#DailyDevotion God’s Choice Determines Through Whom The Blessing Comes
Psalm 78 65Then the Lord awoke like one who had been sleeping, like a strong man shouting from wine. 66He beat His enemies back and disgraced them forever. 67He rejected Joseph’s tents, and didn’t choose the tribe of Ephraim. 68He chose rather the tribe of Judah and Mount Zion that He loved.
The LORD in time finally had enlarged Israel enough to take care of the wild animals on their own. Starting with Saul and completing it with David, He begins His campaign to totally rid the land of pagans who worship other gods. The LORD, especially through His servant David, beat back His enemies and disgraced them so they would know the LORD is one and only true God.
Strangely, He rejected the tents of Joseph and the tribe of Ephraim. Why is this strange? If you hearken back to Genesis, Joseph would be the son of Jacob who receives the blessing instead of Reuben who was the oldest of the twelve. But it is God’s choice, as you remember Jacob was the younger of the two twins and he received the blessing. Ephraim is mentioned because Jacob did not bless Joseph directly but blessed his first two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, and again, God’s choice, Ephraim the younger received the greater blessing.
While Ephraim would become the greater in terms of wealth and numbers, God chose Judah from whom the rulers of Israel would have its kings. God chose the tribe of Judah and Mt. Zion where He would build His temple and for Israel to come and worship Him. In Judah, the LORD would choose David, the youngest of his brothers, through whom He would become incarnate and save the world.
69He built His sanctuary like the high heavens and founded it forever like the earth. 70He chose His servant David and took him from the sheepfolds. 71From tending the sheep nursing their young, He brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob, His people, and Israel, His possession. 72So he shepherds them with a pure heart and leads them with skillful hands.
Yes, it would be His servant David whom He took from tending the flocks to tend His people. He tended over His people Israel with a pure hear and led them with skillful hands. David would be the type who is fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus would be and is our Good Shepherd. He has the pure heart that leads His holy Church. Jesus as our Good Shepherd lays down His life for us His sheep and indeed for all people everywhere, of every language, people, tribe and nation.
He gives us His Holy Spirit so we may have faith in Him and trust our Father in heaven for every good thing. The Holy Spirit reminds us of Jesus’ teaching and leads us throughout our days. He preserves for Jesus a holy people and brings them into the Promised Land, the New Heavens and New Earth, where righteousness reigns. Jesus as the New David, will expunge from the earth all the pagans of the world and all the unfaithful of the Church so we may live in peace in that place and no longer be troubled by them ever again.
Heavenly Father, grant us faith in You Son, Jesus Christ, to be our New David, who conquers all Your foes who will not trust in You, so we may inherit the earth at His second advent and live and reign with Him forever. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.