Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.[—1 Peter 5:8]
We don't know how long Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden before temptation came. The Devil had heard God's warning to Adam: "You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die" (Genesis 2:16–17). The way the text in Genesis unfolds, it almost appears as though Satan came immediately with his temptation.
It reminds me of the parable of the sower in Matthew 13, where Jesus talked about a sower who went out and scattered seed, and some seed fell on the roadside, where the birds came and quickly ate it.
We all know what that is like. Have you ever dropped a French fry outside McDonald's? Birds suddenly appear out of nowhere. Then there are the seagulls at the beach that fly off with your lunch or your children or your very small dog.
Jesus said, "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart" (verse 19). That is why we need to pray for people who have just come to Christ, because the Devil will be there with temptation, with doubt, and with an onslaught of other things.
This reminds us that whenever God is blessing, expect the Devil to be opposing—immediately. He isn't going to wait for a year. He isn't going to wait for a month. He may not even wait for an hour.
You can be walking out of church when temptation suddenly comes. You think, What is with that? The fact is that Satan wants to undermine what just happened in your life. He opposes immediately. He always will.
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Today's Bible Reading
2 Samuel 3:1 The war between the house of Sha’ul and the house of David dragged on, but David grew stronger, while the house of Sha’ul became weaker.
2 Sons were born to David in Hevron. His firstborn was Amnon, whose mother was Achino‘am from Yizre‘el; 3 his second, Kil’av, whose mother was Avigayil the widow of Naval from Karmel; the third, Avshalom, whose mother was Ma‘akhah the daughter of Talmai king of G’shur; 4 the fourth, Adoniyah the son of Haggit; the fifth, Sh’fatyah the son of Avital; 5 and the sixth, Yitre‘am, whose mother was ‘Eglah David’s wife. These were born to David in Hevron.
6 During the war that was going on between the house of Sha’ul and the house of David, Avner strengthened his position in the house of Sha’ul. 7 Sha’ul had had a concubine named Ritzpah, the daughter of Ayah; and [Ish-Boshet] challenged Avner: “Why did you go and sleep with my father’s concubine?” 8 These words of Ish-Boshet’s enraged Avner. “What am I,” he shouted, “[that you treat me with such contempt]? A dog’s head in Y’hudah? Till this moment I have shown only kindness to the house of Sha’ul your father, and to his brothers and to his friends; and I haven’t handed you over to David. Yet you choose today to pick a fight with me over this woman! 9 May God bring terrible curses on Avner and worse ones yet if I don’t accomplish what Adonai swore to David — 10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Sha’ul and set up the throne of David over Isra’el and Y’hudah, from Dan all the way to Be’er-Sheva!” 11 Ish-Boshet couldn’t answer Avner a word, because he was afraid of him.
12 Avner immediately sent envoys to David with this message: “Who is going to control the land? If you make yourself my ally, I will use my power to bring all Isra’el over to you.” 13 David sent this reply: “Very well, I will be your ally — on one condition: you will not come into my presence unless at the same time you bring with you Mikhal Sha’ul’s daughter.” 14 David sent messengers to say to Ish-Boshet the son of Sha’ul, “Give me back my wife Mikhal. I betrothed her to myself for 100 foreskins of the P’lishtim.” 15 Ish-Boshet sent and took her from her husband Palti’el the son of Layish. 16 Her husband went with her, crying as he went, and followed her to Bachurim. But when Avner told him, “Go back,” he returned.
17 Then Avner conferred with the leaders of Isra’el. He said, “In the past, you wanted David to be king over you. 18 So now, do it. For Adonai has said of David, ‘Through my servant David I will rescue my people Isra’el from the power of the P’lishtim and from the power of all their enemies.’” 19 Avner also spoke with the people of Binyamin.
Then Avner went to Hevron and reported to David everything that had been agreed to by Isra’el and the house of Binyamin. 20 When Avner came to David in Hevron he brought twenty men with him. David held a feast for Avner and his men. 21 Avner said to David, “I must get up and go to gather all Isra’el to my lord the king, so that they can make a covenant with you. Then you will be able to rule over everything your heart desires.” David sent Avner off, giving him safe conduct.
22 Just then David’s men and Yo’av returned from a raid, bringing a lot of plunder with them. But Avner was not with David in Hevron, because he had sent him off under safe conduct. 23 When Yo’av and all his army had arrived, Yo’av was told, “Avner the son of Ner came to the king, but he sent him off, and he has left under safe conduct.” 24 Yo’av went to the king and said, “What have you done? Here, Avner came to you, and you sent him away, and now he’s gone! Why? 25 You know Avner the son of Ner — he came only to deceive you, to learn what campaigns you’re planning and to find out everything you’re doing!”
26 After leaving David, Yo’av sent messengers after Avner, and they brought him back from the water cistern at Sirah without David’s knowledge. 27 Upon Avner’s return to Hevron, Yo’av took him aside into the space between the outer and inner city gates as if to speak with him privately; and there he struck him in the groin, so that he died — thus avenging the death of ‘Asah’el his brother.
28 Afterwards, when David heard of it, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent of the death of Avner the son of Ner. 29 Let it fall on the head of Yo’av and all his father’s family. May Yo’av’s family always have someone with a hemorrhage or tzara‘at, or who has to walk with a cane, or who dies by the sword or who lacks food.” 30 Thus Yo’av and Avishai his brother killed Avner, because he had killed their brother ‘Asah’el during the battle in Giv‘on. 31 But David said to Yo’av and all those with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn over Avner.” King David himself walked behind the body as it was carried. 32 They buried Avner at Hevron; the king wept aloud at Avner’s grave, and all the people wept. 33 The king sang this lament over Avner:
“Should Avner have died like a thug?
34 Your hands weren’t tied, your feet weren’t fettered;
you fell like one who falls at the hands
of criminals.”
Then all the people wept over him more than ever.
35 All the people came to David and tried to make him eat some bread while it was still daytime; but David swore, “May God bring terrible curses on me and worse ones yet if I taste bread or anything else until the sun goes down.” 36 All the people took note of this, and it pleased them; whatever the king did pleased all the people. 37 So that day, all the people and all Isra’el understood that the king had had no part in the killing of Avner the son of Ner. 38 The king said to his servants, “You realize that a leader, a great man, has fallen today in Isra’el. 39 Even though I have just been anointed king, I feel weak today; and these men, the sons of Tz’ruyah, are too brutal for me. May Adonai repay the criminal as his crime deserves!”
1 Chronicles 12:1 Following are the men who joined David at Ziklag while he was still being kept away from Sha’ul the son of Kish; they were among the warriors who helped him fight his battles. 2 They were archers who could use either hand to sling stones or shoot arrows from a bow; they were Sha’ul’s kinsmen from Binyamin. 3 Their leader was Achi‘ezer, then Yo’ash, the sons of Sh’ma‘ah the Giv‘ati, Y’zi’el, Pelet, the sons of ‘Azmavet, B’rakhah, Yehu from ‘Anatot, 4 Yishma‘yah the Giv‘oni, one of the strongest of the thirty and commander of the thirty, 5 (4b) Yirmeyah, Yachzi’el, Yochanan, Yozavad from G’derah, 6 (5) El‘uzai, Yerimot, B‘alyah, Sh’maryah, Sh’fatyah the Harufi, 7 (6) Elkanah, Yishiyahu, ‘Azar’el, Yo‘ezer, Yashov‘am the Korchi, 8 (7) and Yo‘elah and Z’vadyah the sons of Yerocham from G’dor.
9 (8) From the Gadi a number of strong, brave, trained fighting men defected to David at the fortress in the desert. They could handle shield and spear, they were as fierce as lions, and they were as fast as deer on the hills: 10 (9) ‘Ezer was the leader, ‘Ovadyah was second, Eli’av third, 11 (10) Mishmanah fourth, Yirmeyah fifth, 12 (11) ‘Atai sixth, Eli’el seventh, 13 (12) Yochanan eighth, Elzavad ninth, 14 (13) Yirmeyah tenth, and Makhbanai eleventh. 15 (14) These descendants of Gad were army commanders; the least of them was worth a hundred, and the greatest worth a thousand. 16 (15) These are the men who crossed the Yarden during the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks, and drove out all those who lived in the valleys, both to the east and to the west.
17 (16) From the descendants of Binyamin and Y’hudah a number came to David at the fortress. 18 (17) When David went out to meet them, he said, “If you are coming to me in peace to help me, my heart will be bonded to yours. But if you are coming to betray me to my enemies, then, since I have done nothing wrong, may the God of our fathers see it and judge.” 19 (18) Then the Spirit covered ‘Amasai the chief commander, and he said:
“We are yours, David;
on your side, son of Yishai!
Peace, peace to you,
and peace to your helpers;
for your God helps you.”
David welcomed them and made them senior officers.
20 (19) From M’nasheh some defected to David when he was about to go with the P’lishtim to fight against Sha’ul; but they ended up not helping them; because the rulers of the P’lishtim, after consultation, sent David away, saying, “He will defect to his master Sha’ul at the cost of our heads.” 21 (20) As he was on his way to Ziklag, those who defected to him from M’nasheh included ‘Adnach, Yozavad, Y’dia‘el, Mikha’el, Yozavad, Elihu and Tziltai, commanders of thousands from M’nasheh. 22 (21) They helped David against the raiding band, for they were all strong, brave men who were commanders in the army.
23 (22) Indeed, reinforcements to assist David reached him daily, until there was a great army, like the army of God. 24 (23) Following are the numbers of those who came armed for war to David in Hevron, in order to transfer to him the kingdom of Sha’ul, according to what Adonai had said.
25 (24) The descendants of Y’hudah bearing shields and spears numbered 6,800, armed for war.
26 (25) Of the descendants of Shim‘on, strong, brave men for war, there were 7,100.
27 (26) Of the descendants of Levi, there were 4,600. 28 (27) Y’hoyada was the leader of the house of Aharon, and with him were 3,700; 29 (28) also Tzadok, a young man, strong and brave, with twenty-two commanders from his father’s family.
30 (29) Of the descendants of Binyamin the kinsmen of Sha’ul, there were 3,000; for up until then, the majority of them had remained loyal to the house of Sha’ul.
31 (30) Of the descendants of Efrayim, there were 20,800 strong, brave men, well known in their fathers’ families.
32 (31) Of the half-tribe of M’nasheh, 18,000 were designated by name to come and make David king.
33 (32) Of the descendants of Yissakhar, men who understood the times and knew what Isra’el ought to do, there were 200 leaders, and all their kinsmen were under their command.
34 (33) Of Z’vulun, 50,000 men were fit for military service, experienced in war and able to use all kinds of weapons; they were brave, and none was doubleminded.
35 (34) Of Naftali, there were 1,000 officers, and with them 37,000 troops having shields and spears.
36 (35) Of Dan, 28,600 were experienced in war.
37 (36) Of Asher, 40,000 men were fit for military service and experienced in war.
38 (37) On the other side of the Yarden, from the Re’uveni, the Gadi and the half-tribe of M’nasheh, there were 120,000 with all kinds of weapons for battle.
39 (38) All these soldiers who were experienced in war came to Hevron wholeheartedly to make David king over all Isra’el, and all the rest from Isra’el were single-hearted in wanting to make David king. 40 (39) They remained there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their kinsmen had prepared for them. 41 (40) Moreover, those who were near them — and even those as far as Yissakhar, Z’vulun and Naftali — brought food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen: baked goods, fig cakes, clusters of raisins, wine, oil, and oxen and sheep in abundance; for there was joy in Isra’el.
Matthew 15:1 Then some P’rushim and Torah-teachers from Yerushalayim came to Yeshua and asked him, 2 “Why is it that your talmidim break the Tradition of the Elders? They don’t do n’tilat-yadayim before they eat!” 3 He answered, “Indeed, why do you break the command of God by your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’[a] and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’[b] 5 But you say, ‘If anyone says to his father or mother, “I have promised to give to God what I might have used to help you,” 6 then he is rid of his duty to honor his father or mother.’ Thus by your tradition you make null and void the word of God! 7 You hypocrites! Yesha‘yahu was right when he prophesied about you,
8 ‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far away from me.
9 Their worship of me is useless,
because they teach man-made rules as if they were doctrines.’”[c]
10 Then he called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand this! 11 What makes a person unclean is not what goes into his mouth; rather, what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him unclean!”
12 The talmidim came to him and said, “Do you know that the P’rushim were offended by what you said?” 13 He replied, “Every plant that my Father in heaven has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Let them be. They are blind guides. When a blind man guides another blind man, both will fall in a pit.”
15 Kefa said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 So he said, “Don’t you understand even now? 17 Don’t you see that anything that enters the mouth goes into the stomach and passes out into the latrine? 18 But what comes out of your mouth is actually coming from your heart, and that is what makes a person unclean. 19 For out of the heart come forth wicked thoughts, murder, adultery and other kinds of sexual immorality, theft, lies, slanders. . . . 20 These are what really make a person unclean, but eating without doing n’tilat-yadayim does not make a person unclean.”
21 Yeshua left that place and went off to the region of Tzor and Tzidon. 22 A woman from Kena‘an who was living there came to him, pleading, “Sir, have pity on me. Son of David! My daughter is cruelly held under the power of demons!” 23 But Yeshua did not say a word to her. Then his talmidim came to him and urged him, “Send her away, because she is following us and keeps pestering us with her crying.” 24 He said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Isra’el.” 25 But she came, fell at his feet and said, “Sir, help me!” 26 He answered, “It is not right to take the children’s food and toss it to their pet dogs.” 27 She said, “That is true, sir, but even the dogs eat the leftovers that fall from their master’s table.” 28 Then Yeshua answered her, “Lady, you are a person of great trust. Let your desire be granted.” And her daughter was healed at that very moment.
29 Yeshua left there and went along the shore of Lake Kinneret. He climbed a hill and sat down; 30 and large crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others. They laid them at his feet, and he healed them. 31 The people were amazed as they saw mute people speaking, crippled people cured, lame people walking and blind people seeing; and they said a b’rakhah to the God of Isra’el.
32 Yeshua called his talmidim to him and said, “I feel sorry for these people, because they have been with me three days, and now they have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry, because they might collapse on the way home.” 33 The talmidim said to him, “Where will we find enough loaves of bread in this remote place to satisfy so big a crowd?” 34 Yeshua asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few fish.” 35 After telling the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, made a b’rakhah, broke the loaves and gave them to the talmidim, who gave them to the people. 37 Everyone ate his fill, and they took seven large baskets full of the leftover pieces. 38 Those eating numbered four thousand men, plus women and children. 39 After sending the crowd away, he got in the boat and went off to the region of Magadan.[Footnotes:
Matthew 15:4 Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16
Matthew 15:4 Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9
Matthew 15:9 Isaiah 29:13]
Harvest Ministries with Greg LaurieP.O. Box 4000
Riverside, California 92514-4000 United States
Phone: 1-800-821-3300
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