That He Might Gather In One

2 Samuel 5:1-5; Psalms 133; John 11:50-52

I love reading and reflecting upon these passages of scripture. They tell us of a time when a divided Israel was united together by “A man after God’s own heart.” Israel had just come through a terrible civil war between the House of Saul, the people’s choice, headed up by Ish-Bosheth, and David, God’s choice, who was anointed king by Samuel. This event led Israel into one of its greatest eras in its history, the time known as the Davidic Dynasty.This dynasty would last for nearly three hundred years until the Assyrian Conquest of Israel in 721 BC.

Davis wrote a Psalm about it. Psalms 133:1 says “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!” It had been many years since Israel has been united. In the times of the Judges, just after the death of Joshua, “there was a generation that rose up who did not know the Lord.” Judges 2:10 Because of this,“Every man did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 21:25 The reason why was “There was no king in Israel.” Not only was there no king in Israel, there was no point of reference when it came to godliness. The Law was forgotten, because there was no teacher of it in Israel. This lead to division, minor skirmishes amongst the tribes, and war among other nations that Israel failed to drive out. It was a time of Confusion, chaos, and conflict.

Israel saw the need for a king but the one they wanted was not God’s choice. They wanted a big, tall, and strong man like the other nations to lead them. What they didn’t understand was that the strength of man would fail because of pride and stubbornness. What God wanted was someone who had a heart for him that would not lead the country in battle, but in righteousness! The people of God would suffer for a long while until they realized that God’s choice was the right choice. When they accepted God’s man, then they would experience the Peace, Prosperity, and the Prominence they longed for.

The book of Judges and 1 and 2 Samuel resonate so much with us as a country today. We could read through those books and it would be like reading a modern newspaper. We too as a country has seen a “generation come up who does not know the Lord.” We see that because we have left our moral compass and that “Every man is doing what is right in his own eyes.” Because America has chosen a Political Ideology, Political Party, and a President after their own choosing, we are experiencing more division and are in the midst of a culture war that is raging over the idea of what freedom should be. All of these conditions have people on both sides crying out for unity, peace, and compromise. But unfortunately the gap is so wide that it appears that neither bridge that each wants to build is reaching out long enough to connect the two. And it never will through man’s ideas.

The only way to accomplish this unity and peace, is not through compromise, but through Christ! We have to do it God’s way! David was a man of God’s choosing, and God has chosen Christ to be the one to bring us into a kingdom that is made up of “Righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Our country must understand that the only way that it can be unified, peaceful and prosperous is first to make its “Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1 I know that this sounds radical, but it is the truth! Will it be achieved? Only God knows, but I can’t think of any other way simply because there is no other way! It has to be God’s way! Proverbs says “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12 As we have seen, America has tried to exist without God by adopting its secular ideas and it has lead to a culture of Death, Destruction, and The Demonic. The evidence of this is overwhelming but many don’t see it because it has become business as usual in our everyday life.

Is there hope! Of course! Paul said that these accounts in the Bible were “Written for our admonition.” Romans 15:4 It seemed a hopeless situation for Israel in David’s time. But it happened and it can happen in our day as well. We just have to believe that “With God all things are possible.” Our belief will be only as strong as our prayer life. We need a great missionary movement in America again. When Jesus Christ is lifted up, he draws all men to himself. We have to proclaim him in our homes. Churches, workplaces, and community. We have to let people know that he is God’s choice. That God has made him to be “The way, the truth, and the life.” He died so that “he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.” John 11:52 Not all people will embrace this but Jesus died to give the opportunity to bring men and woman into the unity of the faith in his kingdom. A kingdom that will never be destroyed. Jesus died trying, many of the faithful died trying, and we must die trying too!

Pastor Robby