Bible Reading Reflection from 2 Samuel 17-24

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (SSEU), a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟙𝟟:𝟚𝟛

"Now when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and arose and went to his home, to his city, and set his house in order, and strangled himself; thus he died and was buried in the grave of his father."

David had written many Psalms against this betrayal mentioned in this chapter. His own counselor had taken pleasure to kill him.

And look at the irony. Ahithophel suggested striking dead the king alone (v2), and indeed, ironically, Ahithophel killed only one person, himself.

Imagine yourself in the presence of the king. Ahithophel walked in with that suggestion. Then Hushai walked in. Ahithophel must be very curious knowing this wise formidable secret opponent. And after Hushai had spoken, he knew better than everyone that his game was over. So, he went and hanged himself. Another betrayer, Judas Iscariot hanged himself. Jesus, BTW, used David's Psalm to talk of His betrayal.

Don't devise evil schemes against your neighbor or your friend. You never know they may work against you.

A story is told about a man who wanted to kill his neighbor's son. He kept a poisoned fruit in the barn of his neighbor. Unfortunately, his own son visited that barn and ate the fruit, and died. And so, our Rongmei proverb goes, "Wishing to kill somebody's son will lead to the death of your own son"

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟙𝟠:𝟙𝟜

"Joab said, "I will not waste time like this with you." And he took three javelins in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak."

Joab was a man of no mercy, selfish, breathing only revenge. He killed Abner the commander of Israel, and Absalom, the King's son.

David still associated with him because he was a brave warrior. But is that a good reason? Actually, Joab hid the sin of David at least once. Joab must be blackmailing David or taking advantage of David in many areas, who knows?

In the end, David commanded his son to kill Joab.

What a strange relationship? Also, Joab and Absalom were friends, still, Joab killed him. David and Joab were friends, still, David killed Joab. It's like a mafia movie!

Maybe one of your friendships is exactly like these, partnering only in unrighteousness!

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟙𝟡:𝟝

"Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, "Today you have covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who today have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines."

Let's be quick to forgive David in this story. Yea, he was wrong, he was selfish, he wasn't wise.

Instead of thanking God for delivering the kingdom, he was mourning. Instead of commending the soldiers who laid down their lives, he was silent. On and on...

But this is what human often does.

Let's learn to be thankful to God and others.

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟚𝟘:𝟙𝟘

"But Amasa was not on guard against the sword which was in Joab's hand so he struck him in the belly with it and poured out his inward parts on the ground, and did not strike him again, and he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri."

David, the King himself couldn't do anything. Joab was a 'necessary evil' for his kingship. v22, Joab was welcomed like a hero. And he became commander again in v23. Under whom? The man after God's own heart!

Now, when politicians have hitmen, you may slander them like they are worse than any people. But perhaps they were as hapless as David. And if we compare against David, no one will say he is worse than us!

I heard from my friends that Tamenglong's DC Armstrong is demoted, transferred, and removed from his DC job after the murder of Athon Abonmai by NSCN-IM, a few weeks ago. And many police personnel were suspended.

UPSC aspirants seem to think cracking UPSC exams and becoming DC is everything. Well, IAS Armstrong couldn't do anything, rather he was removed.

Don't put your trust in a man, not even godly people. They are human. Put your trust in God.

And don't play God, we aren't. We will always fail.

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟚𝟙:𝟞

"Let seven men from his sons be given to us, and we will hang them before the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD." And the king said, "I will give them."

This is not easy to understand, except that Justice shall be served, and keeping [respecting] Covenant matters to God.

In recent years, I have become more aware that some people are really good at not keeping their words. Keep your word!

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟚𝟚:𝟠-𝟡

"Then the earth shook and quaked, The foundations of heaven were trembling And were shaken, because He was angry. ‘Smoke went up out of His nostrils, Fire from His mouth devoured; Coals were kindled by it.’"

Have you ever spoken of God like this?

Have you ever said a prayer (publicly or privately) like this?

Have you ever pictured God like this? Thought like this?

People who are far from you think you are cool. The online profile of almost everyone is cool. I can even look handsome with Photoshop.

But those who live in our house know our not-so-cool stuff.

Those who know God know not only the lovely stuff but also His wrath against sinners.

Up your knowledge of God!

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟚𝟛:𝟙

“Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse declares, The man who was raised on high declares, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel.”

4 descriptions of David, his legacy, how he is remembered:

1. The son of Jesse

2. Who was raised on high

3. The anointed of the God of Jacob

4. The sweet Psalmist of Israel.

How would people remember us after we die? Somebody said most people cease to exist 30 years after their death. How many of you know the names of your great great great grandfather? If the family members do not know, nobody knows.

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟚𝟜:𝟚𝟜

"However, the king said to Araunah, "No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver."

I am glad when people admire what I do, but I am gladder when they imitate what they think is good at what I do: Moving beyond Appreciation to Imitation. Apostles Paul and John had the same exhortation on this.

We all love David. We love to even narrate this very chapter and verse about how David offered to the Lord. We need to imitate him, and start applying this truth in our lives.

Offering to God must cost us, right?

Stretching the application: it's reasonable to spend money for your auto fare to go to church. It's reasonable to "waste" your time in the fellowship of the saints. It's reasonable to risk your health [covid fear] in going out for a church program. Even following Jesus is costly. It costs us everything. Let's live like that.

We Indian love freebies and goodies. David on the other hand was a generous man.

Bible Reading Reflection from 2 Samuel 9-16

 [Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (SSEU) as a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟡:𝟙

"And David said, "Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?"

So, David, when he became king, remembered his friend Jonathan.

Somebody said, "Be kind to people on your way up because you will be meeting them on your way down." David indeed had his down moment. Mephibosheth no doubt would have met the king, but Ziba, his servant cheated him.

A movie, Cinderella (2015) has a captivating line, "Have courage and be kind." David exemplifies this!

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 1𝟘:𝟝

"When they told it to David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly humiliated. And the king said, "Stay at Jericho until your beards grow, and then return."

Man seeks glory for himself. He will do great things to receive glory. If he cannot do those, he will humiliate others to exercise glory over the oppressed ones.

Why do we do anything? Think.

Seeking glory can be godly and sinful like a knife can be used to slice an apple or stab a man. When our seeking for glory is aligned with God’s seeking for His glory, it's godly. When it's not, it's sinful. Simple as that!

Why about glory? Because we find humiliation in the quest for glory. Hanun exercised his glory over David and his messengers by humiliating them.

Or substitute with "hurt". Man wants to hurt others. That's why you shout when you get angry—to hurt others. That's why they kill [more than hurt]. Some hurting led to humiliation, others to death!

Let's reduce the way of hurting and humiliation in our quest for glory.

 

𝟚 𝕊𝕒𝕞𝕦𝕖𝕝 𝟙𝟙:𝟚𝟟

"When the time of mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house and she became his wife; then she bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the LORD."

Perhaps the blackest chapter in David's life! Yes, the whole episode recorded in this chapter is.

What a contrast of characters: David, an undisciplined human, and Uriah, a disciplined human even when he was forced to get drunk; Uriah, a true defender of Israelites, David a traitor.

Is there anything David can boast of? Is there anything any man may boast of (for that matter)? Your sins are really your sins, but your godliness from the least to the greatest is of God.

David would have lived in such type of sin forever, if not by the grace of God. See, how he moved from one sin to a chain of a greater sin. It's God who restrains a sinner. It's God who grants repentance. It's God who brings a change of heart towards God. Or else, David's destiny would have been no better than Saul’s.

Also in the New Testament, Peter was no better than Judas Iscariot. Jesus prayed for Peter and granted him faith and repentance, and entrusted him to be the leader. As Steve Lawson says, "The perseverance of the saints is the perseverance of the Saviour in the saints"

We will not fail. We will not be lost. We will not be cast away. Because it's Him who holds us. We are too incompetent even to run away from God. Breathe the Grace of God!

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟙𝟚:𝟙

"Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said, "There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor."

This is one of the most helpful, relevant, and powerful parables in the Old Testament. I can find and see the reality of this parable almost every day.

This kind of injustice is everywhere. But what can we do!? Only God knows how to judge righteously and He does! So, be cool, relax!

I have been treated this way many times, and I'm sure (unfortunately) I must have treated others as well. And I don't think anyone is morally superior to you or me when it comes to this. We all have done this to some extent.

I had only 100 rupees for my monthly expenditure. My roommate had thousands, being richer. He lived eating whatever he wanted whenever he liked. While I had to live by a budget, not by my desires. There were times he asked me to lend him some money to buy something because he didn't have cash, and he never paid back. Yeah, Stephen Leacock’s story, My Lost Dollar comes to mind.

I, a poorer man never owed him anything. Never borrowed anything from him. Never needed his help. I knew how to live my life comfortably with whatever I had. He, a richer guy, owed me, often borrowed from me, never returned. This rich friend of mine lived in debt to poorer me!

Another illustration

I wanted to charge (up) my phone but didn't trust the plug. There was a younger guy (btw, most young guys are always poor, being unemployed) with a cheaper phone. I suggested, "Hey, your phone is cheaper than mine. Let's try first with your phone before I plug in mine."😂😬

David, a rich man was robbing a poor man whose only means of joy was that lamb.

John Wick's wife [a Hollywood movie scene] was dead. His delight was only the dog that his wife gave him. Somebody killed that dog! And there you have Nathan's parable even in Hollywood! 😂😂 Eagerly waiting for John Wick 4 BTW. May we look out for the interests of others too!

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟙𝟛:𝟙𝟝

"Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, "Get up! Go!"

Have you ever loved someone more than others, and then at some point of time, you began to hate that person?

Over the years, I have increased my understanding of this verse, but still, I don't understand enough how love can turn into hatred.

Well, there is one girl whom I liked to text often, but now, I don't want even to have her number! 😂 So, I think, I understand, now!

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟙𝟜:𝟛𝟘

"Then he said to his servants, "See, Joab's field is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire." So Absalom's servants set the field on fire."

Absalom was totally desperate, and he decided to do what would really catch Joab’s attention. Are you ever desperate like that?

Well, sometimes, I want God desperately that I told God (confessed) that “if I know where God's field is, I will set it on fire that He may listen to me.”

Well, Absalom was manipulating Joab and David, instead of repenting. He was successful but of course, led him to his early death later on.

But, desperate for God, for God's blessings, for God's mercy, for deliverance is good. Psalter is full of that. Even Jacob wrestled with God till the daybreak. The Syrophoenician woman was arguing with Jesus about the crumbs under the table.

BTW, nobody can manipulate God; one can (may, must) only beg, ask, and wait on Him.

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟙𝟝:𝟚𝟞

"But if He should say thus, 'I have no delight in you,' behold, here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him."

David didn't want to see Absalom anymore, but Absalom manipulated the situation by burning down the field of Joab.

In the case of David, when God had chastised him, by removing him away from the throne, he would not manipulate the situation. He just submitted to the will of God.

The Greater King, Christ Jesus submitted Himself to the will of God in the garden of Gethsemane! Bearing punishment, not His but of His people!

Christian Living is submission to the will of God. David suffered for his sins; Christ suffered for the sins of others. Whether we are righteous or not, suffering is inevitable. All in the good purpose of God. Let Him do whatever seems good to Him!

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟙𝟞:𝟚𝟚

"So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel."

Alas! What a horrendous thing! But God allowed so. Actually, God planned so, because Nathan prophesied of this as a punishment upon David.

What had those ladies done to deserve this? According to the narrative, It was David's sin. Ahithophel suggested this, possibly, partly as revenge on David for committing adultery with his [Ahithophel's] granddaughter, Bathsheba.

Elsewhere, as a punishment, God made the disobedient Israelites eat their own babies, and let the enemies rip off the pregnant women. And yet, many people want to rescue God and defend God. Well, who made the world bad, was it not God? He cursed the woman to be rebellious, He cursed the man to be abusive and live in suffering. He cursed the ground and so there are calamities.

Viruses, Floods, Violence, Bloodshed, Rape, Diseases everything bad and evil are the instruments of God. Nothing is random, nothing is accidental, everything is planned.

So, in conclusion, God is the solution for all things. David knew that. So, he didn't even kill Shimei, the dead dog in the words of Abishai. David let himself and his men be cursed, abused, stoned because he knew ‘it’s God who is in the background’ (v10, 12) And God was pleased to exalt David again.

Imagine walking along with David, and Shimei, throwing stones and pebbles and dust upon you all. Not just the insult, but you really have to cover your head from the stones. Maybe David was hit once or twice as well! 🤔

Bible Reading Reflection from 2 Samuel 1-8

 [Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (SSEU), a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟙:𝟚𝟞

"I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant have you been to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women."

Well, this verse is only a thing of imagination for me! 😅

I have never known the love of a woman nor do I have any such good friends ever! But I know the love of Someone which is greater than any love. His love surpasses all understanding and imagination: The Love of God!

Nobody is in love deficit those who have the love of God!

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟚:𝟚𝟙

"Abner said to him, "Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and seize one of the young men and take his spoil." But Asahel would not turn aside from following him."

This chapter, its war is grotesque, but I admire the respect the leaders had for each other!

I remember from my Social Science textbook in my school days how Alexander conquered India and captured King Porus. When Alexander asked the defeated Porus how he should be treated, Porus was said to have replied, "A king must be treated like a king." Wow!

David respected King Saul till his death. Even Jehu ordered his men to give a proper burial for Jezebel. Even the angel Michael just said "The Lord rebuke you" to the Devil. Respect one another!

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟛:𝟟

"Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ish-bosheth said to Abner, ‘Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?’"

God is Great!

God used the sin of Abner to solidify the kingship of David. Abner was sinful in committing adultery. When Ish-bosheth confronted him, instead of repenting, he was angry sinfully.

He switched his loyalty to David. Well, David accepted him for his political gain. [BTW, the politics of Israel mattered because they were under God, unique among nations. And, in this case, it was not wrong to accept the sinfully arrogant unrepentant Abner to be his commander].

Well, in an interesting way, Abner was killed on that day. Did his sin find him out? And another interesting narration is that David eulogized Abner!

Now, if an unrepentant sinner left his church and come to my church for a membership, should I accept him? Well, that's a different question. I would want to reply with a line from one of Shania Twain's songs, "Don't be stupid!" Hahaha!

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟜:𝟙𝟙

"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?"

Jonathan, a righteous man fought by his father's side and died as a war hero. Saul was unworthy of Jonathan, but Jonathan knew the big picture.

Ishbosheth didn't go to war. Yet he died anyway, a cold-blooded murder! The Hebrew meaning of his name is "Man of shame" perhaps because he abdicated his responsibility in choosing not to go and die [fight] with his dad and brother.

Well, David lamented the death of Jonathan. And he killed the murderer of Ishbosheth. He was not happy with the news of their death, though they were necessary for his enthronement. And no surprise the Scriptures said that God is not pleased with the death of the wicked.

The Bible authors narrated in such a way that God used the stupidity and the sins of others to exalt David. And we often see David weeping for their sins. Not that he was unhappy with God, but with the sins of his people.

Happiness or a smiley face is certainly not the best representation of a godly man even in his successes. Have you ever seen Jesus laughing or smiling? For that matter, anyone in the Bible? Yet we want to present ourselves on social media, online like that, that life is cool, and happy, which we ourselves never have and will never have. And we feel jealous when we see others 'pretending' to be.

All the cool updates on Instagram, WhatsApp, and wherever are wrong! 😅 They aren't as cool as they presented (pretended) to be.... 😅😎 Take time to weep for others, both in prayer and action!

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟝:𝟜

"David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years."

Most of us in this group [a WhatsApp group] are older or as old as this David. He was a mature man. He had written a lot of Psalms already by now!

Guys, never think you are still young. We are too old already. Slap, punch, box anyone who treats you like you're a kid. 😅 Do yourselves this favor if you are acting like kids. Let's act like a mature man: in thinking, action, and responsibility.

Another man, whose name is David, changed the modern mission world when he was at this age, the great David Brainerd!

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟞:𝟞-𝟟

"And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God."

It's a mercy of God that we are still alive! God has the right to strike us anytime. It's stupid to question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Nobody is good. Even as redeemed people, we are still filthy. Forget about God, even I want to kill these and those people sometimes! 😅

God struck Uzzah! He struck Ananias and Saphira too! Remember the Mercy and Justice of God!

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟟:𝟛-𝟜

"And Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you." But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan"

I am wowed with this narration. Very relevant and yet sublime.

Obviously, David knew Nathan to be a man of God. So, he concurred with what he wanted to do. Nathan also recognized David to be a man after God's own heart, so he trusted him. What a trust between them! Nathan had no suggestion, no objection, no interference, no competition, no agenda, and no opinion!

People love to give opinions. This is about the temple, which Nathan [being a prophet] would know more [from God] than David. David was more of a political man. Nathan was the right person to be consulted for an opinion. Nathan had no opinion. He would speak only the word of God.

And as expected of him, when the word of God came to him, he was brave enough to break David’s heart's desire; to tell, David was disqualified to build the temple. He forbade him. He withdrew his support!

 

𝟚 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟠:𝟙𝟝

"So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people."

That's what’s expected of a godly leader. He administers justice and equity. Not all the time because nobody can. Not in all things, because nobody can.

So, let's be wise when we hear praises and criticism of leaders. They may be better or worse. Steve Lawson said that when people criticize you, probably you are not as bad as they say; also, when they compliment you, you aren't as good as they say.

Well, God, who knows all things, vindicates a person. And here we have an inspired account about David. God chose to overlook some of the injustices of David and declared him and his administration just.