Showing posts with label 2 Samuel 8-10. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2 Samuel 8-10. Show all posts

Monday, February 18, 2019

2 Samuel 11-12




2 Samuel 11 – David’s Adultery and Murder

     It was nigh time and David was pacing on his roof top, probably because he couldn't sleep.  He looked onto Bathsheba’s roof top and saw her bathing.  Instead of looking away, he continued to stare at her because she was very beautiful.  He gave into temptation.  He asked who she was and was told she was the wife of Uriah the Hittite.  That didn’t stop David.  He sent for her, she came to him and they slept together.  It seemed like David got away with his sin, but later Bathsheba told David she was pregnant.  David was caught and now he had to find a way to get out of this mess.

First of all David should have been on the battle field instead of in Jerusalem and he would have not been tempted.  Bathsheba should have not been bathing on the roof for others to see.  David’s sin was not seeing her, but choosing to keep his eyes on her.  David had many wives and power as king, but must have not been satisfied with all God had given him.  David could have taken himself out of this situation at the moment of temptation like Joseph when he ran from Potiphar’s wife.

The pleasures of sin look enticing and beautiful, but can cause even more sin if we give into it.  David committed adultery in his heart up on the roof even before he practiced it.  David knew it was wrong, but did it anyway.  He just wasn’t thinking but acted on his feelings, desires and impulses.

When have you sinned and then tried to cover it up?
When have you let Satan convince you to do something you knew was wrong?

When David heard of the pregnancy, he should have repented.  Instead he did what a lot of sinners do and tried to hide his sin.  They sin more to get out of the original sin.  He wanted to draw Uriah back home so he would sleep with his wife, which would give a reason for her pregnancy.  He sent for Uriah hoping he would go home to Bathsheba, but Uriah didn’t go home so David’s plan didn’t work.  So he had to try again.  He invited Uriah to eat and drink with him hoping he would get him drunk.  Still Uriah didn’t go home to Bathsheba.  Now he must figure out another plan – a more drastic one. 

Uriah was not a selfish man.  He had a duty to the other soldiers.  He didn’t want to enjoy what his fellow soldiers couldn’t.  He was a man of integrity and loyal to the king’s interests rather than to his own pleasures. 

David’s lust was so powerful that he wanted Uriah dead.  David sent a note to Joab with Uriah and arranged Uriah’s death by hiding it in battle.  Unknowingly Uriah carried the note that led to his own death.  Joab without knowing the facts, obeyed David’s command.  He sent Uriah to the front line where the fighting was the fierce and he was killed.  This was the same as if David had killed Uriah himself.

Satan tempted David little by little – lust on the roof, sending for another man’s wife, sleeping with her, lies to Uriah, then murder of Uriah.  David could have stopped at any time, but he gave in at every point.  One sin led to another and another.  His lust turned into adultery, lies, deception and murder.  Now that Uriah was dead David took Bathsheba as his wife and they had a son.  God of course witnessed all this and was displeased with David.

Principle:  God knows everything even what’s done in secret.

Sin is never hidden from God.  The only answer to sin is confession and repentance.  When we sin we’ve sinned against God.  We have choices to make every day just like David.  We can learn from this incident in his life.  We can pray for discernment in our choices and if we walk down the wrong path, pray that God will empower us to change our course.  But if we do end up in sin, we should be honest and repent instead of trying to cover it up and avoid taking responsibility.

2 Samuel 12 – David Rebuked

God knows our hearts and He knew David was miserable in his guilt and was ready to repent.  God sent Nathan to David and Nathan told him a story about a rich man with many sheep.  The man took a pet lamb from a poor man and slaughtered it his dinner guests.  This made David very angry and he commanded death to the man.  Nathan told David that he was this man.  David had to condemn his own sin before he could find forgiveness.  David confessed immediately and submitted to God’s discipline which would be the death of his newborn son and later painful consequences in David’s family.
 
Through Nathan God explained to David all that He had given him, but instead of gratitude David sought out sin.  David didn’t get angry with Nathan and attack him for confronting him.  He recognized it was his sin and he was responsible.  He didn’t make excuses or blame Joab or God.  He confessed that he had sinned against God. 

Principle:  God exposes sin and leads His children to repentance.

If we don’t confess our sin, we become slaves to our guilt.  We don’t have to be slaves, God is gracious, compassionate and merciful.  When we repent, He forgives.  He may severely deal with our sins, but we can trust He does everything for our good.

David repented immediately and God forgave David immediately.  Nathan told David that God had taken away his sin and he was not going to die, but because of David’s sin his son would die.  David pleaded with God for his child.  He even fasted refusing to eat or drink.  On the 7th day his son died.  David had a sense of peace, because he would meet him in heaven one day.  To me this is an assurance that children who die at a young age will go to heaven.

Why is it so easy to drift from the Lord?
How often do you manipulate your circumstances to fit your needs?
What tempts you?
What steps do you take to guard against that temptation?
Have you ever told yourself that you’ve done something so unthinkable that God would never forgive you?

David and Bathsheba bore another son and God called him Jedidiah, which means “loved of the Lord”.  He was the son born out of a marriage that began in adultery, but who would be heir to David’s throne.  David had other sons, but God chose this son to be an ancestor of Jesus to demonstrate the truth that God forgives repentant sinners.  This son was the one who would later build the temple. 

Jedidiah was more of a nickname, because later in 1 Chronicles 22:9 God told David to call him Solomon, which means peace.
 
Principle:  God forgives and restores repentant sinners.

Joab fought against Rabbah and Ammon, but wanted to capture the city.  He told David to come and finish the war or Joab would take credit for the defeat himself.  David went and finished the victory which he should have done all along instead of staying in Jerusalem.

Next time we will continue in the book of 2 Samuel.  See you here next time.
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Tuesday, February 12, 2019

2 Samuel 8-10



2 Samuel 8 – David’s Subdues Philistines and Moabites 

The Philistines were Israel’s neighboring enemy.  Samson fought the Philistines in Judges 13-16.  It was the Philistines who defeated Israel and captured the ark in 1 Samuel 4. Jonathan attacked the Philistines in 1 Samuel 14.  David killed Goliath who was a Philistine and led the pursuit of them in 1 Samuel 17. David found sanctuary with the Philistines in 1 Samuel 21 and 27The Philistines defeated Israel’s army and killed Saul and his 2 sons in 1 Samuel 31.  Now in 2 Samuel 8 as king, David defeated the Philistines.

King David also defeated and subdued the Moabites.  He killed 2/3 of the Moabites and let 1/3 live.  David dedicated to the Lord all the articles of silver, gold and bronze that had been plundered.  These victories were a testimony of the Lord’s power in David’s life and for Israel.  It made other nations respect Israel and God.  The Lord gave David victory wherever he went and David always gave the Lord the credit.

If we would dedicate more of our resources to God, there would be less poverty and less dependence on the government.  When we can dedicate our time reading and studying the Bible, it draws us closer to Him and we grow in faith.  God has given each person talents and gifts.  By using them we become witnesses for Him and it furthers His kingdom. 

What have you dedicated to God?

Principle:  Obedience leads us to victory in life. 

How could David kill so many?  David is God’s king and King of Israel.  He rules for God.  These Moabites were enemies of Israel and so were enemies of God.  Remember he did show mercy and let 1/3 live.

David reigned over all Israel and administered judgment and justice to all his people.  This is how God wanted Saul to reign, but he resisted and rejected the Lord.  Because David allowed God to subdue him so the nations were subdued by God for David. 

No great ruler succeeds by himself.  Part of David’s success was because of his ability to empower and maintain a team.  David always showed great leadership.  He was strong, bold, and confident in the Lord.  He was just, wise and a good organizer.  He put together a team that worked together.  Joab was over the army; Jehoshaphat was the recorder; Zadak and Ahimelech were priests; Seraiah was secretary; Benaiah was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were royal advisers.

How do you think others will describe you? 
Will they say you were an encourager and a person of integrity?  Will they say you were compassionate, kind, and full of humility?
If not, what’s keeping from being that kind of person?

2 Samuel 9 – David’s Shows Grace to Mephibosheth

Usually when a new king came to power all the family members of the former king were killed in order to keep them from trying to regain the throne.  David didn’t do that.  Instead he asked if there were any of Saul’s family still alive so he could help them.

He found out that Saul’s son, Jonathan who had been David’s best friend, had a lame son named Mephibosheth.  David remembered his promise to Jonathan to always show kindness to his family.  So Mephibosheth was brought into the palace and ate at the king’s table like one of his sons.  He restored to him all the land that belonged to his grandfather, Saul.  David didn’t treat him kindly because he deserved it, but because he had made a covenant with Jonathan.

Do you tend to look down on those you consider unworthy?
What is keeping you from showing kindness to someone who is undeserving?
Do you only do what is required or do you ever go beyond in generosity and love?

This is a wonderful example of grace.  We are like Mephibosheth.  He once walked with his father as man walked with God.  But sin came and mankind fell and was left spiritually cripple.  Our nature separates us from God.  We are hiding in our sin and are fearful of the Lord.  We are separated from our King because of our sin.   Although we were helpless and hopeless like Mephibosheth, God welcomes us into His family when we have done nothing to deserve it.  He sent Jesus to take our punishment for our sins.  It’s a free gift from God.  Now we can sit at the King’s table.  Because of this grace we have eternal life.  There is nothing we can do but be thankful and accept God’s gift of love and kindness.

Do you fear death?  You should if you are outside of Christ.  You face terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of fire which will last forever.  God seeks us exactly where we are, fallen in sin and far from God.  David and Jonathan made a covenant just as God made a covenant with His Son.  For His sake He shows us kindness.

Principle:  Grace seeks us where we are and brings us to the King’s presence.

2 Samuel 10 – David Defeats the Ammonites

Nahash, the Ammonite king had died and his son Hanun became the new king.  David wanted to show kindness to Hanun because his father had been kind to David.  So David sent a delegation of men to express his sympathy to Hanun, but Hanun suspected them as being spies.   Hanun seized David’s men and deliberately humiliated them.  He shaved off half of their beards, cut off part of their garments and sent them away.  Of course this insulted and humiliated the men.  This was as if Hanun had insulted the King David himself. 

The Ammonites realized they had made David angry so they prepared for war.  David sent his army to do battle.  The Ammonites came out to fight.  The enemy's armies in the front and the enemy's armies in the rear, but Joab put his faith in the Lord.  He told his men, “Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God.  The Lord will do what is good in his sight”2 Sam. 10:12  He knew the outcome was ultimately in God’s hands.  When Joab and his army advanced to fight, the enemies fled.   They couldn’t stand before Israel mighty men and they knew it.  Joab returned home to Israel.  Then the enemy regrouped so David gathered is men and went to battle.  Before the enemy fled again, David fought and killed 700 of those in chariots and 40,000 foot soldiers.  When they saw they were defeated by Israel, they finally got the point.  It doesn’t pay to fight against God’s King.  Those that survived made peace with Israel and became Israel’s subjects.  David became even more powerful.

Principle:  God’s works all things to the good of the believer.

Next time we will continue in the book of 2 Samuel.  See you here next time.
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