One of the misconceptions I run into with people, who have, in some aspect, been connected to the ministry here, is the idea that I’m mad at them. See, we get three kinds of people who come through the ministry: Those who reject the Gospel, those who embrace it, but are not faithful in following it, and those who embrace and continue to walk faithfully. When I run into those who, even though they are not faithful followers but still would say they are a Christian, they tend to expect me to be upset with them, because they know and I know they aren’t following Jesus the way they were taught.
Now don’t get me wrong, I am disappointed that they are not following Jesus faithfully, but that doesn’t mean I’m mad at them. In fact, I desire the best for them, I know that means a close walk with Jesus, but I still care for them, and want God’s blessing on them because he is faithful to them, even if they are not faithful to him.
My love for those who come through the ministry stays consistent from before they professed Jesus, to after they do, and all the messiness that comes with it. I try to seek God in the area where the actions of people, whether for the Lord or not, do not stop me from caring for them. So if you are a person that thinks I’m mad at you, because you know you’re not faithful walking with Jesus, know that my hope is that you will someday become faithful with Jesus, but even if you don’t, I still care for you because God still cares for you.
This brings us to our new summer series where we’ll be picking up in the book of Second Samuel, Chapter 1, verse 1. And as we open up to Second Samuel 1:1, we’re actually picking up in the middle of the story.
Last year we walked through First Samuel, and in the Hebrew Bible, these two books are one. By separating the two from each other, we make a distinction that wasn’t originally intended. These two books are meant to be understood in the light of each other. Though its name sake, Samuel, dies relatively early in the first part of First Samuel, this book is named for the legacy of Samuel, and covers the two kings he anointed. When combined, it shows not only the transition from the Judges era to the monarchy, but how quickly man’s governance of himself can spiral out of control, even with God’s hand picked leader.
So in order to understand Second Samuel, we need to review First Samuel. First, Samuel, or the first half of the book of Samuel, is divided into three parts: Samuel and the end of the Judges, Saul and the first monarchy of Israel, and the rise of David the future king.
From the first section we learned that, God calls all of his people to abide in his holy will. It’s to live in the will of God that makes a person a part of the people of God. We saw how Samuel kept faithful to God’s will even when it caused him personal pain, and when it caused division in the land of Israel.
In second section, where the book transitions from the Judges era to the monarchy of Saul, we learned that God calls us to freely accept his will, and not rebel against him, because there are consequences for being outside the will of God. We saw this in the life of Saul who, though he was anointed to be the under-king to God, decided to step outside of that role, allowing himself to think he was greater than he was. This led to him to abandoning the will of God, and eventually loosing his dynasty.
The finally section saw the rise of God’s chosen king, David. In that third section we learned, God desires us to eagerly follow him in humble trust that is confident that he will work things out as we seek and obey him, with a mentality of repentance. David’s life was a cycle of mountain tops with God, and valleys away from him. David would be faithful for a time, but then do some dumb sinful stuff. That cycle continues into Second Samuel. Like the Judges before him, his sin multiplies on top of its self. However, unlike the judges, who only served for a period of time, the monarchy’s rule lasts beyond one person. That means where the judges could be replaced by a more godly person, a bad king’s descendants may be on the throne for generations. In the second half of the greater book of Samuel, we will see how generational sin grows and impacts those who follow.
With that quick review of First Samuel, we can not turn our attention to Second Samuel. Where, today, we’re going to look at one aspect of who David is. That aspect is that, David loves Saul’s family in a way that no one else understood. In order to see this aspect of who David was, we have to look at three points in the book of Samuel. So we'll look at chapters 1, 4, and 9 today. We won’t be reading all of these chapters, so part of your homework is to re-read these in their entirety. Now, let’s jump into Second Samuel, Chapter 1, starting in verse 1.
1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. 7 And 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?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ 10 So I stood beside 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 armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”
11 Then David took hold of his 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 and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” 14 David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. 16 And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord's anointed.’”
Second Samuel opens, where First Samuel ends, with the death of Saul. To David, Saul’s death was not a moment of victory, it was a tragedy. Throughout David’s relationship with Saul, from him playing music for the king, to the killing of Goliath, to winning many battles in the king’s name, David cared very deeply for Saul and his family. We saw this when David, on two separate occasions, spared Saul’s life, when he could have easily have taken it. In fact, David was so against taking Saul’s life, that when he met this man who put Saul out of his misery, because Saul was in the process of committing suicide on the battlefield, David had the man executed for taking the life of God’s anointed king.
This love for Saul and his family, leads David into a song of lament in verses, 19-27. In the introduction to that lament of David over Saul and Jonathan’s deaths, the writer tells us, “…and [David] said it should be taught to the people of Judah … (v.18)”
It wasn’t just a song for David, but a song to teach the people to not despise or degrade Saul. David’s love for this family continues throughout the rest of Second Samuel.
Later on in chapter 4, Saul’s son, who is crowed king of Israel, is murdered, and his head is brought to David. Let’s pick that situation up in Chapter 4, verse 7, “7 When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. They took his head and went by the way of the Arabah all night, 8 and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring.” 9 But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity, 10 when one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?” 12 And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron.”
Here again, we see that David cared very deeply for Saul’s family, even though it was Saul’s other son who was making war against him. People thought that David wanted Saul dead, they thought he wanted Saul’s family dead, but the reality was, David didn’t want any of it. He was happy being a faithful servant to God’s appointed king, even though he knew God had anointed him to be Saul’s replacement.
In David’s eyes, no one should take the role of God to slain God’s anointed. It’s interesting that in both cases, Saul’s and Ish-bosheth, it is not God who commands their deaths, but people acting, thinking they are doing David’s will. In both cases, these people are then put to death, because they are not acting in either God’s will, nor the will of David.
But David’s love for Saul’s family doesn’t end there. At the beginning of Chapter 4, we’re told this in verse 4, “4 Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled 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 as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.”
We’re not told anything more about him until Chapter 9, verse 1, “And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” 4 The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. 6 And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” 8 And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”
9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall always eat at my table.”
Like his father, Jonathan, Mephibosheth is humble before David. And to the boy, David pours out the love he has for Saul’s whole family onto this final descendant. In a lot of coups, new rulers decimate the previous ruler’s family, so that they can’t overthrown them. Yet, David doesn’t do that. Instead he cares for the very family that sought his death.
This is one of the godly traits we see in David. He is not a very vengeful person, though he does act vengefully. His intent isn’t to destroy, but to honor. He sought the good for Saul’s family, not evil, though they acted in evil against him.
It is a lesson that Jesus seeks to teach us. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matt. 5:43-45)”
Peter would pick up this idea and write in his first letter, “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. (1 Pet. 3:9)”
Likewise Paul would understand this teaching and write in Romans 12:17-21, “17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Now this type of position, when not balanced by justice, can lead to indifference, which we will actually see in David’s life, but that cannot stop us from responding to the evil around us with the goodness of God through us.
And that’s one of the lessons that God is trying to teach us through David’s life: we are to be people seeking the good for others, even when they seek our harm. The greatest good we can seek is that they would turn to Jesus, repent, and be restored to relationship with him, and with us.
My challenge for you then this week, is to pray for the good of those who you feel are out to do harm. It might be the opposite political party. It might be a business, or a family member. It might be another country, or another religious group. We need to pray for people who would subjugate and kill us if they had the opportunity, because, as Jesus said on the cross, they do not know what they do.
Let us be the people of God, who walk in his goodness, and who’s goodness flows out from us to other people. Amen.
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