Scandal at the Pool

 

John 5:1-15 NKJV After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there was a pool, which is called in Hebrews, Bethesda, having porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”

 

7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured. “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.” 11 He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’

 

12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk?” 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdraw, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” 15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

 

Where is our heart and our eyes focused on? Do we think along the lines of opening a bottle? According to some pastors, some say it takes awhile for many to get their healing, yet I have never found that when looking over the pages of healing. Faith was there each time to receive from the Lord. He did not lay hands o the man but Jesus saw the helpless man. Jesus did not extend a hand but only spoke: "Get up! Pick up your bed and walk!"

Change your position from where you stand, lay or even reside. Sometimes one has to change the position. As changing from the belief of a parent to Jesus. Changing a habit that is of heaven and not of an unbeliever: Take these pills and see a therapist and you will be fine. Hopefully a Christian is not doing this thing: taking prescribed pills, seeing a therapist because they are “mental” and be happy!

This man lived a life of pain and injury. Every time he tried to reach the active pool, many more filed in before him. Each time he experienced defeat. Yet Jesus came for us each individually. Each has to make conversation with him and certainly one called the “blame game”. If we fail are we blaming someone else about it.

Except for the duration of this man’s illness: the emphasis is on the supernatural cure, of its consequences and its testimony of Christ’s life giving  power to each of us. Jesus withdrew from the crowd not to draw attention to Himself. Those in charge of the spiritual welfare of the nation were more interested only in what they considered as a “breach in the law” and were not moved by the healing of this older man. But people matter to Christ!

Scandal appeared at the pool of Bethesda as those against Him would desire the healed man not to speak. In that condition and not enjoying life, this man was outside of life and living. He looked for others to help when the water stirred, but when Jesus was there, He came to him to speak something.

Only the lame in the body came to this place. In reading on in the same chapter and down to verse 16 Amplified reads this: For this reason the Jews began to persecute (annoy, torment) Jesus and sought to kill Him, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. Seems they resisted healings on the Sabbath and certainly not to remove a mat from the pool.

Reading on in verse 30 I am able to do nothing from Myself [independently, of my own accord----but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders]. Even as I hear, I judge [I decide as I am bidden to decide . As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision], and my judgment is right (just, righteous), because I do not seek or consult My own will [ I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My own aim, My own purpose] but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me.

 

That stirring of the water was doing more than just healing some people. It disturbed those who saw a man healed on a day that they regarded as religious. Man certainly wanted to change what God had given in the beginning.  At some point, anything given by God would ultimately be brought back to being twisted by man and the good like Jesus did, was violating their (Jewish leaders views) which was on the premise of the pride "thing" and hypocrisy.

 

Jesus told the man to "Get up, take his mat and walk!" Jesus wanted him to walk which he had probably never done, and to take his mat. Take of that which would remind anyone you had been in that condition and walk. Walk! 

Now Jesus can come in and do quietly for us when no one watches, when no one cares, and when others are waiting on that "pool" thing. But walk.........praise God, give glory to Jesus the Healer, the Great Physician and do what you are to do every day..........all to the praise of God and His mighty deeds! Tell others about what Jesus did for you,........and tell them when He healed you and what you profess today about Him.

In recent days, I have heard of this care called "Wound Care" and it is for those who have gone through some kind of treatment like radiation or many surgeries and the body will no longer heal itself in that area of body, so one has to have this wound care for that body area. It is sometimes for the rest of one's life but is helpful to those who really need it. But let us remember Jesus our Great Physican.

 

Jesus is our Wounded Care giver. For He surely bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. He was the wounded for our transgressions ( our sins). Our bodies are made by God and He can restore them to health. A process indeed, but we must put action to what we can do with Jesus.

Isaiah 53:4-5

Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [ as with leprosy] 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needed to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.

 

Here in John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”

 

7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” 8Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.

Notice Jesus asked and the man had an excuse for not being healed.

 

Jesus asked" do you want to be made well?"

 

Are you " fully serious"? Are you " zealously sincere" about getting well?

Are you "making a demand" for healing?"

Yes, Yes, and Yes!

We have to act like the healed even when we do not feel it in our bodies. We must rise up........take this word from Isaiah 53 and confess that we are the healed and made whole by the wounded Jesus who took our transgression and was bruised for our guilt and iniquities (sins) . He took my punishment and your punishment and we do not have to have it, ever. That chastisement needed for us to obtain peace and well-being was met in Jesus. Today, we are the healed, made whole. Our lives are characterized by being the comfortable, the healthy and the HAPPY! Amen.

Jesus with us, is His presence of life in us. It is a light in the darkness. It is love extended to those perishing. The Lord makes a way for us and will we take it or just make an excuse for doing being made well?

Scandal at the pool: Man was made well. Jesus did it! Jesus the committed and Jesus the ready for God’s love to be revealed to another! May we be serious to want to pick up that mat of sickness, disease or even lack, for the Lord our God is in action to heal this day. Amen and Amen.

 

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NOT A HAND OUT BUT A HAND UP

The justice of God is to set things right and see it maintained!

Acts 3:1-10 NKJV  Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "look on us."
5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk."
7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them----walking, leaping and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Now if you have ever gone to church or a prayer meeting or Bible study, one is focused to be on time for that scheduled meeting. Being on time is very important to me. And when seeing this man, the same man that Jesus had walked past when He went there, yet there was no place for healing.
Yet at this moment, while going in for the prayer at the temple, healing was available for the lame man.

Instruction was given for the man to look on Peter and John. In speaking to him, the environment changed. It was when this man gave his full attention to Peter and John that a miracle could occur. For the anointing was always active within the two apostles.

The very anointing Jesus carried was available now within Peter and John. Healing came by the instruction to focus on hearing in the name of Jesus. Faith is always in the name of the "Anointed Savior".

Our focus must be on that which has come to us through Jesus! It is in that name that we walk. It is in Him that we live, move and have our being.

Peter took the man by the right hand. Psalm 48:10 reminds us that As is Your name, O God, so is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness (rightness and justice)

Proverbs 21:3 Today do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. 

Doing justice is to maintain what is right or to set things right. The time had come for the lame man to walk. Silver and gold was not his answer. Helping others, especially during the winter months and Christmas, seem to highlight many people's lives, but in truth, we are help the poor without anyone knowing about it.

In truth, justice is done when honorable relations are maintained, let's say: between husbands and wives, parents and children, employers and employees, government and citizens, and man and God. 

The justice God sees and operates by is that of loyalty where you are the "self-less" and giving to others with a love in heart that is of God and from God. So that justice is one that is done in spirit and has some action behind it.

The one who holds that trait is one who is comprehending God, having His love and seeing with His eyes and a giving heart!

I remember seeing the bell ringers from Salvation Army outside the grocery stores and some other type stores. I also remember people trying to avoid them anyway possible, like moving grocery carts out of the way to go in a side door for the grocery mart!
God expects us to have sacrificed our life to have His will done on earth. His kingdom has come and His will was demonstrated by His Son.
If the Spirit of God lives in us, then we ought to obey what the instruction is: and to "Go". Go and have time for the lame, the poor, the broken. And give to them which looks like the hand up and not just a hand out!
Our lives are short and will give an account of them: what will they reveal about our hearts?

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Were You Left at "Jericho"?

Mark 10:46-52
46 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you." 50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. 51 So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight." 52 Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.
NKJV

In this passage we are reminded of Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus.

You remember the man standing by the roadway, begging as one being blind would do. It appears he is in the right place. Someone most likely placed him there to beg to those who passed by like those going to King Herod's summer time palace in Jericho.

But on this day, Jesus of Nazareth was passing. And am certain this blind man heard the crowd. And all the noise of those who were following Jesus at the most opportune moment, prompted the blind man to take courage. He was blind and wanted to be heard by the one who had caused the blind to see and the lame to walk.

In the natural aspect of this, I wonder how many plant themselves by the side of a roadway hoping to be heard. They are those who really do not see and are the lame in that they cannot do for themselves. They are the fallen, those who have been abused and even left behind by the loved one. They have come from broken places to reside in broken places. They come from other ruling entities as to overbearing parents, leaders or spouses. They can come from a regular looking home and still fall short in some area of their mind, will or emotions.

How many even today are waiting to hear of "HEALING" in the house, or "RESTORATION" to a broken heart? How many are in a church setting, but with no way to relate a brokenness in their heart? They are silenced by the all-important agenda of a pastoral committee!
In scenes of most churches on a Saturday or Sunday, all are having you to be believe in being happy, teaching happiness, and that there is no brokenness. They desire to let you know "that you have come to happy land" and "there is no trial, no tribulations. They want you to know that you will be protected in the "happy land". This blind man was brought to a place to help him exist but not to flourish.
In the case of Bartimaeus, we see two things going on. He was placed to receive from man and maybe the rich and famous. We also see him placed by Jericho, the summer retreat home for the king and see him ministered by Jesus. He was not ministered to "in the church" but by the side of the road.
It was during a walk Jesus had in going to minister to others. Jesus was on His Way somewhere to reach someone.
Did a family member drop him there to beg, to fill a gap they the family member, or friend could not give him?

Blind Bartimaeus spoke loudly to Jesus, crying out "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Certainly when that happens, there will be those around to say "shut-up"! Or they might tell you to leave the man alone. Either way, this blind man was going to heard. And he continued to cry out, now, not only over the roar of the regular crowd, but also those who would desire to quiet Bartimaeus.

Most certainly God is order! But His order comes in the form of humility. In that of Jesus, He was, is and will always be the Prophet. He was humble before His Father and remain steadfast to pleasing the Father. There is a boldness that rises out of one who is the broken when they see one of courage WHO STANDS IN BOLDNESS TO DO THAT WHICH IS RESISTANT TO THE legalistic views of those who capitalize on religion and not on what was intended from the beginning of time for all of us. The blind saw Jesus spiritually and reached for His divinity and truth with boldness.
It was boldness reaching for boldness. It was the infirm reaching for the healing he desired from Jesus. He was reaching out to "authority" and he saw Jesus holding everything he needed.

So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you." 50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. 51 So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight." 52 Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus.

When I think of Jesus passing by, and He stopped upon hearing the blind man speak. Then Jesus command him to come to Him. Upon writing this, I was thinking of the Garden of Eden and the walk Adam had with God in the "beginning". 

We saw where God quieted the world in Chapter 1............"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (2) The earth was without form and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." (3) Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.

There was chaos in Bartimaeus' life and it included much darkness. For whatever background he had, people had placed him near a place where the rich would frequent. He was placed where the hand-outs would come quickly and most likely they were of the very nature of the generous donation to the blind man, indeed!

But what he, Bartimaeus needed was light brought to him and it came when Jesus entered his darkness. And the very spark of life in His voice spoke to the death in his life. Bartimaeus quickly threw off that garment that spoke loudly of "BLIND MAN". He threw off what he did not need to gain what he could from Jesus. He was the expectant.

"What do you want Me to do for you?"  Then Bartimaeus spoke........ "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight."   Bartimaeus, called Him Master. This blind man was wanting to recover what was rightfully his. Others born had their sight. He was saying you are the Master, my sufficiency.

 He was experiencing the Holy Spirit on Jesus and that power made him come to the life that was truth and the way for his life.

A truth to remember: the blind had to move toward Jesus.........He is movement and is always going forward. We cannot expect to set up a tent and live in a place, expecting Jesus to show up every day or every other day to meet us at our lowest. If we have met Him and acted on His Word, then we have received something from Him, and we act. We do not revert to the "tent" or place we have set up to stay. His faith made him well. He acted and walked. He went with Jesus, where Jesus was going. He did not stay beside the road at Jericho.

Being reminded of the garden and the creation of man we think of that relationship Adam had with God.

From the garden we saw beauty, and we saw failure. Oh, not for God in God or from God, but in man!  Sad but true!

Yes, Adam fell from his place. From that stance of walking with God, he did not keep that watch to keep it going. And in that I recall that both he and his wife heard God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. Ah, distractions will cost you something!

Genesis 3:8-9

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" NIV

It is interesting that they heard Him walking in the garden. Can you really hear someone walking on grass in a garden of lush vegetation? Interesting! But we find what the "walking" meant!

That walking in the garden..........walking is Strong's 1980.....halak and is................"behave"

in the garden......is Strong's 1588 .....is Greek........fenced garden......defended and protected.

When we truly seek the Lord and hold to His position as the Lord over our hearts, we are in that garden again, but this time in the new Adam which is Jesus Christ. In Him we have life eternally. We are to behave in that garden that is the defended and the protected.

Bartimaeus quickly followed Jesus when he received his sight. He threw away which the world had placed on him either by their own decisive plans or that which they did not understand at all , but in their own thinking merely placed a name tag on him as "the blind". The Lord Jesus will surely open our blind eyes, that which is physical and mental as well.  He will cause us to walk and in that which looks like one who is truly behaving in His garden that is rich with which is ours by believing, adhering to truth and abiding in Him. It is having trust in Him.

For the rich and famous, our wealth is found in Jesus. It is not found in marble palaces or in ornate rings and jewels that sparkly brightly. The wealth of this world is surely fading away, but His Word and truth will remain.

Hebrews 1:10-12

"You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,

And the heavens are the work of Your hands.  

11 They will perish, but You remain;

And they will all grow old like a garment;  

12 Like a cloak You will fold them up,

And they will be changed.

But You are the same,

And Your years will not fail."  

NKJV

We see something in Paul's preaching. He gave truth to those who came. But there were those who would not believe. They left.

Acts 28:24-27
24 Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. 25 They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet: 

26 "'Go to this people and say, 
"You will be ever hearing but never understanding; 
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving." 
27 For this people's heart has become calloused; 
they hardly hear with their ears, 
and they have closed their eyes. 
Otherwise they might see with their eyes, 
hear with their ears, 
understand with their hearts 
and turn, and I would heal them.'  NIV

In the King James Version, it reads this way.
Acts 28:27
27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. KJV

And that waxed gross has the meaning of rendering callous or to stupefy. It is 3975 Strong's....pachuno.
The NT is 4078,,,,pegnumi.......,,meaning to set up tent.

They are not moving anywhere. They are the stationary. They cannot see, they cannot hear, and they have no understanding. They choose not "to hear".

For those like Bartimaeus, he wanted to see with his eyes, hear with his ears, and understand with his heart and received that good part. He desired to receive that of which Jesus represented in His kingdom ..........that is of humility with one God, is of love and of mercy. For those who will not turn at His humility..........that merciful love.........they will not be the healed.

Psalm 101:1-6
I will sing of mercy and loving-kindness and justice, to You, O Lord, will I sing. 2 I will behave myself wisely and give heed to the blameless way-----O when will You come to me? I will walk within my house in integrity and with a blameless heart.
3 I will set no base or wicked thing before my eyes. I hate the work of them who turn aside [from the right path]; it shall not grasp hold of me. 4 A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will know no evil person or thing. 5 Who so privily slanders his neighbor, him will I cut off [from me]; he who has a haughty look and a proud and arrogant heart I cannot and I will not tolerate. 6 My eyes shall [look with favor] upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks blamelessly, he shall minister to me.

Walking within our house is walking 1st and foremost with God. When we check in with Him, first we check ourselves for anything which should not be there. To be in the blameless way..........the perfect heart is a full heart committed to God.  It is the heart instructed in the things of God. It means having Christs thoughts and purposes in our heart.
Verse 4.....anyone who has a perverse heart, that indulges into their own glory, their own agendas, and has nothing of real growth potential from God's word for another will certainly come to nothing. One who truly recognizes truthful in another will be at peace with them. Those who carry chaos within their hearts, will only bring forth muddy waters that will just muddy up another person. When we are the behaved, we walk wisely. Our counsel is from God and Him alone. He then sends trusted people who counsel with Him as well. A person who feeds on God's faithfulness will recognize another as well!

Romans 2:6-11

6 God "will give to each person according to what he has done."  7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism. NIV


Romans 2:6-11 in the Amplified reads like this: 6. For He will render to every man according to his works [justly, as his deeds deserve]. [Psalm 62:12]  7 To those who by patient persistence in well-doing [springing from piety] seek [unseen but sure] glory and honor and [the eternal blessed of] immorality He will will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and self-willed and disobedient to the Truth but responsive to wickedness, there will indignation and wrath. 9 [And] there will be tribulation and anguish and calamity and constraint for every soul of man who [habitually] does evil, the Jew first, and also the Geek (Gentile). 10 But glory and honor and [heart] peace shall be awarded to everyone who [habitually] does good, the Jew first and also the Greek (Gentile). 11 For God shows no partiality [undue favor or unfairness; with Him one man is not different from another] Deut. 10:17; 2 Chronicles 19:7

Those like Bartimaeus, who choose life will find the goodness of God. They will delight themselves in His goodness and dwell in peaceable habitations. They will reside in peace and quiet resting places. (Isaiah 32:18) One will certainly recognize peace, truth and mercy when the love one carries is God's kind of love. Bartimaeus recognized it and heeded His power.

Father thank You for Jesus. He is Life everlasting to us. We receive the Holy Spirit that is poured into us. We are thankful for fruitful fields that becomes the valued forest.(Is.32:15)May we be like Jesus who was not stationary. He did not reside outside the high priests gate or king's palaces, but was outside doing outreach to those in need of life everlasting. Truly we are the happy and the fortunate who seek the Lord, who dwell in Him always abiding on truth that is wisdom and light to us. May we be  those who will speak out in daily communication with the Lord and tell Him what we would like Him to do for us in regard to being able to see that which we cannot see at this moment. Lord, it is our desire to keep reaching and grow louder in reaching you although we know that you are not far from anyone of us, yet we desire like children to get excited and shout sometimes. May we always be the humble before You. May we always come and pray and seek You while we may. For we desire to please You our Father. In Your light we see light. It is in You we live, move and have our being.

"What can we do for You today our Father?" May it be to YOUR GLORY AND IN YOUR PRAISE. AMEN.

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Is there a Ziba in Your Life?

What do you usually think of when you think of King David or any given leader over a ministry?
As for me, I keep one question to how each keeps a committed heart, as we see with David. For the answer to David's commitment was continuing no matter the transgression, the peril, the personal loss, what he started as a young boy caring for sheep, he continued to carry a strong core belief and trust that God was with him. He ended up king over millions of people.
I bring you to David and his heart for others!
In 2 Samuel 9, we find David asking about anyone who was left of the house of Saul.



2 Samuel 9...........9:1 Now David said, "Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?" 2 And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" And he said, "At your service!" 3 Then the king said, "Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?" And Ziba said to the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet." 4 So the king said to him, "Where is he?" And Ziba said to the king, "Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar."

5 Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar. 6 Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, "Mephibosheth?" And he answered, "Here is your servant!" 7 So David said to him, "Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually." 8 Then he bowed himself, and said, "What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?"

9 And the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "I have given to your master's son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. 10 You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master's son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's son shall eat bread at my table always." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, "According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do." "As for Mephibosheth," said the king, "he shall eat at my table like one of the king's sons." 12 Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micha. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king's table. And he was lame in both his feet. NKJV

aaaah.......but now we have a Ziba added to the mix! It is in the verses of 2-11 that we find Ziba. And he appears to be willing to be at David's service. But when we continue to read in 2 Samuel 16:1-4, we find some wickedness in Ziba.

2 Samuel 16:1-4.............16:1 When David was a little past the top of the mountain, there was Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth, who met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine. 2 And the king said to Ziba, "What do you mean to do with these?" So Ziba said, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who are faint in the wilderness to drink." 3 Then the king said, "And where is your master's son?" And Ziba said to the king, "Indeed he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, 'Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.' " 4 So the king said to Ziba, "Here, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours." And Ziba said, "I humbly bow before you, that I may find favor in your sight, my lord, O king!" NKJV

Ziba had planned evil, and put Mephibosheth in the middle of that evil. Ziba told David that this crippled son of Jonathan had planned to see the kingdom of Saul return to him. We find in all this, first, David did not find out the truth to all of this that Ziba was speaking. And in second place, David gave all that was suppose to be Mephibosheth's is now in Ziba's family. Yes, David acted too quickly without finding the truth about what was being spoken about, and that was believing that Mephibosheth was wanting the kingdom.  With the uprising of Absalom and his men, David believed the best place for him at the time was to leave Jerusalem. It was at that time, Ziba schemed to take supplies out to David and those who were with him. But when asked where Mephibosheth was, Ziba lied about Mephibosheth and that Mephibosheth wanted the kingdom and David believed that Mephibosheth was siding with Abasalom.

After much time passing and Abasalom dead, David rides back into Jerusalem to take his reign as king again. It was then that David started to find out truth. Mephibosheth had not shaved or bathed, washed his clothes nor had taken care of his feet. Mephibosheth stayed within the home and the king's table in support of David and David only.
As David asked questions, he saw Ziba's heart. He asked why Mephibosheth had not ridden out to meet him and the other men. David found that Ziba told Mephibosheth to stay back. That his going would be of no useful help to David. Mephibosheth told David how Ziba had lied to him.

Ziba now was the slanderer, the deceiver. Ziba was going to extort to get other people's possessions. The most powerful thing in all this, was that David had given kindness to the "crippled". David had compassion on other family member's of Jonathan and it helped Mephibosheth to come into a being with others, and making a difference for others, like he had seen David do for himself! No where do we find any complaint out of Mephibosheth's mouth.
Then in  2 Samuel 19:24-30, we find the fate of Ziba! David divided the land equally. Even though David found guilty of believing the lie, he gave to both in equal terms. He, David, kept to his word to Ziba though it cost David to not know the truth in the situation. And one thing was evident, Mephibosheth, was happier and grew stronger in knowing the Lord was with him. Ziba grew more bitter and unhappy. There are Ziba's who desire much possessions and will do anything to get it. There are Ziba's who plot to do evil to gain much, either because they think more possessions will make them happier or that they will gain status if other's see their wealth.

One thing to take from this, is that David could move in and out of Jerusalem and in and out of the city with those would walk with him and believe God for justice. David was content in life and that came from knowing God and having the relationship vital for a king to have.

In my own walk with the Lord, I am happy with HIM, wherever we might be and whatever we might be doing for His kingdom. Truly the Lord knows those who are His.


2 Timothy 2:19..............19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. NKJV

Wherever you go in this life, you will always find those jockeying for a position. They will be the "Ziba" who will easily throw out innuendos. They are those who will insinuate, hint or even suggest something evil against you. But when we stand with the Lord and do His will, we know that we can stand knowing that He will see justice done for us as well as for the Ziba.

Father, just as You sent Jesus into the world, You have sent me. You are ever with me for I always seek to that which pleases YOU!
In the name of Jesus, Father thank You that we are free from the fear of man which brings a snare. Today I pray that we all would lean on You, trust in You, and put our confidence in You for we are safe and set on high. Today, You know those that are Yours, and they ever seek to please You wherever they go. I pray that You would help us to hear both sides of a story before making a decision about anything. Help us to see those who are against us and help us to hear wisdom. Like David, may we have opportunity to bless those on our pathway. I pray that we would know that we are Your chosen people, holy and dearly loved, and we clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. We will bear with others and forgive whatever grievances we may have against anyone.
Father, You are the Supreme Authority. Today we submit our will to you that we would find protection and dwell in the secret place of the Most High God. Your will be done in our lives today as it is in heaven. Amen.

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