Redemptive Discipline
A devotional thought from Jonathan Leeman for “The Kings”
The Books of 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles don’t end well. By the end of his life, Solomon found himself face down in the muck of ancient Near Eastern corruption and power politics. And he only had himself to blame. Sadly, most of his descendants followed suit. They abandoned the Lord and His ways. They became just like the nations around them because their hearts were more inclined to the nations than to God.
God kept His promise to David to discipline his son (2 Sam. 7:14). He disciplined Solomon and his sons by dividing the nation in half and letting the two halves fall into destructive conflict. Eventually He sent them into exile.
Yet God’s promise to David didn’t stop with discipline. “But My faithful love will never leave him as I removed it from Saul” (v. 15). God would continue to love David and David’s line. He would cause it to persevere.
1 and 2 Chronicles retell the Books of Samuel and Kings, but they appear to have been written after the return from exile. Read 1 Chronicles 17:13: “I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to Me. I will not take away My faithful love from him as I took it from the one who was before you.” Do you notice there’s no mention of discipline? Why not? Because after the exile, there’s only one more Son of David who will occupy David’s throne, and He won’t need discipline because He will be sinless.
Doesn’t that make you want to voice Solomon’s words in 1 Kings 8:56 as your own praise to God in Christ? “May the LORD be praised!…Not one of all the good promises He made through His servant Moses has failed.”
Pause and Reflect
• In what ways has God’s discipline in your life worked to bring you to repentance?
• How does God’s promise to us in Jesus Christ give us the courage and confidence we need to persevere in our faith?
Brief and to the point. Message gives a clear description and thought provoking truth of historical background of what was happening at that time.