I.
King David of Israel, a man after GOD's own heart.
This is what 1Sam 16 establishes about King David, the place in Scripture where he is chosen and anointed to be King. We are blessed to have not only this account in the Bible, but an ongoing account of David's heart towards God in the book of Psalms. The book of Psalms is as much a song book as it is like an open journal, while at the same time prophetic in nature.
I can count all my bones - they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. Psa 22:17-18
I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house. Psa 101:2
We see that these verses in Psalms prophesy, being fulfilled in John 18 and John 19, in the life of Jesus - David's descendant. In John 18, the person to whom Jesus is handed over, to be crucified, declares Jesus innocent. This is no small thing, given that of all the ways Jesus could have met with death to take on our sins, He was first put to trial.
JOHN 18 33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?”35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?”36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, I find no guilt in him.
In John 19, Jesus' clothes are cast for lots and His bones are not broken with the rest of those who were put to death.
23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom,24 so they said to one another, Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,They divided my garments among them,and for my clothing they cast lots.
31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him.
33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: Not one of his bones will be broken. 37 And again another Scripture says, They will look on him whom they have pierced.
Psa 116:7 is probably my favorite 'open journal' verse.
Return, O my soul, to your rest; for The LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
Oft, when I read the Psalms I cannot help but wonder in the verses where King David is calling upon The LORD to deliver him - from mockery, from his own friends who betray him, from evil plots, from death itself - if I am looking at different prayers concerning the same thing .. the same issue, the same enemies returned before David for a rematch.
We know that God deeply loves David, if only for the equal number of Psalm verses that can be found about his victories and of God's unfailing love as there are about woes. But, why does David seem to remain in so much trouble that he has a whole book of songs to write about it? At best, we know those troubles do not deter David, but make him more deeply passionate .. that he could begin to work out something as bold as negotiating with God escaping death itself.
This, all in love.
What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it tell of Your faithfulness?
Psa 30:9
How much joy David must now have, knowing that God answered every single one of his prayers so extremely over-the-top that each soul belonging to God would have eternal life - of course the only reasonable result from God coming to answer in person! We know from Scripture that God had it planned all along. Yet also, in the Psalms it can be seen that plan was poured out specifically on the life and forthgoing generations of the son who cried out for it .. on one after God's own heart.
II.
Walk along with me now to explore the timeline.
I begin by letting you know, this is not a pep talk.
In the United States Army, Soldiers are mobilized by receiving individual documentation of orders. Those orders list a time, date, and location for report. Once a Soldier receives these orders, they do not respond by thinking over when to report or if they should. Their enlist commitment determines their next course of action - they prepare their travel, their home, families, all necessary to report for the duty. The scenario does not exist wherein someone can just show up for them - nor that they not show up. Generally, the orders have been drawn up and sent out at the start with understanding enabled through the operation of the organization that the Soldier is fit for duty.
What I approach in this post is something like that.
Can you imagine the Queen of England or the President of the United States announcing one day that they'd decided to relinquish their position, except they've chosen to maintain their stay in the palace or oval office.. because they find it quite comfortable to their tastes ? On both accounts, anyone hearing about such a thing would think that they were likely being toyed with. Along our timeline, King David is an excellent place to start because he represents the beginning of a rulership that God ultimately hand delivered to His people. At its best, this rulership is for multiplication - a restoration to the mandate given by God in Eden.
At least, this rulership is for the crushing of an enemy. 'At least' because God already finished that part for us.
Truly, truly I say to you, whoever believes in me will aslo do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to The Father.
John 14:12
In Exodus 5, we see the first interaction between Moses and Pharaoh after God commanded Moses to deliver the people of Israel out of Egypt. Moses and Aaron request that the people be allowed to go three days into the wilderness to meet with God. Pharaoh refuses because it will take them away from their work. This interaction gives a first look into what Israel is actually being freed from. They are being delivered from a master that keeps them from communing with God. God spares nothing to see to it that they make it out of Egypt.
When Jesus arrives as The Word made flesh, Rome is Israel's worldly master. Seeing Jesus' power, Israel does everything from wanting to force Jesus to be king (John 6:15), to crucifying Him. He came to give them the keys to a kingdom wherein they would live forever ... and with the message that the Kingdom was not of this world. Jesus also explained that eternal life was to know God. Through the life of Christ, no ruler would be able to ever separate them from God again. This promise is for every single believer who is in Christ.
And so, as the Apostle Paul confirms, we are now seated in heavenly places with Christ, Jesus (Eph2:6). We are fit for duty.
This fit-ness includes place of rest.
The resting place of God is just like a beautiful and fruitful tree. A fruitful tree is likely in ideal conditions right where it's planted. The tree does not have to uproot itself to go and get a drink of water or shield itself away from a day too heavy with sunlight. And, one thing is for certain. Ideal conditions mean fruitfulness - ideal portends, is defined for a tree, as lending conditions for bearing fruit. The two go hand-in-hand.
The picture of such a tree is a picture of being in God. If there is any place the tree is putting forth effort, it's where none can see, growing its roots deeper - an excellent picture of eternal life. Bringing the picture together then, with what Jesus spoke to His disciples, there is a specific fruitfulness He identified for this day.
If you abide in Me and My Words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. John 15:7-8
Wow. So, you mean to tell me that all I have to do is ask? .. whatever I wish? And!, that THIS will mean fruitfulness as a disciple of Christ?
Many have looked at this scripture in John, looked up at the world around them, looked back at this scripture and ended up sighing to themselves ..
The picture of King David's asking is where we can re-visit now. King David asked of God what was on his heart, and his heart was after God's heart. John 15 is the guaranteed blueprint for having this same exact heart -- His Words abiding in us.
Now. Let us go over and stop in Eden for moment or two.
I'm convinced that many have not really thought through the whole snake in the garden incident. God gave Adam and Eve dominion over the whole earth. This included over that snake that met Eve in the garden. This was as much, as far as we know from the Scriptures, all that God felt it necessary to make Adam and Eve aware of for the assignment of being fruitful - that they had dominion. Furthermore, the only thing they were given to know about the nature of evil was in relation to a specific tree.
In sum, everything that Adam and Eve were given to know was for accomplishing their mandate in the garden. Nothing concerning an enemy of God was included in the plan outlined to them. If things had gone according to the first plan, Adam and Eve would have been warring against Satan without having even known, by being fruitful in the garden. Firstly, warring would have had to take place because Satan was an enemy of God entering into the territory that God had given to man. We do not know why Satan was allowed there, but we know it's a place that he didn't belong.
Secondly, Satan revealed himself as that enemy by speaking contrary to the word God had given Adam and Eve when he tempted Eve. And, we see that God did not interrupt. He had given Adam and Eve everything they needed to subdue even an unknown enemy. Before the fall, we do not truly know what tending the garden looked like. But, we do know that it was not painful or by the sweat of the brow (Gen 3:17-19). I believe that tending the garden looked just like what God spoke to us in Matt 11:28-29, prophesying here in essence the restoring of what was lost at the fall - Rest for His people. Do we understand what rest He is speaking of?
Come unto Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Jesus in Matt 11 is setting up a picture of what He describes is eternal life in John 17:3.
And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent.
Matt 11:29 extends the picture of this rest as taking on a labor - a light labor - His yoke. This labor is knowing Him. This is the labor I believe that Adam and Eve would have been engaged in, there being no separation from God and so each labor therein bearing good fruit. I also think that this engaging would have been warring against Satan. The knowledge of God - Love, Goodness, Power - would be filling the earth through Adam and Eve's tending, leaving no room for Satan's arguments.
Argument is the only means by which Satan could present himself as an enemy against God before the fall. Satan's horrible nature has only had space to manifest where he is given the room to make his argument. And, in what Yeshua accomplished at Calvary, Satan's every possible argument has been defeated for all of eternity. Satan's argument - that 'God is not good', which is a lie.
Where does the imbalance seem to yet remain in the world around us, made so very evident in 2020, though Satan has been defeated and we have been given power and authority to bring Heaven into the earth? Many may be crying out like King David in this season, waiting for God to come and accomplish what He already has, for His children. The old covenant that God made with His people placed God within reach under conditions.
King David was simply not satisfied with those limits, and God revealed to Him the New Covenant before its time (Psa 40:6-8). In knowing God's love for him, David understood that God's presence was the prize above everything else. When we pray for justice, for peace, for wisdom and understanding -- this is all a prayer for God's presence. God does not have these things - He IS these things. Knowing God bares the fruit of these things and, likewise, is the ultimate rebuke of Satan and everything that comes from him.
III.
With this picture, I view the concept of Ecclesia alongside the earliest deliberators - Adam and Eve in relationship with God. When God commanded that they be fruitful and multiply, I believe this command can be translated, Learn of Me together, in agreement. After the fall, the mandate was not removed. Eve still was to bare children, Adam was to till the ground -- all a picture toward bearing fruit.
Translation -- you still get to learn of Me, but the journey is not going to be all cupcakes and ice cream.
What was the reality of the weight in which they would have to carry? Wrestling with Satan's argument presented to Eve, the lie that God was not good, and all the fruit that lie would bring into the earth, including death. Adam and Eve couldn't argue their way out of it with Satan because they had disobeyed God. The relationship within which they would've had the authority to speak the truth, all the things they would've learned about God in essence being His Goodness, the proof to shut Satan up, was severed.
Still gotta bear fruit (I still desire you know of Me), but now you are wrestling My enemy along the way.
Psa 23 gives a wonderful preview of the garden being restored to God's children.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies... (Psa23:5)
For me it's an exact picture of what God did when He set Adam and Eve in the garden at the beginning. Satan was obviously allowed to be there, and from what we know of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, Satan likely would've kept returning to deter Adam and Eve from the truth they would grow in knowledge of about God Almighty. Unless they would've sinned, all Satan could do other than try and deter them was to watch their beautiful communion with God advance.
In Isa 61, we are blessed with a prophecy about the labor of being severed from God, the weight of shame and dishonor, eased and being restored with double joy. In Jesus' coming, death and resurrection, we have the restoration King David cried out for. The revelation David had came to him in a day things could arguably be considered a lot more intense. He had to take down a giant. This was not a cute story told in the Bible. Written record would've made Israel well aware that these creatures, the Nephilim were those birthed through interaction between fallen angels and humans.
Yet, the written record also included God's continuous plans for Israel to walk in His Goodness right in the face of the enemy. God didn't say, 'I will give you this neighboring country that's just as beautiful, and if those giants come and bother you I will protect you.' No. God said, this land that the giants are standing in is YOUR land, Israel. And, I give YOU to take it.
In so many ways, it seems we've arrived back to the beginning. That is, Satan is up to his OLD tricks and we are walking around as though they are new ones. Not only this, the Ecclesia seems to be standing around tilling the ground like Adam.. instead of taking it over.
King David cried what was on his heart. God has placed something on yours to take hold of when you are resting in, that is learning of Him. As He did for Adam and Eve, The LORD gave to us each other to operate with Him in agreement in order to bring His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. In obedience to the word that God had given him, Joshua saw fit to command the sun to stand still at Gibeon, and the moon in the valley of Aijalon (Josh 10:12). And it was so.
Jesus in John 15 spelled it out for us and made it as simple as could be; Abiding in Me, ask whatever you wish and it will be done. In His Word, we are fully fit to bear fruit as the Ecclesia of God in the earth. His Word to the disciples was not merely a dreamy going-away speech. Jesus, God in person, was arming them mightily! So, Ecclesia, let us see where this goes -- by looking on to His Word without relent.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22 - 23
If you have already been at work in it, thank you. You are greatly loved and appreciated . If you are just waking up, you are greatly loved and appreciated; thank you for all of the ways you are getting up and moving.
I preach this mandate reminder to myself too, and pray that God Almighty cover you with favor as like a shield. Amen
