Reaping and Sowing #3

Thursday, May 22, 2025

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7 KJV).

Let us not be ignorant brethren concerning the concept of “reaping and sowing!”

Moses publicly disrespected the LORD by smiting the rock in a fit of rage when he should have spoken to it, so he and brother Aaron were forbidden to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land (Numbers 20:7-13). Throughout the Book of Joshua, the Jewish people failed to destroy the pagan Gentiles in the land of Canaan, so those heathen eventually influenced Israel to be idolatrous. In the Book of Judges, these sins of idolatry brought on God’s punishment in the form of invading Gentile troops, though God had mercy on and delivered Israel when they cried out in repentance (Judges 2:1-23). Judge Samson got romantically involved with a pagan Philistine woman and that finally contributed to his death by Israel’s enemies (Judges 16:4-31).

Believing Gentile Ruth chose to follow the God of Israel, thereby inadvertently becoming the ancestor of Messiah Jesus (Ruth 1:15-18; cf. Matthew 1:5,6,16; Luke 3:23,32). Young David, her great-grandson, trusted the LORD and defeated the giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17:1-58), going on to be one of Israel’s most famous monarchs. King David failed to be a good father to his children, growing angry with son Amnon for sexually assaulting sister Tamar but carrying out no punishment, forcing son Absalom to kill Amnon in the pursuit of justice (2 Samuel 13:1-39). Absalom later dies in an uprising against David (2 Samuel 15:1-13; 2 Samuel 18:1-17). Brother Adonijah perishes for treason against brother King Solomon (1 Kings 1:1-10; 1 Kings 2:19-25). “Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house” (Proverbs 17:13).

“Your sin will find you out,” Moses advised Israel in Numbers 32:23. Indeed, King Solomon learned this after he had intimate relations with almost 1,000 female Satan worshippers (1 Kings 11:1-8)—and that destroyed his nation Israel politically and spiritually for the next thousand years, all the way up to Christ’s earthly ministry! These are just a few of the countless examples of “reaping and sowing” throughout the Old Testament Bible canon, some good but most bad.

We can come to an even better understanding….

Solomon and Jesus #5

Sunday, July 9, 2023

“And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever” (2 Samuel 7:12,13 KJV).

Let us search the Scriptures to see how Solomon is a type of the antitype Jesus….

King David fathered numerous children, but the LORD chose a solitary son, Solomon, to rule after him (1 Chronicles 28:5; 1 Chronicles 29:1). Still, this inconvenient fact did not deter one of Solomon’s half-brothers from scheming to presumptuously seize the throne… twice. For example, in 1 Kings chapter 1, older son Adonijah tried to rule as king while elderly David was in his final days of earthly life, but David was informed of the uprising and suppressed Adonijah by publicly endorsing Solomon as his replacement. For a time, Adonijah had his supporters who celebrated him as “monarch,” but he and his chief supporters were eventually removed from office—with some even executed for their treason (see 1 Kings 2:12-35)!

In a parallel situation nearly 10 centuries later, the Lord Jesus Christ is Father God’s chosen King for Israel (re-read Luke 1:31-33), but Christ’s enemies cleverly connived to take His life so they could usurp His throne and remain in control of the nation Israel. These were the religious leaders, whom He Himself, just a few days before they killed Him via crucifixion, exposed most graphically in the highly offensive Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen (see Matthew 21:33-46, Mark 12:1-12, and Luke 20:9-20). Those “scholars” seemed to be “in control,” and were praised for being such “godly men,” but they were pretenders who were willfully disobeying the Lord’s will in order to take over God’s nation. As Solomon’s foes who did not desire he reign over them ultimately lost their lives in the process, so the Lord Jesus Christ’s adversaries who refused Him will be slain when He comes back to reign (see Matthew 22:1-14; Luke 19:11-27).

Let us see other striking similarities between Solomon and Jesus….

Thou Art The Man to Restore—Times Four #6

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

“If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep” (Exodus 22:1 KJV).

How can this help us understand some of the tragic deaths associated with the Davidic dynasty?

Re-reading 2 Samuel chapter 12: “[5] And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: [6] And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. [7] And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man….” David never forgot his solemn words: he DID INDEED restore fourfold!!!

Solomon’s older brother—David’s first child with Bathsheba, an unnamed newborn (?) baby—died. David’s firstborn son, Amnon, was then assassinated. Next, Absalom, Amnon’s younger brother, was murdered. Burying three of his children was most difficult for David. After his demise, though, a fourth son died. Adonijah, Solomon’s older half-brother, twice endeavored to usurp David’s throne that God promised to Solomon; Solomon finally executed Adonijah. Yea, as God predicted, David’s house would perpetually experience violence (see 2 Samuel 12:10). In addition to the above four deaths, several decades later, David’s royal descendants died prematurely in 2 Kings 11:1-2 and 21:23.

Dear friends, stop and think. These Scriptures are not “dead history” or “superstitious fairytales.” Our sin comes at a price—VERY HIGH!! It not only negatively impacts us, but those around us… not just now, but for decades or centuries to come!! It ultimately cost the Lord Jesus Christ His life to pay for our sins! No, David did not die because of his sin with Bathsheba—but four of his sons did! Never forget, dear brethren, sin is serious beyond imagination. BEFORE we act, we had better think long and hard of the consequences!!!!!

As Christians, let us remember: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” (Galatians 6:7,8).

Thou Art The Man to Restore—Times Four #5

Monday, February 19, 2018

“If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep” (Exodus 22:1 KJV).

How can this help us understand some of the tragic deaths associated with the Davidic dynasty?

Over a decade after Absalom’s murder—just prior to David’s death and Solomon’s ascension to the throne—Solomon’s half-brother Adonijah plots to become David’s successor. (Second Samuel 3:2-4 states Adonijah is a younger brother of deceased Amnon and expired Absalom.)

As 1 Kings chapter 1 unfolds, the Prophet Nathan and Solomon’s mother Bathsheba foil Adonijah’s first attempt to seize David’s throne. Before David expires, he follows God’s orders and pronounces Solomon as king. “And Solomon said, If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die” (1 Kings 1:50-53). Solomon, now king, warns his older half-brother Adonijah not to try to steal Israel’s throne again. Chapter 2 begins with David’s death, and then delineates how Adonijah schemes a second time to take Solomon’s throne.

As per Solomon’s decree, evil Adonijah must be put to death: “[22] And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah. [23] Then king Solomon sware by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life. [24] Now therefore, as the LORD liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day. [25] And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.”

Adonijah, David’s fourth son, is executed. Today’s Scripture has been met. Departed David, fortunately, never saw this fourth funeral. Now, let us summarize and conclude….

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