When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine. The king asked Ziba, "Why have you brought these?" Ziba answered, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the desert." (2 Samuel 16:1-2 NIV)

Remember Ziba? He was Saul’s servant. David appointed him and his family to be servants of Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth. After all the kindness and mercy that David showed Mephibosheth, Mephibosheth turned on him, hoping to be restored as king. Ziba was loyal to David. David’s young children and wives needed animals to ride so they could keep up. Ziba provided them and food to nourish them all on the journey. What David could not prepare in the short notice and sudden flight, God provided from an unlikely source. We can know that when we are in the middle of calamity, God will provide.

It seemed unjust that Ziba and family had been freed when Saul died and then turned back into the servants of Saul’s family. Nevertheless, they humbly submitted. Now they are free again. All Israel is choosing sides. Will you side with the Usurper or with the true King? The Usurper promises position and power but he cannot deliver. You will find true freedom with hardship if you follow the true king. Your service will be rewarded for he is just and genuinely appreciative.

Evening

While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, "How is it that the teachers of the law say that the Christ is the son of David? David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: "'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet."' David himself calls him 'Lord.' How then can he be his son?" The large crowd listened to him with delight. (Mark 12:35-37 NIV)

After answering all the trick questions presented to Him in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, Jesus had a question for those who inquired of Him. Jesus referred to one of His most quoted passages, Psalms 110:1. They all knew that the Scripture plainly taught that the Messiah would be descended from David. The prophecies declared this One would reign forever. Then He reminded them that the Scriptures are written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. To these points they could all agree. Now He springs the trap on them. Unlike the traps they were setting for Him, His trap is intended to bring them life. Their questions were designed to bring accusation. His questions were designed to bring revelation. This is a good tool of discerning our own heart and the intent of others. Ask yourself if your desire in asking a question is to bring life or to find fault.

The word translated ‘Lord’ is from two different words. An expanded translation in contemporary language would be, The Eternal One said to my Master… If David called Him Master, how can He be his son? The Jews saw fathers as superior to their son. The question is then, how can a son of a man be the man’s master? Now it is the Pharisees that are on the spot. They cannot answer. They have no idea how that could be. There is only one way it could be, incarnation. The Word became flesh through the womb of a woman descended from David. Jesus was all God and all man, but without sin. Jesus is David’s Master and his descendent. Through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, David heard the Father ask His only begotten Son, Jesus, to sit at His right hand until all His enemies were put under His feet.

The people listened with delight. The religious leaders had pushed them around with their interpretations of God’s Word. Now they are silent, unable to answer questions about the Word. They did not respond with a desire to understand but with a plot to murder the One that understood the Word better than they.

Used with Permission