2 Samuel 11-15 May 15, 2009
Posted by Sparky in 2 Samuel, History.Tags: 2 Samuel, Absalom, David, good from evil, History, redemption, Tamar
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Scripture
2 Samuel 14: 27 “Three sons and a daughter were born to Absalom. The daughter’s name was Tamar, and she became a beautiful woman.”
Observation
OK, so this verse only stands out in importance within the context of the whole passage, 2 Sam 11-15, which starts with David’s adultery with Bathsheba and ends with David and loads of Jerusalem’s inhabitants hiding outside the city, scared of the conspiracy that has been started by his son Absalom. In the middle is the key to why this verse stands out. After the account of David and Bathsheba, we get the first fruits of David’s sin: Amnon and Absalom are half-brothers, both sons of David, and Tamar is Absalom’s sister. Amnon becomes infatuated with Tamar, and rapes her, leading her into desolation and despair, and himself into death at the hands of Absalom. This is why I love the fact that the writer of the book (unknown for sure, but some scholars think it could have been Nathan or Gad, both prophets) inserts this lovely little moment of Absalom naming his daughter after his shamed sister, and her growing into a beautiful woman – good can come out of evil, there is redemption after sin.
Application
I guess the most obvious application of this truth is that no matter how horrific a situation we might be going through, God can redeem it for good. When my mother killed herself when I was nine years old, I had no idea what life was going to be like after that. I knew my Dad loved us, and I trusted God, and today I have a wonderful step-mother, and younger sister and brother who are a result of Dad’s re-marrying – I praise God for them, because had my mum not died, they wouldn’t be here, and my life might be all the poorer. That’s exactly the kind of redemption that God can bring out of disaster.
Prayer
Thank you Lord that time and time again, both in Scriptures and modern life, your love exceeds human tragedy, and you are willing to bring hope and joy out of doom and shame. Praise you for that!
Psalms 1-5 March 7, 2009
Posted by Sparky in Psalms.Tags: David, forgiveness, Psalms, sin, sinner
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Scripture:
Psalm 5:4-6
You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;
with you the wicked cannot dwell.
5 The arrogant cannot stand in your presence;
you hate all who do wrong.
6 You destroy those who tell lies;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men
the LORD abhors.
Observation:
When I got to these verses in my reading this morning, I couldn’t help but stop and read them again, as I have issues with the theology behind the wording (and I checked several translations – thank you Bible Gateway – and they all say the same thing, pretty much). I’m fine with verse 4, and the first half of verse 5, but then the verbs in the rest of the selection are directed very clearly towards the people involved rather than the sins they exhibit. It doesn’t say “you hate the wrong that men do” but “you hate all who do wrong”. Nor does it say “the LORD abhors the actions of bloodthirsty and deceitful men”, but it says he hates the men themselves. This doesn’t sit well with me in these verses because everything else I know about God through Scripture and experience tells me that he loves all people equally, but certainly can’t stand the sins that we all exhibit during our lives.
Application:
So how do I rationalise this? Do I just assume that this is young, slightly more naïve David writing here, who would later fall into sin himself and understand more about forgiveness of people? That seems somewhat arrogant on my part! Is it something in the Hebrew worldview that sees the sin / sinner issue in a more black-and-white way, so I am less likely to be happy with it due to cultural reasons? Or is David just more honest – is “love the sinner, hate the sin” just a platitude that we have come to accept in current Christian circles that actually gives us an excuse to not say much or do much when we know people are sinning? I’d love to have some comments with your thoughts!
Prayer:
Praise you Lord for being a sinless God. Thank you that we can trust in your perfect holiness and righteousness, and that sin cannot stand before you. Help me Father to make sense of your Scriptures in a way that honours you and those who wrote them down. And please Lord give me the courage to make a stand against sin, as Jesus did, while showing love to the sinner.
1 Samuel 25-31 April 1, 2008
Posted by Sparky in 1 Samuel, History.Tags: 1 Samuel, David, Saul, strength in the LORD, troubles, Ziklag
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Scripture:
Selected verses:
30:6 – “David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.”
Observation:
There are two interweaving stories in these chapters. Here’s a summary: David, accompanied by a large band of followers, is on the run from Saul, and he takes refuge in a Philistine city. When King Saul learns that’s where he is, he leaves him alone, and David and his band are given the city of Ziklag to live in. Meanwhile, the Philistine army amasses against Israel, and Saul gets scared. He gets so scared that he consults a medium to enquire of Samuel’s ghost what to do. Stupid move, as he doesn’t get the answer he wants; the LORD is against him. David and his followers march out to fight with the Philistines against the Israelites, but the Philistine commanders send him back to Ziklag, which has been sacked by marauding Amalekites, and all the families of David’s men have been carried off. After his men nearly turn on him, they go after the Amalekites and recover everything; David acts honourably throughout. Finally, the focus shifts back to Saul, who kills himself in the midst of battle with the Philistines.
The verse I have selected above details two responses to an awful situation – David’s men have had their home destroyed, and everything they cared about has gone. They respond in a totally understandable way. But David responds in the best way.
Application:
Some simple thoughts. When it seems as though our whole lives have been pulled out from under our feet, how do we respond? It makes total sense to give up and become bitter about what has gone wrong, and in many ways this is the natural response. But David, man of the Spirit, chooses a different path – he finds strength in God, even in the midst of his trouble. He has not denied the reality of the situation – two verses earlier he weeps with his men over the fate of their city. But he knows where strength can be found, and makes a choice to take everything he is feeling to the LORD.
Prayer:
Lord, I bring you my trouble, stress and feelings of unfairness. I know that you love me, and I know that you are good. I trust you to bring resolution to the things that trouble my spirit. Amen.
