Revenge Planned and Executed

2 Samuel 13:23-39
    23 And it came to pass, after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is near Ephraim; so Absalom invited all the king's sons. 24 Then Absalom came to the king and said, “Kindly note, your servant has sheepshearers; please, let the king and his servants go with your servant.”  25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go now, lest we be a burden to you.” Then he urged him, but he would not go; and he blessed him.  26 Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.”  And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom urged him; so he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.
    28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, “Watch now, when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon!’ then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant.” 29 So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and each one got on his mule and fled.
    30 And it came to pass, while they were on the way, that news came to David, saying, “Absalom has killed all the king's sons, and not one of them is left!” 31 So the king arose and tore his garments and lay on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn. 32 Then Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said, “Let not my lord suppose they have killed all the young men, the king's sons, for only Amnon is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar. 33 Now therefore, let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead. For only Amnon is dead.”
    34 Then Absalom fled. And the young man who was keeping watch lifted his eyes and looked, and there, many people were coming from the road on the hillside behind him. 35 And Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the king's sons are coming; as your servant said, so it is.” 36 So it was, as soon as he had finished speaking, that the king's sons indeed came, and they lifted up their voice and wept. Also the king and all his servants wept very bitterly.
    37 But Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. 38 So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years. 39 And King David longed to go to Absalom. For he had been comforted concerning Amnon, because he was dead.

The revenge for Absalom’s sister’s rape on his half-brother took over two years of planning and waiting for the moment to execute.  Absalom invited his father the king and all his sons to go with him under the guise of attending a sheep-shearing festival.  David refused, but also did not want Amnon to go, which may have been because he suspected something in the back of his mind.  David knew what Amnon had done to Tamar two years ago, and possibly did not trust Absalom’s request.  Either way, all the sons went and helped kill Amnon in vengeance for his rape of their sister.  There was a false report at first that they all were killed, until all returned but Absalom and Amnon.  The brother of David told him of the determined and premeditated killing of Amnon, as well as the safe return of all the other brothers.  Absalom ran away and the king mourned his lost sons, one dead and the other who fled.  This entire episode in king David’s life was a direct result of his own sin with Uriah and Bathsheba, for his murder of Uriah resulted in more than the death of that newborn child; it also brought the prophet’s curse on his family to set brother against brother and him as well (2 Samuel 12:10).  This clearly shows that vengeance is the LORD’s, not ours, to take, and murder to avenge a wrong does not make anything right, for it is yet another sin piled on a previous one.  This is why we have laws and governments to provide justice and not vengeance (Romans 13:4).  If we take justice into our own hands, we face God’s and the consequences of our own lawlessness. May we learn not to plan and execute revenge on anyone who wrongs us or our family, but trust justice to God in His time through the means He has put in place over us all.   

Amnon, and Tamar - Sin’s Desire and Results

2 Samuel 13:1-22
    1 After this Absalom the son of David had a lovely sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. 2 Amnon was so distressed over his sister Tamar that he became sick; for she was a virgin. And it was improper for Amnon to do anything to her. 3 But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David's brother. Now Jonadab was a very crafty man. 4 And he said to him, “Why are you, the king's son, becoming thinner day after day? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.”
    5 So Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’ ” 6 Then Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let Tamar my sister come and make a couple of cakes for me in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”
    7 And David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Now go to your brother Amnon's house, and prepare food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was lying down. Then she took flour and kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. 9 And she took the pan and placed them out before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, “Have everyone go out from me.” And they all went out from him. 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to Amnon her brother in the bedroom. 11 Now when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”
    12 But she answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing! 13 And I, where could I take my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.” 14 However, he would not heed her voice; and being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.
   15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Arise, be gone!  16 So she said to him, “No, indeed! This evil of sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me.”  But he would not listen to her. 17 Then he called his servant who attended him, and said, “Here! Put this woman out, away from me, and bolt the door behind her.” 18 Now she had on a robe of many colors, for the king's virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out and bolted the door behind her.
    19 Then Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her robe of many colors that was on her, and laid her hand on her head and went away crying bitterly. 20 And Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.  21 But when King David heard of all these things, he was very angry. 22 And Absalom spoke to his brother Amnon neither good nor bad. For Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

The sin of lustful desires can be stirred up by bad counsel of ungodly friends.  Here were two half brothers and sister with the younger brother listening to the crafty and evil-minded cousin Jonadab.  Amnon the younger lusted for his half sister Tamar but only let that sin come to conception after being persuaded by ungodly advice of the cunning cousin to set a trap to rape her by feigning illness to gain her presence alone in the guise of nursing him with food.  It quickly turns sinister as Amnon followed the ungodly plan and took her to bed against her will; she even pleaded that he go to their father the king for permission to satisfy his supposed love with marriage, but his love was really only physical desire which he satisfied himself with as he dishonored Tamar, then cast her aside in hateful disgust after the rape.  She was devastated, her brother Absalom by the same mother (Maachah) found out what crime against her and the LORD their half brother Amnon had done, and set his vengeful hate in motion with cold calculation.  King David even got wind of what had happened, but it only angered him at what his son had done.  This entire episode shows the danger of allowing sinful desires to fester in the mind while driven by feelings over obedience to God’s moral law.  We see the patten of sin and death laid out in James 1:14-15 from temptation to forbidden desire (1 John 2:15-16) and on to sin in action, ultimately ending in death.  Genesis 4:7 provided the answer to Amnon, that he should beware of sin’s pull to dominate and overtake his willful thoughts and resulting actions, for he and we are to reign in and over that sin of desire (מָשַׁל mâšal, to rule, dominate).  Amnon listened to evil counsel of a cousin leading him away from God’s clear word of commanding counsel for our good, and the result was devastating to his half sister in the act and hatred afterwards, not to mention the long term repercussions to follow in the family.  Our thoughts must be brought into captivity (Romans 7:23) to Christ and His words of command for life and godliness or we will suffer similar consequences.  What dominates us, sinful satisfaction of temporary (Hebrews 11:25) pleasure to suffer the inevitable consequences, or ruling over these temptations to be pleasing to God by willfully yielding to His good design for our thoughts and behavior? 

Captured Crown of Glory

2 Samuel 12:26-31 

    26 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the people of Ammon, and took the royal city. 27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah, and I have taken the city's water supply. 28 Now therefore, gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and it be called after my name.” 29 So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, fought against it, and took it. 30 Then he took their king's crown from his head. Its weight was a talent of gold, with precious stones. And it was set on David's head. Also he brought out the spoil of the city in great abundance. 31 And he brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work with saws and iron picks and iron axes, and made them cross over to the brick works. So he did to all the cities of the people of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

David conquered a royal city by the hand of his army’s commander, Joab, taking the final warring action to make it His victory at the behest of Joab.  He did this that the city be named after his king and not himself; Joab honored and served the anointed king of Israel, and wanted the glory to be his and not his own.  David received the crown of the city’s king and wore it.  He also took much treasure and put the people to work as laborers in making bricks, much as Pharaoh had Israel do years before, but without the harshness and abuse.  Instead they were a conquered people put to work and not to death.  This was wise mercy, not cruel enslavement.  Then they returned to Jerusalem after conquering more Ammonite cities in the same way, building up a labor force and wealth for the kingdom.  In a similar way we can look at our battles for the Lord Christ and His glory as His army and servants, taking prisoners from enslavement to sin and putting them to work in the kingdom of God on the way to our heavenly city to come, the Celestial City of God’s presence among the true treasures rescued which are the souls of people set free in Jesus Christ.  A rough analogy, but one brought to mind by this short tale of God’s work here by David and his battles to capture a crown for God’s glory.  It is a short reminder of how David’s Captured Crown of Glory evokes reflection on the crowns we gain to give to the Lord at the end (Revelation 4:10). 

Uncovered Sin Confessed and Consequences

2 Samuel 12:1-25
    1 Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. 3 But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. 4 And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” 5 So David's anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! 6 And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.”
    7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! 9 Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. 10 Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 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. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.’ ”
    13 So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”  And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.”
    15 Then Nathan departed to his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it became ill. 16 David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17 So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18 Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, “Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!”
    19 When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?”  And they said, “He is dead.”  20 So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.”  22 And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 23 But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”
    24 Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Now the LORD loved him, 25 and He sent word by the hand of Nathan the prophet: So he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.

After David the king abused his power to cover up his adultery and murder, God sent Nathan His spokesman to confront him.  In this passage we see sin uncovered and confessed, but also the inevitable consequences in the midst of mercy and grace.  This event is recorded for us in scripture as a strong warning to each one of us regarding sin’s results, that we may learn to say yes to Jesus’s words and no to sin’s temptations.  David was confronted by the prophet speaking for God to him by way of a parable that he might see the damage of his sin to others and the consequences earned as punishment of righteous judgment for the deed.  It was not, however, a stolen beloved pet lamb of a poor man by a rich man with no pity or care for the loving attachment of the poor man and his family to the only lamb they raised together.  No, this was shown as David’s anger of the injustice and callous self-serving greed in the story revealed he was just as lacking in pity and just as accountable for taking Uriah’s only love, Bathsheba, for himself because he was rich and powerful.  The consequences were far reaching and close at hand; David’s sons and descendants would be filled with violence and his wives taken by others in return for his sinful actions.  David did repent as we see him pour out his contrite and broken heart in Psalm 51, but that did not erase the consequences with cheap grace; his actions brought discredit to God’s people and himself as their leader.  The result was the child of the adulterous act, murderous coverup, and selfish marriage of the widow was taken by the LORD after seven days.  David accepted the judgment of God and the LORD then gave them another son who was loved by Him and chosen to continue the reign leading to the Messiah.  Good came out of the evil, not because of it, but by the grace and goodness of God and His chosen but faulty leader of His people.  We see that sin has consequences, but forgiveness and grace move us forward and restore our relationship with our Lord for His glory and good, as well as our own (1 John 1:9, Romans 8:28).  Let us therefore flee temptation and confess our sin to Him and each other, accepting the consequences and drawing ever more near to Christ our Lord.  

Go Out to Battle to Avoid Temptation

2 Samuel 11:1-27
    1 It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. 2 Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. 3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. 5 And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”
    6 Then David sent to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah had come to him, David asked how Joab was doing, and how the people were doing, and how the war prospered. 8 And David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah departed from the king's house, and a gift of food from the king followed him. 9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10 So when they told David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”
    11 And Uriah said to David, “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.”  12 Then David said to Uriah, “Wait here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.
    14 In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die.” 16 So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men. 17 Then the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
    18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war, 19 and charged the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling the matters of the war to the king, 20 if it happens that the king's wrath rises, and he says to you: ‘Why did you approach so near to the city when you fought? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? 21 Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who cast a piece of a millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall?’—then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’ ”
    22 So the messenger went, and came and told David all that Joab had sent by him. 23 And the messenger said to David, “Surely the men prevailed against us and came out to us in the field; then we drove them back as far as the entrance of the gate. 24 The archers shot from the wall at your servants; and some of the king's servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.”  25 Then David said to the messenger, “Thus you shall say to Joab: ‘Do not let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Strengthen your attack against the city, and overthrow it.’ So encourage him.”
    26 When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. 27 And when her mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

When kings should be going out to battle, actively involved in the LORD’s fight, David sent the army and his commanding general while staying home idle.  This is what took his mind off the work which kept him focused on following and doing His will, and led to nighttime walks on the rooftop in those idle times.  There he saw beautiful Bathsheba bathing, obviously naked, and lust overtook his wandering heart and thoughts.  He let this fester even after asking and finding out that she was another man’s wife.  He used his authority as king, having put aside his responsibilities as ruler of the nation and army, and had her brought to him to sleep with her and satisfy his unlawful desires.  She became pregnant.  David tried to cover up the sin instead of confessing it to the LORD and to the husband by having him come back from the battle he should have been fighting in order to have Uriah sleep with his wife to make it appear the child was his.  Uriah was more righteous and devoted to God, not allowing himself pleasure without his wife while others were living in austere field conditions for the battle, unable to enjoy their own wives and doing so for God’s honor and His people.  David went further to arrange Uriah’s demise by putting him on the front lines, then leaving him alone to die.  The coverup complete, David let Bathsheba mourn and then took her as a wife for himself after the arranged murder.  We see here how insidious sin can take over good devotion to the Lord, especially when we are not engaged in living for the Lord’s work, which for us is the gospel of Jesus Christ.  James 1:14-15 sets this pattern for us, showing how desire left unconstrained according to God’s word and precepts leads to such sin as we never would consider possible.  When we are tempted and dwell on those things which appeal to our desires opposed to God’s, that enticement can lead us to disobey what we know clearly the Lord desires, and if left unchecked will lead to death.  This can be spiritual numbness or actual loss of our own or another’s life as the example here demonstrates.  Either way, the lesson here is to be about our Father’s business so that we don’t end up fulfilling our own business of pleasure in ways contrary to the righteousness we are called to in Christ, leading to destructive harm.  We are to avoid such sinful desires (Titus 2:12, 1 Peter 2:11, 4:2-3).  We find in 1 John 2:15-17 that we should be doing the will of God instead of seeking to satisfy our sinful desires.  Let us remember the example here in scripture of David and Uriah and Bathsheba, being about our Father’s business instead of our own in idleness and self gratification which leads to further sin.  When kings (and priests) of the Lord go out to battle, we must not remain idle and fall into destructive temptation as James warns us.  

Enemies Defeated by the LORD

2 Samuel 10:1-19
    1 It happened after this that the king of the people of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. 2 Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent by the hand of his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the people of Ammon. 3 And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not rather sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?”
    4 Therefore Hanun took David's servants, shaved off half of their beards, cut off their garments in the middle, at their buttocks, and sent them away. 5 When they told David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.”
    6 When the people of Ammon saw that they had made themselves repulsive to David, the people of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand foot soldiers; and from the king of Maacah one thousand men, and from Ish-Tob twelve thousand men. 7 Now when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men. 8 Then the people of Ammon came out and put themselves in battle array at the entrance of the gate. And the Syrians of Zoba, Beth Rehob, Ish-Tob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field.
    9 When Joab saw that the battle line was against him before and behind, he chose some of Israel's best and put them in battle array against the Syrians. 10 And the rest of the people he put under the command of Abishai his brother, that he might set them in battle array against the people of Ammon. 11 Then he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. 12 Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the LORD do what is good in His sight.”
    13 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near for the battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. 14 When the people of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fleeing, they also fled before Abishai, and entered the city. So Joab returned from the people of Ammon and went to Jerusalem.
    15 When the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered together. 16 Then Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River, and they came to Helam. And Shobach the commander of Hadadezer's army went before them. 17 When it was told David, he gathered all Israel, crossed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in battle array against David and fought with him. 18 Then the Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand horsemen of the Syrians, and struck Shobach the commander of their army, who died there. 19 And when all the kings who were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the people of Ammon anymore. 

David wanted to show kindness to the Ammonite king as was shown him by the man’s father, but he dishonored David’s ambassadors of peaceful intentions instead because of bad counsel based on theories of conspiracy against the king.  He went to battle after the Ammonites realized the consequences of their foolishness and sided with the Syrians as hired help to fight Israel.  David sent Joab, who divided his forces to wage the war against them in the field and city.  They ran the hirelings off and the others hid in the city.  The Syrians were angered because they had been run off, and therefore returned in greater numbers to fight David, but they were soundly defeated and surrendered to serve Israel.  Syria then refused to ally with Ammon again for fear of further loss in defeat.  We then learn several things from this.  Firstly we see David once again demonstrating a desire to show kindness (חֶסֶד ḥeseḏ), which is mercy and kindness often based on a feeling of loyalty or good intentions as he did previously in 2 Samuel 9:1 to Jonathan’s son.  When this offer was mocked and reviled, he acted to defend further attacks from a desired friend turned enemy based on bad counsel.  We are called to turn the cheek and forgive instead of retaliate, however, as Christ showed us a better way (1 Corinthians 12:31-13:1).  We should be ruled by love for our enemies, even when they are misled and manipulated against our desires for their good.  Secondly, we learn that God vindicates His people and is the one who will enact avenge His people with judgment in the end (Revelation 6:10).  This all means that we are not to pursue vengeance, but love our enemies, even when they group together for our harm, whether in actual violence, with slanderous attacks, or even turning governments against us for Christ’s and the gospel’s sake.  Our enemies are defeated by the Lord through our love, not retaliation, as we put ourselves in His sovereign hands.  

David's Kindness and Mercy

2 Samuel 9:1-13 

    1 Now David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” 2 And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”  He said, “At your service!”  3 Then the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?”  And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.”  4 So the king said to him, “Where is he?”  And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.”
    5 Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar.  6 Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, “Mephibosheth?”  And he answered, “Here is your servant!”
    7 So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.”  8 Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?”
    9 And the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, “I have given to your master's son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. 10 You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master's son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's son shall eat bread at my table always.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
    11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do.”  “As for Mephibosheth,” said the king, “he shall eat at my table like one of the king's sons.” 12 Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micha. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king's table. And he was lame in both his feet.

King David could have taken vengeance on any remaining relatives of former the king Saul because Saul had pursued him as an enemy to kill him, as did his son Ishbosheth.  Only Jonathan had acknowledged David as Gods chosen and defended him.  But David exercised mercy and saved the last remaining relative of Saul, his grandson and the son of Jonathan who was lame in both feet from falling as a five-year old being carried away after Saul died in battle.  This Mephibosheth was instead shown kindness and mercy by David, given all the inheritance of Saul’s legacy in land and servants.  David further took care of and honored Mephibosheth as royalty by having him at his dinner table every day.  Instead of vengeance, he showed great and undeserved grace in mercy and care.  We who are in Christ, the seed of David according to the flesh and chosen Anointed seed accordingly as God’s Son, we are to take heart to this example and show mercy and grace to those enemies who persecute, pursue our destruction, and spitefully abuse us (Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:28).  We are to be as Christ to them as David gave us a shadow by example here with his enemy’s relative.  We all are Adam’s descendants, all are born in sin, all are God’s enemies (Romans 5:8, 10), and are all under His great grace of mercy.  Loving God necessitates loving others in the same way as He first loved us.  

Defeating Enemies, Exercising Justice

2 Samuel 8:1-18
    1 After this it came to pass that David attacked the Philistines and subdued them. And David took Metheg Ammah from the hand of the Philistines. 2 Then he defeated Moab. Forcing them down to the ground, he measured them off with a line. With two lines he measured off those to be put to death, and with one full line those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David's servants, and brought tribute.
    3 David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his territory at the River Euphrates. 4 David took from him one thousand chariots, seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. Also David hamstrung all the chariot horses, except that he spared enough of them for one hundred chariots.
    5 When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Syrians. 6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David's servants, and brought tribute. So the LORD preserved David wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that had belonged to the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 Also from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a large amount of bronze.
    9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer, 10 then Toi sent Joram his son to King David, to greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him (for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi); and Joram brought with him articles of silver, articles of gold, and articles of bronze. 11 King David also dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all the nations which he had subdued— 12 from Syria, from Moab, from the people of Ammon, from the Philistines, from Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
    13 And David made himself a name when he returned from killing eighteen thousand Syrians in the Valley of Salt. 14 He also put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David's servants. And the LORD preserved David wherever he went.
    15 So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered judgment and justice to all his people. 16 Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 17 Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; Seraiah was the scribe; 18 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief ministers.

King David defeated the enemies of God’s people to include the Philistines, Moab, Syria, and other rulers around them.  He was used by God to continue the work of ridding the promised land of the idolatrous inhabitants which opposed the LORD and His people as they were commanded to do after entering in to the country He prepared for them.  They were to do their part of obedience by clearing the land where they would live and nowhere else, but failed to do so.  The constant battles allowed wandering Israel to be given into submission to the these ungodly nations until the judges tried somewhat to rid the land of them; now the chosen and anointed ruler was doing this.  He was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22-23) and the channel of redemption for all His children by faith as promised to Abraham (Galatians 3:7-9).  David reigned over all God’s people as Christ Jesus reigns over all these and others whom He calls in his seed (Romans 4:16-18, Acts 2:39).  He also provided justice and judgment, just as Christ rules over all in judgment (John 5:22) and justice (Romans 3:20, 24) now and forever.  We have a heavenly country and King over all, and He gives us victory over the ungodly (1 Corinthians 15:57) in Himself as our champion and Sovereign.  The life of David and his deeds for God’s people foreshadowed the true rule and redemptive freedom of his Seed from the original promise of Genesis 3:15 to the lineage of David in 2 Samuel 7:12 and Matthew 1:1, to the cross outside the city of David and of God for our justification and deliverance from our state of sin as enemies of God’s wrath.  Amen.

Awestruck by Grace of the Calling

2 Samuel 7:18-29
    18 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said: “Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? 19 And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord GOD; and You have also spoken of Your servant's house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD? 20 Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord GOD, know Your servant. 21 For Your word's sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them. 22 Therefore You are great, O Lord GOD. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name—and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land—before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods? 24 For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, LORD, have become their God.
    25 “Now, O LORD God, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said. 26 So let Your name be magnified forever, saying, ‘The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel.’ And let the house of Your servant David be established before You. 27 For You, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You.
    28 “And now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant. 29 Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You, O Lord GOD, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever.”

King David sat down to take in the promised work of God through him and his descendants and specifically his seed, and was in awe before the LORD and the words spoken to him.  He did not feel entitled or count himself deserving of any of this.  No, he began in prayer before God alone to ask how He would do such things with someone so insignificant and undeserving as he counted himself before the Holy and Almighty one.  He was awestruck by the grace of his calling.  He reflected on how far God had brought him and used him to glorify the name of the LORD, and acknowledged that such great things were no large task for Him.  He knew the calling of God and the promises of the seed to establish a kingdom without end.  He acknowledged that God knew him and yet still made these promises and blessed him through the sufferings for His glory.  He was still and thankful that the LORD chose a people eternally for Himself, delivering from bondage and redeeming them at His own cost, just as He has redeemed we who are in Christ by deliverance from sin and by the work of His choosing alone.  He has become our God as He became Israel’s, for together we are all His people whom He calls to Himself.  David also knew that his house would be established by grace alone in the promise of his seed to rule forever, which seed is the Christ of his seed which we find explained in the giving of the New Testament of grace to us.  This was David’s motivation to pray with praise and an eternally thankful heart, and is the pattern by example for us to imitate toward God for all His work and calling in His Son for a promised never ending citizenship in His eternal kingdom in the City of God.  Like David, we too acknowledge the truth of His scripture, His written and living word of promises to us.  We pray for that rule of His Son to begin in our hearts at regeneration and to continue before His face forever in the resurrection of the dead to come.  We have heard and believed His promised salvation in Christ Jesus our Lord, and are humbled in awestruck wonder at His work of grace; therefore we follow evermore to please in willing obedience out of love in return for the One who first loved us.  As David said, He has willingly spoken it and we will be undeservingly blessed in this deliverance from sin and judgment by His work of choosing us in His Son by grace alone forever and ever, amen.  

God's Messianic Covenant Through David

2 Samuel 7:1-17
    1 Now it came to pass when the king was dwelling in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies all around, 2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains.” 3 Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.”
    4 But it happened that night that the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying, 5 “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? 6 For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7 Wherever I have moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’ 8 Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth. 10 Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, 11 since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the LORD tells you that He will make you a house.
    12 “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. 15 But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”
    17 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

God made a covenant with King David after he had peace from warring enemies and a desire to build a permanent temple for the tabernacle.  He did not think it was right that he should have a luxurious palace while the meeting place of God for worship and sacrifices should be goatskin tents with hanging curtains (Exodus 26:1-3).  He wanted not to replace God’s design, but make the traveling tabernacle a permanent structure in its permanent home in the city of David where the LORD had brought him.  The prophet David inquired of to God for permission to build this at first just thought it was a good idea and advised him to do what he thought was in his heart.  Then the LORD told Nathan that He had no problem with the mobile tabernacle He gave His people, and that He had chosen and gone with David to this point without asking him to build such a structure.  He also promised that He would provide the place and time for all things, including one for His people to settle and inhabit permanently.  God made David a house.  The seed of David would have an established kingdom, fixed and stable, which would be perpetual as He is (עוֹלָם ‘ôlâm).  That one would build the house of God, not David, whose kingdom would last forever as the Father’s Son.  In one sense this meant Solomon would build an earthly temple, but it was also an eternal covenant through the seed of David (John 7:42, Romans 1:3), the Messiah/Christ, whose promised kingdom would be without end.  On the human side, faithfulness to avoid sin and be disciplined when committing it, mercy to not be taken away as from Saul who rejected Him, and and established throne of a kingdom without end were promised.  This earthly covenant was also a prophetic shadow of the heavenly one with Christ as the eternal ruler in a house not built with hands (Hebrews 8:2, 5, 9:11, Revelation 21:3).  This is the throne which is from forever to forever in the heavens and which will be on the earth in the new Jerusalem by the new covenant in Jesus the Christ, our Lord and Savior.  This prophecy and promised covenant is to David and God’s chosen people through His Seed to all (Romans 1:3-4, Galatians 3:16) He calls and enter into that covenant in His blood.  This foreshadowing is told here for us to find wonder and awe in God’s sovereign work and promises. 

Undignified Humility

Undignified Humility

2 Samuel 6:1-23
    1 Again David gathered all the choice men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, whose name is called by the Name, the LORD of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. 3 So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. 4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of God; and Ahio went before the ark. 5 Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the LORD on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals. 6 And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God. 8 And David became angry because of the LORD'S outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place Perez Uzzah to this day.
    9 David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the LORD come to me?” 10 So David would not move the ark of the LORD with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 11 The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And the LORD blessed Obed-Edom and all his household.
    12 Now it was told King David, saying, “The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with gladness. 13 And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep. 14 Then David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.
    16 Now as the ark of the LORD came into the City of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart. 17 So they brought the ark of the LORD, and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 18 And when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. 19 Then he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israel, both the women and the men, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed, everyone to his house.
    20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”  21 So David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the LORD. 22 And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.”  23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

The Ark of God’s covenant with His people Israel was in the house of Abinadab (1 Samuel 7:1) after those of Beth Shemesh received it when returned by the Philistines, and the men of Kirjath Jearim came and took the ark there.  Now that David was crowned as king over all Israel, he wanted to bring it into the new capital of Jerusalem among God’s people.  He took thirty thousand with him to get the Ark, but the lack of faith by Abinadab’s son Uzzah caused him to steady the Ark on the cart by hand, not trusting the LORD to keep what only the priests should touch by the carrying poles.  He was killed as a consequence, and the journey to Jerusalem was stopped.  David was angry at the LORD for Uzzah’s death, while He should have trembled at His holy majesty and been humbled instead.  The Ark therefore rested at and blessed the house of Obed-Edom for three months until David saw it was safe and was a blessing, not a curse, to those who honored and feared Him.  He learned and humbled himself with music and unbridled dancing to celebrate along the return trip, with his whole being so joyful for the Ark to finally come to the tabernacle with its prepared place.  But Saul’s daughter and David’s wife Michal despised David for two reasons, namely because he had the success of the LORD which her defeated father never had, and because she was jealous that other women would be looking at David dancing in that manner.  She did not understand the celebration of absolute joy form her husband to the LORD God, and that ended up costing her dearly, having no children as a result.  David’s undignified humility in praising God for His presence entering the tabernacle so the high priest could enter the holy of holiness to intercede for His people and atone for their sins was reason for dancing with all his might in plain sight.  He was more concerned with worship than mere appearances.  This is a lesson for us as well, to not allow jealousy or customary limitations on worship keep us from expressing our entire heart to Him in thanksgiving for our atonement in eternal salvation by Jesus’s sacrifice to enter the holy of holies (Hebrews 9:12, 25), once for all His chosen people forever (Hebrews 7:25, 27)!  Let us therefore be always glad with undignified humility and rejoice in Him who entered into that place to forever intercede for us, the one who one day will call us into the celestial City of God (Hebrews 11:22, Revelation 21:2, 22) where we will see Him face to face at last (Job 19:26-27).  Amen! 

United and Delivered by the Chosen

2 Samuel 5:1-25
    1 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, “Indeed we are your bone and your flesh. 2 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.’ ” 3 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. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
    6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, “You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you,” thinking, “David cannot come in here.” 7 Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David).  8 Now David said on that day, “Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David's soul), he shall be chief and captain.” Therefore they say, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.”
    9 Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the City of David. And David built all around from the Millo and inward. 10 So David went on and became great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.  11 Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters and masons. And they built David a house. 12 So David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted His kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.
    13 And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron. Also more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 Now these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
    17 Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. 18 The Philistines also went and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. 19 So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?”  And the LORD said to David, “Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand.”  20 So David went to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there; and he said, “The LORD has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 21 And they left their images there, and David and his men carried them away.
    22 Then the Philistines went up once again and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. 23 Therefore David inquired of the LORD, and He said, “You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 24 And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the LORD will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” 25 And David did so, as the LORD commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer.

Israel was finally united by the one chosen by the LORD after the last of Saul’s house was gone and the people who had followed him remembered David’s victories in battle under Saul.  They realized David was of the same people who were God’s, and that the LORD had called and chosen him to lead His people as their shepherd.  Therefore the elders made him king in a covenant with the LORD who had chosen him.  He took Jerusalem as his city and center of rule in spite of being taunted that the blind and lame would repel Israel’s forces; they were easily defeated and a byword was formed about the blind and lame not coming into the house to mock the memory of those assuming their little might was stronger than that of God’s people in His might.  Since God was with King David, he was able to build up and fortify his city on the hill and know it was a kingdom glorified to glorify Him through His chosen one, David.  He repeatedly defeated his enemies the Philistines by God’s work and might as he sought direction and authority of counsel to attack, knowing that if the LORD promised victory, it would be granted.  This shows is that God chooses us as His people in Christ, the chosen and anointed Messiah who is the deliverer, the Savior, of all His people.  We fight the good fight for the souls of the lost under certain judgement to condemnation, knowing in His strength and counsel we will be victorious with the words of life (Acts 5:20) that give the victory of deliverance from sin’s due and certain penalty.  In Christ we attack the enemy’s lies of doubting God’s word with the freeing truth of trusting the living Word (John 1:1, 8:31-32) to believe in and receiving for that salvation (John 1:12) which cannot be returned or lost (John 10:28-29).  This is the gospel of Jesus the Christ and we are His chosen people who fight against hidden forces of darkness (Ephesians 3:10, 6:12) to open dungeon doors and flood the hopeless with the light of life (John 8:12), bringing them out of darkness (Acts 26:18).  This is the victory in Christ, His salvation through the grace of the gospel.  We are delivered and united by the Chosen.  

Vengeful Wrath Does not Work Righteousness

2 Samuel 4:1-12
    1 When Saul's son heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost heart, and all Israel was troubled. 2 Now Saul's son had two men who were captains of troops. The name of one was Baanah and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin. (For Beeroth also was part of Benjamin, 3 because the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have been sojourners there until this day.) 4 Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel; and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.
    5 Then the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out and came at about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who was lying on his bed at noon. 6 And they came there, all the way into the house, as though to get wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. 7 For when they came into the house, he was lying on his bed in his bedroom; then they struck him and killed him, beheaded him and took his head, and were all night escaping through the plain. 8 And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron, and said to the king, “Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul your enemy, who sought your life; and the LORD has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and his descendants.”
    9 But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all adversity, 10 when someone told me, saying, ‘Look, Saul is dead,’ thinking to have brought good news, I arrested him and had him executed in Ziklag—the one who thought I would give him a reward for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous person in his own house on his bed? Therefore, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and remove you from the earth?” 12 So David commanded his young men, and they executed them, cut off their hands and feet, and hanged them by the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner in Hebron.

Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth was saved at the age of five when Saul and Jonathan were killed in battle, but his guardian nurse dropped him and made him lame.  Ishbosheth another son of Saul became king of Israel for 7 years after Saul’s death in battle instead of David, who was chosen by the LORD to be king after Saul.  After Abner was murdered, sons of Saul’s captains gave up hope for Saul’s line in Ishbosheth to rule, and murdered him in his bed by subterfuge.  They thought they did well in bringing his head to David as a sign of loyalty to prove they supported David as king, but David reminded them how he was not pleased when Saul died as the LORD’s anointed, and was not pleased now either.  He told them that it was wicked to kill a righteous man in his bed, and had them executed for this heinous act.  Then he buried Ishbosheth‘s head with Abner.  This demonstrates that righteousness and loyalty are not won by wicked works of plotting murder to prove allegiance, but allowing God to have His way of vengeance or restoration as He chooses.  Taking matters of perceived justice in our own hands never works the righteous works of God (Romans 12:19, James 1:20).  Putting matters into His hands and awaiting His sovereign timing is what He expects from us.  Remember those who tried to please the earthly leader here by taking what they perceived as justice and suffered for it at the price of their lives.  Our anger at what we see as injustice is not made right by sinful violence.  Vengeful wrath does not ever work righteousness; at best it is merely selfish and misguided thinking.  

Vengeance, Deceit, Murder, and Mourning

2 Samuel 3:22-39
    22 At that moment the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all the troops that were with him had come, they told Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace.” 24 Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you; why is it that you sent him away, and he has already gone? 25 Surely you realize that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”
    26 And when Joab had gone from David's presence, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it. 27 Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.  28 Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “My kingdom and I are guiltless before the LORD forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father's house; and let there never fail to be in the house of Joab one who has a discharge or is a leper, who leans on a staff or falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.” 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
    31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” And King David followed the coffin. 32 So they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33 And the king sang a lament over Abner and said:

      “Should Abner die as a fool dies?
      34 Your hands were not bound
      Nor your feet put into fetters;
      As a man falls before wicked men, so you fell.” 

Then all the people wept over him again.

    35 And when all the people came to persuade David to eat food while it was still day, David took an oath, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down!” 36 Now all the people took note of it, and it pleased them, since whatever the king did pleased all the people. 37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king's intent to kill Abner the son of Ner. 38 Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? 39 And I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too harsh for me. The LORD shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.”

Vengeance, Deceit, Murder, and Mourning.  These are all seen here as Abner sincerely came to David to support him and leave the old loyalty to Saul’s house behind, but Joab the son of David's sister Zeruiah and general of David's army had other plans.  He sought vengeance for his brother’s death by Abner in battle (2 Samuel 2:18, 22-23), putting that anger above the greater good of having Abner align with David in battle against their enemy.  David mad It clear that he did not order nor condone this execution, and the people were pleased with the sincerity of mourning for an enemy turned ally who was wickedly murdered for revenge; he even made it clear that those of Zeruiah (of whom Joab was one of the three sons) would be recompensed by the LORD for their evil deeds.  Joab was given a special proclamation of God’s curse on him and his descendants for this treacherously evil action.  God hates murder, deceit, and vengeance, and judgment waits for the perpetrators of these thoughts and deeds.  We also find that it is good and right to lament those who turn from evil to do good, who transform from the enemies of the Lord to His allies.  We should especially honor and love all those who turn from wicked lifestyles to sincere followers of Jesus Christ, not recalling past sins, but showering love and acceptance with fellow sinners in the New Covenant.  Vengeance belongs to the Lord (Deuteronomy 32:35, Romans 12:19), and we are to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44) even before they are regenerated as we have been (Romans 5:10) and mourn when they are spitefully treated or even killed.  Mercy triumphs over judgment as James 2:13 reminds us of our responsibility to live love as mercy in action; it is the Lord alone who is responsible to judge others.

Changing Loyalties

2 Samuel 3:1-21

    1 Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.  2 Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3 his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; 4 the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 and the sixth, Ithream, by David's wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.
    6 Now it was so, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was strengthening his hold on the house of Saul.
    7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?”  8 Then Abner became very angry at the words of Ishbosheth, and said, “Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? Today I show loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman? 9 May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David as the LORD has sworn to him— 10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.” 11 And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.
    12 Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to David, saying, “Whose is the land?” saying also, “Make your covenant with me, and indeed my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel to you.”  13 And David said, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you: you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face.” 14 So David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15 And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 Then her husband went along with her to Bahurim, weeping behind her. So Abner said to him, “Go, return!” And he returned.
    17 Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel, saying, “In time past you were seeking for David to be king over you. 18 Now then, do it! For the LORD has spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of My servant David, I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and the hand of all their enemies.’ ” 19 And Abner also spoke in the hearing of Benjamin. Then Abner also went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and the whole house of Benjamin.
    20 So Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. 21 Then Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

The long war between God’s anointed and the descendants of Saul the rejected king was drawn out, but gradually David and his forces gained the upper hand of strength.  Here we see how Abner the old commander under Saul began to grab more power from Saul’s son who was appointed king over Israel.  But when that son accused Abner of sleeping with a concubine of Saul, Abner set his heart on changing loyalties and supporting David for king as the LORD had chosen him.  His anger moved him to support God’s man instead of loyalty to the former king’s line.  He therefore sent word to David to make a covenant to support him to take the kingdom from Ishbosheth the son of Saul.  David agreed, as long as he got his wife Michal back whom Saul had taken away and given to another.  She was sent back by Saul’s son.  Then Abner talked with the elder leaders of Israel to sway them to support David and then to the Benjamites in David’s presence to show his sincerity of purpose.  Abner and some of his followers dined with David in a feast and left in peace to gather Israel together to make a covenant with David as king over them as over Judah, wishing David a good rule over all God’s people.  We see here that loyalties may change due to external circumstances which reveal a deeper existing desire to do what is right before the Lord.  Abner knew David was chosen by God to be king, but his loyalty to the former king who rejected the LORD and was rejected by the same was now put where it should be.  We may likewise find ourselves on the wrong side of God due to misplaced loyalty, but can be influenced to see clearly where we should be and who we must follow.  Let it be according to God’s word and will and way. 

Chosen and Rebellious Kings and Subjects

2 Samuel 2:1-32
    1 It happened after this that David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?” And the LORD said to him, “Go up.” David said, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “To Hebron.”  2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 3 And David brought up the men who were with him, every man with his household. So they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
    4 Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who buried Saul.” 5 So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “You are blessed of the LORD, for you have shown this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him. 6 And now may the LORD show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing. 7 Now therefore, let your hands be strengthened, and be valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
    8 But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim; 9 and he made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 10 Ishbosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David. 11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
    12 Now Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. So they sat down, one on one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool. 14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men now arise and compete before us.”  And Joab said, “Let them arise.”  15 So they arose and went over by number, twelve from Benjamin, followers of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. 16 And each one grasped his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent's side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called the Field of Sharp Swords, which is in Gibeon. 17 So there was a very fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.
    18 Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was as fleet of foot as a wild gazelle. 19 So Asahel pursued Abner, and in going he did not turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.  20 Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Are you Asahel?”  He answered, “I am.”  21 And Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay hold on one of the young men and take his armor for yourself.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. 22 So Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I face your brother Joab?” 23 However, he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the blunt end of the spear, so that the spear came out of his back; and he fell down there and died on the spot. So it was that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.
    24 Joab and Abishai also pursued Abner. And the sun was going down when they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah by the road to the Wilderness of Gibeon. 25 Now the children of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became a unit, and took their stand on top of a hill. 26 Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the latter end? How long will it be then until you tell the people to return from pursuing their brethren?”
    27 And Joab said, “As God lives, unless you had spoken, surely then by morning all the people would have given up pursuing their brethren.” 28 So Joab blew a trumpet; and all the people stood still and did not pursue Israel anymore, nor did they fight anymore. 29 Then Abner and his men went on all that night through the plain, crossed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron; and they came to Mahanaim.
    30 So Joab returned from pursuing Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel. 31 But the servants of David had struck down, of Benjamin and Abner's men, three hundred and sixty men who died. 32 Then they took up Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at daybreak.

Will the sword forever devour among God’s people?  We have the tale of a chosen (anointed by God) and a rebellious king here, one as a lion set over the tribe of Judah, and the other of Saul’s lineage (the one who rejected the LORD and His anointed).  David was chosen by God and the people of Judah, while Saul’s line was chosen by his old commander who swayed popular opinion to make Saul’s heir king over Israel.  David sought the guidance of a God as to where to go, ending up in Hebron where he was crowned; Saul’s son was put in place by the defeated commander of Israel after Saul’s death.  The contrast is obvious to us now, but the partisan plotting against the LORD and His anointed was less clear so soon after the defeat then.  Abner the commander faced off with Joab of Judah’s army and a battle led to a pursuit by Joab and Asahel which ended in Asahel‘s death by Abner.  Joab asked if the sword would forever be devouring the people of God in endless pursuit and battles, and Joab relented from killing him.  Many of Saul’s followers of his son’s kingdom fell, but only a few of David’s.  This was the beginning of a long battle between Judah and the other tribes of Israel until they were united.  We learn from this passage that political loyalties which ignore the Lord’s choosing only align with a battle that devours His people instead of uniting them.  May we learn this critical lesson in our own time, even if we no longer live in a theocracy like Israel.  No matter the form of government, monarchy or democracy, the Lord appoints the ruler (Romans 13:1, Daniel 2:21), and we should follow; nonetheless, it is even more important to follow the leaders He chooses within the local church we serve in (Hebrews 13:7, 17).

Sorrow in Song of Remembrance

2 Samuel 1:17-27
    17 Then David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son, 18 and he told them to teach the children of Judah the Song of the Bow; indeed it is written in the Book of Jasher:

19 “The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places!
How the mighty have fallen!

20 Tell it not in Gath,
Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon—
Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

21 “O mountains of Gilboa,
Let there be no dew nor rain upon you,
Nor fields of offerings.
For the shield of the mighty is cast away there!
The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

22 From the blood of the slain,
From the fat of the mighty,
The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
And the sword of Saul did not return empty.

23 “Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives,
And in their death they were not divided;
They were swifter than eagles,
They were stronger than lions.

24 “O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet, with luxury;
Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

25 “How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan was slain in your high places.

26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
You have been very pleasant to me;
Your love to me was wonderful,
Surpassing the love of women.

27 “How the mighty have fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!”

How the mighty have fallen!  This song was a eulogy expressing sorrow in a song of remembrance for God-given friendship of the LORD’s chosen leader who fell away and his son who was King David’s best friend, trusted and loved in a godly manner, not in a perverse way as some would twist the meaning to fit their own aberrant thinking.  David lamented their loss in battle, and composed a song to teach Israel to sing in remembrance and contemplation of their lives.  The song was not to be sung among the enemies of God’s people, but among themselves who would appreciate the homage and love behind the loss in battle, not as a triumph among their enemies.  It praised their valor in battle, not relenting until the final blow was struck against the LORD’s enemies and those of His people.  The song remembers the good of Saul and Jonathan together in life and solidarity in fighting together to the death in this battle.  It called Israel to lament their loss and remember the benefits of their rule (not emphasizing the failure of Saul who had gone astray in rejection of the LORD, but the good, since he fought for God’s people to the death).  David recalled the deep friendship with Jonathan and his grief in the loss of such a good friend and confidant.  The war was lost, the mighty fallen in the fray, but the song did say how to remember them.  We can learn how to lament the loss of God’s servants among His people by remembrance of the good over criticism of their failings after they die, whether in service or having wandered away.  Let us praise their goodness and calling over their failures as David composed this eulogy of song here.  Amen and amen. 

Killing the LORD’s Anointed

2 Samuel 1:1-16
    1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag, 2 on the third day, behold, it happened that a man came from Saul's camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head. So it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the ground and prostrated himself.
    3 And David said to him, “Where have you come from?”  So he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.”  4 Then David said to him, “How did the matter go? Please tell me.”  And he answered, “The people have fled from the battle, many of the people are fallen and dead, and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.”  5 So David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?”  6 Then the young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance to be on Mount Gilboa, there was Saul, leaning on his spear; and indeed the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. 7 Now when he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ So I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 He said to me again, ‘Please stand over me and kill me, for anguish has come upon me, but my life still remains in me.’ 10 So I stood over him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.”
    11 Therefore David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
    13 Then David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?”  And he answered, “I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite.”  14 So David said to him, “How was it you were not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go near, and execute him!” And he struck him so that he died. 16 So David said to him, “Your blood is on your own head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the LORD'S anointed.’ ”

Saul and his were sons were killed in battle, and David was resting from a successful battle of his own against the enemy Amalekites, when a survivor from Saul’s camp came to him.  He recounted how Israel was routed and everyone left alive ran away from the slaughter.  He also told David that the royal family members were all dead.  Then he told how he came across the LORD’s anointed who was still alive and in great pain after trying to take his own life to keep the enemy from mitigating and gloating over him (1 Samuel 31:4-5).  This witness brought the crown to David as proof and probably because everyone knew that David was anointed to be king after Saul.  David and his band mourned for them and all Israel who had perished in the battle, then took vengeance on the messenger for killing Saul as the LORD’s chosen king without consideration or fear and pit the blame for his death on the man himself because he should have known better than to kill Saul, no matter that the chances for his life were nonexistent; he should have let him die at God’s hand, not by man’s.   How opposite from Jesus Christ the Anointed King over all who was killed by man’s hand!  Of course this demonstrates how Jesus allowed this to point out that we all are guilty of His death by our sin which He took on Himself (Acts 2:23, 1 Peter 3:18) and died by the hands He appointed to do the deed that we might be atoned for.  How unsearchable are His ways (Romans 11:33, Ephesians 3:8) of grace in His death for our life!  The hands used to take His life are pardoned and justified by the willing death as the price paid for us to be granted justifying forgiveness!