Isaiah has been called the fifth Gospel. Themes of divine grace subverting human rebellion, of heaven’s glorious light breaking into earth’s thickest darkness, of God’s wild hope overturning our utmost despair – of dead things coming to life and flourishing by the breath of God – soak Isaiah’s 66 chapters.

It all builds toward a crescendo of promise and warning.

I love receiving gifts. Giving gifts is a gesture that people have used for centuries to express love, peace and forgiveness.

In this case, the gift offering that Abigail brought David changed the destiny for thousands of people in the city of Carmel. However it wasn’t the gift that brought the change to Abigail’s people – it was that the gift offering was received as acceptable to David.

This story amazes me. In Acts 13:22 Paul describes David as “a man after God’s own heart” and here we see why. The man who wrote “The Lord is my shepherd” had learned in his life leading the sheep that he was in turn led by God. But it is one thing to say this, and quite another to put it into practice. Especially in times of stress.

It is part of the bigger story that runs through chapters 24-26.

Here I go again on my own. Or am I on my own?

Nothing disappoints me more than to watch a movie with a different ending than the one I would have chosen. I’ve invested an hour or two of my time and lo and behold, I’m left with an opposing, unsatisfying outcome.

In today’s episode, we are reading about failure. Get ready, because you will be wondering why this man of God (David) who trusts and turns to God for guidance, is now slaughtering men and women and pillaging their possessions.

The word “hypocrite” comes to mind.

A person’s true character is often most evident when under great pressure.

The looming Philistine battle sent King Saul into great distress. A king who is supposed to be confident, heroic in nature, superior in stature and domineering, is now falling apart and full of fear.

In disobedience to what the Old Testament teaches, Saul seeks out a medium for guidance about his future instead of waiting on the Lord for answers.

At first the psalms may bring to mind gentle brooks and rolling meadows, beautiful poetry extolling God’s magnificence and care. Some of them, however, are anything but. A number seethe with anger. There are bad people out there, doing horrendous, evil things, and the psalmist is fed up. He rails against them, getting downright explicit with the sort of punishment he hopes God doles out. In the end, he declares, good people will be glad to see the evildoers get their own.