DAVID - Easton's Bible Dictionary

DAVID, CITY OF - Easton's Bible Dictionary

DAVID - The new Bible Dictionary

JERUSALEM - Easton's Bible Dictionary

JERUSALEM. - The new Bible Dictionary

16 As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart. (2 Samuel 6:16)

The reaction to the end time church from the religious establishment is one of rejection. Michal represents the lineage of King Saul, whose 'religion' was focused on him, not God. In a human sense, all was going for him - height, strength, and good looks. The people's choice! But not God's!

Today too, the religious establishment is primarily self-focused. How can we grow the biggest church? Become the biggest denomination! We are the true repositories of God's truth! Let's build a larger church! More people! Become more professional! Water down the Word to be more acceptable, to appeal to a wider group! Create a multi-layered clergy/laity hierarchy with titles and uniforms! Happy to stick with the revelation on which the movement was founded, for they have it all, or at least, don't want any more! With a clergy promoted, often by implication, as an intermediary between man and God!

Summarized simply, the church/movement is worshipped more than God Himself is!

Therefore, because of this different focus, the establishment sees as being extreme, impractical, misguided, off the edge, disrespectful of authority, those who are 100% sold out to God and His will, rather than blindly following the dictates of the religious system.

While numbers of people are simply rebellious, just wanting to do 'their own thing', truly sold out Jesus believers seek out and enact the will of the Lord for their lives.

This is misunderstood by the church, (a type of Martha), as not being prepared to pull their weight and do the work! The Mary's (a type of the end time church) who want to sit at the feet of Jesus are criticized and rejected.

Mary went down the unconventional path, choosing "what is better" and, what is more, "it will not be taken away from her."

We have already quoted the 'Greatest Commandment' but it bears repeating here. We are to love the Lord with everything we have! No room for competition!

Jesus himself suffered rejection.

This was prophesied by Isaiah:

Confirmed by Jesus:

And to be experienced by us.

I realize you may well say that these scriptures were referring to rejection by non-believers. But the biggest enemy of Jesus was the established religious hierarchy. Sadly, we too have created a church system with laws of theology, many unbiblical, taught as truth by highly qualified teachers. A system where pastors and ministers, elders and bishops act as priests, inserting themselves, either deliberately, or inadvertently by implication, between God and their people. A system where the needs of the church are put before God's true will in a given situation.

Personally, over the years, Walking With Jesus Ministries has been rejected, not by the people, but by many in the church hierarchy. For years I blamed myself beating up God and myself, as to where I was going wrong. I sought counsel but received no explanation. Spirits would rise up in others in situations where the Holy Spirit was present. But never once, would a rational argument be presented. I was at a loss.

No, I am now neither bemused nor bitter. Indeed, our main ministry is to pastors and leaders, encouraging them and their people to search out the will of God for themselves. To give their whole life and beings to Jesus, to 'leap and dance before the Lord', spiritually, and physically where possible, as King David did, while accepting that the Michals of the religious world will not be impressed.

The amazing thing about David's tent is that it was so simple. So insignificant in fact, that the Bible does not bother to describe it. So we don't even know what it looked like! Yet the presence of God lived there!

Let's find out more.

It is a truism 'that those at the forefront of the last move of God are the bitterest opponents of the next.' Yes, so easily God's revelation turns into manmade religion. We take what God has said, we codify it, we rationalise it and we formulate our own ways of doing it better than God. We are proud of having received the 'latest revelation' and know that 'we have it all'.

Of course, no-one has it all, nor will ever have, until Jesus returns and reveals Himself in all His glory.

So denominations are formed on the basis of a revealed truth and remain in that truth forever. Religious hierarchies are built to preserve 'the truth' and 'their people' are discouraged from seeking God, and His revelation, for themselves.

But God will always find His 'David's', those, of either sex, with a heart after Him, to whom He will reveal more of His truth.

And the many Michals? You be the judge?

All I know is, like my namesake, I want all of my God that I can get!

New Testament - Crown of Thorns

This is a crown of thorns created by Dr. Dale Manor, archeaologist, who is an associate professor at Harding University Harding Univ. The crown is made of thorns such as would have been in Israel at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus.

Source: http://www.ebibleteacher.com/