Promotion by Degrees

Promotion by Degrees

And David brought up the men who were with him, every man with his household. So they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.

2 Samuel 2:3-4a

There are times when God does things which seem to occur all of a sudden. Even those things, if we understand His Ways, have been a long time coming. They all fall within the larger scheme of His Eternal Decree. More often though, we observe Him working to effect His Plan by degrees. Our text today, is an example of that in the life of David. Samuel had anointed David to be king when David was a youth. The fulfillment of this expectation would not occur for years. Not only that, but when it did occur, it would only happen by degrees. Our text tells us that David and his people moved into Hebron. The people of Judah anointed him as their king, after the death of Saul. So God gave David what He had for him by degrees. He developed David as the wise, Christlike person He wanted him to be in order for him to be the king of Israel. David was becoming the great prefigurement of Christ, the King. So God does with us. He develops us in Christlikeness towards the larger purpose He has for us. He puts us in different situations to form us into that tool which suits His purpose most and best. He brings us, by degrees, to the full realization of what larger purpose we serve in His Plan. This enables us to make sense of much of our most difficult experiences. He has made no errors. He brings us along, by degrees into the fullness of His Purpose.

Our Gracious, Ruling, and Reigning God,
we praise You, that You have given us great expectations.
We rejoice, that You will infallibly bring us,
into the place where You intend for us to be,
and enable us to fulfill Your divine purpose for us.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning