October 8, 2022: Haftarah – II Samuel 22:1-51
This week's Haftarah reading is from II Samuel 22:1-51. Join Dr. Jeffery Myers, as he portrays the power behind the beautiful songs of praise that King David wrote to ADONAI at both ends of this Haftarah portion.
Follow along in the AUDIO PODCAST, by clicking on the play button below, and reading along with the notes, as you listen to today's Haftarah:
Lion of Judah Speaks: Haftarah Portion – II Samuel 22:1-51
As we look at the Haftorah portion we see this lengthy song that opens and closes with praise and thanksgiving. The song focuses on how Adonai’s powerful deliverance was at work in and throughout David’s life. David talks about faith in Adonai, the one true Yah, and how Adonai protected, heard, and rescued him. This was a faith that stirred gratefulness and praise as He watches the saving power of His Yah be present in his life, situation and circumstance, not just a religious relic of the past but active and present! Adonai delivered David from all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. This same Yah, whom we serve is no respecter of persons and delivers us from our enemies too. We all experience dangers in our lives, conflicts with our enemies, hard places where there seems to be no escape or relief. However, Adonai, Halleluyah, causes us to triumphant over our enemies, even in the low moments, confusing times, we can give vibrant expression of praise and thanksgiving.
David opens up this song with, “Adonai is my Rock, my Fortress, my Deliverer, the Yah who is my Rock, in whom I find shelter, my Shield, the power that saves me, my stronghold and my Refuge”. (II Sam. 22:1-3). Who is your Rock in your life? Who is your Fortress and Deliverer? We all run to something or to someone when in trouble or when life gets difficult. Where we turn reveals a lot about us in difficulties. When we look at the three proclamations, “my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer” we naturally are drawn to the landscape of Israel where steep and almost inaccessible rocks provided protection to David as a fugitive. Yes, David took refuge in “physical” rocks but he did not place his hope for safety in the natural rock formations in Israel. His hope was placed in Adonai Himself, who was his Rock. Rock in Hebrew represents Yah’s immovable firmness and His invincible protection. Yah protects, shelters, is a source of safety in the very dark places of life. Again, who is your Rock?
Take a moment and think of all the places that we are tempted to run to in times of trouble, all the people we can be tempted to run to in times of trouble that can support us. However, people are weak and frail and make terrible saviors because they can let us down. They have their own problems and their own issues just like us, so they really cannot be our Rock that we need. But Yah is the perfect Savior and the perfect Rock we need. He never lets us down and is not held back in power to save and deliver.
What is David telling us through his situation about his Yah, about our Yah? Let’s look at what David is telling us about Yah’s deliverance. In II Samuel 22:21-28 he reveals that Adonai gives blessing to the righteous. Look at David’s confession of being “righteous”, “blameless”, in that he walked according to Adonai’s statutes and followed Yah’s rules, which made him righteous. David is in no way saying he is perfect but that he had not wickedly departed from His Yah. Yes, he had failed miserably, gave into the flesh but he had not deserted Yah, nor forsaken His ways. Even with his failures, David for the vast majority of his life was Yah-centered!
So, for that reason, he sought to keep Adonai’s law at all times. However, David is not ultimately about his own righteousness, but about Adonai’s faithfulness. The law of Yah teaches us to obey Adonai and His ways so that we would be blessed but if we don’t obey Him, we would be cursed. So, David is encouraging us to be obedient to Adonai, because He gives blessing to the righteous.
David is saying, “Trust Yah! Follow His commands, even when it is hard, even when it is unpopular. Adonai will take care of you. He will reward you. Look at me and listen to my story”. He is telling us Yah is reliable and He will honor His covenant promise!
II Samuel 22:29-33 tells us that Yah gives power to the righteous. He proclaims that Adonai is his lamp dispersing the darkness. He is giving all the credit to HaShem! He is saying, “Without HaShem, I am in the darkness. He is my lamp! Without HaShem, I am exposed to danger. He is my shield! Without HaShem and His Word, I would have strayed off the path long ago. He has made my way blameless”. David knows where his heart of obedience came from. He knows who that Rock is underneath his feet, because David knows Yah gives power to the righteous. He not only gives power but also victory to the righteous.
(II Samuel 22:34-46). If we love HaShem and walk according to His will, He gives victory to us. Remember, any victory you can remember, or have now, or will experience later is actually Yah’s victories. It is Yah who upholds us, equips us, and disperses our enemies.
Lastly, in II Samuel 22: 47-51, He gives songs to the righteous. Adonai’s attributes and His actions inspire praise in His people. David’s heart is full and praise and adoration is spilling over, not only because of the victories given, but because of the covenant love that was graciously given to David. Let’s face it, how can David not lift his voice in praise and worship for all Yah has done? I ask you; how can you not lift up your voice in praise and worship for all Yah has done for you?
Adonai delights in being our rescuer. Adonai loves to be the Rock we need and the support for our lives especially when life is difficult. Adonai loves you and takes delight in you. He wants to help us. He is the light we need in our lives. He is the one who can show us the way through the darkness that comes in our lives. Let Adonai be your Rock in difficulties and suffering. Adonai is faithful and will be your Rock even in your greatest triumph and your greatest life mistakes. No matter where you have failed, your relationship with Yah is not over or forever severed. Any appalling sin can be covered by Yah’s grace! Romans 5:20-21 says, “Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through Yeshua our Messiah.”
Adonai will be your Rock! You can run to Him and find mercy and grace. He can turn your darkness into light. He will give you help for your life. Stop putting your hope in things that do not help or in people who are weak and unable to be like Yeshua. Don’t be the rebellious generation that has forgotten Adonai, the faithful and immovable Rock whose work is perfect. Each of us has a choice as to how we respond to the Rock in various situations in our lives. We can be like David and choose to remember that Adonai, whose way is perfect, is our Rock and strong fortress or we can forget the Rock that fathered us and remain in the wilderness wandering. Each day we must decide which path we will walk.
Let us be like David and seek to walk in Yah’s ways and keep His commandments. This song of David was one, just one, way in which Adonai prepared His people for the coming of Yeshua by helping them to see their desperate need for a righteous King, one who could lead them into the blessing of Yah. Do you know Him? Are you looking to Him? Does this righteousness put songs in your heart and mouth? Does it give you the greatest calm, quiet, ease, and peace?
“Adonai lives, and blessed be my Rock, and exalted be my Yah, the Rock of my salvation…For this I will praise You, O Adonai, among the nations, and sing praises to your name”. Let’s praise our righteous King! The light has come! Adonai is our Rock!”
Shabbat Shalom Mishpocha and
Chag Sukkot Sameach
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May your Sabbath be sweet and may the Feast of Sukkot remind us of the coming Millennial Kingdom where Yeshua is KING over all the earth forever! I can’t wait for His return…can you? Be ready and proclaim “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Adonai!”