2 Samuel Series - Week 22: Recognizing the Cost

  There’s a phrase that is use when people in the western world complain about things that have been unheard of in previous centuries. When someone complains that their internet is slow, they might hear the phrase, “First world problems.” The idea comes from the fact that we should be grateful that we have internet at all. When the line at the grocery store is taking long, and we complain, it’s a “first world problem, because there are places in this world that do not have the abundance that we do, so we should thankful that we get to stand in a line surrounded by food we are not desperate to eat. 

In a society that has been the most affluent in all of history, it is easy to become self-entitled to where the slightest inconvenience is world ending. There’s another saying that has gained ground in the last decade, “Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times (G. Michael Hopf, Those Who Remain).”

In a society built on the backs of hard work, the good times roll in, but the generations that get to enjoy that hard work take for granted what got them there.  

It’s this idea of taking for granted what one has, that brings us back to our series in the book of Second Samuel, where we’ll be picking it back up in Chapter 23, verse 8. And as we open up to Second Samuel 23:8, let’s review where we are, because we’re coming to the end of our series.

As we entered into our third and final section of Second Samuel, David’s Descent to Death, we have seen David experiencing the three more conflicts of his reign. He had to deal with the rebels inside Israel, Sheba and Joab, he had to make right the sins of Saul against the Gibeonites, and in his old age, he still had to defend the land against the Philistines. From those conflicts we walked away with the understanding that, God calls us into his refuge, not just for conflicts we cause, but for the conflicts brought on by others. Over the course of David’s life, he realized that only in the Lord would he find rest.

From this understanding we then read his Song of Deliverance. Through this song, David showed that he recognized that everything he had came from God who listened and acted to do great things through him. From David’s song, we understood that, One of the greatest lessons we could learn, is that faith is belief in action through thick or thin. No matter what the situation, or how we got there, we need to trust the Lord and walk where he has us. This lesson seems so elementary, and yet, it is at the heart of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. 

With the last two week refreshed in our minds, we can open up to Second Samuel 23:8. Today, we’re going to skip David’s final words in Chapter 23:1-7, and instead cover the last two chapters. The reason for this is because it will help us bridge David’s final words with what God prophetically did through him. 

Also we’re not going to read through Chapter 23, because the purpose begins in verse 8, and there are so many names that we’d be bogged down in understanding the purpose behind all the names. So we’re actually going to just read the first part of verse 8, and then jump to Chapter 24, where we’ll read parts of the last chapter.

Verse 8 of Chapter 23 reads, “These are the names of the mighty men whom David had …” This verse let’s us know that the rest of chapter 23 focuses on the thirty-seven mighty men of David. Why does the author of Samuel want us to know that David and these mighty men? One reason may be because they did amazing exploits. Another reason might be so that we understand Uriah, Bathsheba’s murdered husband, was one of those mighty men. However, as we read through Chapter 24, I think the reason for why the list of mighty men comes at this point, and not early, reveals itself.

So let’s drop down to Chapter 24, and read verses 1-4. “Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, ‘Go, number Israel and Judah.’ 2 So the king said to Joab, the commander of the army, who was with him, ‘Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and number the people, that I may know the number of the people.’ 3 But Joab said to the king, ‘May the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see it, but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?' 4 But the king's word prevailed against Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army went out from the presence of the king to number the people of Israel.” 

From verse 5 to verse 9 we’re told how the census happens and the number that came out of it, which was about 1.3 million strong men ready for battle.

Then verse 10 hits, “But David's heart struck him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the Lord, ‘I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.’ 11 And when David arose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, 12 ‘Go and say to David, ‘Thus says the Lord, Three things I offer you. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.’ 13 So Gad came to David and told him, and said to him, ‘Shall three years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days' pestilence in your land? Now consider, and decide what answer I shall return to him who sent me.’ 14 Then David said to Gad, ‘I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man.’ 15 So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning until the appointed time. And there died of the people from Dan to Beersheba 70,000 men.”

We need to stop and address what’s happening here. After David hears the number from the census, he realizes that he had sinned in ordering the census to be taken. But the question should be asked, why? Why was it a sin, when God himself told David to do it? Let’s walk through, what we know so far.

The chapter begins, and we’re told that God’s anger “… was kindled against Israel … (v.1)” And because of this, the Lord “incited David” to take a census. No reason for what God’s anger was kindled is given outright in the text. However, Joab is the one who pushed back on the king’s decision to take the census. Why? A census in and of itself isn’t wrong. A census was taken in Numbers Chapter 1 and 26. So what’s the issue here?

Joab says, “May the Lord your God add to the people …” The idea here is that Joab is saying, may there be greater numbers than we could count, because God has increased us beyond what we could known. Then Joab gives us a hint at what’s going on when he asks, “… why does my lord … delight in this …?” Joab’s asking, why is David putting his delight in numbers, rather than in God. This actually flys in the face of David’s song of rest. 

We talked last week that David realized that everything he had, whether that was the kingdom or his own abilities, all of it came from the Lord. But now, as he is growing older, he is delighting in the strength of the people’s numbers, rather than in the Lord’s ability. 

If we remember back to Gideon, in the book of Judges, God decreased his numbers to win the battle (Jdg. 7). Numbers mean very little to God, trust is more important. In this moment, David has allowed his trust to shift from God to numbers. David’s sin of trusting the might of his numbers rather than God is why we’re given the list of the mighty men. David has allowed the feats of his warriors to pull his heart away from God.

So that explains David’s thoughts, but it doesn’t explain why its tells that it was the Lord who incited David. If it was the Lord who incited David, how can David be guilty for the action?

This is a deeper and layered theological issue. For the author of Samuel, the focus is on the Lord. God is sovereign over all things in. There is nothing that happens that isn’t allowed or done by God itself. So when an evil spirit fell on Saul, it was said to have been sent by the Lord (1 Sam. 16:14, & 18:10). The author of Samuel isn’t making a full theological breakdown, but rather focusing on one aspect, which is the sovereignty of the Lord. David’s desire is already there, so the Lord “incites” him to follow through. Yet, that’s not the full story. We get the primary inciting force in 1 Chronicles 21, where the parallel passage states, "Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel. (v.21:1)”

It is Satan who is seeking ways to break Israel as a nation, who sees that David is becoming increasingly satisfied in the strength of his military, rather than in the Lord, and so incites him to take the census. For the author of Samuel, this can only happen because God allowed it. Going back to Saul, in the context of the evil spirit, the Spirit of God had been removed, and so Saul was empty and primed to be filled with something. God allowed this, as part of his divine judgment. When a person experiences the work of God, and then rejects that work, evil has a greater foothold in that person’s life. God allows these situations to occur, for the purpose of repentance.

We see this theology play out in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, where he tells the Church, “you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns. (1 Cor. 5:5)” 

Both parts are true: God is sovereign over all things, and there are times when he allows the footholds we allow in our lives, to be used by the enemy to bring about distancing from him. The purpose of which is to bring us back. 

So the context of the passage gives us the state of David’s and Israel’s heart: they were self-satisfied, and the Chronicler zeros in on the direct inciter of David wanting the census. David had already allowed a foothold in this life of self-aggrandizing, even though he knew everything had was from God. Satan took the opportunity to incite David, and God allowed it to wake David up.

And it did, David recognized in verse 10 that it was a sinful thing to take a census, because it came from a place self-satisfaction.

So then, God gives David three options for judgment: three years of famine, three months fleeing, like with Absalom, or three days of pestilence. And, to David’s credit, he makes an important statement in verse 14, “Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is great.” David asks for the Lord to choose in his mercy. So the 70,000 deaths, were the most merciful of the judgments. Think about how bad these others would have been.

Now, in verse 16, the angel of the Lord is carrying out judgment, and the Lord stays his hand from striking Jerusalem. Then in verse 17, we get another good move by David. We read, “Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, ‘Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me and against my father's house.’”

David takes ownership of the sin once again and pleads with God to put the judgment on himself and his house. So through the prophet Gad, the Lord tells him to build an alter on the threshing floor of a man named Araunah (a-raw-na). 

So David goes to Araunah, and asks to buy the mill from him. We pick up this interaction in verse 22, “Then Araunah said to David, ‘Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Here are the oxen for the burnt offering and the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king.’ And Araunah said to the king, ‘May the Lord your God accept you.’ (v. 22-23)” 

Araunah wants to give the mill to David without cost. However, here’s another point in David’s favor. David responds in verse 24, “But the king said to Araunah, ‘No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.’” 

David recognizes that there is a cost to following the Lord, and David doesn’t want someone else to pay it. This is where the book ends, not with the death of David, but with a final theological thought for the reader, “Are you willing to pay the cost of following God?”

Jesus, in Luke 14:27-28, would actually bring up this very concept when he told the people, “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?”

The gift of salvation is free, but that doesn’t mean it won’t cost us something. Following Jesus means that we will lose things like our self-focus, selfishness, the concept that we have our own say. We might lose finances, friends, jobs, our life. There is a cost to following God, however, that cost leads to great gain. Eternal life with the Creator of the universe is the ultimate gain. It is a gain that dwarfs any lost we experience and any cost that was incurred. But there is still a cost.

Billy Graham is quote as saying, “I have never known a man who received Christ and ever regretted it.”

Every person has to decide what cost is greater, the cost of losing in this life to gain the next, or to gain in this life to lose the next. In my estimation, the choice is clear. There is no short term gain worth enough to spend eternity apart from God.

But this the last thought the books of Samuel place on the reader. Through everything that has happened: from Hannah giving up Samuel to the Lord, to Samuel giving up his position as Judge, from Saul losing his kingdom, to David paying the cost of his sin, we are now asked, “Reader, are you willing to pay the cost that comes with follow the Lord?”

Today, as we only have one week left in our series on Samuel, let’s take a moment and think about the cost of following Jesus. We don’t have to pay for our sins, that cost was burdened by Jesus on the cross, but their is still a cost. So right now, I want us to think about the cost of follow Christ, have you accepted that cost? You might lose many thing sin this life, are you prepared for that?

If not, the enemy will use that thing that you desire, health, wealth, influence, stability, friends, family, whatever it is, as a place to naw at you so that you’ll turn away from God. The cost is high, but only for a little bit. The payoff however, is more than we can imagine. Right now, as I pray, I’m going to give us a moment of silence for you to spend speaking with Jesus about the cost. Then as you determine to follow, if you can, stand up as we sing our last two songs.

Let us be a people who have counted the cost, and look forward to the day, when the payment of Jesus is seen in full. Amen. 

2 Samuel Series - Week 21: Belief in Motion

  Years ago, most of those who led music in our congregation were only down during the winter months. We might not realize how much of a blessing it is to have so many participants in leading worship that we have today. 

In the past, it really fell to Laura Moore, with had canned music to back her up. When I learned guitar, I started to help out, and eventually began leading the music for our summer worship time. I believe that all eras of worship music should be played in the Church. Whether that’s hymns, choruses, or contemporary songs. The reason I believe this is because God gives every generation songs to sing back to him. But not everyone agrees with me. We had one lady, who has long since moved on from this congregation, who disagreed. She once told me, “I don’t understand why people need to keep writing new worship songs, when we have really good ones already.”

The problem with that line of thinking is, if the people of the past didn’t write new songs, we wouldn’t have the old ones to sing. There were songs before David, but through David God created the Psalter. We had hymns from the early Church, but through the work of God in the 1700 and 1800s, we have hymns such as Amazing Grace. Just think if we had the mindset of, no new songs, how many songs we sing today that wouldn’t have been written. 

In Ephesians 5:19 Paul writes, “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart …” Psalms are the songs found in Scripture, hymns are songs that champion the faith, and spiritual songs are new songs that the Spirit inspires in the believer. 

It’s a new song that David sung that brings us back into our series on Second Samuel where we’ll be picking it up in Chapter 22, as we look at the entire chapter this morning. As we open to Second Samuel 22:1, let’s remind ourselves where we are in the series.

Last week we began to third and final section of Second Samuel, that we are calling David’s Descent to Death. We looked at three points of conflict that David had to deal with as he moved beyond his darkest days. We talked about the rebels he had within his nation, about the sins of his predecessors that he had to deal with, and the enemies that were on his borders. Through it all we walked away with the understanding that, God calls us into his refuge, not just for conflicts we cause, but for the conflicts brought on by others, as well. No matter the conflict we should be resting in the Lord, and leaning on his strength to endure the situation.

With that refreshed in our minds we can now read through Second Samuel 22:1-51. And what I like to do with Psalms in the Bible is to read the entire thing and then break it down. For this I want to challenge you to close your eyes, and listen to the descriptions that David is giving, and picture them in your mind. Let’s read.

1 And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. 2 He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, 3 my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. 4 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. 5 “For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me; 6 the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. 7 “In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I called. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry came to his ears. 8 “Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations of the heavens trembled and quaked, because he was angry. 9 Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. 10 He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. 11 He rode on a cherub and flew; he was seen on the wings of the wind. 12 He made darkness around him his canopy, thick clouds, a gathering of water. 13 

Out of the brightness before him coals of fire flamed forth. 14 The Lord thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered his voice. 15 And he sent out arrows and scattered them; lightning, and routed them. 16 Then the channels of the sea were seen; the foundations of the world were laid bare, at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils. 17 “He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. 18 He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. 19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. 20 He brought me out into a broad place;  he rescued me, because he delighted in me. 21 “The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me. 22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God. 23 For all his rules were before me, and from his statutes I did not turn aside. 24 I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt. 25 And the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight. 26 “With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; 27 with the purified you deal purely, and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous. 28 You save a humble people, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down. 29 For you are my lamp, O Lord, and my God lightens my darkness. 30 For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. 31 This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. 32 “For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? 33 This God is my strong refuge and has made my way blameless. 34 He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. 35 He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 36 You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your gentleness made me great. 37 You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip; 38 I pursued my enemies and destroyed them, and did not turn back until they were consumed. 39 I consumed them; I thrust them through, so that they did not rise; they fell under my feet. 40 For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me. 41 You made my enemies turn their backs to me, those who hated me, and I destroyed them. 42 They looked, but there was none to save; they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them. 43 I beat them fine as the dust of the earth; I crushed them and stamped them down like the mire of the streets. 44 “You delivered me from strife with my people; you kept me as the head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me. 45 Foreigners came cringing to me; as soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me. 46 Foreigners lost heart and came trembling out of their fortresses. 47 “The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation, 48 the God who gave me vengeance and brought down peoples under me, 49 who brought me out from my enemies; you exalted me above those who rose against me; you delivered me from men of violence. 50 “For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to your name. 51 Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.”

As the Psalm begins, we’re told that this is a song David sings to the Lord when all of his enemies were delivered to him by the Lord. That just means that God had conquered all of  David’s enemies and at this point in his life, he no longer had to fight. 

The Psalm itself is almost identical to Psalm 18. The difference are: how they start. Psalm 18 begins with “I love you, O Lord, my strength. (v.1)” Whereas this Psalm begins with “The Lord is my rock …(v.2)” Which is the beginning of verse 2 in Psalm 18. This changes the verse numbers between the two Psalms. Then there are slight word or phrases changes, such as in verse 4 of Psalm 18 where is states, “The cords of death encompassed me …” and its parallel in verse 5 of Second Samuel, where it says, “For the waves of death encompassed me …” Apart from these slight variations, the Psalms seem to be the same. It’s possible that David wrote the one in Second Samuel as a first draft, and it was used by the author of the books of Samuel, but later David later revised it and that’s the copy of Psalm 18. 

But this isn’t a look at the difference between Psalm 18 and Second Samuel 22, so let’s breakdown what David is communicating through his song to God.

v.1-6 - The Psalm is constructed into 9 mini-sections. Verses 1-6 talk about who God is. He is the rock, fortress, stronghold, refuge (v.2-3). He is worthy to be praised, and he is the savior from the waves of death, the torrents of destruction, the chords of Sheol, and the snares of death (v.4-6). This is who God is to David, the Lord is David’s salvation and rest.

v.7 - Because God is David’s Savior, verse 7 tells us what David does, “In my distress I called upon the Lord …” David turns to God, why? Because God desires to listen, in fact the Lord hears David from his temple, a better translation would be sanctuary. David’s cries are heard by God. 

v.8-16 - Then we get a description of God in judgment. The earth is rocked at its foundations, and the heavens quake (v.8). Smoke comes from his nostrils and devouring fire from his mouth (v.9). This is all judgment language. God is moving to bring justice upon David’s foes. Then God comes down (v.10). He rides a cherub and thunders from heaven (v.11). Arrows and lightening scatter people and he lays bare everything so that no one will escape the judgment of the Lord (v.15-16).

v.17-20 - Next David sings of the rescue of God. The Lord saves David from enemies too strong for him to defeat on his own, and comforts David in the day of calamity where David receives God’s support (v.18-19). God brings him to a secure place, and the reason David gives for all of this, is because God delights in David (v.20).

v.21-25 - In verses 21-25, David begins to unpack God’s delight in him. David talks about his own righteousness and the cleanness of his hands, and we might think, “Wait, didn’t David do all those bad things before?” And it’s true, but the reveal comes when David states, “I … have not wickedly departed … (v.22)” That’s the key to God’s delight. David, for all his sins, failings, and foibles, does not depart from God. He accepts God’s judgments and corrections and keeps coming back. That’s how David keeps himself blameless and from guilt, that’s how he is clean.

v.26-28 - Then in the next two verses, David goes deeper into this. Because David seeks to show mercy, he is shown mercy (v.26), he is being purified by the Lord (v.27), and through it all David walks in humility (v.28). This is how David receives the delight of the Lord, because he recognizes his own failings, and walks before God humbly receiving correction. Through this, God graces him with righteousness and David enters the delight of the Lord.

v.29-46 - In verses 29-35, David returns to a description of who God is in relationship with him. He is the lamp of David (v.29), he helps David leap tall walls (v.30), he is a shield (v.31), and again, he is a rock and refuge for David (31-33). David then recognizes God’s work in him. David’s safe and secure, because God did it (v.34). He is good at war, because God did it. God is the source and sustainer of David. For this king of Israel, only the Lord is the one where all his victory and position came from.

It’s the military victories that David now begins to focus on. David recognizes that only God has secured every battle he has ever fought in. David was basically along for the ride. And just like it was God who won every battle, David recognizes that it was the Lord who made him king and brought other nations under his rule. David didn’t accomplish these things, it has always been God.

v.47-49 - Because of this, in verses 47-49, David bursts out in a summary praise of who God is and what he has done. David takes everything he just sung about and sums it all up to show what God has done.

v.50-51 - In the final two verses, David points back and declares, “For this I will praise you …(v.50)” David gives one more exclamation of praise to the Lord for the salvation God has brought to him, ending the song on a triumphant view of God and his work.

This Psalm reflects the whole of God’s work in David’s life. David recognizes that everything he has, whether it be his own personal abilities, or the victories that brought him to become king, have all been given to him by the Lord. 

Even the righteousness he has, comes by way of walking where God has called him to. David is a delight to God because he follows where God leads, even when that means correction. No matter if its a hard time or a good time; no matter if David caused the problems or others did, David recognizes that through it all, God has done and is doing great things.

Last week we talked about resting in God as our refuge to deal with the conflicts of this life. David shows us what that action of making God our refuge looks like. 

We must always recognize the Lord’s work in our lives, and see that as we interact with God, he will deal with us in our actions, this is what faith is. Faith is belief in motion. God will work for his purposes, but how those purposes come to pass in our lives and how we are used is done based on our obedience to him.

We take refuge, we find strength in him, by looking back and seeing what God has done, and trusting in what he will do.

So my challenge for you this week, is to write a song to God. It doesn’t have to rhyme, or be poetic, but it does have to recognize the work that God has done, and it does have to praise him. Re-read David’s psalm here in Second Samuel, to get some ideas, but make it your own. God hasn’t made you a king, but by his hand he has made you other things. Your enemies might not have been scattered by arrows, but they have been dealt with in other ways. Seek the Lord through the Holy Spirit this week to praise him for what he’s done. In doing so, you will see your spot of refuge in the Lord.

Let us be a people who’s praise of God is on our lips, and who rest in him as our refuge from the things of this world. Amen.

2 Samuel Series - Week 20: Unshaken by Conflict

  I want to share with you a timeline of conflicts that have been almost ongoing for about six years. In the Winter season of 2019-2020, the church made its first attempt to hire a youth pastor after me, to help with the ministry load. The hire lasted about eight months before he told us that he was going to resign. I asked him to stay on through the summer, as that’s the busiest time for our youth ministry, and it would give us an opportunity to find someone else. That same year, 2021, Pastor Jeff passed away, which was a hard time for the church. By the end of summer, we ended up finding someone else, and as the first guy went out, the second guy came in. The new guy had everything we wanted in a youth person, but after a past accusation from several years earlier was brought to light, after just one month here, we eventually let him go. That was during the fall of 2021. 

For the next year and a half I took on the responsibility of both Lead and Youth Pastor. There were a lot of issues with the youth group during the first guy’s time that were allowed to fester. In fact, what we had worked for, over the course of thirteen years of ministry, was completely undone in those eight months. Then came the 2022-2023 season, and it felt like there was a mounting burden that grew everyday. We had many spiritual issues that sprang up within both the adult and youth ministries. I’m not even mentioning the personal issues my family was going through that whole time, which added to the whole situation. And by the end of the winter season of 2023, I was completely drained. The Elder board gave me a two month sabbatical, and on the day I was supposed to leave, we had one more conflict, where a man who had been a part of the ministry for the last year, had to be told he couldn’t come to the church, because we had a concern of violence from him.

Thankfully, we were able to hire another pastor to lift a lot of burdens, but now, we are seeing an uptick in conflicts as the ministry begins to return to its pre-2021 stability.

I share that timeline of conflicts, because it brings us back to our summer series in the book of Second Samuel, where we’ll be picking it back up in Chapter 20. This begins our third and final section of Samuel. We called the first section of Second Samuel the Good Days of David, where everything was going well. David was anointed king, his enemies were subdued, and the kingdom was thriving. We summed up this section with the idea that, God raised David to be the undisputed king over Israel, yet there were seeds of sin that began flowering. 

Then came David’s sin with Bathsheba, and we entered the second section, which we called the Dark Days of David. There, everything that had been going good fell apart. David’s sin led to multiple problems and multiple points of growth for him. We could sum up the second section with the idea that, David allowed his sin to fester, which led to the destruction of the people around him. Yet through it, he grew in his faith.. 

Some of those problems persist, but in this third section, David is on the Descent to his Death. And we’ll see how some of the issues he hadn’t dealt with continued even after his death.

Today, we’re going to look at three conflicts David had to deal with as in last days. Now, we’re goin to look at Chapters 20 and 21, but we’re not going to read all of these two chapters. So take time and read those this week. Let’s begin with the first of the three conflicts, by reading the first ten verses in chapter 20

20:1 Now there happened to be there a worthless man, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite. And he blew the trumpet and said, “We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel!”

2 So all the men of Israel withdrew from David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah followed their king steadfastly from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

3 And David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten concubines whom he had left to care for the house and put them in a house under guard and provided for them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as if in widowhood.

4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be here yourself.” 5 So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he delayed beyond the set time that had been appointed him. 6 And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord's servants and pursue him, lest he get himself to fortified cities and escape from us.” 7 And there went out after him Joab's men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men. They went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 When they were at the great stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a soldier's garment, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened on his thigh, and as he went forward it fell out. 9 And Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10 But Amasa did not observe the sword that was in Joab's hand. So Joab struck him with it in the stomach and spilled his entrails to the ground without striking a second blow, and he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.

v.20:1-26 - The first conflict comes relatively soon after the rebellion of Absalom. The man’s name is Sheba, and it’s been a while since we’ve gotten this description, but he’s a worthless man. Remember, that concept of worthless means he has nothing to do with the purposes of the Lord, and instead, has more to do with the plans of Satan.

But here’s the thing, it’s not just Sheba that is in conflict with David, it’s also Joab. David tired to make peace with the rebellious people who followed Absalom, so he made Amasa his general. Joab, obviously didn’t like this and so killed Amasa. 

So David had two worthless rebellious men; one from outside his tribe, and one from within. In the end, we’re told that the people of the town where Sheba runs to eventually turn on him and thrown his head out to Joab. So one of the rebels is dealt with, but David still has one more who’s a problem and David knows it.

Let’s drop down to Chapter 21, verse 1, and read the second conflict.

21:1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. And David sought the face of the Lord. And the Lord said, “There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.” 2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the people of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites. Although the people of Israel had sworn to spare them, Saul had sought to strike them down in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah. 3 And David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? And how shall I make atonement, that you may bless the heritage of the Lord?” 4 The Gibeonites said to him, “It is not a matter of silver or gold between us and Saul or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel.” And he said, “What do you say that I shall do for you?” 5 They said to the king, “The man who consumed us and planned to destroy us, so that we should have no place in all the territory of Israel, 6 let seven of his sons be given to us, so that we may hang them before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the Lord.” And the king said, “I will give them.”

v.21:1-14 - The next conflict moves out from the tribes of Israel to a people group within the borders of the twelve tribes. This time around, the conflict is a spiritual issue left over from Saul’s reign. A famine is has been in the land of Israel for three years, and David realizes this is more than just an environmental issue. So he seeks the Lord to understand what’s going on. The Lord reveals that the cause comes from Saul’s sin upon the Gibeonites.

Now, back in the book of Joshua, the Gibeonites were the one’s who deceived the people of Israel by acting as if they were from a far off land and wanted to make a peace treaty with the people (ch.9). Israel did make a peace agreement, without consulting God, and then it was discovered these people were actually from the land that God told the Israelites to conquer. Because of the peace treaty, the Israelites did not run the Gibeonites out of the land, but from then on, this people were a second class group within Israelite society.

Now, we’re not told when Saul slew the Gibeonites to cause this issue, but he did so against the covenant the Israelites had made. God takes covenants very seriously, even those that were done deceitfully. Because of his predecessor, David now has to deal with the situation. The recourse for this is that Saul’s relatives have to pay the price. So David chooses seven and gives them over to the Gibeonites to be hung. Once the deed is done, David collects their bodies, plus Saul’s, and Jonathan’s and has them buried with their family. Conflict 2 delt with.

Let’s drop down to verse 15 of Chapter 21 for the third conflict.

15 There was war again between the Philistines and Israel, and David went down together with his servants, and they fought against the Philistines. And David grew weary. 16 And Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giants, whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of bronze, and who was armed with a new sword, thought to kill David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid and attacked the Philistine and killed him. Then David's men swore to him, “You shall no longer go out with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.”

18 After this there was again war with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite struck down Saph, who was one of the descendants of the giants. 19 And there was again war with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, the Bethlehemite, struck down Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam. 20 And there was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand, and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number, and he also was descended from the giants. 21 And when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David's brother, struck him down. 22 These four were descended from the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

v.21:15-22 - This final conflict moves outward again, and has to do with those pesky Philistines, on the borders of Israel. This time Israel and the Philistines have three wars that break out. Each one we’re told are led by a Raphim, a giant. Israel wins these battles pretty handily. 

There’s not much to be said, except that David is getting older and his body is becoming weary. Meaning he doesn’t have the strength in his body to fight on the battlefield anymore, so his men tell him to stay home.

The other thing to mention is that we’re told in verse 19, that “… Elhanan … struck down Goliath the Gittite …” People have pointed out that this means that David was not the one who killed Goliath, but in reality it was actually another person named Elhanan. But to get the answer to the discrepancy, we can look to a parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 20:5. This passage tells us that Elhanan killed the brother of Goliath. So what has probably happened is that the words, “brother of” were lost along the way through translation. This is one of those moments we praise God for giving us an abundance of information, as he kept the meaning by having parallel books fill in the gaps.

As we step out from these conflicts, we can see that, as David comes to the end of his life, though he has been restored as king, he has not moved into a state of perpetual peace. He has rebels in his ranks and among his people. He has to atone for the past sins of his predecessor. And he as enemies in other nations ready and willing to attack.

Though David has grown in his faith, he will not experience a lasting peace because of his sin. God’s judgment of “… I will raise up evil against you out of your own house … (v.11)” from chapter 12, continues. He’ll continue, and others will also, feel those repercussions after he dies. 

Here’s the reality, we deal with the sins we have created in our own lives. We also have to deal with the sins of other people. And we have to deal with those issues, as we face down threats from the outside. 

This is why God calls us to find our refuge only in him. David wrote about finding one’s refuge in the Lord alone, when he write this in Psalm 16, “Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.’ 3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight. 4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips. 5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. 6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. 7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. 8 I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. 10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. 11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

God is calling us to find our refuge in him. In this life we will deal with the sin we cause in our own lives, and the sin that others will put onto us. That’s just the reality. However, we have two choices in how we respond: We can get mad and fight battles that will sap our strength and cause more sin, or realize that we need to rest in the Lord. In his refuge we find strength to deal, not just with our own inner conflicts, but the conflicts that come against us from the actions of other people. 

We’re going to explore this more next week, when we look at David’s song of deliverance, but for now my challenge is to prepare for that song, by praying a simple prayer when your sin comes back to bite you, or another person’s sin comes against you. That prayer is this, “Lord, remind me to take refuge in you, because in you, I’m secure from all these conflicts.”

Let us be a people, who, when conflict comes, we sit back into the Lord so that we are not shaken. Amen.