David had lived with the promise that he would be king for many years. He was learning painfully and slowly that the best way to receive a promise is to let God do it in his way and in his time. So when Saul died David did not rush to become Israel’s king.
We have entered the second book of Samuel, originally the two books were just one. At the beginning Israel was corrupt and had turned her back on God. God set in place a prophet Samuel, but that only led to the people asking for a King. However Israel’s first venture in to Kings and kingdoms was a failure and God replaced Saul with the shepherd boy David. David was a man after God’s own heart.
And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ Acts 13:22
David was fallible, very human. He struggled with his faith at times and yet simultaneously did some magnificent acts of faith. People of all types drew to him. He suffered injustice and forgave yet persevered trusting God in moments of great trial and failing God at other times. I love God’s description of a man after my own heart. Does this not fill you with hope and encouragement? Now at the beginning of 2 Samuel David is given his kingship.
David is at his base in Ziklag when a man arrives having come from the place where Saul died. This man claims to have helped Saul commit suicide (2 Samuel 1:5-10). The man is lying. In the midst of battle he must have come across Saul’s body and the body of his sons and thought he could use this information to his own advantage. Knowledge can be a powerful controlling thing. He gives David Saul’s crown and armlet. He obviously thought to do this would give him more worth than selling them. Maybe he expected a reward.
The man, an Amalekite, was not ready for David’s response. David and his men show immense grief. David interrogates the man (vs13-14) and orders his execution (vs 15-16)
It’s David’s attitude that struck me. David could have been bitter and angry, he could have thought glad he’s gone (haven’t we all thought that when someone has left the church?) The place will be better without him! Yet his grief and sorrow is genuine.
Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 2 Samuel 1:11-12
For years David had lived with Saul’s venomous hatred. Saul had made it his life’s ambition to kill David, yet when David had the opportunity to kill Saul he did not and would not.
David was full of forgiveness and generosity of heart towards Saul.
Let me say this again his grief was genuine, the loss he felt substantial.
In the Disney film Frozen, Elsa abandoned caution and gave up her good-girl persona to unleash her cold fury on the town of Arendelle. Her actions negatively affected everyone and everything around her. In our flesh, we’re tempted to unleash our pent-up, frozen fury on our friends rather than trust our Lord. Wisdom does not “let it go” like an ice queen. Instead it dies to self, showing constraint and turning the hurt over to Jesus, who most identifies with us in our pain and who meets us in our times of need.
David went the second mile. He took time to lament and write a song (we will look at the song next time) he honoured Saul and showed him great respect.
And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Matthew 5:41
Here Jesus appeals to the ancient custom in which a government official could legally commandeer or draft a civilian to help him to carry luggage, material, etc. The Roman military adopted this practice in Palestine. Evidently this was what happened in the case of Simon of Cyrene: “And they pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross” (Mark 15)
The Jews looked upon this obligation as especially onerous and degrading. It was tantamount to a personal insult. It was irritating and an obvious imposition. The point Jesus draws from it is this, be willing to be exploited and put upon for the sake of the gospel. Do not be irritated or exasperated when others take advantage of you. Go above and beyond the call of duty even when it entails an unjust imposition on your time, effort, and resources. As T. W. Manson said, “the first mile renders to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; the second mile, by meeting oppression with kindness, renders to God the things that are God’s.
John Stott speaks about a Christian counter-culture.
Christians should just be different. In the sermon on the mount Jesus says “do not be like them” it’s a call to be different. Different from the nominal institutional church, different from the secular world, different values, different behaviour, different relationships, different everything.
Followers of Jesus………..
Yet another brilliant blog Nigel. So many things to think about and reflect on… for me today one of the key things is from early on…….
“David was fallible, very human. He struggled with his faith at times and yet simultaneously did some magnificent acts of faith”….. Yup, and I can see echoes of myself in that (and probably all Christians would say the same). “He suffered injustice and forgave yet persevered trusting God in moments of great trail and failing God at other times”….. Yup, me again. In answer to your question…. YES Nigel, it does fill me with hope and encouragement.
I wouldn’t count my acts of faith magnificent, but it’s not for me to judge their magnificence and it would be very wrong for me to do so as “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven” Jn3:27. Therefore, I that I give only comes from what I have received. So I boast in the Lord and give thanks to the Lord, for it is He who is good, not me.
Nigel…. As we are able to begin meeting again as Church and as things return to some semblance of ‘normality’ or ‘a new normality’ (whatever that may be)…. Please, please, please continue blogging as you are currently. They are so good and so good for us individually and as Church. Thank you 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing.
I second Mr. Steve – this has been very helpful!
In the last couple of days, I have found my penchant for the conventional wisdom of following or opting for the path of least resistance in my decision-making being queried by God in many ways,
By all means, it does make sense to avoid all the extra hard work (possibly unwarranted), confrontations, insecurities, backlashes, ups and downs, and so on that one may have to face by following highly resistive paths. But what if God truly demands of us, to follow hard, difficult and resistive paths to enable us to maximise our potentials, fulfil His purposes and enter into His rest? No doubt, this is different and challenging.
David’s path was extremely difficult, challenging and resistive. Yes, he was indeed fallible and he struggled. Yet his life and times will always point to the fact that he did it “God’s Way – humility, generosity, forgiveness, penitence, and so on”. A bit different from the viewpoint of the world where celebrated “epitaphic” poems and songs subtly suggest we are better, stronger and more in tune with our “fate” as “Men/Women Going Their Own Way”.
We do need to be different by doing it God’s way – not some of the time, but all the time. We must also trust in God to have it His way in all our aspirations and pursuits.
Thanks again for sharing.
God bless.