistines, David probably chose to bring them into submission in order to establish his authority over the surrounding territories and to preserve the region’s economy.

David established military posts in Syria of Damascus and throughout all of Edom and the Syrians and people of Edom became David’s servants (2 Samuel 8:6,14). It says that, “the LORD preserved David withersoever he went” (2 Samuel 8:6,14) meaning David was safe and free to move around as he pleased, his enemies were no threat to him (3467).

David’s life before he became king and after the became king were a complete contrast. Before David became king, he spent many years running and hiding from his enemies, specifically king Saul. After David became king, he subdued powerful nations and cities that were a threat to him.

The difference was not due to David’s favor or lack of favor with God. David was close to the LORD throughout this time. The difference between David’s life before and after he became king was due to his position. As king of Israel, David was given God’s authority  to rule over the Israelites and to subdue their enemies. The reason why David was successful militarily was because he exercised the authority that was given to him.

Vanity

David said, “Verily, every man at his best state is altogether vanity” (Psalm 39:5). The word vanity is rarely used anymore and its meaning has become somewhat obscure. In Hebrew, the word that is translated as vanity and also as vain, habêl (hab – ale´)  literally means emptiness and figuratively can represent something transitory and unsatisfactory. “The word represents human ‘breath’ as a transitory thing…for my days are vanity [literally, but a breath]” (1892).

As we get older, we realize more and more how quickly life passes; there never seems to be enough time to do the things we want to do. David said, “LORD, make me to know my end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am” (Psalm 39:4). Knowing how long you have to live helps to put things in a proper perspective, but it also makes you aware of the fact that the end is coming, probably sooner than you expected.

Our ability to enjoy life is somewhat dependent on living in the moment. What we have to do is forget about how much time we have wasted and how little time we have left. We must focus on the present; what is happening in our lives now. David referred to God as “the fountain of life” and said “In thy light shall we see light” (Psalm 36:9). Light was the first thing God created after he created the heaven and the earth. Life was not possible until there was light, “the earth was without form, and void” (Genesis 1:2).

The word translated form, tôhûw (to´ – hoo) means to lie waste and is also translated as vain and vanity (8414). The word translated void means to be empty (922). So what David was really saying was that he wanted God to make his life like the earth was after God’s light began to shine on it, flourishing with life and productive.

Vanity is the best we can expect apart from God’s work in our lives. As God created the necessary elements for life to be sustained on the earth, so can he create the necessary elements for happiness to be sustained in our lives. One of the characteristics of light is illumination. When illumination occurs, darkness is dispelled. It says in Isaiah 9:2, “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.”

The word translated shined, nâgahh (naw – gah´) means to illuminate (5050). Isaiah went on to say about the Messiah, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6). Jesus is the light. He gives our lives form and he takes away the void that naturally occurs in day to day living. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).

Praise Him

The primary reason we are able to have a relationship with God is because he has a voice. If God did not have an audible voice that could be heard by man, it would have been impossible for us to know that he was communicating with us. The voice is therefore, a key characteristic that is shared between God and man and it is one of the things that enables us to understand each other on a personal level.

Some people that have claimed to hear the voice of God are actually crazy and have made hearing God’s voice suspect to insanity, but prophets in the Old Testament of the Bible were considered to be God’s mouthpiece and the words they spoke a direct message from God.

There have not been any prophets since Jesus because when he was born it says in John 1:14, “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.” I believe that Jesus speaks to believers in what could be considered an audible voice. John said, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1,3).

God’s voice is powerful (Psalm 29:4). It has the ability to make things happen and all of creation is subject to his command. When God speaks to us, I believe it has an affect on us and our transformation into the image of Christ is the end result. When we respond to God’s voice, it establishes a relationship that makes it possible for us to know what is going on in the spiritual realm and when we talk to him, God can hear us.

David made it a practice to sing and play music to the LORD. David said, “Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous, for praise is comely for the upright. Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto him a new song: play skillfully with a loud noise” (Psalm 33:1-3).

In addition to singing to the LORD, David had many personal conversations with God. From his psalms, we can see that David talked to God about pretty much everything that was going on in his life. I think what David was trying to say in Psalm 33:1-3 was that singing and making music was his way of acting like his Father, the creative power of his voice was being used to affect God in the same way David was affected by God’s word.

Although God does not change, his emotions do. I believe that God can fall in love and that he was in love with David. David is described as being a man after God’s own heart. He did many things that pleased God and I think his music was especially pleasing to God. God loves us unconditionally, but his favor toward us is not. David did everything he could to please his LORD, including singing him love songs.

I made it!

The invention of GPS has made getting lost and uncommon experience. GPS was a great invention because no one likes getting lost. It can feel like you’ve been punched in the gut or a sinking feeling in your throat like when you swallowed something that hasn’t been chewed properly. Twenty years ago, I had a job as a Field Representative, before there were Google maps and GPS. I carried a Thomas Brothers guide in my car and spent hours looking up addresses and charting courses. I got lost a lot and there were many instances when I finally arrived at my destination and thought to myself, I made it!

David said in Psalm 25, “Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths” (Psalm 25:4). The path David was referring to was “a marked-out, well-traveled course” (734). In a way, you could say that David was asking the LORD to be his GPS system, telling him when to make a right or U-turn. David had recently become king of Israel and realized that his lack of experience in making decisions could be a problem. He wanted to make sure he didn’t get off course in the role God had given him.

David said, “The meek will he guide in judgement: And the meek will he teach his way” (Psalm 25:9). David was probably thinking about Moses when he wrote this. Moses was described as being very meek, “above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). The word translated meek, ͑ânâyv (aw – nawvˊ) literally means to be depressed in mind or circumstances. “Anayv appears almost exclusively in poetical passages and describes the intended outcome of affliction from God, namely ‘humility’” (6035).

I think it is interesting that people that don’t know the Lord are described as being lost. I think it is because inside every person is the sense that life is a journey. We are all travelers on the pathway of life, but not everyone knows where they are going. When a person accepts Jesus as his or her Savior, it is like the street lights get turned on and you can begin to see in the dark. You know there is a road and that you will eventually reach your intended destination, but you have no clue how or when you will get there.

David was aware of his destiny or the destination that God had planned for him. After he became king, David realized that every step he took mattered. When he said, “Teach me thy paths” (Psalm 25:4), he was basically saying, guide me every step of the way. The word translated teach, lâmad (law – madˊ) means to goad or hit with a rod. Rather than teach, David could have said cause me to learn (3925).

When David became king, I’m pretty sure he thought to himself, I made it! But then, he realized, now I have to do my job and I have no clue how to be a king. God wants us to realize that we are helpless without him. Humility is knowing that you are entirely dependent on God. He can see and understands everything. There is nothing that He hasn’t already experienced and He wants to help us. All we have to do is say show me and He will.

A personal conversation

“And David the king came and sat down before the LORD, and said, who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?” (1 Chronicles 17:16). When David arrived at the place in life where all his hopes, dreams, and desires had been fulfilled, he sat down with the LORD and had a personal conversation.

The prayer of David that is recorded in both 2 Samuel 7:18-29 and 1 Chronicles 17:16-27 contains the personal name of God, LORD or YHWH, at least 10 times. David used the personal name of God as he poured out his heart to the creator of the universe. “The Tetragrammator YHWH appears without its own vowels, and its exact pronunciation is debated (Jehovah, Yehovah, Jahweh, Yahweh)” (3068). The personal name of God is derived from the word hâyâh (haw – yaw) which means to exist (1961). The literal translation of YHWH is self-Existent or Eternal (3068).

It would have been impossible for David to sit before the LORD from a physical standpoint. Most likely, David entered into the presence of the LORD through spiritual means and could have been experiencing a vision of the LORD sitting on his throne in Heaven. The point of saying that David came and sat before the LORD was to make it clear that David was not just reciting a prayer, but was having a personal conversation with Jehovah.

The importance of talking to God is more about belief than it is about communicating a message to God. God already knows what is in our hearts, he does not need us to tell him. What happens when we talk to him is that he is more real to us. We can feel his presence and know that he is listening when we say his name out loud.

The only way we know that God hears our prayers is that he answers them. In David’s situation, God spoke to him first and told David what he was going to do, then David responded and agreed with God’s will for his life. I think the reason God told David what he was going to do was to evoke a response from him. God wanted to know how David felt about it. David said, “And now, LORD, thou art God, and hast promised this goodness unto thy servant” (1 Chronicles 17:26).

God’s goodness can sometimes be overwhelming. Imagine that someone gave you the best present you had ever received or told you he was going to do something that would make you very happy. You would probably respond by telling the person how much it meant to you. That is what David did in a personal conversation with God.