Burunche’s Blog

1 Kings 2:1 – “As the time drew near for David to die, he charged his son Solomon, “I am about to go the way of all the earth. So be strong and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the LORD your God to walk in His ways and to keep His statutes, commandments, ordinances, and decrees, as is written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you turn, and so that the LORD may fulfill His promise to me: ‘If your descendants take heed to walk faithfully before Me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’

Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them in peacetime to avenge the blood of war. He stained with the blood of war the belt around my waist and the sandals on my feet. So, act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace.

But show loving devotion to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, because they stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom. Keep an eye on Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim who is with you. He called down bitter curses against me on the day I went to Mahanaim, but when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD: ‘I will never kill you with the sword.’ Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You know what you ought to do to him to bring his gray head down to Sheol in blood.”

Then David rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

So, Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was firmly established.

Now Adonijah son of Haggith went to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, who asked, “Do you come in peace?”

“Yes, in peace,” he replied. Then he said, “I have something to tell you.”

“Say it,” she answered.

“You know that the kingship was mine,” he said. “All Israel expected that I should reign, but the kingship has turned to my brother, for it has come to him from the LORD. So now I have just one request of you; do not deny me.”

“State your request,” she told him. Adonijah replied, “Please speak to King Solomon, since he will not turn you down. Let him give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”

“Very well,” Bathsheba replied. “I will speak to the king for you.”

So, Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. The king stood up to greet her, bowed to her, and sat down on his throne. Then the king had a throne brought for his mother, who sat down at his right hand.

“I have just one small request of you,” she said. “Do not deny me.”

“Make your request, my mother,” the king replied, “for I will not deny you.”

So, Bathsheba said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife.”

King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Since he is my older brother, you might as well request the kingdom for him and for Abiathar the priest and for Joab son of Zeruiah.”

Then King Solomon swore by the LORD: “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if Adonijah has not made this request at the expense of his life. And now, as surely as the LORD lives—the One who established me, who set me on the throne of my father David, and who founded for me a dynasty as He promised—surely Adonijah shall be put to death today!”

So, King Solomon sent the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who struck down Adonijah, and he died.

Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. Even though you deserve to die, I will not put you to death at this time, since you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and you suffered through all that my father suffered.” So, Solomon banished Abiathar from the priesthood of the LORD and thus fulfilled the word the LORD had spoken at Shiloh against the house of Eli. (Abiathar was the final descendant of Eli to serve as high priest. None of his sons succeeded him. This fulfilled God’s prophecy against Eli.)  

David is dying, giving Solomon his last advice and commissioning Solomon to settle old scores for David. In Proverbs 4:4, Solomon mentions David having taught him God’s commandments. Perhaps David focused only on Solomon because he planned to make Solomon king after him; however, this means that David failed to teach his other sons in the same fashion.

David’s advice to Solomon is excellent: “And keep the charge of the LORD your God to walk in His ways and to keep His statutes, commandments, ordinances, and decrees, as is written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you turn, and so that the LORD may fulfill His promise to me.” David also asks Solomon to treat the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite as his own relatives for the kindness their father showed to David when he fled from Absalom to Mahanaim.

If David were to stop here, he would have done admirably; however, David has a few scores to settle, and now he wants Solomon to handle them for him. Joab has been David’s military commander for years; however, Joab has also murdered two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner and Amasa, so that he would remain in power. Since Joab was under David’s authority, it is as if David himself has murdered these men. “He killed them in peacetime to avenge the blood of war. He stained with the blood of war the belt around my waist and the sandals on my feet.” David does not mention that Joab has supported Adonijah; however, Solomon fully realizes Joab’s potential as an enemy. David tells Solomon that it’s time to eliminate Joab.

Shimei – this relative of King Saul cursed David when David was fleeing from Absalom; however, once the tide of war had turned, Shimei rushed to the Jordan with 1,000 men to help David and his followers return to Jerusalem. Shimei prostrated himself before David, and David promised that he, David, would never kill Shimei. David has kept that promise, but has no compunction about ordering Solomon to have Shimei killed. Shimei has been a turncoat once; there is nothing to prevent him from supporting Adonijah in the future.

What about Adonijah? All this time, Adonijah has been cooling his heels at home; however, this guy has incredible nerve! Somehow, Adonijah is still clinging to the idea that the kingship was his and that all Israel expected him to reign, even though he acknowledges that the kingship has come to Solomon from the Lord.  Now Adonijah gets Bathsheba to ask Solomon to give Adonijah Abishag, David’s former nurse, as his wife. Solomon swiftly recognizes this as another ploy to seize power. Solomon replies to his mother, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Since he is my older brother, you might as well request the kingdom for him and for Abiathar the priest and for Joab son of Zeruiah.” Adonijah’s arrogance costs him his life; Solomon has him killed that very day.

Abiathar the priest has supported Adonijah, even though it was David who saved his life and who sheltered him. Now Solomon banishes Abiathar from the priesthood, ordering him to go home to his farm at Anathoth. Solomon does not have Abiathar killed out of respect because Abiathar carried the ark before King David, and Solomon honors that service. But by banishing Abiathar, Solomon has now eliminated another potential threat to his kingship. (Side note: generations later, the prophet Jeremiah comes from Anathoth.)

APPLICATION: Personally, I have always had a few problems with David’s orders to Solomon. Is David correct in advising Solomon to eliminate these people? David promised Shimei that he would not kill him. By ordering Solomon to have Shimei killed, David has fulfilled the letter of his promise but has left Shimei thinking that he is safe when he is not. On the other hand, Shimei is a dangerous rabble rouser who might pose a threat to Solomon. While Shimei has sworn allegiance to David, he might yet attempt to undermine Solomon.    

It’s hard to feel sympathy for Adonijah. There’s a word in Yiddish, “chutzpah,” meaning extreme audacity. It is said that a man with chutzpah would shoot his parents and then try to throw himself on the mercy of the court because he was an orphan. Adonijah has plenty of chutzpah but very little wisdom! Adonijah is still a very attractive man and can marry any number of lovely well – born maidens. But no, Adonijah has to request David’s former nurse and bed warmer as a wife, citing his royal prerogative. As if that weren’t enough, Adonijah tries to use Bathsheba to make his request for him.

 Somehow, Adonijah has overlooked the fact that it was Bathsheba who helped arrange for Solomon’s emergency coronation while Adonijah and his co – conspirators were feasting a few hundred meters away. Bathsheba is a savvy lady; she agrees to put Adonijah’s request before Solomon, knowing full well what Solomon’s reaction will be. All that we have recorded are Bathsheba’s words; however, what we cannot know is Bathsheba’s facial expressions as she is making this request. For all we know, Bathsheba might be shaking her head “no” all the time she is speaking! Solomon quickly recognizes Adonijah’s request as a threat and Adonijah pays for his chutzpah with his life.

What can we learn from the story of Solomon as he consolidates his power? There are two sides to each of these stories. Once Solomon has been anointed as king over all Israel, each of the major conspirators has a window of opportunity during which he can potentially come to Solomon to beg forgiveness and to swear allegiance. Shimei, Joab, Adonijah, and Abiathar all are aware that God has anointed Solomon as king; yet, not a single one of them comes to swear allegiance to Solomon. This causes us to wonder if these men are really accepting Solomon as king, or are they merely waiting for another opportunity to stage an uprising? The silence is deafening, and Solomon rightly assumes that these men remain his enemies.

It is tough to be a leader when those below you are continuing to hatch plots to overthrow you. Countering those plots sucks up time, energy, and resources that would be better applied elsewhere. While Solomon’s methods are extreme, those in leadership must assess their subordinates wisely. It is far better to recommend an unhappy subordinate for a position elsewhere than to keep that person around so that he or she can foment rebellion. May God help all in leadership positions to handle those working under them wisely!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help all those in leadership positions to make wise decisions when faced with subordinates who are trying to undermine them. You are a God of peace and you bless peace makers. Let leaders seek Your peace in all situations, particularly in managerial ones. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Kings 1:28 – 53 “Then King David said, “Call in Bathsheba for me.” So, she came into the king’s presence and stood before him.

And the king swore an oath, saying, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, I will carry out this very day exactly what I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel: Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place.”

Bathsheba bowed face down in homage to the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”

Then King David said, “Call in for me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” So, they came before the king.

“Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon. There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. You are to blow the ram’s horn and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ Then you shall go up with him, and he is to come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.”

“Amen,” replied Benaiah son of Jehoiada. “May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so declare it. Just as the LORD was with my lord the king, so may He be with Solomon and make his throne even greater than that of my lord King David.”

Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, along with the Cherethites and Pelethites, went down and set Solomon on King David’s mule, and they escorted him to Gihon. Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the ram’s horn, and all the people proclaimed, “Long live King Solomon!”

All the people followed him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy that the earth was split by the sound. (The Gihon Spring is only 800 meters, or a few minutes’ walk from Ein Rogel.)

 Now Adonijah and all his guests were finishing their feast when they heard the sound of the ram’s horn. “Why is the city in such a loud uproar?” asked Joab. As he was speaking, suddenly Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest arrived. “Come in,” said Adonijah, “for you are a man of valor. You must be bringing good news.”

“Not at all,” Jonathan replied. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king. And with Solomon, the king has sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, along with Cherethites and Pelethites, and they have set him on the king’s mule. Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there with rejoicing that rings out in the city. That is the noise you hear.

Moreover, Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne. The king’s servants have also gone to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon more famous than your own name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne.’

And the king has bowed in worship on his bed, saying, ‘May the LORD God of Israel be praised! Today He has provided one to sit on my throne, and my eyes have seen it.’”

At this, all the guests of Adonijah arose in terror and scattered. But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar.

It was reported to Solomon: “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon first swear to me not to put his servant to the sword.’” And Solomon replied, “If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground. But if evil is found in him, he will die.”

So, King Solomon summoned Adonijah down from the altar, and he came and bowed down before King Solomon, who said to him, “Go to your home.”

Just as Adonijah is beginning to think that this coup is going to work, everything falls apart. David might be in failing health, but there’s nothing wrong with his brain. When Bathsheba and Nathan inform David of what Adonijah is attempting, David immediately issues the orders necessary to elevate Solomon to the throne. Zadok the high priest and Benaiah, the head of the mighty men, set Solomon on the king’s mule and go to the Gihon spring, accompanied by the Cherethites and Pelethites who have formed David’s body guard for years. Using the anointing oil from the temple, Zadok anoints Solomon and blows the shofar, the ram’s horn. All the people who have accompanied Solomon begin shouting and playing instruments. There is so much noise that the earth shakes. Then Solomon returns to the palace and sits on David’s throne. King David himself hails Solomon as his successor, saying,” May the LORD God of Israel be praised! Today He has provided one to sit on my throne, and my eyes have seen it.’”

Fearing the wrath of Solomon, Adonijah rushes to the temple and grasps the horns of the altar, seeking refuge from Solomon. After all, if Adonijah’s takeover had succeeded, Adonijah would have gleefully murdered Solomon without a qualm. Solomon makes an interesting pronouncement concerning Adonijah, “If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground. But if evil is found in him, he will die.” Solomon knows Adonijah is not a man of good character, and when ordered to go home and stay there, Adonijah will find it difficult to stay home.

APPLICATION: The chorus from the country western song “The Gambler” says, “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em.” For every ruler or every head of an organization, the time comes when he or she must hand over authority. David has delayed in acknowledging Solomon as his successor. Now Adonijah’s attempted takeover has given David the necessary impetus to anoint Solomon as king and fulfill his promise to Bathsheba. Blessedly, there are still righteous men surrounding David in the persons of Nathan the prophet, Zadok the high priest and Benaiah, as well as David’s body guard. Once David has set things in motion, these men move swiftly and decisively. The noise of Solomon’s celebration drowns out Adonijah’s little party.

If David anointed Solomon earlier, would the mess with Adonijah have been averted? Tough to call. Even though David knows that his health is failing, it is tough to give over power to someone else. Adonijah’s attempt to seize power provides the strong nudge that David needs to let go and allow Solomon to become king. David is really not losing anything; his health no longer allows him to be the strong leader that Israel needs. And nobody is going to deny David the honor he richly deserves. There has been, is, and always will be only one King David.

May God help those of us who are leaders to know when it’s time to hand over. And may God supply capable and diligent successors so that we may hand over without regrets.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help each of us to know when it is time to relinquish control. Please give us competent people to whom we can hand over leadership. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Kings:1 – 27 “Now King David was old and well along in years, and though they covered him with blankets, he could not keep warm. So, his servants said to him, “Let us search for a young virgin for our lord the king, to attend to him and care for him and lie by his side to keep him warm.”

Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. The girl was unsurpassed in beauty, and she cared for the king and served him, but he had no relations with her.

At that time Adonijah, David’s son by Haggith, began to exalt himself, saying, “I will be king!” And he acquired chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run ahead of him. (His father had never once reprimanded him by saying, “Why do you act this way?” Adonijah was also very handsome, born next after Absalom.)

So Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, who supported him. But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s mighty men would not join Adonijah.

And Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened calves near the stone of Zoheleth, (literally, “the serpent’s stone) which is next to En-rogel. He invited all his royal brothers and all the men of Judah who were servants of the king. But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or his brother Solomon.

Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and our lord David does not know it? Now please, come and let me advise you. Save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. Go at once to King David and say, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your maidservant, “Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ Then, while you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.”

So, Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom. Since the king was very old, Abishag the Shunammite was serving him. And Bathsheba bowed down in homage to the king, who asked, “What is your desire?”

“My lord,” she replied, “you yourself swore to your maidservant by the LORD your God: ‘Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne.’ But now, behold, Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, did not know it. And he has sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the other sons of the king, as well as Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon. And as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you to tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be counted as criminals.”

And just then, while Bathsheba was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. So, the king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” And Nathan went before the king and bowed facedown to him.

“My lord the king,” said Nathan, “did you say, ‘Adonijah will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne’? For today he has gone down and sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ But me your servant he did not invite, nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon. Has my lord the king let this happen without informing your servant who should sit on the throne after my lord the king?”

It’s difficult to keep track of David’s sons; however, if Absalom was born just after Amnon, then Adonijah is son #3. Adonijah is a spoiled brat; not once has David ever disciplined him for any reason. Although David has been a great king and military leader, he has failed as a father. Consider the facts: Amnon raped his half – sister, Tamar. Absalom assassinated Amnon and then fomented rebellion. Now both Amnon and Absalom are dead; in the natural scheme of things, Adonijah as the next son would be in line for the throne, and Adonijah is ready to seize this opportunity.

David is now in his seventies and his heart is failing, making it impossible for him to maintain his body temperature. The family employs Abishag, a lovely young maiden, to nurse David and to lie in the bed next to him to keep him warm. This relationship is completely asexual; Abishag is acting as a human heating pad. Adonijah makes a major mistake by assuming that his father is senile as well as in poor health and begins to pave the way for his usurpation of the throne.

 Adonijah is following exactly in the steps of Absalom and has even enticed Joab the military commander, and Abiathar the priest to join him. Now, Joab has good reasons to be fed up with David. Not only has David put Joab in very difficult positions many times, but at one point, David attempted to oust Joab as head of the armies and put Amasa, a traitor, in Joab’s place. Joab has an eye to the main chance, and he figures that David may soon die. Even if Joab knows about David’s promise to Bathsheba, he may resent Bathsheba for having sex with David in the first place and for any part she has played in the death of her husband Uriah. Joab also may be a staunch traditionalist who believes in following the order of succession of sons.

The puzzler here is Abiathar. When Saul massacred the priests at Nob, Abiathar was the only one who escaped, and he immediately fled to David at the Cave of Adullam and became David’s high priest and counselor. But according to some sources, (The Jewish Encyclopedia) eventually the Holy Spirit left Abiathar, making it impossible for him to consult the Urim and Thummim. David appointed Zadok high priest in the place of Abiathar. So now David has his military commander and his former high priest both conspiring with his spoiled third son.

The site of Adonijah’s sacrifices is at En – Rogel, at the junction of the Hinnom and Kidron valleys, 500 meters south of the Old City of Jerusalem. Adonijah doesn’t dare enter the city quite yet; however, he is within easy walking distance. As Adonijah and his co – conspirators are feasting, Bathsheba and the prophet Nathan swiftly go to David, reminding him of his promise to make Bathsheba’s son Solomon king.

APPLICATION: The book of Proverbs tells us that “If you refuse to discipline your son, it proves you don’t love him; for if you love him, you will be prompt to punish him.” (The Living Bible) Unfortunately, David has made the same mistake as so many other busy important fathers; he has left the rearing of his sons to their mothers and has withheld correction. Adonijah may have grown up viewing David as some semi – mythical being who appears periodically to issue edicts and father more children and who then withdraws back into the throne room.

As a young man, Adonijah has absorbed all the palace gossip and frankly believes that David is a straw man who can easily be deposed. More than that, Adonijah has found willing co – conspirators in two disgruntled leaders, Joab and Abiathar. Apart from Solomon, Adonijah’s other brothers are also willing to enter into the conspiracy. Who knows what crumbs of power and wealth might be lying there for the taking when Adonijah makes his move? So Adonijah and his band of traitors weave their plans, unaware that Bathsheba and the prophet Nathan are aware of everything. Pure – hearted Zadok and Benaiah and the other mighty men have also been left out, a fatal mistake by Adonijah.

In the movie “The Lion King,” the little lion sings a song about “Oh, I just can’t wait to be king!” The song amply illustrates the fact that this youngster has no understanding whatsoever of what it means to be a compassionate and effective ruler. Were this young lion to gain power now, it would be a disaster. Adonijah is in a similar position.

Here is what C.S. Lewis said about kingship in The Chronicles of Narnia. “For this is what it means to be a king: to be first in every desperate attack and last in every desperate retreat, and when there’s hunger in the land (as must be now and then in bad years) to wear finer clothes and laugh louder over a scantier meal than any man in your land.” –C.S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy in The Chronicles of Narnia (New York: HarperCollins, 1954/1994), 309-310.)

King David is prepared to fulfill those conditions of royalty while Adonijah is not. David might be old, but he is not senile, and his heart is pure. David has promised Bathsheba to make Solomon king. Now that is about to happen. Adonijah is headed for disaster because he has never learned self – discipline or self – sacrifice. All Adonijah knows is self – interest.  

What can we learn from this sad story? Children need standards and when we refuse to teach them godly ones, the world will teach them something else. We can succeed in every other sphere of life, but if we fail to teach and discipline our children, we are unleashing untold evil on the world.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help all those of us who are parents in any fashion to teach our children, to guide our children, to discipline them, and to set good examples so that if they stray, they will have a standard to which to return. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Samuel 24:1 – 25 “Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He stirred up David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”

So, the king said to Joab the commander of his army, who was with him, “Go now throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and register the troops, so that I may know their number.” But Joab replied to the king, “May the LORD your God multiply the troops a hundred times over and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?”

Nevertheless, the king’s word prevailed against Joab and against the commanders of the army. So, Joab and the commanders of the army departed from the presence of the king to count the troops of Israel.

They crossed the Jordan and camped near Aroer, south of the town in the middle of the valley, and proceeded toward Gad and Jazer. Then they went to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi and continued on to Dan-jaan and around to Sidon. They went toward the fortress of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to the Negev of Judah, to Beersheba.

At the end of nine months and twenty days, having gone through the whole land, they returned to Jerusalem. And Joab reported to the king the total number of the troops. In Israel there were 800,000 men of valor who drew the sword, and in Judah there were 500,000.

After David had numbered the troops, his conscience was stricken and he said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O LORD, I beg You to take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”

When David got up in the morning, a revelation from the LORD had come to Gad the prophet, David’s seer: “Go and tell David that this is what the LORD says: ‘I am offering you three options. Choose one of them, and I will carry it out against you.’”

So, Gad went and said to David, “Shall you endure three years of famine in your land, or three months of fleeing the pursuit of your enemies, or three days of plague upon your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should reply to Him who sent me.”

David answered Gad, “I am deeply distressed. Please, let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men.”

So, the LORD sent a plague upon Israel from that morning until the appointed time, and of the people from Dan to Beersheba, seventy thousand men died. But when the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD relented from the calamity and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand now!” At that time the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

When David saw the angel striking down the people, he said to the LORD, “Surely, I, the shepherd, have sinned and acted wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let Your hand fall upon me and my father’s house.” And that day Gad came to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” So, David went up at the word of Gad, just as the LORD had commanded.

When Araunah looked out and saw the king and his servants coming toward him, he went out and bowed facedown before the king. “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” Araunah said.

“To buy your threshing floor,” David replied, “that I may build an altar to the LORD, so that the plague upon the people may be halted.”

Araunah said to David, “My lord the king may take whatever seems good and offer it up. Here are the oxen for a burnt offering and the threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. O king, Araunah gives all these to the king.” He also said to the king, “May the LORD your God accept you.”

“No,” replied the king, “I insist on paying a price, for I will not offer to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”

So, David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. (1.26 lbs. or 569.8 gm. Of silver) And there he built an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then the LORD answered the prayers on behalf of the land, and the plague upon Israel was halted.”

When the story opens, God is not happy with Israel. Perhaps the Israelites have wandered off into idol worship and have forgotten the God Who has helped them all these years. At any rate, God moves David to take a census. The Israelites have taken censuses at other times, and God has never said anything about it, so why is this census so wrong?

Rick Phillips from Tenth Presbyterian Church gives us an excellent answer. (https://www.tenth.org/resource-library/articles/why-was-davids-census-a-great-sin/)

“What makes this more interesting is that the chapter begins by saying that the LORD incited David to do this, apparently by giving Satan permission to tempt him. The parallel account in 1 Chronicles 21 says, “Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.” The record in Chronicles places this right after a great victory over the Philistines, so the sin was probably related to a problem with pride and self-reliance. A census was preliminary to a draft of soldiers and a levying of taxes. It seems, therefore, that David’s intent was to increase the royal power in a way that contrasted with humble reliance on God. As Deuteronomy chapter 17 so strongly insists, the human kingship of Israel was to be noticeably dependent on God’s divine kingship. For Israel’s king to build up the same kind of power common to pagan kings was tantamount to repudiating God’s over-kingship. This seems to have been the nature of David’s sin so that God was angered and acted to nip it in the bud.”

Just because David worshiped God did now mean that David could not make big mistakes. Deuteronomy 17 advises that a king of Israel should do 4 things: 1. But the king must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire more horses, for the LORD has said, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’ 2. He must not take many wives for himself, lest his heart go astray. 3. He must not accumulate for himself large amounts of silver and gold. 4. When he is seated on his royal throne, he must write for himself a copy of this instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.  It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by carefully observing all the words of this instruction and these statutes. Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, and he will not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or to the left, in order that he and his sons may reign many years over his kingdom in Israel.“

The only one of these commands that David followed was the one regarding acquiring lots of horses. David had many wives and at least ten concubines. David was a very wealthy man. And David never made a copy of the Law or studied it for himself.

God gave David three choices: Israel could suffer famine for three years, David could flee from his enemies for three months, or Israel could suffer three days of plague. David chose the plague, and seventy thousand men died. Just as the angel of death was approaching Jerusalem, God relented. David saw the angel at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. “When David saw the angel striking down the people, he said to the LORD, “Surely, I, the shepherd, have sinned and acted wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let Your hand fall upon me and my father’s house.”

God granted David’s request and ordered David to build an altar on the threshing floor. Araunah realized what was happening and offered the threshing floor and the oxen with their yokes for the sacrifice; however, David insisted on paying full price. David’s words echo down the centuries. “I will not offer to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” David paid full price for the threshing floor and the oxen and their yokes and built the altar. God honored this sacrifice and the plague was stopped.

APPLICATION: Even though David was a man after God’s own heart, David was sorely tempted by his kingly power. What might things have been like, had David carried out God’s command and had he made a copy of the Law for himself and then studied it? Had David made a thorough study of the Law in the first place, he might never have called for that census and he might have handled many other issues far more wisely.  In many respects, David was a very good man and he did worship God; however, David was also driven by his passions, something that might not have happened had he been better versed in God’s Law.

There is nothing more important to one’s spiritual life than regular Bible study. The Bible is an amazing book, for the longer you study it, the more you learn from it, and the more it shapes your life and your personality. I began reading the Bible through in a year when I was nine years old; since then, I have read it through innumerable times. No matter how many times I have read a passage or even memorized it, I always find new insights and new meaning. When computers first became popular, there was a saying “GIGO.” This acronym stands for “garbage in, garbage out.” If you enter garbage data, you will get garbage results. Our minds work the same way.

“But,” you say, “don’t I need to be trained before I can understand the Bible?” No. Really, the Holy Spirit will gladly train you. The prayer you need for Bible study is from Psalm 119:18 “Open my eyes, that I might see wonderful things in your law.” If you ask God for guidance and help, He will give it.

David never really studied God’s law and his people and he suffered as a result. But we can learn from David’s mistake. Find a quiet place and ask God to show you where to begin. You will find God ready to meet you in His Word.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to realize that studying Your Word will rejuvenate us and will bring us hope. Thank You for so many versions that there is one that will speak to each of us. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.    

2 Samuel 23:8 – 39 “These are the names of David’s mighty men:

Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the Three. He wielded his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed at one time.

Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he went with David to taunt the Philistines who had gathered for battle at Pas-dammim. The men of Israel retreated, but Eleazar stood his ground and struck the Philistines until his hand grew weary and stuck to his sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. Then the troops returned to him, but only to plunder the dead.

And after him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines had banded together near a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. So, the LORD brought about a great victory.

At harvest time, three of the thirty chief men went down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem. David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”

So, the three mighty men broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD, saying, “Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this! Is this not the blood of the men who risked their lives?” So, he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.

Now Abishai, the brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah, was chief of the Three, and he lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name along with the Three. Was he not more honored than the Three? And he became their commander, even though he was not included among the Three.

And Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a man of valor from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. He struck down two champions of Moab, and on a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion. He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club, snatched the spear from his hand, and killed the Egyptian with his own spear. These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who won a name alongside the three mighty men. He was most honored among the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. And David appointed him over his guard.

Now these were members of the Thirty: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem, Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, Hele son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites, Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of Gaash, Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan son of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite, Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, Igal son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah, Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, and Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all.”

Sometimes when reading the Bible, we are faced with long lists of names. There’s a temptation to just skip over an entire list; however, if you do this, you are missing superhero stories! People make jokes about Chuck Norris, an American actor and he – man, being able to do incredible stuff. But these men really are heroes, even though their deeds sound like the exaggerated tales people make up about Chuck Norris.

First of all, look at that painting. If those guys walked into a biker bar, all the tough guys would get up and leave quickly! These men are battle – hardened and ready to fight at any moment. When faced with overwhelming numbers of the enemy, these guys have just plowed through them!

Next, notice that thousands of years after these men lived, we still know their names, their fathers’ names, and their home towns. We know details for some of the most outstanding exploits these men have accomplished. Such careful records are no accident. God has arranged for these records. God knows the valor these men have exhibited, and God continues to honor them in His Word.

When David was thirsty and longed for water from the well at Bethlehem, the three mighty men broke through the Philistine guard to bring back water from that well. David was so touched that he refused to drink it, declaring that this water represented the life blood of those men. Instead, David poured the water out as an offering in much the same way that blood from an offering would be poured out. This story says as much about David and why men were willing to follow him as it does about the men themselves.

APPLICATION: On June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied forces stormed the beaches at Normandy. Nearly 10,000 of those men died that day, with 2400 of them dying on Omaha Beach. The Allied troops disembarked from their ships under heavy German artillery fire. In some places, Allied soldiers had to climb steep cliffs to make it past the beaches. Allied paratroopers met with varying successes and failures, with some of them being captured. But D Day marked a major turning point in World War II; the exploits of those mighty men paved the way for victory over German forces and liberation for those in Nazi concentration camps. The French people who were liberated were so grateful that they erected monuments and established cemeteries for those who had freed them from Nazi oppression.

What can we learn from the exploits of David’s mighty men? The great lesson is that God knows our names and where we come from. God sees us, our struggles, our feeble efforts to do the right thing. Even if we feel we have failed, God still gives us credit for trying. Perhaps you are stuck in a losing situation, one from which you feel there is no way out. You have taken a stand for righteousness and you have been smacked down hard! Now your job may be in jeopardy, and you may even be getting threats from those around you. Take heart! God knows what you are going through!

The Bible only records this list of mighty men; however, God keeps His own lists. Someday, your heavenly Father may remind you of these times of struggle and of how He has brought you through. God knows the names of all those who were involved in D Day on all sides. God knows those who performed bravely and those who accomplished wonders. Take heart! You are known! You are appreciated! You are celebrated! You are loved!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Thank You for brave men and women in every generation. You know our names and our particulars just as You know theirs. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. Help us to be willing to do exploits when You lead us to do so. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Samuel 23:1 – 7 “These are the last words of David:

“The oracle of David, son of Jesse, the oracle of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob,

and the sweet psalmist of Israel:

The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; His word was on my tongue.

The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me,

‘He who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God, is like the light of the morning at sunrise of a cloudless dawn, the glistening after the rain on the sprouting grass of the earth.’

Is not my house right with God? For He has established with me an everlasting covenant, ordered and secured in every part. Will He not bring about my full salvation and my every desire?

But the worthless are all like thorns raked aside, for they can never be gathered by hand.

The man who touches them must be armed with iron or with the shaft of a spear. The fire burns them to ashes in the place where they lie.”

After all the battles, after all the trials, after everything has been said and done, David is now giving us his final message. The words are glorious and inspiring, but we feel a bit puzzled. Is David’s assessment of his reign really true?  Yes, David is the son of Jesse, and God has anointed him and raised him on high. Yes, David is the “sweet psalmist of Israel.” But what can we say about the rest of these verses?

‘He who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God, is like the light of the morning at sunrise of a cloudless dawn, the glistening after the rain on the sprouting grass of the earth.’ These verses can readily describe David’s reign prior to the theft of Bathsheba. After the vagaries of Saul, who took offense readily and acted on impulse, the Israelites must have heaved a sigh of relief when David ascended the throne. There is no evidence to support the notion that Saul himself ever truly worshiped the One True Living God. David, on the other hand, was a worshiper and people realized this.

“Is not my house right with God? For He has established with me an everlasting covenant, ordered and secured in every part. Will He not bring about my full salvation and my every desire?” In the beginning, David’s house WAS right with God; however, David’s theft of Bathsheba, the murder of Uriah, and the subsequent attempts at cover up have torn the fabric of David’s family. If David’s house is right with God, it is only because of David’s repentance and not because of his own righteousness. True, God has established an everlasting covenant with David, and eventually God will send his son Jesus, born of David’s lineage, to occupy David’s throne. But God will do these things out of His great mercy, keeping His covenant with David because He is faithful and cannot violate His own agreements. God will bring about David’s full salvation and every good desire for David, for his family, and for Israel.

“But the worthless are all like thorns raked aside, for they can never be gathered by hand. The man who touches them must be armed with iron or with the shaft of a spear. The fire burns them to ashes in the place where they lie.” David seems unaware of how close his family and he have come to being raked aside as worthless! The only thing that saved David was that when the prophet Nathan confronted him with the enormity of his sin, David immediately repented. There is no record of David ever arguing with the Lord even once. The only thing that David did was to pray and fast, begging God to spare the life of the baby he had fathered with Bathsheba. When God allowed the baby to die, David got up from the ground, washed and anointed himself, changed his clothes, and went into the temple and worshiped. (2 Samuel 12:20)

APPLICATION: Heading a family, an organization, or even a nation brings crushing responsibilities. The head of any group sets the tone for the entire group. At one point, we had the opportunity to chat with a highly – experienced teacher at a missionary training school. This man told us that he had practically never seen a church – related organization that functioned along Christian principles. Our friend observed that almost without exception, most Christian organizations worked just like secular companies. The difference was the commitment of top – level leadership. If the leaders at the top conducted business along Christian lines and enforced that behavior, the organization would exhibit Christian principles. Lacking that firm commitment, the group would simply be one more secular organization with a Christian name plastered on it.

The story of King David is one of triumph and tragedy. Close examination of some of the aspects of David’s life leaves us wondering how God could possibly describe David as a man after His own heart, but yet God did so. The royal throne of Israel was referred to as the throne of David, and Jesus is honored as having come from the house and lineage of David. Only David’s repentance made such a thing possible.

One of the saddest parts of David’s reign is this question: what might have happened, had David gone to war with his troops and had he never stolen Bathsheba? If God wanted David and Bathsheba to get together so that Solomon would be born, God could have arranged that. Uriah might have fallen in battle without David’s machinations and David might have met Bathsheba innocently after Uriah’s death. Then David’s record would have remained unstained, and David would not have left a horrible example for his family and others to follow. But when David sinned with Bathsheba, that sin triggered ripples throughout David’s family and the kingdom as well.

David was respected throughout Israel, and he served as a sterling example for others. Only God knows how many men may have used David’s bad behavior as an excuse to do something terrible themselves. Only God knows how many families were damaged as a result. We know that in the battle between Joab and Absalom, twenty thousand men died. Had David not sinned, those twenty thousand men would never have found themselves in the forest of Ephraim in the first place.     

The encouraging thing about the story of David is that David is portrayed as a flawed and sinful man, not as some kind of a super – star. If we are honest with ourselves, each of us can name long lists of sins that we have committed, are committing, or might commit in the future. David may have glimpsed what God was going to do for all of us. Psalm 110 is attributed to David as one of the songs that he has written. Look at the opening verse:
“The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” Huh? Who is” my Lord?” This can only be Jesus the Messiah to whom David is referring.

“God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but should have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Acting as a prophet, David knew that Messiah would surely come and bring salvation. That salvation is free for anyone who will believe in Jesus Christ.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help all those who read this to believe in Your salvation and in Your Son Jesus. Thank You for the blood sacrifice for our sins that Jesus made on the cross at Calvary. Amen.

2 Samuel 22:29 – 51 “29For You, O LORD, are my lamp; the LORD enlightens my darkness.

30For in You I can charge an army; with my God I can scale a wall.

31As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

32For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?

33God is my strong fortress and He makes my way clear.

34He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and stations me upon the heights.

35He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

36You have given me Your shield of salvation; and Your gentleness exalts me.

37You broaden the path beneath me so that my ankles do not give way.

38I pursued my enemies and destroyed them; I did not turn back until they were consumed.

39I devoured and crushed them so they could not rise; they have fallen under my feet.

40You have armed me with strength for battle; You have subdued my foes beneath me.

41You have made my enemies retreat before me; I put an end to those who hated me.

42They looked, but there was no one to save them— to the LORD, but He did not answer.

43I ground them as the dust of the earth; I crushed and trampled them like mud in the streets.

44You have delivered me from the strife of my people; You have preserved me as the head of nations; a people I had not known shall serve me.

45Foreigners cower before me; when they hear me, they obey me.

46Foreigners lose heart and come trembling from their strongholds.

47The LORD lives, and blessed be my Rock! And may God, the Rock of my salvation, be exalted—

48the God who avenges me and brings down nations beneath me,

49who frees me from my enemies. You exalt me above my foes; You rescue me from violent men.

50Therefore I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing praises to Your name.

51Great salvation He brings to His king. He shows loving devotion to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.”

This is definitely a warrior’s psalm! The two main themes here are God’s training and provision for David and the victories David has notched as a result of God’s provision and training. David leaves little to the imagination as he graphically describes what God has allowed him to do to his enemies. “They looked, but there was no one to save them— to the LORD, but He did not answer. I ground them as the dust of the earth; I crushed and trampled them like mud in the streets.”

At first, we might be horrified; however, consider those whom David was fighting. Anyone who has witnessed full – bore evil can tell you that there can be no compromise. Evil that is not completely defeated will always resurface somewhere else, generally in a form worse than the original one. Jesus warned his disciples that if demons left a man and the Holy Spirit did not come in, the demons would multiply and return and that man’s final condition would be worse than it was originally.

(Matthew 12:43 – 45 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.” David was fighting very evil people, people who worshiped demons of all kinds. In such situations, only complete victory will do.

APPLICATION: As I am writing this devotional, we are nearing the one – week anniversary of the school shootings in Uvalde, Texas. When interviewed, the mother of the 18 – year – old shooter could only say, “I’m sure he had his reasons.” My first reaction was disbelief! “Reasons?” What reasons could you possibly give that would justify the cold – blooded murder of even a single person, let alone so many children and their teachers? If the news media quoted this woman correctly, it suggests a long history of compromises and excuse – making with little regard for moral absolutes.

Perhaps this lady was a single mother who had struggled just to keep the family going; in such situations, there is little time left to teach children values. Fragmented families leave children increasingly at risk. While there has been a great deal of outcry regarding weapons, the press has been remarkably silent on the matter of excessively violent video games and movies that teach children how to kill and also teach that killing is just another form of keeping score. Evidently, the shooter even boasted on Instagram that he was going to kill kids.

Proverbs 4:23 advises us “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Even if we guard our own hearts, we must also guard our children’s hearts and teach them to guard theirs as well. In an age when even small children may have access to cell phones and the internet, such teachings have become critically important. Not long ago, there was a post on Facebook describing a mother’s horror when she learned that young boys were sharing pornographic videos by typing in the word “rape.” The parents of these kids had no idea what was happening.    

Recently, I taught at one church in our small town in rural Ghana, and part of my message centered around the need for us to guard our hearts. Even in our area, smart phones are ubiquitous, and people share videos frequently.

David was right! Only God can rescue us from evil and make the paths of our hearts straight. Let us follow hard after God and also teach our children to do so as well!

“47The LORD lives, and blessed be my Rock! And may God, the Rock of my salvation, be exalted—

 48the God who avenges me and brings down nations beneath me,

49who frees me from my enemies. You exalt me above my foes; You rescue me from violent men.

50Therefore I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing praises to Your name.”

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, You are the only One who can help us defeat evil! By ourselves, we are powerless. But You will rescue us from violent men. Help us to praise You and to worship You! In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

2 Samuel 22:1 – 51 “1And David sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. 2He said: “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.

3My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation. My stronghold, my refuge, and my Savior, You save me from violence.

4I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.

5For the waves of death engulfed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.

6The cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.

7In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried out to my God. And from His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help reached His ears.

8Then the earth shook and quaked; the foundations of the heavens trembled; they were shaken because He burned with anger.

9Smoke rose from His nostrils, and consuming fire came from His mouth; glowing coals flamed forth.

10He parted the heavens and came down with dark clouds beneath His feet.

11He mounted a cherub and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind.

12He made darkness a canopy around Him, a gathering of water and thick clouds.

13From the brightness of His presence, coals of fire blazed forth.

14The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.

15He shot His arrows and scattered the foes; He hurled lightning and routed them.

16The channels of the sea appeared, and the foundations of the world were exposed at the rebuke of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of His nostrils.

17He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters.

18He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, for they were too mighty for me.

19They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the LORD was my support.

20He brought me out into the open; He rescued me because He delighted in me.

21The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness; He has repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.

22For I have kept the ways of the LORD and have not wickedly departed from my God.

23For all His ordinances are before me; I have not disregarded His statutes.

24And I have been blameless before Him and kept myself from iniquity.

25So the LORD has repaid me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in His sight.

26To the faithful You show Yourself faithful, and to the blameless You show Yourself blameless;

27to the pure You show Yourself pure, but to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd.

28You save an afflicted people, but Your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.

David’s song of victory recorded here is also known as the 18^th Psalm. Because of its length, we are only studying the first part of this song. There are several themes here: God’s mighty power to save, God’s glory and majesty, and God’s faithfulness. The verses glorifying God are some of the most luminous and transcendent verses in all of the Psalms. David describes storms, floods, even tsunamis, as only someone who has witnessed these phenomena might do. Many of these verses have been turned into hymns and songs of praise ever since David wrote them. But there’s a problem.

This is a young man’s psalm. Why? David still has a very high opinion of himself. “21The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness; He has repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands. 22For I have kept the ways of the LORD and have not wickedly departed from my God. 23For all His ordinances are before me; I have not disregarded His statutes. 24And I have been blameless before Him and kept myself from iniquity. 25So the LORD has repaid me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in His sight. 26To the faithful You show Yourself faithful, and to the blameless You show Yourself blameless; 27to the pure You show Yourself pure, but to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd.” In the arrogance of youth, David is sure that his heart is pure and that it will always remain that way. David contrasts himself with Saul, without mentioning Saul’s name. Saul has been pursuing David, abusing power. David is certain that he will NEVER do something remotely similar. At this point, David is not yet king, so he has no experience with unlimited power and its seductions. Obviously, this psalm was written before David abused his royal power to steal Bathsheba and have her husband killed.

APPLICATION: There’s a line from one of the songs from the musical Fiddler on the Roof: “Life has a way of abusing us, blessing and bruising us!” David’s song of victory is wonderful, awe – inspiring, and can lead one into worship. But this song is also a bit smug. David is sure that he is never going to behave like Saul, not ever, ever, ever! And David is wrong.

David’s sin with Bathsheba, his assassination of Uriah, and his attempts at covering up start a train of destruction that blights his family for several generations. We don’t know exactly the depths of evil to which Saul eventually sank, but we do know that his persecution of the Gibeonites was so bad that God approved having the Gibeonites hang seven of Saul’s male descendants. But David’s sins are also many. The one difference between Saul and David is that David repents while Saul does not. God blesses and honors David for his heart of repentance

For those of us willing to absorb the lessons life teaches us, we will endure abuse, blessing, and bruising. And much of that suffering comes from our own faults. If we are honest, many of us can point to decisions we have taken in our youth that have left deep scars. And if we are honest about our own failings, we should be far less ready to make snap judgements and to jump to conclusions about others. The Ghanaians have a saying that “Just because you hear the sound of fufu being pounded does not mean you know the kind of soup they will eat with it.” Fufu is a starchy staple made from boiled green plantain, cassava, West African yams – any of these separately or in combination. Once the plantain, cassava, or yams have been peeled and boiled, they are pounded in a huge mortar. When someone is pounding fufu, everyone in the neighborhood can hear the noise; it sounds like a small pile driver. But fufu ingredients are cheap while the ingredients for soup can be very expensive, particularly if the soup includes meat or fish. You cannot tell the financial status of a family by hearing them pound fufu. For all you know, the family may be eating dried okra soup, which is quite cheap.  

God is the only one who really knows the human heart, and therefore God is the only one qualified to judge. The rest of us need to cut one another a lot of slack. Remember, if you are pounding fufu, your neighbor may think you are enjoying an entire chicken in your soup; meanwhile, all you have is dried okra.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to always praise You but also help us not to judge those around us harshly. You are the only One qualified to judge. Thank You for Your goodness, Your majesty, and Your grace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Samuel 21:15 – 22 “Once again the Philistines waged war against Israel, and David and his servants went down and fought against the Philistines; but David became exhausted. Then Ishbi-benob, a descendant of Rapha, whose bronze spear weighed three hundred shekels (7.5 lbs or 3.4 kg) and who was bearing a new sword, resolved to kill David. But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him.

Then David’s men swore to him, “You must never again go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel may not be extinguished.”

Some time later at Gob, there was another battle with the Philistines. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.

Once again there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan son of Jair the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

And there was still another battle at Gath, where there was a man of great stature with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He too was descended from Rapha, and when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of David’s brother Shimei killed him.

So, these four descendants of Rapha in Gath fell at the hands of David and his servants.”  

David and his men are fighting the Philistines and four giants from Gath show up. Now, David was the one who proved to the Israelites that giants could be killed in the first place; however, that might have been 40 or 50 years ago. David is no longer a youth with whipcord muscles and a deadly aim with a slingshot. We don’t know the circumstances; however, we do know that David becomes exhausted during the battle and nearly faints. A giant named Ishbi – benob is about to pick off David when Abishai, Joab’s brother, kills the giant. At that point, David’s men insist that he remain back in Jerusalem, lest he be captured or killed. After this, heroes in David’s army slay three more giants, all of them descended from Rapha in Gath, Goliath’s family.

APPLICATION: No matter our ages, we will always have to face giants and we will have to deal with them somehow. David faced his first giant at the age of fifteen and may well have confronted others after that. But for David, the time for fighting giants personally has ended. Here, David’s men, whom he has helped train, basically tell David, “It’s OK, boss. We’ll take it from here.” These heroes go on to eliminate four giants, including the one that is threatening to kill David. David has shown the way, and now it’s the turn of these men to do exploits.

But aging does not always give us a free pass to get out of facing giants. I won’t tell you my age; however, recently, someone in the small Ghanaian town where I work referred to me as “Great – Grandma.” I am a general and pediatric surgeon, one of two doctors in a bush hospital in a rural area. This last week was full of giants! Here is what I wrote to one friend:

This last week was hellish! Back in the end of March I operated on an 8 – year – old boy from Togo with a typhoid perforation. Everything went fine and he went home successfully. BUT he went home and ate local fruit with seeds the size of cherry pits! People SWALLOW these seeds for some reason. The seeds backed up in this kid’s bowels and he got a bowel obstruction. Two weeks ago, a colleague operated this kid on a Sunday. Subsequently, the bowel failed to function. Monday the kid was draining feces from his wound; when I opened him up, there were holes everywhere. I have never had to close a patient without trying; however, I closed this kid and told the parents that only God could save him. God took him to Himself on Tuesday.

After that operation, I did an emergency C – section on a young lady with obstructed labor. Monday night/Tuesday morning a 20-year-old Fulani guy came in from Togo with a horrific wound on his left forearm. Somebody had attempted to kill him with a cutlass, and he had thrown his arm up to save himself. Amazingly, there was a blood supply; however, both bones in the forearm were broken and the laceration ran around 3/4 of the arm. We did a temporary closure in the middle of the night, and then a better closure/reduction on Tuesday.

Wednesday, I operated a lady with a small bowel obstruction. In addition to the scar tissue from a previous operation, this lady had also eaten a large quantity of that same local fruit, swallowing the seeds and making the obstruction far worse. Wednesday night a 4-year-old child was brought by his grandmother. The kid was pale and seizing from malaria. We transfused the kid and began treating him, only for the parents to arrive the next day, complaining that grandma had not consulted them before bringing the kid. That situation lasted until Friday morning, when they signed out against medical advice. The father was worried about money; however, the mother wanted to go home and do sacrifices to fetishes! Well, the kid was on oxygen, so he died shortly after we disconnected him.

My colleague was out from Monday through Wednesday evening; meanwhile, I had several OB problems I was managing in addition to the things I have just described. One lady with 5 previous pregnancies had a baby that died in the womb; we prayed and induced her and she delivered without an operation. A second lady who was on her seventh pregnancy had a delay in her labor. Just as we were wondering if we would have to operate her, she went into full labor and delivered.

On Thursday I did a recurrent groin hernia operation. The guy had his hernia fixed in 2007, but it came back only 3 months later – that tells me there was no repair in the first place. This operation took 3 hours, roughly three times as long as I would normally take! I have repaired thousands of hernias in my career, but this was one of the most challenging cases I have seen.”

What can you do when you find yourself facing giants? Ask God for help! God will either give you the strength and resources to meet the challenge or God will raise up others to help you. The operations I have described were made far easier by well – trained nurse anesthetists who cared for the patients while I was operating. In the old days, I either used local anesthetic or we did ketamine anesthesia. I had to train those giving the ketamine and then monitor the patient as well as operate. Praise God, I don’t have to handle anesthesia anymore, and the nurses assisting me have gained a great deal of experience. But I still rely on God for the strength and wisdom to carry out operations successfully.

One day, it will be my turn to hand over giant – killing to others. But until then, I will continue to look to the Lord, trusting that He will strengthen and enlighten me as He has done so many times in the past.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, thank You that we never have to face giants alone. No matter the challenges, You are always with us. Lord, help us not to shrink back but to go forward, confident that if You bring us to a crisis, Your grace is sufficient to bring us through it. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Samuel 21:1 – 14 “During the reign of David there was a famine for three successive years, and David sought the face of the LORD. And the LORD said, “It is because of the blood shed by Saul and his family, because he killed the Gibeonites.”

At this, David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites, but a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but in his zeal for Israel and Judah, Saul had sought to kill them.)

So, David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How can I make amends so that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?”

The Gibeonites said to him, “We need no silver or gold from Saul or his house, nor should you put to death anyone in Israel for us.”

“Whatever you ask, I will do for you,” he replied.

And they answered the king, “As for the man who consumed us and plotted against us to exterminate us from existing within any border of Israel, let seven of his male descendants be delivered to us so that we may hang them before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.”

“I will give them to you,” said the king.

Now the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD between David and Jonathan son of Saul. But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, as well as the five sons whom Merab daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite. And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the LORD. So, all seven of them fell together; they were put to death in the first days of the harvest, at the beginning of the barley harvest.

And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest until the rain from heaven poured down on the bodies, she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.

When David was told what Saul’s concubine Rizpah, daughter of Aiah, had done, he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan where the Philistines had hung the bodies after they had struck down Saul at Gilboa.

So, David had the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan brought from there, along with the bones of those who had been hanged. And they buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in Zela in the land of Benjamin, in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish.

After they had done everything the king had commanded, God answered their prayers for the land.”

This is a gruesome story. The Gibeonites were part of the Amorite tribe destined for destruction by Joshua and his men. But the Gibeonites cleverly pretended to be from a distant land, and Joshua and his men foolishly entered into a covenant with them. (The story is told in Joshua 9.) Joshua and his men put the Gibeonites to hard labor, but they protected them. Saul violated that covenant when he tried to wipe out the Gibeonites. Allegedly, Saul’s actions stemmed from his zeal for Israel; however, Saul’s ancestral home town is listed as Gibeon. The wording of these passages suggests that not only Saul, but several of his family members also continued to wage war on the Gibeonites, further violating Joshua’s covenant with them.

Drought and famine have hit the land of Israel. Israel is a mountainous land that depends a great deal on seasonal rainfall. If the rains fail, conditions soon become dire. When this story opens, the rains have failed for three years and crops are shriveled and animals are dying. Famine is stalking the land, and David asks the Lord what he should do. God’s answer is a grim one: this famine has come because Saul and his family have violated the covenant with the Gibeonites and have been killing them. David needs to make things right with the Gibeonites.

When David summons the Gibeonites, their information is arresting. “We need no silver or gold from Saul or his house, nor should you put to death anyone in Israel for us.” Although the Gibeonites deny that they want anyone to die, in fact, they are simply preparing the way for their next request. “As for the man who consumed us and plotted against us to exterminate us from existing within any border of Israel, let seven of his male descendants be delivered to us so that we may hang them before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.” The Gibeonites are planning to execute seven of Saul’s descendants just outside the town that was his capital for 22 years while he was king. David complies with this request.

Why does God not only allow these executions to take place but even to set His seal of approval by lifting the famine? Saul and his family have evidently been blood – thirsty covenant breakers. It’s possible that these descendants of Saul have continued his vendetta against the Gibeonites. God knows the human heart, and God knows those members of Saul’s family who have continued to violate Joshua’s oath, putting all of Israel in jeopardy as a result.

One of the most striking parts of this story is the dedication of Saul’s concubine Rizpah. Rizpah cannot save her two sons; however, she refuses to let vultures and wild beasts get at the bodies. Rizpah camps out by the place of execution and stays there throughout the barley harvest until the rains start. King David is so moved by Rizpah’s devotion that he collects the bones of Saul and Jonathan from the city of Jabesh – gilead, along with the bones of the men who have been hanged, and buries all of them in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish in Zela in the land of Benjamin. Once these remains have been suitably buried, God answers the prayers of those praying for the famine to lift.

APPLICATION: There are many reasons why God does not answer our prayers immediately. Sometimes, we are asking for things that God wants to give, but the time is not yet ripe. Sometimes we are asking wrongly for things for ourselves or for loved ones, things that might actually be to our detriment. Many people pray for prosperity, not realizing that they can choke on riches and their children may never know God as a result. Sometimes we ask for things, but God sets conditions. This story is an example of God setting extreme conditions.

Saul and his descendants have continued to murder Gibeonites, even though Joshua’s covenant with them remains valid. The shedding of innocent blood brings curses on a land, and Saul’s family has brought curses on Israel. It is quite possible that Saul has more descendants than those listed; however, God will even protect the innocent in Saul’s family.

Rizpah’s faithfulness in protecting the bodies is magnificent. Rizpah knows that if someone does not remain there, horrible things will happen to those bodies. How does Rizpah do it? Does someone from the household bring her food and water all those weeks? We don’t know; we only know that Rizpah’s devotion wins David’s approval, and he buries the remains of those seven men along with the bones of Saul and Jonathan in the family tomb.

Notice that the famine only lifts after the burial of the bodies of Jonathan, Saul, and Saul’s seven male descendants. These men have had to die; however, even their bodies are to be handled honorably.

Many times, we choose to believe that our actions do not have spiritual consequences. There is no action without a spiritual consequence. Saul’s family has suffered because multiple generations have broken the covenant between the Israelites and the Gibeonites. We must guard our hearts and minds so that we do not break covenants with those around us and so that we don’t bring curses into our own families. May God help us!

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for loving us and for caring for us. Help us to be careful to respect covenants and to refuse to shed innocent blood at any time. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.