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Read 2 Samuel 6-9
2 Samuel 6:6-8 But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God. 7 The Lord’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God. 8 Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah. ALL who read this are likely to join with David’s anger and quickly say, “That’s not fair!” How could God kill a man who is protecting the Ark of the Covenant? Such words as “unfair”, though, accuse the LORD of unrighteousness – of sin. To understand then how God’s judgment on Uzzah is fair, just and even an act of mercy, let’s look at Numbers 4:15: “When the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites are to come to do the carrying (of the ark). But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the Tent of Meeting.” God had spoken centuries before this. Note that only a particular clan of people, the Kohathites, were to carry the Ark. And no one was to touch it or its contents on penalty of death. In the entire journey of the ark from Hebron to Jerusalem, David and the others were breaking God’s commandment. None was a Kohathite – a clan of the Levi tribe. All, even (especially?) David, should have died in God’s holy judgment! But the LORD is merciful to who he is merciful (Exodus 33:19). God tolerated the sin until that moment. In his grace only Uzzah died for the sins of all. When people say, “It’s okay, even good to be angry with God.” don’t believe it. To be angry with the One who is sovereign over all things – even your eternal life – is placing your righteousness above his. Anger is judgment and malicious intent against another. How could we have such thoughts of God and remain in his commands and love? (John 15) You’ll never find peace when you agitate against God’s truth. Always remember: God is holy. If we become too familiar with him, we begin calling him the “big guy” or the “guy in the sky” or “man upstairs”. Then it becomes easy to accuse, “That’s not fair!” as we view life through our own mortal eyes. Such terms and attitudes equate God with sinful people. Your Holy God requires his way. Remember, the Lord God Almighty is the One who could quickly and fairly judge your sins and destroy you in all righteousness. Yet, as he has saved you to eternal life in Jesus’ blood, he has shown mercy upon whom he has chosen to show mercy – you. Proverbs 2:8-9 for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. 9 Then you will understand what is right and just and fair – every good path. Read 2 Samuel 5
2 Samuel 5:9-10 So David made the stronghold of Zion (also called the City of David) his headquarters. Then, beginning at the old Millo section of the city, he built northward toward the present city center. 10 David became greater and greater, for the Lord God of heaven was with him. WHEN reading this, the thought occurred, “How far the shepherd boy had come! The LORD God had led him from a sheep pasture to build a stronghold in one of Israel’s strongest natural fortifications. A city is named for him. And it is called City of David today, 3,000 years later!” Only God could plan and fulfill such an incredible transformation of a man’s physical, moral and spiritual life. The youngest son of Jesse, a shepherd boy destined for a life of hard labor in the sheep pastures became greater and greater for the LORD God of heaven was with him. What does it mean to be greater in the Lord? For David, it means God had called, strengthened and blessed David with both singular accomplishments in the world and in the kingdom of God. David reigned for 40 years. In the entire history of Israel, few reigned longer, and no one had more success than David. David’s kingdom is seen in Scripture and by the Jews as a picture of strength, wealth, power and safety. Material greatness and political peace came from David’s throne. He conquered all opposition. He built a city and a palace. He forged strong alliances with neighboring kings. David’s kingdom accomplishments are also unique. Of course, he had many faults as most of us do. Yet in his weaknesses, despair and sin his heart was generally faithful to God’s law. Even more, his psalms express he loved God, and God loved him. He wrote and sang psalms of worship, psalms of complaint and psalms of prayer for his enemies’ destruction. He could have so many different conversations with God because he was so close to God. As we’ve learned, God especially anoints particular people for great moments in his kingdom on earth. David was great in God’s sight because God had chosen him. David had acted into his election. David’s life is generally a display of t a man after his own heart who God and appointed him leader of his people (1 Samuel 13:14b) How would you describe greatness in your life? Would you begin with your heart attitude toward God? What is real and true for your life? What lasts forever? What in life is truly great? 2 Samuel 7:18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: “Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” Read 2 Samuel 3-4
2 Samuel 3:36 All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them. DO you like movies or stories with one action scene after another? If so, you likely found these two chapters fascinating. You might even consider them objectionable. The violence perpetrated between the soldiers supporting Saul’s family or David’s kingship is sickening. This is sin’s incredible depth of darkness displaying its deadly consequences. Sadly, Abner, who seems to be a man of peace is murdered. Then thankfully a righteous light shines into this darkness. David rightly expresses grace and mercy. Nearly all new rulers fighting for control would rejoice at his enemy’s death. David, though, rightly grieves Abner’s death in a public display of mourning and loyalty. He leads the people to do the same. Now Israel knows they have a king with a heart to do what is right. Israel, God’s chosen people, recognized and approved David as God’s chosen leader. How do we respond to a world that seems under the control of evil? David wrote some years after this in Psalms 37:1 Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong. Then he concluded with Psalm 37:8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it leads only to evil. 9 For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. Lead for God. Stand for God. Give God’s people a clear view of who God is. Spiritual blessings will come to the righteous leader and those who follow. For a time, David would be Israel’s righteous leader. He faithfully represented God to Israel. Israel received his leadership; and thus, they received God’s blessings. This has been God’s way since the Garden of Eden, through Abraham’s call, the desert wanderings, the kings of Israel to the church this day. Follow righteous leaders. Be a righteous leader. It is God’s way. 2 John 8-9 Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. Read 1 Samuel 30 - 2 Samuel 2
2 Samuel 1:11-12 David and his men tore their clothes in sorrow when they heard the news. 12 They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the Lord’s army and the nation of Israel, because they had died by the sword that day. SAUL persecuted and hunted David for years. Saul threw spears at David. Saul kept Jonathan, David’s best friend, from David. Saul used his troops and his resources to hunt David. David lived with the hated Philistines for 16 months to avoid Saul. And yet, David and his men mourned Saul’s death. To mourn is to know and express a deep grief over loss, to regret. We know about mourning the loss of a loved one or good friend. But do you mourn those who oppose God in the hope they will come to faith? Does regret touch your mind when you think of those who die without the Lord? Perhaps this is why David and his men grieved. Although their physical enemy was dead, they may have mourned for Saul’s lost opportunity to serve and glorify God. They regretted being his enemies and the lost opportunity to serve and fight with him. They mourned a wasted life. Of the many lessons from 1 Samuel, we might see the first lesson is this: Dedicate your life to serving the Lord’s will. We have seen barren Hannah declare in 1 Samuel 1:18 “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Samuel is born to say, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:16) David repeatedly says “your servant” to Saul in respect to Saul’s anointing. Abigail speaks, “your servant” multiple times as she turned David’s rage to peace. Saul, in contrast, at no time expressed such humility and gratitude toward God or Samuel, who was God’s appointed agent to anoint him. He only vainly used the LORD’s name to affirm his own purpose. To lead in God’s purpose requires a servant attitude. Jesus demonstrated that in John 13 and with his submission to the cross. God called Saul to lead God’s nation, so it would glorify God. Instead, Saul missed his purpose. His family and his army died with him. Indeed, we do mourn such lives lost to God’s call. Let us examine our own lives to declare to God, “your servant.” Matthew 24:30 “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.” Read 1 Samuel 26-28
1 Samuel 26:8-11 “God has surely handed your enemy over to you this time!” Abishai whispered to David. “Let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t need to strike twice!” 9 “No!” David said. “Don’t kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the Lord’s anointed one? 10 Surely the Lord will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle.” HERE is a second time David has had the opportunity to kill Saul and end the king’s threat to his life. (See 1 Samuel 24 for the first.) Here is also another point in David’s life when he submits to God’s purpose and God’s timing to accomplish God’s promises to him. Remember, the Spirit has left Saul. The Spirit has come upon David. The great contrast of a life without God and with God is evident in Saul’s and David’s lives. Saul tries vainly to thwart God’s plans and laws. David reverently submits to God’s plans and laws. David’s question, “For who can remain innocent after attacking the Lord’s anointed one?” defines David’s submission to God’s will. This is a deep, abiding worship of God, and this actually demonstrates David had an appropriate fear of God. He knows who his Sovereign is. That is worship – a daily constant response to God’s authority. The accounts of David’s life through 2 Samuel demonstrates David’s life is far from perfect. This, of course, is true for all of our lives. Aware of our sin nature, we must constantly strive to know and live for the One who holds our lives in his hand. This was David’s heart. Jesus spoke to our worship this way: Matthew 6:32-34 “For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Pause and Consider: Saul rejected God’s ways, and God rejected him. David followed God’s ways, and God led him. 1 Samuel 25:23-25 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said: “My lord, let the blame be on me alone. Please let your servant speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. 25 May my lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name — his name is Fool, and folly goes with him.”
WE return to Abigail once more as the result of a pastor in Kenya responding to yesterday’s lesson. He wrote, “I’m grateful for Abigail recognizing David was a servant of the Lord, and she sent a generous gift to David. With the gift, she humbled herself at his feet as a substitute for Nabal, pleading for his life. Abigail accepted that her husband was ill-mannered, rude, and she sought grace on his behalf.” This gives us a much broader picture in this story than of Abigail protecting both her husband and David. As Abigail interceded to David with gifts of value, we can see the story illustrate Christ Jesus interceding before the Father to save us thankless people. Nabal was ungrateful for David’s protection. He was inhospitable to welcome David and his men to a meal. He reveled without thought that his decisions endangered his life. Is this not our sin-laden lives? We neglect God’s providence and protection, thinking our life is our own. We are ignorant to seek and to know God’s truth. We live unaware our lives are at the mercy of a holy God. Abigail mediates before David to save her husband’s life. Who is our great mediator? 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Our Lord Jesus has submitted his own life, the highest value of all, to satisfy the wrath of God (that) is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness. (Romans 1:18) Abigail, the mediator, saves Nabal, the sinner, from David, the wrathful avenger. Jesus, the mediator, saves us the sinners from the Father’s righteous wrath. The Holy Scriptures always point to Jesus, even in the briefest moments. For whom do must you intercede before the Father? Are you a Christ-like servant to stand for people who need protection from God’s wrath? Romans 5:8-9 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! Read 1 Samuel 25
1 Samuel 25:30-31 “When the Lord has done for my master every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him leader over Israel, 31 my master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord has brought my master success, remember your servant.” WE have seen how Saul denied God’s will for David’s life. Now we stop to hear God’s will through Abigail’s prophetic voice. It’s likely few people know much about Abigail, but 1 Samuel 25 indicates she was a remarkable woman God used to protect David’s calling. I hope you’ve read the account and have learned from her wise counsel to speak into David. Imagine! God used a woman peacefully caring for her household to suddenly confront and to turn David from his murderous intentions! Who knows when God will call us to the work he has prepared for us? The Bible doesn’t specifically say, “The Spirit came upon Abigail.” But it is apparent she was Spirit anointed that day. Giving the news of Nabal’s insult and David’s response, a servant told Abigail, “Now think it over and see what you can do.” (1 Samuel 25:17a) In God’s power Abigail’s mind formed the action and the words to underscore God’s purpose to David. Notice how Abigail spoke to David: “When the Lord has done for my master every good thing he promised…my master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed…when the Lord has brought my master success” Twice, “when” points to David’s future. There is a certainty of God’s will that he will be king. Abigail reminds – and perhaps teaches – David that his life is for much more than a moment to avenge a hospitality insult. We can interpret Abigail’s words to David, “Use your wisdom. Allow the Lord to do his work. You don’t need to kill. Instead, you need to show forbearance and peace. Trust God to avenge you. Stop here and have a meal, instead.” You might say Abigail was urging David to prepare a table in the presence of his enemies and allow the LORD’s goodness and mercy to overflow. What does Abigail teach us? Be wise: demonstrate to others they can trust you to make good decisions. Be sure: act quickly to do what is right. Be submissive: approach others with respect. Be truthful: speak the consequences of both good and bad actions. Be hospitable: prepare a table to offer others a meal to stop and settle their emotions. Whose prophetic voice has God put into your life? Listen, and you will hear God’s voice. You will live with less regret of rash words and actions. You will experience more satisfaction in who God has made you to be. Psalms 49:1-3 Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world, 2 both low and high, rich and poor alike: 3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the utterance from my heart will give understanding. Read 1 Samuel 23-24
1 Samuel 23:7-8 Saul soon learned that David was at Keilah. “Good!” he exclaimed. “We’ve got him now! God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped himself in a walled town!” SAUL doesn’t get it. He knows God has anointed David to be the next king of Israel. That is why he so desperately wants to kill David. Yet, Saul exclaims, “God has handed him over to me.” For a man whose faith journey has generally been a faithless wandering against God’s will, this is a remarkable delusion. Are these words Saul’s own self-anointing? Does he find comfort in his murderous intent with this unholy affirmation? We do that, too, don’t we? We use God’s name to affirm our own will. Our natural desire is to put ourselves on the same level as God. As Satan told Eve in the Garden, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5) Yes, mankind has certainly come to know good and evil, and we prefer evil. It’s easy to pretend our lives are in step with God’s will, isn’t it? We read the Bible and find something that causes us to stop and say, “Uh oh. I do that.” But then we think of ways we can get around the “Uh, oh.” to say, “I’ll go and do it, anyway.” We can accuse the Bible of being irrelevant to our lives, out-of-date or judgmental. We can convince ourselves, “God’s not talking to me.” And we assure our hears, “But God wants me to be happy.” Or as Saul did, we just plain ignore the truth. Ignoring God’s Word binds you to ignorance, ties you to yourself and lock you out of Jesus’ abiding peace. In contrast, the Truth will free you because the Lord is righteous; he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked. (Psalms 129:4) The LORD God cuts you free from wickedness. Think about that when you choose what to do. Pause and Consider: Truth may seem inconvenient, but it is always the appropriate response. Read 1 Samuel 20-22
1 Samuel 21:1-3 David went to the town of Nob to see Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he saw him. “Why are you alone?” he asked. “Why is no one with you?” 2 “The king has sent me on a private matter,” David said. “He told me not to tell anyone why I am here. I have told my men where to meet me. 3 Now, what is to eat? Give me five loaves of bread or anything else you have.” & 1 Samuel 22:18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You do it.” So Doeg the Edomite turned on them and killed them that day, eighty-five priests in all, still wearing their priestly garments. DAVID and Saul sin. Is one worse than the other? First, we see David lying to Ahimelech to get food and a weapon. Because of his lie, Saul, in the second scripture, accused Ahimelech of helping David escape. Because his soldiers refused his evil order, Saul used Doeg, the Edomite – a non-Jew – to kill all the priests and their families. Do you ever think a little lie is really little and makes no difference? We do because it is our nature. Satan’s lie began mankind’s fall into deceiving God and one another. A lie was convenient for David to get what he wanted. Ahimelech didn’t need to know everything, did he? Could David have been thinking, “My life is certainly worth a little lie.” But then we see David’s fear for his life cost Ahimelech and hundreds of others their lives. It was Saul’s fear for his kingdom that caused him to order the senseless killing. The lie, “I must destroy David!” captivated Saul’s mind, indeed, his life. Yes, sin creeps from place to place. If left unchecked it infects the heart, mind and soul. And it affects person to person. The deceit extends to places you never intend. Whatever you do, good or bad, involves others. We are called to love one another. That means we are devoted to their good as we are devoted to the truth. So then, do you want to affect lives with deceit or with devotion? Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Read 1 Samuel 18-19
1 Samuel 18:7-9 As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” 8 Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” 9 And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David. SAUL is King of Israel. He’s God’s choice to lead. But he’s a lousy leader because he has neglected God’s leading. To be a good shepherd one must follow the Good Shepherd. Saul has not walked in faith but walked in uncertainty and fear. Fear kept him stifled under Goliath’s taunts. He sent a shepherd to do a warrior’s work. David became a loved and respected leader in Israel’s army. He won other victories. Now the people give to the young David more credit for his leadership. Saul’s troubling spirit makes him jealous and begins to destroy him. With this incident Saul steadily declines to vengeance, murder and insanity. God had given to him a young, leader in David, passionate to honor God’s name; yet, Saul’s jealousy blocked David’s skills to support his king. What should Saul have done here? He should have celebrated David, too. Would it have been appropriate to allow David to train his army well? Saul should have thanked God for giving such a leader loyal to God and to his king. Jealousy governed Saul. He began a pursuit to destroy David, his most valuable asset. With humility and a servant’s heart, Saul could have been a great first king for Israel. Instead, his self-focused pride and fears destroyed him. Has God given you opportunities to lead? As we often point out, he has made you a leader if he’s made you a Christian. Use, then, your God-anointed strengths to serve the King. Use also the strengths of others whom God has sent to help you. Be humble. Lead people toward Jesus with the understanding that the Holy Spirit has graciously placed you in your kingdom role. Just think, in faith you can be a valuable asset to the King of kings. Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. |
AuthorBob James Archives
November 2024
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