II Samuel 20: Ruthless Bloodshed

Posted on by byrdmanbloggeth

David’s return to Jerusalem in the previous chapter was not without its drama and power struggles. A rebellion of a very serious nature follows in chapter 20. Sheba leads a rebellion against King David in chapter 20. Perhaps Sheba, son of Bichri, was inspired by Absalom’s rebellion and the support he was able to garner against King David. The text suggests that Sheba was a scoundrel of sorts, and he inspired a general rebellion among the northern tribes. Sheba instructed the men that were with him to go back to their homes, to rebel against David from there. 

Amasa was the commander of Absalom’s armies, but had since been recommissioned to lead the armies of David after Absalom’s death. David gave Amasa three days to prepare his armies to follow Sheba and his men and defeat them. However, Amasa took longer than David had directed. Because of this, David asks Abishai, Joab’s older brother, to gather up armies and to quell Sheba’s revolt. Joab now enters the story and goes with the men assembled under Abishai with his own elite fighting force of men. 

As Abishai and Joab were leading their men in pursuit of Sheba’s rebellion, they come in contact with Amasa at a large stone in Gibeon. Joab, bold and rash as ever, approaches Amasa under the pretext of giving him a brotherly greeting but instead underhandedly stabs him in the belly with his sword. Amasa dies in the dirt and is moved to the side of the road and covered so that Abishai and Joab’s men are not worried by the sight of one of their countrymen ruthlessly killed in the road. They continue to pursue Sheba and the rebellion.

Sheba in the interim is gathering support for his rebellion all throughout Judah. But Abishai and Joab catch up with him in Abel and they begin to besiege the city using a siege mound. A siege mound was the gathering of dirt and debris against the side of a fortified city wall so that it could be overcome and entered. 

But just as they are battering the wall, presumably atop the mound to throw it down, a wise woman cries from within and is able to speak directly to Joab. Her and Joab’s exchange is as follows: “…I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?” And Joab answered and said, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy! That is not so. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city.”

After this exchange, the woman says that she will throw Sheba’s head over the wall of the city. The woman was actually able to get help from others within the city to do just that. Sheba’s head is cut from his body and thrown over the wall. When Joab sees it, he blows a trumpet, and all of the men of the rebellion surrender, returning to their tents. Summarily, David’s army returns to Jerusalem. The chapter ends with the description of the ancient org chart of David’s leadership team, with Joab now as the commander. 

What can we learn from this bloody chapter? Here are four things:

  1. Partial or slow obedience can jeopardize the mission.
    1. Amasa’s delay was not absolutely detrimental to the mission – you can thank Abishai and Joab for that. But his delay could have resulted in Sheba’s ability to consolidate power and perhaps return to Jerusalem to take it over again. When we delay what is needed, someone else more competent will often step in to save the situation. However, if there is no one to step in, calamity can result.
  2. When evil is bold, violence is sometimes necessary.
    1. David, just having gotten back his kingdom at a great cost, is vulnerable to lose it again. King David is purposeful and decisive in his action to stop the rebellion. When Amasa is incapable of being immediately effective, enter Joab, the seemingly bloodthirsty yet loyal warrior under David. Yet even Joab, as forceful and strong as he was, could see the wisdom proffered by the wise lady at Abel. His agreement to stop the attack upon the deliverance of Sheba’s decapitated head was a wise one. 99 times out of 100, violence is not the answer. Indeed, it is a last resort. But sometimes, when evil is bent on destruction and overtaking, the righteous must take up arms to defend goodness, the innocent, and what is rightfully theirs. 
  3. Wisdom can diffuse destruction – often from unlikely places.
    1. The wise unnamed woman in Able was able to save an entire kingdom from further mass bloodshed and the fortified city of Abel from complete destruction. Always be willing to hear advice, for you never know from where a solution might appear.
  4. Division starts small but can grow quickly
    1. Whether you are the leader of a team, a family, or serve in the brotherhood as one, be wary of and on the lookout for division among the team. What starts as a whisper can grow into a murderous cancer capable of destroying everything if it is not addressed quickly and utterly.

II Samuel 19: Bittersweet Homecoming

Posted on by byrdmanbloggeth

As David mourns the loss of Absalom, Israel mourns with him. David is still in the mountains as he mourns, and has not yet returned to Jerusalem. Joab, however, true to character, rebukes David in verses 5-7: “Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines, in that you love your enemies and hate your friends. For you have declared today that you regard neither princes nor servants; for today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well. Now therefore, arise, go out and speak comfort to your servants. For I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.”

Joab’s threat was likely meant to spur David on to more kingly action than it was meant to be sincere. Joab’s perspective was that of a warrior; he had fought and sacrificed on David’s behalf and it was shameful that David would mourn his traitorous son rather than celebrate the victory won by his armies. 

Support for him throughout the kingdom was not unanimous. David was meant to return, but many still felt that he may not deserve to because they had anointed Absalom king. But David saw this and persuaded them “as one man” to support him, which they did. David and all his house were welcomed back.

As David returns to power, there are some issues that he must settle. You will recall in II Samuel 16:5-8 how Shimei cursed David as he fled Jerusalem. David bore that public display with grace and mercy. Shimei knows that he is vulnerable now that David is back in power so he throws himself on David’s mercy. He admits his sin against David and he asks David to forget what he did. Abishai, who had called Shimei a “dead dog” when he first cursed David, calls for Shimei’s death “because he cursed the Lord’s anointed.” But David retains his kingly authority over both Abishai and Shimei when he displays mercy and says to Shimei, “You shall not die.”

Another reunion takes place as Mephibosheth comes to David. Mephibosheth, the lame son of Jonathan, grandson of Saul, had been given a seat at David’s table as well as many other blessings. This was largely due to David’s loyalty to Jonathan. Mephibosheth mourned the parting of David by not caring for himself; he had not cared for his feet, trimmed his mustache, or washed his clothes since David had left Jerusalem. His appearance must have been striking. David asks why Mephibosheth did not accompany David when he left Jerusalem. To this, Mephibosheth says that Ziba had deceived him. For Ziba’s part, he had slandered Mephibosheth in II Samuel 16, and had taken steps to try and keep him in Jerusalem. Many Biblical scholars believe Mephibosheth’s word over Ziba’s because Ziba had motive to keep the estate. Also, Mephibosheth visually appeared to have mourned the loss of David as king. David’s judgment is to have Mephibosheth and Ziba equally divide the land. Mephibosheth, out of humility to the king, submits that Ziba take it all.

The third individual that David must deal with is Barzillai. He was a foreigner, a Gileadite, that had provided David with many good supplies while David was in exile. He had come with David to cross the Jordan, but would not go into Jerusalem to be honored, as David offered him. Instead, he cited his age, physical infirmities, and his desire not to be a burden to the king as reasons to pass on the offer. Instead he gives one of his servants to David named Chimham, whom David gladly receives and blesses. Barzillai, being eighty years old, then returns back to his home.

In the last verses of this chapter, we get a preview of the divided kingdom that will be the new status quo after the death of Solomon in the future. Judah and Israel are squabbling over a matter that has little consequence. It is interesting to witness this fight and reflect on how minor disagreements that reveal fundamental differences between groups can culminate in large-scale divisions. 

Here are three valuable lessons that we can take from this chapter:

  • Wisdom in loyalty: sometimes it will not always be clear who should receive your loyalty, particularly when it shifts. Many things need to be considered, such as reasons for switching loyalty and if they are worthwhile. 
  • Mercy: What would you have done with Shimei if he had publicly humiliated you and you were in a position of power over him? Think about your other personal relationships where you may have harmed others. Do you deserve punishment? Now think about your relationship with God. How many of us have committed sins against God and not received the penalty? Although it is difficult and sometimes feels opposite to what we should do, forgiveness and mercy are what is best. Why do you think that is? 
  • Opportunism pays…at first. Do not be like Ziba. Look how he started out, as a servant of David’s house. His relationship with Mephibosheth begins innocently enough when he tells David about Mephibosheth’s existence. But in the activity of Absalom’s takeover and David’s return, we see Ziba taking advantage of Mephibosheth’s disability, and he ends up receiving Mephibosheth’s land (originally Saul’s). At the end of chapter 29, Ziba has the land, but at what cost? Also, whay do you think Mephibosheth gave all the land to Ziba?

II Samuel 16: Deception and Fulfillment

Posted on by byrdmanbloggeth

As David flees Jerusalem from Absalom’s takeover, he ascends the Mount of Olives. We start this chapter as David is “a little past the top of the mountain.” He meets Ziba there, a servant of Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son. Of course we will remember that David had restored to Mephibosheth all the land that had belonged to Saul. There was loyalty between Mephibosheth and David, a parallel of the deep loyalty and love that was shared by Jonathan and David prior to Jonathan’s demise. 

For this reason it must have been a great surprise to David when Ziba reported that Mephibosheth had stayed back in Jerusalem because, as Ziba puts it for Mephibosheth: “Today the house if Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.” Because of this supposed betrayal, David believes him and gives him all that Mephibosheth had. Of course we will find out late that Ziba was lying and that Mephibosheth did not leave Jerusalem for other reasons. Ziba most likely lied to David because he was caught up in the campaign against David woven by Absalom.

Then, Shimei, a member of Saul’s family, sees and curses David along the mountaintop. David tolerates this treatment, perhaps unsurprised, and says in verse 12, “It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day.” David’s strength under pressure and his faith in God were strong and reliable in this moment. 

Back in Jerusalem, Absalom is attempting to consolidate his newfound power. Ahithophel, David’s advisor, is now in Absalom’s ear and advises Absalom to pitch his tent where all of the people of Jerusalem can see that he is going in to David’s concubines. This will show that Absalom has taken power from David and it will do so in a way that everyone in the city will know. Furthermore, it completes God’s punishment for David from II Samuel 12:11: “Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.” You may take the opportunity to blame Ahithophel for counseling the evil Absalom to subvert power from David so publicly, but that assertion loses power when it is also considered that this act over David also fulfills prophecy from Nathan and punishes David for his great sin with Bathsheba and subsequently Uriah.

Now, let us look at a few lessons we can take from this chapter:

  • Skepticism in the face of incredible stories is a healthy thing
    • We might take the well-known phrase to “trust but verify” here. David had only just re-established Mephibosheth with Saul’s land, but David did not have any concrete reason to believe that Mephibosheth was ungrateful to him or unwilling to be loyal. The truth came out later – Mephibosheth stayed in Jerusalem for an entirely different reason. Had David asked more questions or been a little more patient with his judgments, he might have not told Ziba that he could have all that was Mephibosheth’s. During this tumultuous time in the kingdom of shifting loyalties, David may have been more careful. Trust is earned before it is broken.
  • Enduring insults with humility can honor God
    • What would it have looked like if David had lashed out? He would have been arguing with an angry man, perhaps one whose reason had lapsed into foolishness, and he would not have gotten justice, fairness, retribution, nor would he have convinced Shimei that he was in the wrong. Instead, David turned the insults into an opportunity to seek God’s blessing. Think about this example. This was not weakness. This was strength.
  • Both good and bad advice are freely given in this world
    • It is not difficult to garner someone else’s opinion if you are looking for it. In fact it is quite easy. More challenging, however, is discerning the quality of the advice received. Does it serve the purpose of glorifying God? Does it serve my best (selfish) interests or does it serve my best (godly) interests? Stop, think, pray: then decide when weighing a difficult decision mixed all up with advice from others.

II Samuel 11: David’s Mistake

Posted on by byrdmanbloggeth

            This chapter is famous in the Bible for many reasons. For one, it is the classic example that is often referred to when pointing out that David was not perfect. He was a man like any other, subject to temptations and their consequences. This chapter also displays the fallacy of trying to cover sin, and it demonstrates how it can backfire on us in a way that increases our consequences, creating calamity. Finally, this chapter is the catalyst for David’s grief, which is displayed in following chapters and also chronicled in many of the Psalms. David’s grief-filled and repentant Psalms provide believers with models of prayer, repentance, and regret that have helped them through many trials. There is a lot here, so let us get started.

            Here is a basic breakdown of events:

  • David sends his armies out to war
  • David is alone on his roof, surveying the city
  • David sees Bathsheba bathing and is attracted to her 
  • David sends for Bathsheba to come to him
  • Bathsheba comes to the king and they sleep together
  • Bathsheba sends David a message that she is pregnant
  • David sends for Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, to return to the city from battle
  • David hosts him for a night, under the ruse that he seeks updates from the front lines, but what he really wants is for Uriah to go to his wife for the night and sleep with her so that everyone will assume that Uriah (not David) is the father of her unborn child
  • Uriah honorably abstains from going home, saying in verse 11: ““The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.”
  • The next night, David tries again to have Uriah lay with his wife and gets him drunk, hoping it will weaken his resolve and that Uriah will lay with his wife while inebriated. This also does not work, and Uriah once again does not sleep at his home with Bathsheba
  • Seemingly desperate, David tells battle commander Joab to place Uriah in the most dangerous part of the battle
  • Joab obeys David and Uriah is killed where the battle is toughest
  •  Bathsheba mourns the death of her husband
  • David brings Bathsheba to his house and makes her his wife, after which she gives birth to their son.
  • The record states in verse 27: “But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.”

            Man needs a purpose. What was David’s purpose during this time? He was commanding, but from afar. There is nothing inherently wrong with him staying back, especially since he obviously trusted those he commanded to succeed without him. However, when our time is not filled, and we are surrounded by our comforts, evil looks for the occasion to strike. This was a component of David’s mistake, adding to the probability of his weakness before Bathsheba and his poor choices that followed.

It usually happens that, when things are going well, we are at our most vulnerable. This is not to say that we are weak or lack knowledge, but it is to say that our guard is down and we are exposed; we are especially vulnerable to the temptations of the devil. David is in this situation at the beginning of this chapter. He has experienced many successes on the battlefield, his leadership is strong, and he has the loyalty of not only his people, but also of many of the surrounding nations. He is respected, he is strong, and there are no immediate and obvious threats to his stature. 

            This is when we need to look out for threats that come from within. Within those we trust, within areas we consider harmless, and especially threats that originate from within ourselves. 

            Why did David fail so miserably with Bathsheba?

  • Idleness
  • Weakness + Opportunity
  • Pride

Our primary lesson from this chapter is to avoid the pitfalls of idleness and to be aware of the dangers of temptation. David did not think his decisions through, and he did not consider the possible chain of events to follow if he were to do what he wanted. He fell victim to believing that his kingship protected him from consequences. As we will see in coming chapters, he experiences great consequences as the result of his choices.

Lastly, consider the results of David attempting to cover his sins. Oftentimes, when we seek to cover our sins, the temptation says cleverly and quietly, “just do this and it will all be gone.” But as this story beautifully demonstrates, David’s first and second attempts fail miserably. He is forced to create great lies, put others at risk, and even make others (Bathsheba and Joab), complicit.

This chapter not only helps us to recognize how to avoid and resist temptation, but it also teaches us how taking responsibility for our sins early on save us from a landslide of further sins and their consequences.

II Samuel 8: His Plan, Not Mine

Posted on by byrdmanbloggeth

In this chapter, David gets to work in fulfilling God’s promises to Him (aka the Davidic Covenant) that were made in chapter seven. 

First, David attacks and subdues the Philistines, no small task considering their cultural and military might. As it says in verse fourteen of this chapter, “…the Lord preserved David wherever he went.” This statement is an important one as we consider the ramifications of the Davidic Covenant. God will deliver the promises of kingdom and conquest to David, and He will do it through David himself. This concept may remind us of the adage: “The Lord helps those who help themselves.”

After the Philistines, David turns his gaze toward Moab. The Moabites were a group of people that came from the incestuous offspring of Lot and his older daughter (Genesis 19:36-37). David forcibly subdues the Moabites, adding their number to those he led by killing the adults and assimilating the young Moabites as his servants. The fact that they brought tribute to David shows loyalty, not an easy attribute to garner from the surviving Moabites considering the circumstances. 

Verses three and four show David adding to his army as he takes back territory near the Euphrates river. Likewise, David adds to his treasury by taking things of value from Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah. When the Syrians come to Hadadezer’s aid, David kills many thousands of them, subduing them. The Syrians will also bring David tribute and become his servants, once again showing loyalty in an unlikely situation. 

Toi, king of Hamath, had been warring with Hadadezer. When Toi heard of David defeating Hadadezer’s army, he sent David many riches. Toi was impressed and grateful, wanting to get on the good side of the one that defeated his enemy. 

David, with the riches from all of these conquered peoples, guided by the power of God, brings these riches back and dedicates them to Almighty God. David’s installation of garrisons ensured that he would retain control over these lands and defeated peoples. 

The lesson from this chapter is basic but important: God will surely help you – but action and faith are required on your part. We might pray endlessly, waiting for something to happen despite the answer or course of action being plain to others. Why can we not see it? Oftentimes unlike David, we are stuck in thinking that is unhealthy, we are afraid, or we doubt. Inaction will get us nowhere. Pray, look, seek, and act. That is what David did. And as David acted with bravery and confidence in God’s plan for him, God made David’s way clear and his actions successful. So it can be for each of us. 

We may seek and seek for the way out of a situation when all the while God was hinting at us to go through the situation, to see it through to the end. We may pray for something to begin when in fact that thing’s impetus may be years in the future, or might never come at all. One of the most disappointing facts of life can be when we realize that God’s answer to what we want can sometimes be a clear and firm “No.” Our job is to seek and find God and His will for us. We are happiest, most joyous, and most complete as beings when our actions align with those desired for us by our heavenly Father.

II Samuel 6: David Returns the Ark

Posted on by byrdmanbloggeth

David, the king of Israel, has established his house and is now prepared to bring the ark back to its rightful place in Israel. He succeeds, but there is the price of Uzzah’s life, as well as at least the perception that David is undignified in the way that he publicly worships Jehovah God. 

As David brings the Ark of the Covenant to the City of David, the oxen stumbled and Uzzah put out his hand to steady the ark, presumably to stop it from falling. Uzzah dies instantly. It would have been known that only the Kohathite Levites were to touch the sacred items, but even they were not allowed to touch the ark itself or they would die. So when Uzzah put his hand out to steady it, he meant no harm but God’s law still applied.

David then was frightened of God and the ark and decided not to take it into the city. Instead, he put it at the home of Obed-Edom. After David saw that Obed-Edom was blessed as the result of having the ark, he rejoiced and moved the ark into the city with much celebration. Michal, daughter of the former king, chastised David for what she sees as his foolish behavior worshipping the Lord. David’s rejoinder to her puts her in her place, and in fact she was also punished by God, not having any children from that day forward until her death. 

There are three big lessons from this chapter:

  • The details of God’s commandments are not to be ignored

Uzzah’s heart seems innocent enough in this chapter. After all, his intentions were good, were they not? In the instant before his death, did it occur to him that he was not to touch the ark? I think it is likely that he knew he was going against a commandment. But I also think it very likely that he weighed the risk in his mind and judged it to be negligible because of his intentions. His intention was to steady the ark, to prevent it from crashing to the dirty ground as the oxen stumbled. But in doing this, he still went against God’s commandment that no one was to touch the ark of the covenant. Harsh? Yes. But right? Also yes. 

God’s bigger lesson to us from the story of Uzzah is that His Word is to be taken seriously, even under the threat of death. Additionally, and perhaps even more importantly, we cannot think for ourselves when it comes to God’s commands to worship. He wants our absolute obedience. He is our Lord, our Creator, the source from whom all creation originates. Who are we to think that there are conditions under which His laws can be disobeyed? Who was Uzzah to think that God would allow him to touch the ark? The terrifying yet persistent answer is that God is sovereign, holding our lives in his hands and we are at his mercy. It is our responsibility to not only know his laws, but also to follow them to the utmost. 

  • God dwelling with you will bring you blessings

David felt unworthy to have the ark with him in the city of David, so he instead moved it into the home of a man named Obed-Edom. The ark was with Obed-Edom for three months and during that time, the Lord blessed him and all of his household. David saw this and was thus encouraged to move the Ark to the city. 

It is a demonstration of how the presence of God in our lives can bring great blessings. In prayer, in worship, in thought, and in deed, we should do our best to keep God all around us. Does God have a place in your mind and in your heart? When God is with us, when we think about Him as decisions are made, it regulates our behavior and right-sizes our opinions and views of ourselves. Without God, we are like rudderless ships in a stormy ocean, directionless and subject to the whims of our chaotic desires.

  • There is no shame is glorifying the Lord your God

David’s display of worship as he accompanied the ark to the city sounds entertaining. He sacrificed, he danced, he shouted, and he did so as king. Michal, Saul’s daughter, thought he looked ridiculous and told him so. But David’s response to her reveals an attitude of absolute subjection and devotion. He says, “…I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight.” David knew that he was justified in his displays of worship because they were pure, open, and honest. He was not doing it to impress others, as Michal may have surmised, but he was doing it sincerely, out of love and gratitude for His Almighty Father. It is the kind of love that supersedes care for the self and seeks to glorify our God, recognizing his greatness and wanting others to see it too. It is a beautiful thing and we should aspire to be similar to David when we worship our God in spirit and in truth. 

Tonight I want to encourage you to put these three lessons into your heart, for they all have great value in different ways. We must take God’s Word seriously in every moment of our lives, lest we open ourselves to judgment and harsh punishment. We must maintain the presence of our great God in prayer, in thought, and in deed. And lastly, we must never be ashamed of Him whose name we wear. Considering that God, in all of His greatness, would send His only Son to the sinful earth to suffer and die, how could we not rejoice?

II Samuel 5: The Fruits of Patience and Seeking God’s Counsel

Posted on by byrdmanbloggeth

The people in the kingdom of Israel saw David’s actions of caring for Ishbosheth’s remains and the punishment of the captains that killed him as honorable. Because of this, David earns yet more of their loyalty. These acts were in a series of bold actions that were godly and in alignment with what is best for God’s people. Because of this, the people come to David and anoint him as king in verses 1 – 3: 

“Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, “Indeed we are your bone and your flesh. Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the Lord said to you, ‘You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel.’ ” Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel.”

David had been reigning as king in Judah only, and this had been going on for the past seven years. Prior to this, we should remember that as a young man, David had been anointed as the future king of Israel in I Samuel 16 by the prophet Samuel. Even though David did not officially become king until this many years later, the scripture says that “the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.” David, as God’s anointed king of Israel, was to reign as a righteous king, but still a man with faults. The arc of his forty-year kingship demonstrates this and underscores the idea that God was showing the people that they did not need an earthly king; they need only serve the one true and living God. 

One of the first things David did as king was to complete God’s request to remove the native people from the land and he went with the Jebusites first in Jerusalem. The Jebusites were in a strategic location for a siege, as they had a water source as well as mountainous boundaries to defend. Because of this, the Jebusites taunted David, saying, “the lame and the blind will repel you.” David, having cunning skills as a warrior, was able to defeat the Jebusites. After this, David stayed in Jerusalem and Hiram king of Tyre had a house built for David there. 

David took more concubines and wives at this time. David’s additional wives reflect the custom of the time for kings to marry daughters of other participants in treaties. Concubines were also a sign of the times, the size of a harem often reflecting the prestige of the king. We should recall Deuteronomy 17:17 if we attempt to look favorably at David’s exploits here: “Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.” We can count these indiscretions among David’s faults. Again, as an earthly king, David was the best, but he would never be perfect. That was to be for the Christ yet to come. 

The philistines hear of David’s kingship and they seek to defeat him. Two battles follow. In the first, David seeks God’s guidance on whether or not he should proceed to fight the Philistines. God advises David to proceed and David and his army defeat them and take their idols in the process. We know from elsewhere in the Word of God that David would burn these idols (I Chronicles 14:12). 

But the Philistines were not done and they went into the Valley of Rephaim as a threat once more. Again, David inquires of God what he should do and God instructs David to wait until “you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees.” At that point, David attacked and he and the Israelite army was victorious over the Philistines once more.

We can see from this chapter that God intended David to have been king since the first anointing he had as a young man. Saul was chosen by God to be Israel’s first king and he failed in a very public and embarrassing way. David, as the counterpoint, behaved with respect, righteousness, and in good faith at every stage as he inched closer to the throne. Now that David has made it to the kingship, he does not let his meager pride overtake him. Instead, he takes Jerusalem, expelling the Jebusites. He then responds in an exemplary manner to the threat of the Philistines by seeking and following the counsel of God. David, although imperfect, provides a shining example of how a leader not only acts decisively but also seeks God’s help when the path and footing ahead are unclear. 

I Samuel 25: Nobody’s Perfect

Posted on by byrdmanbloggeth

At the beginning of this chapter, we learn that Samuel has died. He was given a proper sendoff and David flees to the wilderness of Paran.

The remainder of this chapter deals with David’s dealings with Nabal and Abigail. Nabal was harsh and evil. The word Nabal means “fool.” Abigail was of wisdom and beauty. A contrasting couple, to be sure.  

While David was hiding in the wilderness from Saul, he and his men had worked hard to protect Nabal and his thousands of sheep. Nabal would have needed this protection as he lived in the wilderness and was vulnerable to thieves. David also implies that he and his men could have taken advantage of Nabal while they were in the surrounding wilderness. David sends his men to Nabal to request a form of payment for this protection. As Nabal was shearing his many sheep, he would have had a lot of money on hand.

Nabal resists payment, citing that he does not know where these men are from. Plus, he has to feed his own men. David meets this response with the act of taking four hundred men with him, ready for battle, presumably to take what he feels he and his men are owed and to decimate Nabal’s household. At this, we may see into a fault of David. Why does he need to answer Nabal’s rebuke with violence? Was his pride hurt? Did he feel that he and his men deserved the money and that it was worth fighting for? David says as much in verses 21-22: ““Surely in vain I have protected all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belongs to him. And he has repaid me evil for good. May God do so, and more also, to the enemies of David, if I leave one male of all who belong to him by morning light.”

One of the young men that work for Nabal goes to Abigail and tell her of the situation, mentioning also how well David and his men protected Nabal’s sheep during their time in the wilderness. Immediately Abigail collects an appropriate amount of goods for payment to David and his men and goes to intercept David before he can bring violence to Nabal and the family. Abigail is showing shrewd wisdom and dedication to protecting her own, and she does so without the knowledge of her wicked husband.

But God’s grace comes in many forms. In this chapter, Abigail is the instrument, and also one of the beneficiaries of His grace. David is softened by Abigail’s entreaty and gift and does not pursue killing the house of Nabal.  After this event, things go very well for David and his men. Abigail tells Nabal of how she interceded to protect the family, and Nabal dies about ten days later. David wholly ascribes Nabal’s death to God’s intervention: “Blessed be the Lord, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept His servant from evil! For the Lord has returned the wickedness of Nabal on his own head.”

David then marries Abigail and likely takes ownership of all of Nabal’s former wealth. This lengthy chapter is a brief interlude into the story of David, and it teaches us a few things:

  1. David’s judgment is fallible
  2. The grace of God benefits the righteous
  3. God can protect us from our own weaknesses

These are the primary lessons, although there are more. The underlying lesson for each one of us today is to witness David’s consistent dedication to God and to living righteously. David’s misstep in this chapter show us God’s longsuffering mercy towards those that love, serve, and fear him. This gives us confidence to love and serve God and not to fear for the loss of His providence and blessings when we make mistakes. We are only human after all. We all have sinned and will continue to sin, not willfully, but our place in the flesh leaves us vulnerable to temptation. If David can sin (and this instance is not his worst), and still remain in God’s graces, surely, we can and will too. God’s grace can, but also often will not, remove the real-life consequences of sin that follow misdeeds.

The secret to spiritual balance is knowing that we will not be perfect, accepting it, and continuing to work harder than ever to please God in every situation we are in. When we make mistakes, we need to take our lumps, move on, and redouble our efforts to please God again, ashamed that we have let Him down, but also knowing that He understands and accepts our spirits of repentance, our fear, and our worship.