The Glory belongs to the Lord

 Matthew 26    Psalm 149     2 Samuel 3-4

As Jesus get ready to make the final preparation for the Passover, he gathers with the disciples he is anointed with perfume. Their focus is still on making sure their needs and wants are cared for and so they object to this waste. Then when they gather for the Passover Jesus once again reminds them that where he is headed, they will not be able or want to go. Celebrating the bread and cups he instructs them to remember him in the ritual of eating. Then he tells them he is about to be betrayed by one of them. That they will all abandon him. They are indignant and Peter and the others assure him they will never leave him.

After Judas brings them to arrest Jesus the other scatter and run and hide. One of Jesus followers wants to fight and takes out his sword attacking and injuring the slave of the high priest. Jesus commands him to put away the sword for those that live by the sword will die by the sword. He tells them he could call on an army of angels and they would come but that is not what God has in mind. Just because we should, doesn’t me we should.

While Peter ventures into the city he does not want to be recognized as one of the followers of Jesus out of fear for his won life. He will in fact deny he knows even who Jesus is just as Jesus said he would. While he believed he could stand up for Jesus when the time came his fear was greater than his faith.

Our song reminds us that the expectation was that the Messiah would come to do battle with the sword and lead to military victory. They were looking for Israel to the get the glory.

There is a long battle between the house of Saul and the house of David as they vie for control of Israel and Judah. As David grows stronger and the leaders of Saul grow weaker David begins to consolidate his power and the commanders of Saul’s army begin to bring over the people. While there is intrigue and deception in the end David is ruler over the whole kingdom of Judah and Israel.

Again today, we see that God works in ways that are often contrary to what we believe is right. The importance is continuing to seek the will of the Lord is essential to our well being and the countries we live in. When we think about it the glory always belongs to the Lord and anything that takes away from that will be brought down.