Month: September 2023

2 Samuel 5:19, 23 And David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? Wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto David, Go up….And when David enquired of the Lord, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.

David fought his battles the way God instructed him. Each time, he: asked if he should fight or not, followed instructions carefully, and gave God the glory. This time the Lord told him to wait for the sound of a going in the mulberry trees. This sound was the marching of the heavenly angels ahead of him. Not only did David exercise faith and patience to trust the Lord, but he also did what God said. Then God gave the victory and received the credit.

We as humans might do what we want instead of considering God’s will, do things our way and ignore advice in the Bible, and take the glory for ourselves without acknowledging God. This is a sinful response, and things don’t work out so well. Trusting the Lord and praying about it are not natural things for humans to do. But the Lord helps us through the Word and the Spirit through the Gospel. Without Him we can do nothing. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

2 Samuel 4:11 How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? Shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?

During the civil war between the house of David and the house of Ishbosheth for the throne of Israel, two servants of David snuck into Ishbosheth’s house and assassinated him in his sleep. Rechab and Baanah, the assassins, brought the head of Ishbosheth to David, expecting a reward. However, they were executed on the spot. The messenger that brought David the news of Saul’s death had been executed. Did they expect anything different?

One would have thought that in both instances David would have been glad that his enemy was dead. But no, instead of rejoicing in the defeat of his enemy, David was indignant that a righteous person was slain. Instead of a reward, the killers received the death penalty. The human mind cannot understand a believer with a heart for God. “My thoughts are not your thoughts, saith the Lord.” What seems right to a man are usually not the ways of God. “As for God, his way is perfect.”

Many times the exigencies of life appear to justify, or at least excuse, sin. But the response of David was that the Scripture cannot be broken, and he would see it from God’s point of view. May God grant us such a heart.

2 Samuel 4:1 And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was a weak man on his own; he took his courage from another man, Abner, rather than from God. When Abner died, Ishbosheth was left with nothing. He collapsed in fear. Fear can paralyze; trust in God overcomes fear. Jeremiah says, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm.”

He was the foil to David, who throughout his life put his trust in God. He had a heart for God. David was no great shakes as a sinful human being, but one redeeming quality was that he trusted in the Lord with all his heart. One example is the defeat of Goliath: “I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand [1 Sam. 17:45-46].”

David was obviously the stronger person than Ishbosheth, but that was because he did not trust in man, either himself or another man. The whole story of David exemplifies one who put his trust in God alone. In whom do we trust? God is for us and overcomes for us. Without faith we are feeble.

2 Samuel 3:31-33 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And King David himself followed the bier. And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. And the king lamented over Abner.

After Saul’s death, there was civil war between the house of David and the house of Saul. At that time David’s general, Joab, took aside Saul’s general, Abner, and assassinated him. Abner was a sworn enemy of David’s and tried to prevent David from taking over as king. Joab (and we, too) thought he was doing David a favor, and surely he was surprised when David made such a public spectacle of weeping and mourning over Abner’s death.

David stood to gain personally from the death of Abner, but instead he acted as if his best friend had died. There was probably some political favor to be gained from public mourning and weeping. But more likely his spirit was simply grieved at Sin in general and the death and destruction caused by it. He did not rejoice that he now had the political advantage, but he mourned at the loss of human life and the sinful condition of humanity. It was not selfish grief since it was gain for him and not loss. Believe it or no

2 Samuel 2:1 And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said unto him, Unto Hebron.

It may have seemed obvious to David, or anyone, what he should do next. David was anointed to be king and Saul was dead. Of course, go back to Judah and claim the crown. Although the time seemed right, David still asked God if he should move back to Judah. He had learned not to presume upon God and just jump at the opportunity that presented itself. He would respond by bringing the matter to God,, who alone knows the best timing.

In our lives also, having a humble attitude and waiting upon the Lord is the best response to important decisions. The cliche is still true: “I’ll have to pray about that.” And so we do. Remember the Bible says, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” And it is hard to “Lean not on your understanding.” Since it is a challenge to discern the difference between my will and God’s will, we pray, “Thy will be done.”

2 Samuel 1:11-12 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.

Upon hearing the news of the deaths of Saul and Jonathan and the defeat of the army, David publicly grieved and mourned. Understandably, he would grieve the loss of his good friend, Jonathan, but he showed his heart for God by mourning the loss of his sworn enemy, because he was the chosen and anointed king of God’s people. One might think that he would rejoice over the loss of the one who sought his life, but no, he mourned, for he was the Lord’s anointed. The people of God we without a leader. We all lose.

Grief and loss are common experiences for all sinners since the Fall of Adam. We all respond to death and loss with grief and pain. Death is caused by Sin, and we are really grieving over Sin and what it does to us. We look at the cross and we see both the horror of our own sin and the wonder of God’s Love. We grieve and feel godly sorrow. Then we look at the empty tomb and we see the power of God’s love conquering sin and death forever. And One Day God will wipe away all tears and we will live without loss forever

1 Samuel 31:4 Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw the sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not, for he was sore afraid. There Saul took a sword and fell upon it.

Saul’s army lost the battle, his sons were killed, and he was outnumbered and surrounded. The only prospect he faced was death at the hands of his enemies, and that most likely included torture. From a purely human perspective it looked like the only choice he had was suicide. So he fell on his sword. As it turned out, the Philistines treated his body shamefully anyway.

Almost everyone who takes his own life probably doesn’t see any other alternative. Life, at least life that means anything, is already over as far as the suicide committer is concerned. There is no way out, so just check out. But no matter how many excuses we make and no matter how terrible the condition we’re in, we cannot justify self-murder as anything less than murder. It also exhibits a lack of faith in the God of hope and a surrendering to the evil of despair.

The incident shows how far Saul has fallen. We may not experience thoughts of suicide, but everyone of us can be afflicted with bouts of depression, misery, loss, doubt, and hopelessness. When David confronted a similar situation he encouraged himself in the Lord. Saul did not.

1Samuel 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

David and his men returned to Ziklag, where had been staying. They found the city in ruins, for it was burned by the Amalekites and the women and children taken away. Looking at the ashes and the kidnapped families and the people talking of stoning him, he was obviously greatly distressed and his people grieved.

Instead of losing heart and giving up, David took heart in the Lord. Instead of looking at the problem and continuing in distress he looked to the Lord and found renewed courage. He encouraged himself in the Lord. By trusting in God he found heart and strength. Many of the Psalms show how David encouraged himself in the Lord while in distress.

When we find ourselves in distress and discouragement we, too, can encourage ourself in the Lord. We look to Him, we hear Him, we pray to Him. Then we find strength to go on.

The rest of the story is that David and his men chased after the Amalekites, defeated them, and recovered the women and children that were taken and their stolen goods. God led them to a slave that had been abandoned by the Amelakites, who led David to their camp. David went on to great vict

1 Samuel 28:20-21 Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night. And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaiden hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.

When Saul heard the bad news from the spirit of Samuel, he was very much afraid and sorely troubled, so that he was struck down prostrate on the ground. This would be the natural reaction of anyone hearing such bad news from a prophet of God. Experiencing terror upon receiving the hammer of God’s Law in our hearing should be a fairly common event in the life of a believer. The fear and trouble is meant to bring about repentance and lead us to faith in the saving Gospel.

Saul’s problem was that his response was not to repent and hear the Good News, but rather to stay in a state of fear and trouble. As far as we are told, he did not repent and find forgiveness. The next day Saul fell on his sword, committing suicide in the face of overwhelming defeat at the hands of the Philistines. We cannot answer whether or not Saul was finally saved, but his end was certainly tragic.

When really bad things happen to us, we respond by turning to the Lord, we repent, believe, and are saved by His powerful Gospel.

1 Samuel 28:5-7 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled….Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.

Saul was in a sorry state because of his own disobedience, and now he was greatly afraid and trembling when he saw the vast enemy army against him. He did inquire of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him. So in fear, distress, and anxiety he sought out a woman with a familiar spirit. Saul had previously banned familiar spirits and wizards from the land, but there was one practicing secretly, the witch at Endor.

Saul asked her to conjure up the spirit of Samuel, which she did, to the women’s great surprise. But Samuel prophesied bad news for Saul: he would lose the kingdom to David, and furthermore, he would die tomorrow. This then happened, all because of Saul’s disobedience and loss of faith.

We learn not to go to demons (witches, wizards, psychics, or familiar spirits) when we are in fear, panic, worry, grief, or distress. Instead, we respond by taking it to the Lord in prayer. We may not feel the Lord’s answer immediately, but we can believe that He knows, cares, and hears. He lifts our burdens and cares, and faith brings relief. Wait upon the Lord.