INTERESTING FACTS : "THE EXISTENCE OF THE BIBLE, AS A BOOK FOR THE PEOPLE, IS THE GREATEST BENEFIT WHICH THE HUMAN RACE HAS EVER EXPERIENCED. EVERY ATTEMPT TO BELITTLE IT IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY." -- IMMANUEL KANT

 

DAILY READING : 2 SAMUEL 19 - 21

 

TEXT : 2Sa 19:1  And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom. 2Sa 19:2  And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son. 2Sa 19:3  And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. 2Sa 19:4  But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

 

THEME : RIGHTEOUSNESS

 

In David, we have an exceptionally sensitive soul. This fact is best portrayed in his weeping for Absalom. No doubt, Absalom would have been happy if he had killed his father and taken the throne, but David is saddened by the whole affair. Truly, there are differences in all of us, even within our own families and our own flesh and blood.

 

The reader - I assume, wonders why a king would cry so passionately over the death of the man who for forty years subverted his authority, impugned his integrity, and then sought his life. Absalom systematically sought to destroy his father. Further, he would have killed David and celebrated if he had it his way. Yet, God overruled.  Thus, we see David depressed and despondent on the death of Absalom and we wonder why. So did Joab.

 

For this reason, we consider it mistake that David openly wept for Absalom, to the detriment of his authority as king, and to the shame of his friends who risked their lives to save him. Thus, Jaob rebukes the king. Matthew Henry explains.

 

"To continue to lament for so bad a son as Absalom, was very unwise, and very unworthy. Joab censures David, but not with proper respect and deference to his sovereign. A plain case may be fairly pleaded with those above us, and they may be reproved for what they do amiss, but it must not be with rudeness and insolence. Yet David took the reproof and the counsel, prudently and mildly. Timely giving way, usually prevents the ill effects of mistaken measures."

 

After this, the kingdom is restored to David though it is badly fractured and disjointed. The effects of Absalom's four decades of subtle treason took its toll.  Jamieson Faucett and Brown's commentary explains how David received his kingdom back.

 

"The kingdom was completely disorganized. The sentiments of three different parties are represented in 2Sa_19:9, 2Sa_19:10 : the royalists, the adherents of Absalom who had been very numerous, and those who were indifferent to the Davidic dynasty. In these circumstances, the king was right in not hastening back, as a conqueror, to re-ascend his throne. A re-election was, in some measure, necessary. He remained for some time on the other side of Jordan, in expectation of being invited back. That invitation was given without, however, the concurrence of Judah. David, disappointed and vexed by his own tribe's apparent lukewarmness, dispatched the two high priests to rouse the Judahites to take a prominent interest in his cause. It was the act of a skillful politician. Hebron having been the seat of the rebellion, it was graceful on his part to encourage their return to allegiance and duty; it was an appeal to their honor not to be the last of the tribes. But this separate message, and the preference given to them, occasioned an outburst of jealousy among the other tribes that was nearly followed by fatal consequences." [see 2Sa_19:40-43].

 

In chapter twenty, David's troubles continue, as there arises treachery once again. Because of David's sin with Bathsheba, a curse remained on David that the sword would not depart from his house for all of the days he was on the earth. [2Sa_12:10  "Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife."] Still, God is merciful. In this respect, we should note that whatever happens to us, as long as we have Christ, it works for our good. [Ro 8:28]

 

"One trial arises after another for our good, till we reach the place where sin and sorrow are for ever done away. Angry disputers misunderstand or misconstrue one another's words; proud men will have everything their own way, or wholly refuse their assistance. The favour of the many is not to be depended upon; and what have others to expect, when Hosanna to the Son of David was soon changed to Crucify him, crucify him?" [Mathew Henry]

 

TRUTH FOR TODAY : HE THAT DOES WHAT IS RIGHT IS RIGHTEOUS!

 

The Bible speaks the truth on every point it raises, and is emphatic on the subject of righteousness. Concerning true righteousness, we read -

 

"Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous." [1Jn_3:7]

 

Notice the emphasis on deception. "Let no man deceive you." It is insistent, definite, and unequivocal. The Bible - God's Book, not Man's - tells us that righteousness is found in what we do, not what we say. In other words, what we do proves or betrays what we really believe about God and His insistence on living a righteous life. Righteousness is more than attending Sunday School or simply repeating words, even though they come from the Bible. Righteousness is who were are - or in some cases - are not.

 

There can be little doubt that David is a righteous man, though he, as we , is flawed by sin. He receives God's good and His rebuke with equal devotion. Righteousness is defined as - "the state of him who is such as he ought to be" (Thayer). Thus, in chapter twenty - one, when a famine occurs lasting for three years, David seeks the Lord. John Gill explains why David enquired of God.

 

"And David inquired of the Lord - before the high priest by Urim and Thummim, what should be the cause of the famine perhaps suspecting it was some sins of his; the first year he might take no notice of it, hoping for a more fruitful season the next year, it arising, as he might suppose, from some natural cause; the second year he might begin to think it was for some national sins, but might be remiss in his inquiry into them; but the third year he was alarmed, and concluded there was something extraordinary and special, and feared it was on his account, and this put him on making inquiry."

 

After David seeks God, the answer given as reason for the famine is intriguing. It is because of Saul's slaughter of the Gibeonites, though the Bible does not comment on this event. Therefore, we see an unusual punishment or discipline put on [seeming] innocent people. However, is God unjust? He cannot be unjust. God is righteous in all His deeds. More than that, He owes His [own] creation no explanation for what He does with what is His to start.

 

"Every affliction arises from sin, and should lead us to repent and humble ourselves before God; but some troubles especially show that they are sent to bring sin to remembrance. God's judgments often look a great way back, which requires us to do so, when we are under his rebukes. It is not for us to object against the people's smarting for the sin of their king; perhaps they helped him. Nor against this generation suffering for the sin of the last. God often visits the sins of the fathers upon the children, and he gives no account of any matters. Time does not wear out the guilt of sin; nor can we build hopes of escape upon the delay of judgments. If we cannot understand all the reasons of Providence in this matter, still we have no right to demand that God should acquaint us with those reasons. It must be right, because it is the will of God, and in the end it will be proved to be so. Money is no satisfaction for blood. It should seem, Saul's posterity trod in his steps, for it is called a bloody house. It was the spirit of the family, therefore they are justly reckoned with for his sin, as well as for their own. The Gibeonites did not require this out of malice against Saul or his family. It was not to gratify any revenge, but for the public good. They were put to death at the beginning of harvest; they were thus sacrificed to turn away the wrath of Almighty God, who had withheld the harvest-mercies for some years past, and to obtain his favour in the present harvest. In vain do we expect mercy from God, unless we do justice upon our sins. Executions must not be thought cruel, which are for the public welfare." [Matthew Henry]

 

If we are to become righteous men and women, we must accept God as we read of Him in His Book. We cannot amend what we do not understand, nor can we erase what we do not like. Neither can we add to God's words because we feel a need to defend Him when He is criticized by Man. God is righteous. All we need to do to become righteous is obey. David certainly had his faults. Further, he is a complex person who is sensitive and somewhat sentimental. Yet, he is a man after God's own heart even as God Himself declares. [1Sa 13:14  "But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee."]

 

If we are to be a man or woman after God's own heart, we must humble ourselves as David so often does - and obey Him.