Day 22: The Kings

Day 22:  When God granted Israel's request for a King, again the throne generally passed on to the son and the Kingdom was kept in the family.  This would have been the case for Saul had he not been disobedient and then sought counsel of a witch.  The choices he made had a grave effect on his children.  The Kingdom was taken from Saul and Samuel anointed David.

David who was called:  "A man after God's own heart"--even though he sinned, was repentant and sought forgiveness.  Psalm 51 shows his earnest desire to be restored to a right relationship with God.  Verses 10 & 11:  "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from thy presence:  and take not thy Holy Spirit from me."

David acknowledged his sin and recognized that he needed regeneration.  He could not bear to be away from the presence of God.  He longed for His Holy Spirit and a communion with Him.  His "heart after God" was that desire to fellowship with His maker, to live in His favor and have His help.  He felt lost and could not exist without a restoration of the relationship he once had with God.

David was then promised that His Kingdom would be forever and he would continually have someone on the throne of Israel.  Christ is the final fulfillment of this promise.

As the kings of Israel are recorded in I and II Kings and I and II Chronicles, David is set as the standard of "righteousness".  The statement is given over and over again, "they did evil and did not do right as their father, David"; or "they did right, as their father David".

The sins of David, when he repented did not keep God from blessing his reign and the continued reign of his sons and future generations--because David's heart was AFTER God.

Our hunger for God and desire to serve Him produces lasting results.  It was the case for David and the righteous kings of Israel.  The opposite was true for those who did evil and worshipped idols.  We can learn a great deal studying these rulers and how they did or did not serve God.

Our testimony and example will have a lasting result to future generations, just as it did for Saul, David, Ahab, etc.  I want my life to leave a legacy of having a "heart after God".